4 Easy Tips to Grow Your Audience

After I graduated with my degree, I was pumped to kick off my career. But then, something unexpected happened - we entered an economic crisis in 2018. And with the rapid rise of AI, the future of work is even more uncertain. It’s a little nerve-wracking to watch all these AI coming out left, right, and centre. However, building my personal brand has helped me get through tough times and even thrive. These days, it's much easier to grow your brand and audience. By growing an audience, I was able to carve my own path and make meaningful impacts.

But the best part is, I don't want to keep this knowledge to myself! I’ll be sharing actionable tips so that you can start growing your own audience too. And the good news is, it's never too late to start!

If your company is interested in sponsoring this newsletter to reach our 23,000 subscribers, this section is for you! Simply reach out to string@thetrustedvoice for more details.

Growing Your Audience: Tips for Aspiring Creators

To be honest, there’s always uncertainty and struggles around the corner, but don't let that stop you from taking action and creating your own path. There’s opportunity found in the gaps:

?? So, here’s the first tip: Focus on growing your personal brand. Share valuable insights and use the 7Vs framework to help you add clarity. You have the power to establish yourself as a trusted expert in your field and grow a loyal community of supporters.

?? Tip 2: Comment and Engage. If you're too busy to create content from scratch, start by commenting on other people's posts. Spend about 15 minutes per day making comments that add value. Make a note of key influencers who contribute on platforms like LinkedIn. They can help you build relationships with other creators and get your name in front of their audiences. If you want a list of influencers to follow, kudos to Matt Kerbel for creating this list to celebrate #AAPIHeritageMonth.

?? Tip 3: Start Creating. One way to keep yourself accountable is to create content consistently, which will help attract an audience. Start by either:

• Creating a once-a-week newsletter. You can use LinkedIn's built-in newsletter feature or start a newsletter on Substack, a popular platform among writers.
• Post twice times a week on LinkedIn.You can use ChatGPT to help you brainstorm and be your writing assistant.

?? Tip 4: Monetise with super fans. You don't need a massive audience to start monetising. In fact, according to investor Li Jin, 100 super fans can be enough to make a living. All we need is a hundred super fans who genuinely believe in us and our message. These people will support you no matter what and help you make a living doing what you love.

What if AI does take over? What’s next?

The rise of AI poses a real threat to writers' livelihoods, as demonstrated by the recent strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). However, there is a silver lining in the form of platforms like Substack that offer writers an alternative source of income and a way to establish a base of super fans.

Casey Newton is a prime example of a successful writer who made the switch from traditional jobs to being a creator. A former senior editor at The Verge, Newton left his job in 2020 to start a newsletter on Substack with 660 paid subscribers. He built a loyal audience through consistent and valuable content and now boasts over 124,000 subscribers, potentially earning more than he did at his previous job.

Lenny Rachitsky, a former executive at Airbnb, is another success story in the world of newsletter creators. In his first year with Substack, Lenny generated an impressive $300,000 through his newsletter, focusing on product management and startups.

By building an audience on platforms like Substack, writers can continue to write and earn a living sharing their knowledge and interests.

Closing thought: This is the best to be a creator

In this age of uncertainty, it's natural to feel anxious about the future of work. But there is one thing that can provide a sense of security and unlock new opportunities for impact and monetisation - building an audience. As an upcoming creator, you have the power to establish yourself as a trusted expert in your field and grow a loyal community of superfans.

With a little effort and consistency, you can progress towards your goals. Start today and watch your audience grow. Remember, the future belongs to those who take action and create their own path.

If you're reading this till the end, share it with your friends and peers. Inspire them to create and build their own voice and audience.

?? String Nguyen

Interesting resources:

• ?? Reading: George Hinton leaves Google and sees AI as a threat to humanity via MIT
• ?? Reading: A writer’s POV on the impact of the WAG strike via VOX Media
• ?? Watching with Trung T. Phan: Jinny's Kitchen
• ?? Writing: I finished the first draft of my book, and the fun part is the editing
• ?? Doing: Rewiring our brain so we can get ready for the future

Work with String [book a time here]

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