Explosive Startup Growth with Side Project Marketing (No Budget? No Problem!)

Side Project Marketing

What is Side Project Marketing?

Side project marketing is a recognized industry term, especially popular in the startup and tech sectors. It involves businesses building and launching stand-alone tools, services, or resources designed to attract potential customers—without directly promoting their main product. These side projects solve specific problems or provide value to your target audience, pulling them into your ecosystem organically, often leading to conversions down the road.

This concept is closely related to “Engineering as Marketing”, a term popularized by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares in their book Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth. They describe it as using engineering time to create tools like calculators, widgets, and educational resources that get your company in front of potential customers. Side project marketing uses the same principle: providing useful, free resources that demonstrate your expertise, helping to build trust and brand awareness.

At Zero To Millions Club, we leverage this strategy through our community—a space designed to educate, connect, and inspire early-stage founders. Our side project, the community itself, aligns perfectly with our mission of fostering innovation and empowering entrepreneurs to push boundaries without fear. This approach helps us organically attract founders and engineers who resonate with our vision of building a forward-thinking, innovative world.

How Side Project Marketing Works

Think of it like offering a free sample at a grocery store. It’s not the full meal (your main product or service), but it’s a small, useful taste that leaves your audience wanting more. These projects subtly introduce users to your brand and, over time, convert them into paying customers.

At Zero To Millions Club, our community acts as a side project—offering startup stories, resources, and networking opportunities. This side project is key to attracting founders and engineers aligned with our mission to foster innovation, without directly selling any products.

Real-Life Examples of Side Project Marketing

Here are a few examples from well-known startups, alongside our Zero To Millions Club community example, that have successfully used side project marketing to fuel their growth:

1. Shopify’s Hatchful: Shopify launched Hatchful, a free logo maker for entrepreneurs and small business owners. While creating logos, users are exposed to Shopify’s broader suite of eCommerce tools, making it a perfect fit for entrepreneurs who are likely to need an eCommerce platform in the future. It’s free, easy to use, and aligns perfectly with Shopify’s audience.

2. HubSpot’s Website Grader: HubSpot built Website Grader, a free tool that evaluates websites based on performance, SEO, mobile responsiveness, and security. This tool not only provides value by helping businesses improve their online presence but also leads users to discover HubSpot’s marketing software as a solution to their pain points.

3. Kapwing’s Video Converter: Kapwing, an online video editor, created a Video to MP3 Converter tool. While users convert videos into different formats, they’re introduced to Kapwing’s full suite of video editing tools. The converter is free, but users often end up exploring Kapwing’s premium features, increasing conversion rates.

4. Airbnb’s Obama O’s: In the early days of Airbnb, the founders launched a creative and low-budget side project called Obama O’s and Captain McCain’s—limited-edition cereal boxes during the 2008 presidential election. The campaign was funny and timely, generating significant media buzz, which in turn brought more attention to their rental platform.

5. Zero To Millions Club’s Community: At Zero To Millions Club, our side project is the community itself—a platform that educates and connects startup founders. We offer free resources, shared insights, and startup stories to support early-stage entrepreneurs. This project is aligned with our mission of fostering innovation, and it naturally attracts first-time founders looking to grow their SaaS businesses without relying on traditional marketing tactics.

Why Side Project Marketing is Ideal for First-Time Founders

For engineers, SaaS founders, and early-stage startups, side project marketing is a particularly effective strategy because it:

1. Builds Brand Awareness Without Big Budgets: Startups often lack the resources to spend heavily on advertising. Side project marketing provides a low-cost way to grab attention, offering value upfront to your target audience.

2. Appeals to Engineers and Developers: Many side projects—like calculators, widgets, or coding games—resonate well with tech-savvy users. They enjoy tools that make their work easier, which positions your brand as helpful and trustworthy.

3. Attracts Organic Traffic: Once built, side projects can rank on search engines and continue to draw in traffic over time, similar to a well-optimized blog post. Tools that solve evergreen problems (like a pricing calculator or SEO grader) will keep bringing in new users for months or even years.

4. Establishes Credibility and Authority: When you offer a side project that genuinely helps users, you’re building trust with your audience. This trust often converts into long-term loyalty and brand advocates.

Types of Side Projects You Can Build

If you’re considering launching a side project, here are some popular types to get your ideas flowing:

1. Free Tools & Apps: Simple, easy-to-use tools that solve a common problem can attract a large audience.

Example: CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer helps content creators craft better headlines for their blog posts or ads, subtly introducing them to CoSchedule’s suite of marketing tools.

2. Calculators: Provide a custom calculator that helps users answer key questions in your niche.

Example: Z1’s How Much to Make an App calculator estimates the cost of developing a mobile app, which can lead to app development inquiries for their business.

3. Quizzes: Engage users with interactive quizzes that offer personalized results.

Example: RamseySolutions’ Tax Filing Quiz asks questions about how users file taxes and then promotes their tax preparation service as a solution.

4. Templates: Offer downloadable templates that simplify complex tasks for your audience.

Example: ActiveCampaign’s CRM Template for Google Sheets allows businesses to try a simplified version of a CRM, leading them to explore ActiveCampaign’s more advanced CRM offerings.

5. Games: Create a fun, interactive game that can attract media attention and backlinks.

Example: Checkmarx’s Game of Hacks challenges users to identify vulnerabilities in code snippets, raising awareness about their security products.

6. Directories: Curate a list of resources, tools, or companies that align with your audience’s needs.

Example: Baremetrics’ Open Startups shares transparent startup data, which attracts SaaS founders and introduces them to Baremetrics’ analytics tools.

How to Create a Side Project that Drives Growth

Here’s a simple 3-step process to get your side project off the ground:

1. Find the Right Idea: Identify the pain points your audience has that you can solve with a side project. Consider building something related to your industry or product but don’t focus directly on selling your core product. Research competitors or niche blogs to spot gaps in the market where a side project could fill a need.

2. Build Your Side Project with No-Code Tools: You don’t need a full engineering team to execute side project marketing. Today’s no-code tools like Outgrow, Carrd, and Bubble allow you to build apps, quizzes, and calculators with minimal technical knowledge.

3. Promote and Optimize: Once your project is live, promote it through social media, your email list, and relevant communities like Hacker News or Product Hunt. Additionally, ensure your side project is SEO-optimized, so it continues driving organic traffic long after launch.

Wrapping Up: Why Side Project Marketing Should Be Your Next Move

If you’re an early-stage startup founder or an engineer looking to break into SaaS, side project marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to gain visibility, attract leads, and build trust with your audience. It’s a strategy that requires creativity, not a massive budget, making it perfect for resource-strapped founders who want to generate buzz and drive long-term growth.

Want more strategies like this?

Join the Zero To Millions Club and learn from fellow founders, engineers, and SaaS professionals as we share insights, tools, and actionable tips to supercharge your startup’s growth. Click here to join our community!

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