4 Creative Ways to Grow Your Audience

February 9, 2020

Is growing your audience a struggle?

Nearly anyone who runs an online business would say “getting more traffic to my site, social media posts and events” is in their top five. You need traffic to build a list, make sales and fill your programs. So the big question is, where do you get all that traffic?

Of course, you could buy ads, but if you aren’t careful and really know what you’re doing, you might just fill your list with people who are not your ideal customer and that will do nothing for your sales. Social media ads can work but you need an ad specialist and a significant budget to have a chance of a good return on your investment

You could focus your time and energy on search engine optimization but unless you have years to build your business and, once again, a wealth of knowledge or money to pay an expert, then SEO should not be your first choice.

The good news is you have other options.

Be a Guest

grow your audience — Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

By now, we should all know that fresh, relevant content is one of the most efficient ways to market your service or product. Everyone needs content. It’s the one thing that remains consistent among all content creators—there is never enough. That’s where you can help.

By guest posting on other entrepreneur’s blogs, you can “borrow” some of their traffic. Be aware that you can’t simply regurgitate old content and send it out in a dozen directions though. To get the best results, you’ll want to:

Create custom content designed with your host’s unique audience in mind.
Provide stellar value with actionable ideas and strategies not found everywhere else.
Inject your personality so those new to you will instantly connect with you.
Offer a compelling reason to click through to your website or blog for more information.

Partner with Another Entrepreneur

Schedule a free event with a strategic partner. Here’s how it works.

You (as the one with the small list) create a compelling, free training which leads naturally to a low-cost, no-brainer product.
Implement an affiliate tracking system.
Offer your best affiliates a higher percentage of profits in exchange for co-hosting your webinar and bringing their traffic along for the ride.

This is a win/win for both of you, you gain the traffic while your affiliate gets a bigger payday. Just be sure you have a good funnel in place so that your new list members can benefit from all that you have to offer.

Get Interviewed To Grow Your Audience

podcast interview — Photo: CoWomen on Unsplash

Want to really show off your expert status and bring traffic back to your site or social media pages? One of the easiest way is to get on the interview circuit. Just like authors with new books and actors with new movies, entrepreneurs and service providers can get in front of new audiences simply by answering questions about what they know.

Of course, you’re probably not going to appear on the Today Show or Oprah, but there are still plenty of opportunities out there for coaches and consultants in every niche. Look for interview and speaking opportunities on:

Podcasts (Podcasts Guests is a good place to find them!)
Other blogs
YouTube
Local events
Industry conferences
News Outlets (Good source to find opportunities – HARO)

Start by reaching out to your colleagues and to podcast and blog hosts you most admire. Get the word out on social media, with your friends and your list that you’re looking for opportunities.

Even if you don’t yet have a list of your own, it’s easy (and fun) to kick-start your audience growth simply by making yourself available for these and other opportunities. Each guest post, podcast interview, and webinar is another chance to get in front of a whole new market, so take advantage of it!

*****************
Want to learn more?