The simple truth is that you can grow your audience faster by NOT publishing new blog posts non-stop. In fact, the content hamster wheel is a great way to burn out, lose the trust of your audience, and never attract any new sales.
The best marketers, like Tim Stoddart and Ross Simmonds, build strong audiences by developing a simple process of:
research > write > publish > distribute > learn > earn trust
More new readers, website visitors, and clients (without the burnout)…sounds pretty wonderful right?
Unfortunately, most solopreneurs start writing blog articles without any type of strategy.
You don’t have to create new content every day.
But, most marketers get stuck in the content hamster wheel—and eventually burn out.
- They write on the wrong topics.
- They don’t have a distribution plan.
- They don’t focus on evergreen topics.
- They don’t provide an easy on-ramp for potential clients.
Don’t worry, we’re going to learn how to conquer these roadblocks for good in 7 straightforward ways.
Here’s how, step by step:
1. Publish on a Platform You Own
Your website needs to be the home base of your content because you have full control over the rules. And, you can craft your audience’s entire experience—giving them more value along the way.
Invest in your website.
Several years ago, Facebook dropped the algorithm bomb on businesses and creators to start getting ad revenue.
Suddenly it wasn’t as profitable to be a Facebook-first business. The same thing has happened on every other social media and blog platform. So, if you want your business to grow with long-term health, don’t depend on a platform controlled by someone else.
Get your current audience onto your email list and start developing trust that goes deeper than a fleeting feed of Instagram stories.
2. Repurpose it for Various Needs
So many marketers and entrepreneurs publish a blog article, share the link on social media, and move on.
Sadly, their well-planned content only stays fresh for those first 90 minutes. After that, it’s overcome by the firehouse of low-quality content from everyone else.
Pick one point to share on social media each day. Or, shoot a quick video summary of the article’s main points. Include a link in your regular newsletter.
You’ve already done the hard work of research and compiling your thoughts. Why not get the most out of it?
Tim Stoddart, CEO of Copyblogger, and Ross Simmonds, owner of Foundation, both get this. And, they’re reaping the rewards of audience trust and sales growth.
10 ways to grow your audience faster by distribution (from Ross Simmonds):
- Twitter (often)
- Email newsletter
- Email signature
- Other people’s channels
- Niche communities
- Medium
- Other social channels
- Email outreach
- Answer Quora & Reddit questions
- Add a link to your social bios
3. Share on a Platform with Built-in Distribution
If you want to build your audience quickly, you need a way to connect with people not yet connected with you.
SEO is a great way to do that on your website, but it’s not enough by itself. Use other platforms with built-in distribution and search power. YouTube and Pinterest are great examples. Partner with other entrepreneurs to collaborate on package sales, events, or online webinars.
Promote to the right people one-on-one. Do the hard things right now, like reaching out to industry leaders, so that you can reap the rewards later.
Keep thinking outside of the box, and outside of your current circle. That’s where the real growth awaits.
4. Pick the Right Topics (Listen to Your Audience)
Listening to the pain points of your current audience is an excellent way to pick better blog topics every time.
Watch for signals like social media comments, complaints, email replies, and client questions. They will tell you what they are looking for, and that’s your ticket to unlimited ideas (that will attract organic search visits long-term).
Publish interesting content.
Make it your mission to publish interesting and useful content—that can’t be found anywhere else. Do it differently than anyone else, and you’ll face no competition. You’ll never beat those long-established websites until you build unique content that gets shared with your target circle.
So, you and I need to do the research that no one else wants to do. Reach out to get in-depth survey data that no one else can get.
Stay focused.
Be thorough.
Keep it personal.
Publish evergreen content.
Evergreen, pain-point blog topics are the way to go if you’re low on time and resources. Answer questions that your ideal clients are asking today, and others will be asking 10 years from now. Keep doing more of what is helping your audience and creating those conversations that lead to sales.
That type of content will keep working years down the road. (I.E., No more hamster wheel)
5. Offer Ways to Go Deeper
Educate your readers well to show your expertise—but make sure they know there are a couple of ways to go deeper with a paid product or service.
At first, you’ll want to offer some type of free lead magnet (that requires an email sign-up). Make sure it’s got a higher level of value for your target audience, and then over-deliver on the promise. Curate great articles from others, and add your personal response. Respond to current events or hot news in your industry.
Learn how to share your unique skill and value by educating your target audience on the topics they care about.
6. Nurture Your Email List
Don’t be afraid to email your audience and check in.
Most email marketing experts recommend a weekly email cycle, as long as you’re able to provide high value in each one. If nothing else, it’s a great way to say hello, remind them you’re still there if they need anything, and share a few insights to help them on their path. You’ll need a decent frequency at first (on your main platform) so that you can test ideas and learn from the response you get.
Show your audience they can expect big things from you, and they’ll be ready to jump in when you offer a paid solution that fixes their specific problem.
Offer an increasingly higher level of value at every step in their journey, and you’ll win their loyalty for a lifetime!
Keep Going
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Let’s be honest, there is no magical flywheel to grow your audience faster without putting in the effort (you would hate that anyway). One way or another, you need to keep the conversation going. But, it doesn’t require a daily blog post to do that well. You will hit a time when your efforts start to show some return—use that momentum to keep being consistent in the little things.
Keep showing up, because most people give up right before it gets exciting. People trust brands that keep their promises week after week…after week.
Want Some Help?
I provide content marketing and SEO services for businesses that understand the value of earning the trust of their future clients. Here are a couple of ways we can work together.
Request a free SEO Discovery call to learn more.
- SEO Assessment – Get a complete assessment of your current website and SEO status, and walk away with some clear next steps.
- 8-Week B2B SEO QuickStart Setup – Sign up for my QuickStart SEO intensive, and get your website fit for growth. This done-for-you service builds a solid SEO foundation for your website. You’ll also walk away with a full 12-month Content Roadmap.
