If you’ve read our piece on the importance of a quality email database, you already know why it’s crucial.
(If you haven’t, take a moment to read it now and then come back—we’ll be here!)
Those lessons apply to any digital audience: your email list, your social media following, etc.
When it’s time to grow that audience, you’ll want to keep that quality at heart. An audience of 2,000 where only 100 care isn’t better than 100 who are all engaged. The other 1,900? They’ll delete your emails, skim your social posts, and miss your message.
Sure, it can be frustrating, but it’s true. We stand by this, and it’s what we tell our partners.
You want an audience that’s genuinely interested in hearing from you.
So, how can you grow your digital audience while preserving that quality?
Be organic about it.
Have you ever planted seeds for a plant? You probably remember what it was like waiting for them to sprout—watching those seedlings grow into plants. And you’ll also remember that you can’t force it.
Like those seedlings, your digital audience needs tending and patience.
Promote your email marketing list on your social media, put a sign-up form on your website, and ask people to sign up at events (but make sure they know they’re signing up—don’t just use the same list as your attendance list!).
Let your audience grow over time. The goal is to attract subscribers who are genuinely interested in your content and let your audience grow naturally. Those are the contacts that matter more—not just the metrics of how many followers you have.
Show your digital audience that you care about them.
You want to provide value for your audience. Once they tap that follow button or sign up for your email list, make sure they have a reason to stay.
They don’t want to be marketed to. You want your audience to feel like you’re sharing something of value with them, to feel like they learn something new or get something from you whenever they see your social media posts or emails. Like hearing from a friend.
As your list grows, think about how you can segment your audience. Target smaller segments to make sure that the people you’re talking to care about what you have to say. It shows that you respect their time and attention. Your monthly newsletter might go out to your entire list, but then maybe you have updates specific to certain members, or you’ll send event invites only to people who live within your geographic region.
If your digital audience is a growing plant, then these practices are how you tend to it.
Be consistent.
Don’t only communicate when you’re asking for something. Make sure you’re mixing in impact stories, insights, etc. Plan your content so that you have a consistent schedule with a cadence (that’s the frequency and timing of your content).
Use patterns that help your audience know what to expect. “You want your audience to tell by the subject line—or as soon as they open it—what kind of email they’re getting,” says Sonya Schweitzer, our director of digital marketing.
That’s how we guide partners to grow their digital audiences. To build relationships that bring results.
By following these practices, you can create a digital audience that’s both substantial and engaged, creating a community that values what you have to share.
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