Do you actually own your target audience? |
It's a lot of time and effort into growing your following. Shouldn't that hard work pay off? Here's why owning your followers is crucial to creator success.
Doesn't that all the hard work pay off?
A following on a social media platform does not necessarily mean that you have a relationship with that crowd. And if you're not doing this then you're not getting 1.) people seeing all that you're offering, as well as) the advantages of the potential for monetization, building community, and growth -- of having that audience in the initial place.
Here's what "owning your target audience" means and the reason why it's important.
What exactly does it mean being a leader in your field? (And what makes it crucial?)
Being a part of your audience is about building relations with them in your own way. You know who they are, and what they do with your work, regardless of whether they're introducing your brand for the first time , or already have been faithful fans for years.
The way to establish these relationships is by owning when and how you interact with your customers. You communicate with them on a specific platform or channel that you are in control of, for instance, your email list, online community, or website. The direct channel of communication is scalable, so it is easy to reach the right people at the appropriate time regardless of whether it's an individual user or your entire email database.
There's a difference between posting content on Instagram and trying to hope that algorithms will place your content in front of the people who follow you as opposed to. knowing that your message is delivered to the correct people.
Imagine hosting an event for your new friends. To make sure they have a great time it is important to know the following facts about them before they arrive What are their food limitations? What sort of music does they enjoy? Do they prefer beers, wine, or mocktails?
Like asking your family and family members for their suggestions will help you prepare a meal to your guests, getting to know your target audience much more than "likes" or "follows" can help you develop products and content that satisfy the needs of your audience.
The result? growing your business as a creator with more sales and happier customers.
The consequences of not owning your target audience
When you don't own your target audience, you lose out on opportunities to build relationshipswith your customers, increase the value of your content, make sure your followers get to see your content and help grow your business.
Here are three ways that social media platforms can make difficult to control your audience:
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok don't let you take your audience that you've built up by bringing them along. You aren't able to contact all your TikTok followers at once or create a list of their email addresses so that you can communicate with them in a way that is on your own terms.
Social platforms' algorithms are created to keep users on social media apps for as long as they can, putting platform profits above creators' success. Changes in algorithms means your users might not see your work at the time you publish it , if they actually see it. These platforms also promote the work of other creators to your audience and display your content in the brand of the platform that is not the same as your own.
There's no reason to suggest that content creators shouldn't avoid social media altogether. It's an excellent means to build your fan base and let new audiences discover your content -- however it shouldn't be the soleway you communicate with your audience. Utilizing social media in conjunction with other avenues (like email) could make a huge contribution to the success of the business of your creator.
Strategies to create audiences in your own way
The most significant aspect of governing your audience is having the ability to control their experience at every stage no matter if they're a new subscriber or a regular.
There are many options to make that happen. We have two suggestions to creators
Start growing your email list in the early days
Choose a creator-friendly all-in-one platform
1. Begin to build your email database in the early days
Email is a tried-and-true marketing channel because it's simple and inexpensive to start -- and building your mailing list before the deadline can pay off in spades.
The success of your workshop is at the mercy of the algorithm *.
(*The Instagram algorithm changes frequently and with no prior notice, therefore the info in this graphic could alteration. That's one of the biggest reason why people are tired with Instagram -- and are moving into channels that they control such as email or private groups.)
What you do with the place you host these digital products -- and manage your other business -- can make a big difference, too.
2. Select platforms and tools that are user-friendly for creators.
A lot of platforms treat creators as though they are in the same place that they only create posts and connect with users on that platform and not being real people who are working to build brands and business. The companies do not understand the importance of starting and develop a successful business as a creator.
That is to say, they aren't creator-friendly.
A Creator-friendly platform allows you to manage your audiences interactions and managing the user experience simpler.
"Creators strive to develop their own fan base with long-lasting relationships but that shouldn't be a reason to be locked into one particular platform. It's your right to enjoy the benefits of your time and labor on your next travel."
"That is the capability to take your data clients, data, and profits along to a new platform or, at the very least, export off an existing platform, quickly and in a simple method."
The platforms that are creator-friendly help you reach all of your customers -- students, community members who are free as well as paid subscribers to your email list -- to the extent you need. Send a message to everyone on your list or reach a specific pupil in a cohort of students from the same platform.
Platforms like Facebook aren't sending info to your email provider. (They do not even allow you to export emails.) That means you can't use audience info to segment your email list. You must than one platform for communication with all of them.
"I must pay for a full-time virtual assistant to allow members in, welcome them, moderate, etc. We use Google Sheets and separate Facebook Messenger software which is $30/month, plus Facebook's algorithm and distracting features. The mess is so messed up."
This becomes especially important if you are looking to do more than provide content for free. If you want to start making money with digital content and communities You need the appropriate tools.
Set up a platform for them to communicate updates to their supporters
In the end, the tools you utilize should view your holistically and assist you as a creator of something extraordinary and not only as a way for them to make more money. The platforms that support creators know how vital that creators be in control of the relationship and communications with their followers. If you're given the power to take control of these things and have control over them, you can begin to create a truly amazing creative business that is your own.
Are you ready to start by using a platform for creators which puts your success at the forefront? Join us to get a free account now . We can't wait to watch you grow.