Turn Integrations into a Distribution Engine
If you’re struggling to get traffic to your site, here’s a different path to growth:
What if your acquisition channel was someone else’s product?
That’s exactly what Derrick Reimer did – and it helped his SaaS grow steadily without burning a cent on ads.
How SavvyCal Grew Through Integrations
When Derrick launched SavvyCal (a Calendly competitor), he knew going head-to-head would be tough.
So instead of trying to “beat” them on features or pricing, he looked sideways:
“What tools do my ideal users already use daily?”
He started building native integrations:
Google Calendar
Zoom
Slack
Zapier
But here’s the key:
He didn’t stop at the code.
He listed SavvyCal inside those platforms’ directories.
Each listing became a mini landing page – and each one started driving traffic from users actively searching for tools that worked with their stack.
These integrations now bring in ~25% of SavvyCal’s weekly signups.
It’s not a viral hack. It’s a quiet growth engine that just keeps working – year after year.
Strategy Breakdown: Integrations as Acquisition
Integrations aren’t just product features – they’re distribution engines.
Here’s why this works:
Users love tools that “just work” with their stack
Platform directories rank on Google → You get free SEO
These users have high intent → They’re already looking for a solution like yours
Great integrations can lead to official partnerships → giving you access to their newsletter, blog, and user base
Listing + reviews = long-term exposure
SavvyCal didn’t chase every marketing channel. They focused on owning the places where users were already looking.
Apply This To Your SaaS
You don’t need dozens of integrations to pull this off.
You just need to be intentional.
Pick 1–2 tools your users already use daily
Build a simple integration (API, webhook, Zapier, whatever fits)
List it in the partner’s directory – e.g. Zapier, Slack, Shopify, Notion, etc.
Reach out to their partnerships or ecosystem team – Many platforms promote new integrations to their full user base
This is a one-time setup that can bring you users for years.
Turn other platforms into your silent distribution channel.