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How To Build Your Audience Online (The Right Way)
Diana Graepel
July 18, 2025
What You’ll Learn
If you’re just starting out — or if you’ve been building for a while but things feel inconsistent, confusing, or ineffective — this is the knowledge I wish I had when I began.
In this issue, I’ll teach you how to build the right audience for your online business. Not just more followers. Not just viral videos. But the kind of audience that buys, sticks around, and becomes the foundation of a calm, scalable, freedom-based business. You’ll learn the difference between growth and strategic resonance, how to seed long-term demand through consistent strategic content, and how to design an “audience machine” that grows with your business.
Note: This approach works for everyone but especially for those who haven’t yet finalized what they want to sell, but have already chosen their topic pillars (worked through my VITO framework or similar to help them identify these). For those with a clear idea of what they want to sell (an online course or other digital product within a certain niche), the path differs slightly.
I believe — deeply — that if you understand and apply what I share here early on, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Let’s get into it.
Why This Matters (And Why Most People Fail)
Because the cost of not knowing what I’m about to teach is brutal. If you're active online, you're either building real influence and long-term assets — or you're riding trends, possibly wasting effort.
Let me give you a few examples:
There are people who sell via their IG account using tools like Stan — but their income depends entirely on the algorithm. They don’t own their audience or sales system. It can work short-term, but it’s not strategically built.
Also on Instagram, your content is quite short lived. Sure, your feed might look good — but it won’t bring you more clients later. You’re working hard for minimal long-term gain.
Others go all-in on TikTok. Great engagement… until one day they’re banned. (Remember the girl crying in front of TikTok HQ because she lost her whole business? Not a sustainable strategy.)
Then there are people who run ads right out of the gate. But if your offer isn’t validated, paid traffic is like throwing money out the window.
Others write great newsletters and SEO blogs but get no traction. Without smart distribution, great content still dies in the dark.
Some manage to build massive followings but can't sell a $20 product. Why? The followers are there for entertainment, not transformation. They are not true fans.
Many people have real talent and expertise but can't show up consistently. Between work, kids, and life — they burn out. Because they don’t have systems. If you don’t have smart* content systems in place, your consistency will lead straight to burnout. It’s not a matter of if — it’s when.
Also if you launch your business without testing different platforms, chances are you’ll have to tear it all down and start again.
If you’re just starting out, you might not realize how a simple thing like native platform formatting can save you lots of time. Which means you won’t download your IG reel and post it to TikTok only to see that your sound may be lost or that you can’t get rid of the IG watermark.
And the list could go on.
Why are the above examples so common?
Because building the right audience isn’t simple. Here’s what people are up against:
Overload and conflicting advice. Everyone online swears by something different: funnels, DMs, IG reels, SEO, ads, threads, podcasts, etc. It’s becoming increasingly hard to know what works — and from whom to learn.
Lack of good strategies and systems. Most don’t have a plan for testing & choosing the right channels, repurposing smartly, or even writing good content.
Failure to personalize. Strategies aren’t adapted to their life, energy, skills — so consistency crumbles within a maximum of 6sh months period.
What Actually Works & What You Need To Do
I strongly believe that building the right audience online requires these three essential factors:
Accurate knowledge about audience building. You need to understand both content types and how to distribute them across platforms.
Smart Strategies & Systems. Strategies for building a machine of consistent leads that turns attention into trust, with minimum time investment and minimum costs. Using the right systems for content creation, testing, repurposing and distribution.
Mentorship. If you want to save time, minimize costs, and grow something long-term — the chances to do it all alone are really slim.
Let me explain.
1) Accurate knowledge about audience building.
Some people swear by funnels. Others preach DM or communities strategies on social media. Then you’ve got IG reels experts, LinkedIn loyalists, Thread and tweet purists, SEO-only advocates, Paid ads enthusiasts, Webinar fanatics etc etc
And all of them sound convincing. If you’ve ever felt like you’re standing in the middle of a digital marketing flea market, with everyone shouting over each other — you’re not wrong.
Take a moment and think: you can’t sort through all this noise and build a great strategy without first understanding the landscape- the basics about digital marketing.
I like logic & simplicity so I summarized below a comprehensive introduction in digital marketing to help you remember. Think of this as your cheat sheet to the online marketing maze — no fluff, just clear insight into the categories that matter.
Digital Marketing = Content Types + Content Distribution
There are two main ways to categorize content:
By form: short (tweets, reels, shorts), medium (threads, posts), long (newsletters, blogs, videos, podcasts)
By channel: where it’s published/distributed
Now let’s go deeper into the 7 categories of content distribution you need to know. These are important, if you understand these as well as their pros and cons and choose wisely the benefits are far reaching.
1. The Foundation
Content for & via:
Email list
Newsletter
Website
SEO
These are foundational because:
You own these platforms
They compound over time like investments
The most important and the ones that build authority and trust
Content for & via:
Podcast
YouTube
Pinterest
Medium
Webinars
Evergreen because they are:
Discoverable via search for years
Free, but rented (platform-owned)
Ideal for driving people to your email list (Category #1)
Content for & via:
LinkedIn
Instagram
X (Twitter)
Threads
TikTok
Facebook etc
Visibility channels characteristics:
Short-lived but high reach
Free but rented- you don’t own anything.
