What actually works when marketing to a niche blue-collar audience?

I’m currently working on a consumer mobile product aimed at a very specific blue-collar audience in the U.S.

One thing I’m finding difficult is figuring out which acquisition channels are actually worth testing first.

For niche audiences like trucking, construction, logistics, field services, etc., do you think it’s better to start with:

• short-form organic content

• niche communities

• creators/influencers

• referrals

• paid social

• search

I’m especially curious about the trade-off between building trust organically vs trying to acquire users through ads early on.

For anyone who has launched into a narrow consumer or blue-collar market: what worked, what didn’t, and what would you do differently today?