How to Build an Audience: The Ultimate Guide to Get Customers for Your Business
Updated on October 14, 2023 by Tim Donahue
Part 1 of 6
Overview: How to Build an Audience
Building an audience online is the cornerstone of any successful business in today’s digital era. Forget the old “build it and they will come” mantra; it’s more like “build an audience and they’ll bring their wallets.”
The Long Term Concept: Build an Audience and Monetize
The big idea is that you will spend many months, and probably several years, building an audience of people who are very interested in your specific area of expertise.
Then you will monetize that audience for years to come.
Monetizing means to get money from something. In this case, it’s your audience, and you will sell them things like products, information, memberships, subscriptions, courses, access, solutions, etc. – whatever you choose.
Basics of Building An Online Audience
- Beginning To Build An Audience : Day One
- What To Expect As You Begin To Build Your Audience
- The 5 Pillars of Audience Building
- The Time & Energy Investment
- Patience Is Key – It Will Take Some Time
- Conclusion
- Additional Resources
Beginning To Build An Audience : What To Expect
Every influencer or brand you admire started with zero followers. So don’t worry if you’re just starting.
Begin by deciding which platform or platforms you’ll target at first. Choose one or two platforms to begin.
Choosing too many platforms is too overwhelming, and you’ll end up feeling defeated because it will take longer. your current reach, if any. Even a handful of LinkedIn connections or a dormant Twitter account can be a starting point.
You won’t win your audience overnight. The key to a large, engaged audience is long-term commitment.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. This is a long term commitment and effort that should help you for many years to come, if you’re planning a long term career or business.
Common platforms to consider for starters:
- Instagram – A visual playground for photos and short videos.
- LinkedIn – The go-to network for professionals and B2B interactions.
- TikTok – Where short-form videos go viral and trends are born.
- YouTube – A video-sharing giant with content for every niche.
- Twitter – Real-time conversations, news updates, and 280-character thoughts.
- Pinterest – Your digital vision board for ideas and inspiration.
- Medium – Where in-depth articles and thought leadership pieces thrive.
- Substack – A platform for newsletter writers to monetize their content.
Create a plan
Create a 90-day plan to target a specific niche within your industry. This initial focus will make your efforts more manageable and measurable.
It can be overwhelming at first, but don’t worry
Getting started can be a little overwhelming. That’s OK. You’re not alone.
The key to fighting the overwhelming feeling is to educate yourself as best you can, then begin. Do it. Take action. Don’t procrastinate. The process of taking action will make you feel better, and you have to do things to learn how to get good.
Map out some time each day or you’ll get nowhere
You’ll need to map out some time each day to devote to your efforts. You won’t be able to just squeeze it in, you’ll need to plan your efforts.
Begin saving a list of content ideas for building your audience
Create an empty document and start filling it with content ideas that should be interesting and relevant to your readers. Add to this list anytime you have an idea. The longer your list, the better.
Learn to make good photos and videos
Good lighting and clear audio is CRITICAL. You’ll need to learn how to create a clear, well-lit video and photo. You can use your iPhone for this, the quality should be sufficient to begin.
Learn about using lighting, and small lighting kits (you can get a simple lighting kit on Amazon for around $50). Poorly lit videos and photos will KILL YOUR CHANCES of building an audience. This is because people are using to seeing well-lit high quality content and if yours is substandard, they won’t trust you.
Spend whatever time is needed to begin creating good looking photos and videos (with clear audio that is loud enough!).
The 5 Pillars of Audience Building
Building an audience requires a multi-pronged approach. So, let’s break down the top five pillars you need to focus on.
1. Email List Building: Your Golden Ticket
An email list is like having a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory, but better. Emails are a direct line to your audience, untouched by the ever-changing algorithms of social media.
There are different types of email campaigns to consider, such as newsletters, promotional emails, and event announcements. Each serves a unique purpose in your overall strategy.
To start building an email list, begin with a simple sign-up form on your website. Use Mailchimp or ConvertKit to automate your email marketing.
2. Mastering Multi-Platform Content Strategy
Relying on just one platform for your content is like betting your life savings on a single hand of poker. Spoiler alert: Don’t do it. Platforms come and go, but a diversified approach can withstand the test of time.
You should understand the pros and cons of major platforms. For instance, LinkedIn is great for professional content, Instagram is perfect for visual storytelling, and Twitter is ideal for real-time updates.
Begin by selecting 2-3 platforms that best suit your audience and content style. Utilize social media management tools like Buffer to schedule posts and track engagement metrics.
3. Engage, Don’t Just Broadcast: The Art of Community Engagement
If you treat social media as a one-way street, you’ll hit a dead-end pretty quickly. Building an audience is as much about listening as it is about talking.
Engaging with your audience through comments, direct messages, or community forums can offer valuable insights. Brands like Wendy’s have nailed this approach, showing that a little humor and timely interaction can go a long way.
Make it a habit to set aside some time every week to engage with your followers. Answer their queries, comment on their posts, and even feature user-generated content on your platforms.
4. Strategic Collaborations & Partnerships
You don’t have to climb the mountain alone. Collaborations offer a fast track to audience expansion by leveraging someone else’s follower base.
From guest blogging to podcast interviews, the types of collaborations are endless. Each serves a specific goal, be it brand awareness, content diversification, or tapping into a new demographic.
Reach out to potential partners whose audience aligns with yours. Make sure to set clear terms and objectives before you kick off any collaborative project.
5. Consistency & Quality Over Quantity: The Balance You Need
Producing consistent content doesn’t mean flooding your audience with post after post. Quality trumps quantity every time.
Creating a content calendar can keep you organized. Tools like Trello can help you manage your content deadlines and ideas effectively.
Plan your posts to align with your brand messaging and upcoming promotions or events. This will ensure you’re not just producing content for the sake of it but contributing to your overall business goals.
The Time & Energy Investment
Building an audience isn’t a sprint; it’s more like a triathlon where endurance matters. Your time and energy are valuable, so use them wisely.
Track your analytics religiously. Platforms like Google Analytics can provide data on where your audience comes from and what content they engage with.
Allocate more time to activities that generate the highest ROI. This might mean scaling down on platforms that aren’t delivering and focusing on those that are.
Patience Is Key – It Will Take Some Time
You won’t win your audience overnight. The key to a large, engaged audience is long-term commitment.
But remember, you’re not just in this for the numbers. A smaller, more engaged audience can be far more profitable than a large but disengaged one.
This seems like a very long time but the idea is that you will create a platform and a built in audience of people eager to learn more from you and presumably eager to purchase products from you that will help them.
It’s an investment for sure. You may grow faster than expected. But you should assume it will take a few years.
Most people say the growth during the first year is slow and can be a bit depressing, but at some time they find they hit an inflection point, perhaps around year 2-3. and the growth just starts shooting upward quickly.
Keep your eyes on the prize: engaged followers who not only consume your content but also share it, interact with it, and eventually, spend money on your products or services.
Go to Part 2 –
How to Build An Audience
We’ve got you covered – there are 5 more articles on Audience Building – one for each of the 5 main Pillars of Audience Building.
Here’s Part 2 of 6:
Email Marketing and Email List Building >>
Remember, your audience is your business’s lifeline. No audience means no business. So get out there, implement these steps, and start building your tribe.
Did this guide help you understand how to build an audience and get customers for your business? If yes, share it with someone who could benefit from it too!
Additional Resources
If you want to learn more, check out these resources:
