There’s a lot of guidance out there for businesses and freelancers that sells ‘visibility’ as a way to find new clients. I’ve even said so myself, and it’s true. Consistently putting the right content out there about how you can help is a brilliant way to attract a new audience. But what about the clients and audience you already have? Don’t they deserve a thought?
At the moment, I have sufficient client work on my books to fill my working hours. In fact, I’ve recently turned away work. It’s for that reason that I’m not actively looking for new clients for the next few months, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not posting on social media or writing blog posts.
In fact, I’m posting and writing more than ever before. Why? To help and hopefully entertain the people who are already listening to me.
So how exactly can talking to your existing audience benefit your business?
Keep the traffic moving
One of the biggest benefits of talking to your existing audience online is the opportunity it provides to maintain a level of consistent traffic to your website. Why? To please and attract the attention of search engines like Google.
Search engines like content. In particular, they like high quality content that is unique, specific, and honest. Unique means that your content isn’t a duplicate of someone else’s online content. Specific content is aimed at a particular audience, rather than everyone. Finally, honest content doesn’t try to trick people into reading by using clickbait or keyword stuffing.
Search engines also prefer websites where content is added on a regular basis because it indicates that the website is still ‘live’.
Consistently providing high quality content on a regular basis will improve your rating with search engines, which means that your website will appear higher on search engine results pages. So when you do need to take on more work, it’ll be easier for clients new and old to find your website.
Build trust by telling your story
It may be a clichéd phrase, but it’s true – ‘people buy from people’. Or in other words, customers like to deal with brands that act like real-life, human beings.
Telling your story might be:
- sharing how you came to start your business
- introducing the faces that are the brand
- sharing what goes on ‘behind the scenes’
- posting a photo of your pet or your latest sports achievement
Talking to your audience allows you to build a relationship with them by sharing your personality and showing how human and authentic your brand really is.
I shared a little of my business story in My 5 fears of going freelance (and how I handled them).
Take the chance to share your news
When you regularly post on social media, including sharing your blog posts, videos, and podcasts, your audience become accustomed to looking out for what you have to say. Your brand suddenly stands out in their Facebook, or LinkedIn, or Twitter feed. You’re speaking to an audience that is already warmed up to you.
This provides you with the opportunity to share your news with customers who have an interest in finding out how you and your brand are doing.
It might be that:
- you’ve moved to better, brighter premises
- you’re offering a new service
- your brand has won an award
- you have space on your books to take on new work
You can even share your customers’ news and celebrate with them.
Word your news content in a way that can be easily shared (don’t forget to ask for a share) and your audience can massively increase your online reach.
I recently shared news on the direction my business is taking in What you can expect from Fi Phillips Copywriter in 2021.
Answer customer questions to showcase your expertise
By regularly posting the answers to your customers’ questions, you can build yourself up as an authority in that business area. You’ll not only be the person who can write amazing website copy or create fabulous floral decorations, or whatever top-notch service or product you offer, you will be a trusted source of advice too.
What problems do you hear your customers regularly complain about? What questions do they ask you time and time again?
Answer customer questions, whether in short social media posts or longer blog articles, to showcase your expertise.
Showcase your expertise Part 2: Stay relevant
No matter what you do for a living, it is never separate to the world around you. Show that you are not only a trusted source of advice but that you also have your eye on the business ball by posting about world events and developments that matter to your audience.
It might be:
- new legislation that affects the business world
- developments in your industry
- the latest technology
- court cases that set a precedent
- political change that affects the whole country
Staying up-to-date with current events has a two-fold benefit. First, you can advise your audience and clients on how the latest developments might affect them. Second, it can help you predict how your own business may need to react in response.
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Maintaining your online visibility can be an effective way to find new leads but don’t forget to speak to the people who already want to hear from you.
Image courtesy of K8 on Unsplash.
