What is a GTM (Go-to-Market) channel?

A GTM channel is a method or platform through which a company reaches and acquires customers. Examples include paid advertising, content marketing, cold outreach, partnerships, and product-led growth strategies. Each channel has different costs, time-to-results, and scalability characteristics.

How do I know which GTM channels are right for my startup?

The right channels depend on your target audience, budget, team capabilities, and business model. Use this tool to score channels based on criteria like audience fit, cost efficiency, and your team's ability to execute. Focus on 1-2 channels initially rather than spreading resources thin.

What is the scoring methodology?

Each channel is scored on 8 criteria with different weights. Audience Fit has the highest weight (1.5x) because reaching the right customers is crucial. Competition Level (0.75x) and Measurability (0.5x) have lower weights. The final score is a weighted average of all scored criteria.

Should I focus on paid or organic channels first?

It depends on your timeline and budget. Paid channels (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads) provide faster results but require ongoing budget. Organic channels (SEO, Content) take longer but compound over time with lower marginal costs. Many successful startups use paid for initial traction while building organic.

How many channels should I focus on?

For early-stage startups, focus on 1-2 channels until you find product-market fit. Spreading across too many channels is a common mistake that dilutes resources and makes it hard to learn what works. Once a channel is working, you can add more.

What if I have a limited budget?

Prioritize channels with lower upfront costs like content marketing, organic social, cold email, or product-led growth. These require more time investment but less capital. Score "Cost Efficiency" higher in your criteria to surface budget-friendly options.

Free Tool

GTM Channel Analyzer

Evaluate and prioritize go-to-market channels for your startup. Score channels on 8 criteria to find your best acquisition opportunities.

AI-Powered Analysis

Describe your business and let AI recommend channel scores tailored to your situation.

AI analysis uses your description to generate personalized channel recommendations. You can adjust scores after generation.

Scored only

Showing 22 of 22 channels

Channels (22)

Paid(6 channels)

Google Search Ads

Paid

Pay-per-click ads on Google search results targeting high-intent keywords.

High Scalability

CPL: $50-500

1-2 weeks

LinkedIn Ads

Paid

B2B-focused ads with precise targeting by job title, company size, and industry.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $100-800

2-4 weeks

Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)

Paid

Visual ads across Facebook and Instagram with broad reach and retargeting.

High Scalability

CPL: $20-150

1-2 weeks

YouTube Ads

Paid

Video ads before, during, or alongside YouTube content.

High Scalability

CPL: $30-200

2-4 weeks

Podcast Advertising

Paid

Sponsorships or host-read ads on relevant podcasts.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $50-300

4-8 weeks

Influencer Marketing

Paid

Partner with industry influencers to promote your product to their audience.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $30-500

2-6 weeks

Organic(3 channels)

SEO / Content Marketing

Organic

Create content that ranks in search engines for relevant keywords.

High Scalability

CPL: $10-100 (at scale)

3-12 months

YouTube Channel

Organic

Build a YouTube presence with educational or entertaining content.

High Scalability

CPL: $20-100 (at scale)

6-12 months

Outbound(4 channels)

Cold Email

Outbound

Direct email outreach to potential customers.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $20-200

2-4 weeks

Cold Calling

Outbound

Phone outreach to prospects, often combined with email.

Low Scalability

CPL: $50-300

1-4 weeks

LinkedIn Outreach

Outbound

Direct messaging on LinkedIn to connect with prospects.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $30-150

2-4 weeks

Events & Conferences

Outbound

Attend or sponsor industry events to meet prospects.

Low Scalability

CPL: $200-1000

1-3 months

Partnership(3 channels)

Affiliate Program

Partnership

Pay partners a commission for referred customers.

High Scalability

CPL: $50-200

2-6 months

Integration Partnerships

Partnership

Partner with complementary products to reach their user base.

High Scalability

CPL: $10-100

3-6 months

Reseller / Agency Channel

Partnership

Enable agencies or resellers to sell your product.

High Scalability

CPL: $100-500

6-12 months

Product-Led(3 channels)

Free Trial / Freemium

Product-Led

Let users try the product before purchasing.

High Scalability

CPL: $5-50

1-4 weeks

Product Virality

Product-Led

Built-in mechanics that encourage users to invite others.

High Scalability

CPL: $1-20

1-6 months

Open Source

Product-Led

Release open source version to build community and adoption.

High Scalability

CPL: $5-100

6-24 months

Community(3 channels)

Community Building

Community

Build and nurture a community around your product or industry.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $10-50 (at scale)

6-12 months

Word of Mouth / Referrals

Community

Encourage customers to recommend your product to others.

Medium Scalability

CPL: $10-100

3-12 months

User-Generated Content

Community

Encourage users to create content about your product.

High Scalability

CPL: $5-50

3-6 months

Your Rankings

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Start scoring channels on the left to see your prioritized list here.

Scoring Guide

Channel AccessibilityHow easy is it for your team to execute on this channel? Consider skills, tools, and resources.

Cost EfficiencyHow expensive is this channel? (1 = very expensive, 10 = very cheap)

Potential VolumeHow many leads/customers can this channel realistically deliver?

Effort RequiredHow much ongoing effort does this channel require? (1 = very high effort, 10 = low effort)

Time to ResultsHow quickly will you see results? (1 = very slow, 10 = very fast)

Audience Fit(1.5x)How well does this channel reach your ideal customer profile?

Competition Level(0.75x)How saturated is this channel? (1 = very saturated, 10 = untapped)

Measurability(0.5x)How easy is it to track and attribute results from this channel?

Frequently Asked Questions

How It Works

Browse Channels

Explore 24 GTM channels across 6 categories: Paid, Organic, Outbound, Partnership, Product-Led, and Community.

Score Each Channel

Rate channels on 8 criteria including audience fit, cost efficiency, and time to results.

Review Rankings

See your personalized channel rankings based on weighted scores.

Export & Share

Copy as markdown or download CSV to share with your team.

GTM Channel Analyzer

AI-Powered Analysis

Channels (22)

Google Search Ads

LinkedIn Ads

Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)

YouTube Ads

Podcast Advertising

Influencer Marketing

SEO / Content Marketing

Organic Social Media

YouTube Channel

Cold Email

Cold Calling

LinkedIn Outreach

Events & Conferences

Affiliate Program

Integration Partnerships

Reseller / Agency Channel

Free Trial / Freemium

Product Virality

Open Source

Community Building

Word of Mouth / Referrals

User-Generated Content

Your Rankings

Scoring Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How It Works

Browse Channels

Score Each Channel

Review Rankings

Export & Share