Do you actually own your followers? |

Oct 26, 2022

You've put a lot of time and effort into growing your fan base. Why shouldn't that hard work pay off? The reason why you should be able to control your followers is crucial to the success of your creator.

Why shouldn't the effort pay off?

Being popular on a social media platform does not necessarily mean that you have a relationship with that audience. And if you're not doing this then you're not getting one) users seeing what you can offer as well as) the benefits -- the potential for monetization, building community, and even growth having that audience in the initial place.

This is the definition of "owning your market" means and why it matters.

What exactly does it mean to be able to control your audience? (And why is this so important?)

Building your brand's reputation by establishing relationships with people according to your personal preferences. You are aware of who they are as well as how they interact with your work, regardless of regardless of whether they're discovering your content for the first time or are long-time fans.

The way to establish these relationships is by owning when and how you interact with your customers. They communicate on a specific platform or channel that you are in control of, for instance, your email list, an online community, or website. This direct communication channel can be scalable so that you are able to easily contact those who are in the appropriate time, whether that's one individual client or your entire email list.

It's the difference between posting on Instagram and waiting to see if the algorithm puts your content in front of your followers as opposed to. knowing that your message will reach the people you want to.

Imagine you're hosting an event for your new friends. In order to ensure that they'll enjoy themselves, you need to learn some facts about them before they arrive: Do they have any specific dietary restrictions? What sort of music does they enjoy? Do they prefer alcohol, wine or mocktails?

Like asking your family and family members for their suggestions can help you plan a dinner party for your guests, getting to know your audience as more than "likes" or "follows" can help you develop products and content that satisfy their requirements.

The outcome? Your business will grow with more sales and happier customers.

The consequences of not owning your audience

If you're not in control of your audience, you miss chances to develop connections, and monetize your followers Make sure that your customers see your content, and also grow your business.

Three ways social media platforms can make it difficult for you to establish your followers:

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok won't allow you to take the followers you've created with you. You aren't able to contact all your TikTok fans at the same time or export a list of their email addresses to communicate with them in a way that is on your own terms.

The algorithms of social media platforms are created to keep users engaged with social media applications for as long as possible making platform profit above creators' success. The ever-changing algorithm means that your fans could not view your work in the moment you share it , if they actually see it. They also showcase works of others to your followers and show your work under the platform's branding, not the one you own.

We aren't saying that creators need to avoid social media completely. It's an excellent method to increase your followers and let new audiences discover your content -- but it shouldn't be the the onlyway you interact with your audience. Using social media alongside other avenues (like email) will make a significant contribution to the success of your business as a creator.

Methods to intentionally build audience relationships in your own way

A big part of owning your followers is having complete the control of the experience they have at each stage no matter if they're a new subscriber or a regular.

There are a variety of ways to achieve this. We have two suggestions to creators

Start growing your email list early on

Pick a user-friendly, all-in-one platform for creators.

1. Get your email list growing early on

Email is a tried-and-true marketing method due to the fact that it's cost-effective and easy to start as well as building an email lists early will yield a wealth of benefits.

Your workshop's performance depends on the fate of the algorithm *.

(*The Instagram algorithm changes frequently and without notice, so the info in this graphic could changes. This is one of the main reasons why creators are bored with Instagram -- and moving to their own channels including email, and even private community sites.)

Where you host those digital items -- as well as run the other aspects of your business -- can make huge differences, as well.

2. Make sure you use platforms and tools designed for the creator.

A lot of platforms treat creators as though they exist in a vacuum -- only to produce content and interact with followers on that platform and not being real people who are working to build brands and businesses. The companies do not understand the importance of starting and grow a creator business.

That is to say these aren't a good fit for creators.

A Creator-friendly platform makes owning your audience interactions and managing their experience a whole lot more simple.

Portrait of Spencer
"Creators are always working to create their own audiences -- and long-lasting relationships which shouldn't be a reason to be locked into an individual platform. The best thing you can do is carry the results of your time and labor on your next go."

"That implies the capacity to move your data such as customers, earnings, and data along to a new platform, or at the very least, export off the platform you are currently using in an easy, quick way."

These platforms allow you to connect with all of your customers -- students, members of the community who are free, paid subscribers, your list of email addresses -- in the way you'd like. It is possible to send an email to everyone on your list or reach a specific pupil in a cohort of students through the same dashboard.

Platforms like Facebook do not send data to the email service you use. (They won't let you export email addresses.) So, you aren't able to utilize audience data to separate your email list. You have to do more use of multiple platforms to communicate with everyone.

"I have to pay a full-time virtual assistant to allow members in, welcome them, moderate, and so on. There's Google Sheets and separate Facebook Messenger software, which costs $30 per month, plus Facebook's algorithm and interruptions. It's such a mess."

This is especially crucial if you want to do more than provide content for free. To start monetizing your business with digital content and communities it is essential to have the proper devices.

Create a space for them to communicate updates to those who are their advocates

It's the bottom line: the software that you choose to use must see your holistically and assist you as someone creating something amazing -- not just as a way for them to earn more cash. The platforms that support creators know how vital it is for creators to own the relationships and communication with their audience. When you're able to take control of these things, you have the opportunity to establish an amazing creative business that is your own.

Are you ready to start by using a platform for creators that puts your success first? Register for a free account today . We're excited to watch you grow.