Your Product Doesn’t Matter if No One Cares.

I used to think entrepreneurship was about building the perfect product.

Like most people, I believed that if you build something great, people will come. But after launching my first product, I quickly realized something crucial.

No one cared.

No one even knew it existed.

I was stuck in what I now know is the classic entrepreneurial trap—obsessing over the product while ignoring the most important factor: attention. Without attention, your product doesn’t stand a chance.

Then I stumbled upon a game-changing book called Traction by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares. It was a wake-up call. The book laid out 19 customer acquisition channels—strategies to get your product in front of the right people. It showed me that success isn’t just about what you build, but how you get people to notice it. The book’s Bullseye Framework was especially eye-opening. It’s a simple but powerful concept: prioritize acquisition channels, experiment relentlessly, and double down on what works.

That’s when everything clicked.

I didn’t need to be everywhere or do everything. I just needed to find what worked.

A few years later, with the explosion of AI tools like ChatGPT, a new question emerged:

Can AI really help win the attention game, or is it just smoke and mirrors?

Let's figure out.

Acquisition Channels: What AI Brings to the Table

Let’s break it down.

Each acquisition channel has its own demands. Some are great for organic growth, others are better for paid ads or partnerships. But with AI in your corner, the game changes. It’s like having an extra brain—one that works 24/7, analyzes massive amounts of data, and helps you make smarter, faster decisions.

Here’s how AI elevates the most important acquisition channels.

1. SEO and Content Creation

You’ve probably heard the saying: “Content is king.” But producing enough of it to matter? That’s a slog.

AI changes that. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Copy.ai can crank out articles, blog posts, and web copy in a fraction of the time it would take a human. Want SEO-driven content that ranks on Google? Feed AI the right keywords and let it generate blog posts based on trending search queries. This method is already driving traffic for businesses at scale.

Traction emphasizes content marketing as a key acquisition channel. AI helps you master it by significantly cutting down creation time. Instead of one article a week, you could publish three or four.

But remember, AI content needs your touch. Without it, the writing feels generic. It’s great for volume but still needs the authenticity that only you can bring.

2. Social Media Ads

Social media advertising is a science.

Testing different creatives, targeting demographics, and analyzing performance metrics is tedious but crucial. AI does the heavy lifting here. Tools like AdCreative.ai can generate dozens of ad variations, and platforms like ChatGPT can analyze performance data in real time.

Imagine running a Facebook ad campaign. AI will tell you which images perform best, which headlines get the most clicks, and how to adjust your targeting for higher conversions. You can A/B test faster than ever, using AI to eliminate the guesswork.

3. Email Marketing

Traction lists email marketing as one of the top acquisition channels, and for good reason.

A solid email list is one of the most valuable assets you can have. But how do you keep it growing? How do you get people to open your emails?

This is where AI shines.

You can use AI to create lead magnets—free resources that solve a small part of your prospect’s problem. These can be cheat sheets, how-to videos, or mini-courses. AI can also help with email segmentation, automating personalized follow-ups based on user behavior.

The result? A smarter email campaign that nurtures leads and converts them into customers. And you didn’t even have to do most of the heavy lifting.

4. SEO and SEM

Search engine optimization and search engine marketing are two pillars of digital growth.

Using AI, you can dominate both. For SEO, AI tools like SurferSEO or Clearscope can analyze top-ranking pages, recommend keywords, and even suggest how to structure your content. For SEM (paid search ads), AI tools can analyze which keywords drive the most conversions and automatically adjust your bids.

Before AI, it could take hours to optimize a blog post or SEM campaign. Now, it’s a matter of minutes. And with AI’s predictive capabilities, you can stay ahead of competitors by anticipating changes in search trends.

5. Affiliate Programs & Partnerships

Affiliate marketing and strategic partnerships are key channels in Traction. But setting up these relationships takes time and effort.

AI can help streamline the process. For affiliate programs, AI can analyze which products are the best fit for partnerships and even help refine your offers to make them more attractive. It can also assist in tracking performance, showing you which affiliates are bringing in the most revenue and which ones need a little push.

But here’s the thing—AI can’t build relationships for you. While it helps you formalize and structure offers, the real work of partnership-building still depends on human touch.

6. Viral Marketing

Everyone dreams of going viral.

AI can’t guarantee it, but it can help you formalize a strategy to increase your chances. Viral marketing works when your customers bring in other customers. AI can analyze patterns in customer behavior and suggest referral incentives that are most likely to resonate with your audience.

It’s all about testing the right offer, and AI makes that process faster and more data-driven.

The AI Trap

Here’s a common mistake.

People start using AI and think it can do everything.

It can’t.

Yes, AI is incredibly powerful for automating and optimizing many aspects of your acquisition strategy. It can create content, run ads, and manage email campaigns. But AI is still a tool—not a replacement for human connection. It lacks the empathy and nuance needed to form deep, lasting relationships with customers.

AI can get you attention, but turning that attention into loyalty? That’s on you.

Your Playbook: The Micro-Scale Method

So, how do you leverage AI without falling into the trap of sounding robotic?

Follow this simple three-step method:

Step 1: Use AI to prioritize your acquisition channels.

Don’t try to dominate every channel. Start with the ones that make sense for your business. Let AI help you identify where you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck.

Step 2: Start small and scale.

Run micro-experiments with AI in your chosen channel. Track the results. Double down on what works. The beauty of AI is that it gives you the data to act fast.

Step 3: Automate, delegate, and keep learning.

Once you find what works, automate it. Delegate tasks where needed, but always keep your eye on the big picture. Remember, AI is there to help you scale—not to replace you.

— Charafeddine