The Secret to Growing Your Audience Without Spending a Fortune on Ads

I like to use as few words as possible to describe things when writing. I keep things to the point and highlight the most important pieces. I’ve never liked reading, but I like writing. Not sure exactly how that plays out, but I figure if I’m writing for someone who doesn’t like reading, I should keep it short.

So, in a word, the secret to growing your audience without spending a fortune on ads is: CONTENT. 

I’m in love with content marketing. If you write a blog that helps me answer a problem, then I have just built so much more trust in you as a company then if I had just had an ad placed in front of me.

Content marketing is king because it builds trust, nurtures relationships, and drives long-term engagement in a way that traditional advertising can’t. Instead of interrupting your audience, great content meets them where they are.

Content marketing positions your brand as a helpful expert rather than a pushy salesperson. In today’s noisy digital world, the brands that win are the ones consistently showing up with relevant, authentic, and strategic content that serves their audience first.

Let’s think of some sample content! Start by considering how your product or service really helps your client or customer. Next, let’s apply it into different types of content.

Here are some examples:

• Blog Posts

• If you’re a church, you might write a blog post like, “Parenting with Faith” or “5 Ways to Handle Stress During the Holidays.” This tells people you care about them, no matter their season of life.

• If you’re a clothing company, maybe you write a blog about summer trends or perfecting the capsule wardrobe. 

• Email Newsletters

• Send a weekly email that highlights industry trends and helpful tools

• If you're a marketing agency, like we are, then sharing case studies and “what’s working now” insights is a great way to generate interest in what you do.

• You can subscribe to our email list HERE.

• Social Media

• Try reels offering advice, showing people how to do something, or giving information about how the company works

• LinkedIn posts offering helpful tips or learnings from your CEO or leadership team

• Video Content

• YouTube series - (YouTube is the second largest search engine). Keep these short to start. People won’t watch more until they know they can trust you.

• Videos also slot into the social media section. Whether it’s good for them or not, the scroll is real. So make your REELS REAL. Not trying to be cheesy, it’s just a reality. Be real with people, and they’ll appreciate the authenticity.

• Downloadable Resources

• For marketing/communication agencies: Social media calendar

• For churches and nonprofits: Year-end-giving marketing calendar

• Think about what you offer, then think of a way you can put that on paper, then make a PDF through a free resource like Canva. It’s an easy way to get good information in front of people.

• Podcasts

• Conversational content in podcasts is easy to ingest and can deepen your relationship with potential customers and clients.

• Podcasts position you as a thought leader, allow you to share stories in a natural way, and give your audience a reason to keep coming back regularly.

We’d love to talk more about content marketing and ideas that have been successful for you! Don’t overthink it but do think about what you like. If you’d like to engage with the content you create, chances are others will too.