Grow Submissions Without Building an Audience or Running Ads
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How to Grow Submissions Without Building an Audience or Running Ads
In today’s increasingly saturated internet, building an audience or running paid ad campaigns seem like the go-to strategies for gaining traction. But what if you want to grow your submission-based platform — such as a startup directory, SaaS showcase, or marketplace — without all the effort and expense of growing an audience or burning your budget on Facebook and Google Ads?
The good news is: it’s not only possible, but smarter. Especially if you take advantage of automated outreach, data-driven strategies, and targeted contact — all without relying on traffic from traditional, competitive channels.
This guide will walk you through actionable steps to grow submissions without building an audience or running ads, designed specifically for indie entrepreneurs, directory owners, and lean teams ready to scale without getting bogged down.
Why You Don’t Need an Audience or Ads
Let’s begin by reframing the common misconception: that visibility always requires followers or financial investment. While paid ads and organic social media growth work for some businesses, they’re time-consuming and often unpredictable — especially for solo operators.
Instead, you can use a direct-value approach: go straight to the people who are most likely to need what you offer, at the moment they need it, and offer them clear value.
That’s where intelligent systems like Nurturing Mails come in.
Leverage Product Hunt Launches to Source Leads
Why Product Hunt?
Product Hunt launches 50+ new startups every single day. Most of these projects are launched by early-stage founders hungry for exposure, backlinks, and traffic — which happens to be the perfect audience for directories, listing sites, and aggregation platforms.
Leveraging NurturingMail for Outreach
NurturingMail automates cold email outreach to these new founders, congratulating them on their recent launch and inviting them to submit their startups to your directory. Here’s how:
- Pulls fresh daily launches from Product Hunt in real-time
- Sends personalized emails directly from your account
- Uses a proven outreach strategy with a congratulatory, non-salesy tone
- Sends messages at staggered intervals (15–20 minutes) to maintain high deliverability
This hands-off system can grow your platform’s submission rate by over 150% within just 60 days — as seen in multiple use cases documented by NurturingMail.
Steps to Grow Submissions Without Paid Advertising
Step 1: Define Your Ideal Submitter Persona
Who exactly do you want submitting content to your directory? Are you focused on AI tools, no-code apps, financial SaaS, or Chrome extensions? Defining your niche empowers tools like NurturingMail to target the right startups and eliminate noise.
Step 2: Set Automation Rules
Using a platform like Nurturing Mails, you can configure your outreach strategy in minutes:
- Connect your email account (bring your sending domain)
- Select your target categories or keywords (such as AI, productivity, tools)
- Input your campaign message template (or use provided high-converting templates)
- Go live and let automation take over
The system watches Product Hunt 24/7 and shoots out personalized invites to new launches without you lifting a finger.
Step 3: Use Social Proof and Clear CTAs
Once users click from their inbox to your site, make sure your directory explains the value clearly:
- Feature other reputable startups already listed
- Explain how a listing can help visibility and SEO (mention backlinks, impressions, etc.)
- Use compelling CTAs like “Join hundreds of founders already listed” or “Get featured today”
And if you haven’t already, consider checking out directories like Uno Directory, Aura++, and Praneet Brar for inspiration on how to structure your own submission forms and showcase pages.
Other Tools to Complement Your Growth
While you don’t need a giant following or heavy advertising budget, you still need to work smart. Here are some essential tools you can pair with NurturingMail to make your submission growth even more effective:
| Tool | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter.io | Email verification and domain sourcing | https://hunter.io |
| Notion | Create public pages for submission guidelines | https://notion.so |
| Zapier | Automate workflows between emails and submissions | https://zapier.com |
| NurturingMail | Automated, personalized outreach to new founders | https://nurturingmail.com |
Common Objections (And Why They Don’t Hold)
“I’m just getting started — no one wants to be on my small directory.”
You’d be surprised. Founders who just launched on Product Hunt are actively seeking any launchpad they can get — no matter how niche. So long as your pitch sounds personal and respectful, they’ll appreciate the invite.
“I’m not good at writing cold emails.”
That’s the beauty of automation systems like NurturingMail — they give you access to high-performing templates and A/B tested scripts. Plus, the system sends messages for you, so there’s no need for guesswork or constant copywriting.
“What does success look like?”
Start simple. If you’re currently getting 5–10 submissions a month, automation can bump that to 20–30+ — with minimal additional effort. By consistently adding submissions, you create:
- More content for SEO (indexable, keyword-rich entries)
- Higher domain authority via backlinks to your site
- Increased revenue from premium submissions or ads
Simplify Your Workflow and Focus on Value
By removing the need to grow a Twitter following, hire cold emailers, or shell out for paid traffic, you’re free to focus on what really matters — building a valuable, useful, and well-organized directory.
If you’re looking for an intuitive way to scale without hiring marketers or running ad campaigns, visit NurturingMail’s pricing page or read their frequently asked questions to better understand how this tool can help grow your business.
Final Thoughts
Growing submissions without building a large audience or paying for ads is not only plausible — it’s quickly becoming the preferred method for indie founders and directory operators who understand reach is more about relevance and timing than popularity.
With tools like NurturingMail, you’re tapping into a consistent stream of relevant startups at their most receptive moment: immediately after launching. By pairing automation with personalization, you get the best of both worlds: scale and conversion.
It’s time to stop chasing vanity metrics and start nurturing real, organic growth — one relevant submission at a time.