Marketing a side project without the social media grind

So I’ve built a little tool on the side that I’m pretty excited about, but the idea of constantly posting and promoting on social platforms just drains me. I know the usual advice is to “build an audience” there, but that whole performative hustle culture isn’t for me. Has anyone found quieter, more genuine ways to get the word out? I’m curious about things like niche communities, email newsletters, or even old-school word of mouth. How did you connect with your first users when you weren’t willing to play the social media game?