Distribution
Embedded Distribution
Understand how putting your product inside another product people already use can distribute it automatically, at scale, reaching users without acquiring each one.
- Advanced
- 14 min total
- 12 chapters
What decision this helps you make: Whether and how to embed your product inside others to inherit their reach.
- Related calculator: Email Campaign ROI Calculator
What this topic is
Embedded distribution delivers your product through another product, as a built-in component, integration, default, or "powered by" layer, so you inherit the host's reach automatically. Every unit of the host product carries yours to a new user, without you acquiring each customer.
Why it matters
Embedded distribution can be automatic, scalable, and sticky. It reaches a host's entire user base without per-customer marketing, and often becomes hard to remove. It's how products like Intel and Stripe reached enormous scale. Understanding it reveals a powerful way to distribute by riding inside products people already use, with the trade-offs of depending on a host.
Who should learn it
Anyone whose product could be a component, integration, or default inside another product, especially infrastructure, tools, and components.
What you will understand
- Understand embedding your product inside another
- See why embedded distribution is automatic and scalable
- Know why it's often sticky (hard to remove)
- Weigh the trade-offs of depending on a host
Prerequisites
Common misconception
"To reach users, you have to market to each of them." Not if you embed: build your product inside another product people already use, and you reach its users automatically. Every unit of the host carries yours to a new user, and no per-customer marketing is needed. Intel reached the world by being inside every PC; Stripe reaches users by powering countless apps. Embedded distribution is reach you inherit.