Good for real-time engagement
Should be partially automated and used to grow #1 (email list)
4. The Paid Channels
Platforms:
Google Ads
Instagram Ads
TikTok Ads
Facebook Ads
These are:
Usually expensive (increasingly)
High-skill required
Not recommended pre-offer-validation
5. Communities
Spaces like:
Reddit
Quora
Skool
Descript
Substack
Niche forums
Social media groups
These are:
Free or paid
Useful for early traction and deeper conversations
6. Partnerships, Affiliates, Referrals
Email cross-promotions
Guest posts
Podcast & YouTube interviews
Affiliate programs
These mean:
Leveraging other people’s audiences for fast, trust-based growth.
Excellent if you use them well.
7. Relationship Marketing
Direct messages
In-person or online events
Usually free, high-conversion — and underused.
Understanding the above is already a good start for your business.
Now let’s talk about what to do with the above knowledge.
So What Should You Do With The Above?
Let’s now dive into the second factor that will make all the difference for your business:
2) Smart Strategies & Systems.
If you want success as fast as possible and your business to be not only profitable but also sustainable and time saving, the following are the “minimum” strategies/principles to implement. Especially if you're looking for long-term results without burning out.
🔑 7 Strategy Principles – What I Would Call The “Minimum Basic”
1 - Grow Your Email List
Make growing your email list your #1 objective.
Every piece of content you create should include a CTA to join it — from social media to YouTube to podcasts.
Once people are on your list, nurture them consistently through a mix of automated sequences and spontaneous value emails.
When you're ready to sell, your email list will convert better than anything else. Period.
2 - Improve Your Writing (or Video) Skills
You need at least one core long-form skill: writing or speaking.
If you're writing:
Learn to write clearly, persuasively, and with structure. Writing well requires a system — for ideation, outlining, drafting, and editing. Fast improvements come from practice + good feedback.
If you're speaking:
Get good at long-form video content like tutorials, explainers, or commentary. Script or outline well, improve your delivery, and use frameworks that hook and hold attention.
Even with deep expertise, allocate time to:
Select strong, resonant ideas
Research them
Add your unique spin and experience
Deliver them in compelling formats
Use frameworks based on human psychology (for persuasion, storytelling, and structure).
If you write well, this will build your authority faster.
Then, repurpose your long-form content into mid- and short-form content (posts, carousels, threads, reels, quotes, etc.).
3 - Test Platforms and Formats
In the beginning, test broadly. Try different platforms and content types. Then, based on performance and your own preferences and energy levels, choose:
Max 2 Evergreen platforms (e.g. YouTube, Pinterest, podcast)
Max 2 Visibility platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Instagram)
Once you've picked your mix, implement systems (see below) to stay consistent for at least 6 months.
Without testing, you’ll struggle to find what fits both your business and your personality.
And without consistency, none of this works.
4 - Differentiate Yourself
Even if you post every day, it may take you much longer if you blend into the noise.
Differentiation is how you stand out. Start with this:
Take the same topic as others… but express them in your voice, through your experience, in a way only you can.
Then, layer in more distinctiveness. If you need help, consider the following
8 Levels of Differentiation:
Unique Methodologies or Frameworks (for example mine are: OSCAR, SMART, SPARK, VITO. These are essential)
Distinct Principles and Beliefs (including “contrarian” ones)
Signature Tools, Metrics, or KPIs
Writing & Communication Style (punchy, condensed, poetic, snarky, etc)
Visual Identity (colors, fonts, layouts, design)
Graphics & Data Visualization (especially original formats)
Tone of Voice & POV (make your“weird” recognizable and you will get there much faster…)
Audience Angle (who are you talking to? overwhelmed moms, burned-out execs, ambitious introverts etc)
You may not know all of this from Day 1 — and that’s okay. Differentiation is discovered through action.
Explore → notice what resonates → then commit.
Consistency in tone, message, visuals = recognition. Recognition = trust. Trust = sales.
A great example of differentiation: Jack Butcher, Visualize Value – check him out.
5 - Avoid Ads (Until You’ve Earned Organic Sales)
This isn’t anti-ads (although I’m definitely not an advocate) — it’s rather pro-proof.
Running ads before validating your offer is like pouring water into a leaky bucket.
Even once validated, ads require serious skill, testing, and budget — and they rarely build long-term trust unless embedded inside a broader strategy (e.g. content → webinar → nurture).
If you don’t have experience with paid media, I strongly recommend skipping it until:
You’ve made organic sales
Your content and positioning are tight
You have testimonials or results to back your claims
6 - Start Conversations
You don’t need to wait for people to discover you. Set aside time each week to reach out to your ideal audience:
Ask questions
Offer value
Research what they need
Share your work (when appropriate)
This is not “cold pitching.” It’s research + relationship building. So do NOT pitch.
This works great — especially early on — to validate your message, refine your offer, and get those first wins.
Want some extra motivation? Then maybe Jeanne Omlor is the example here… She started at 54 — broke, in debt, divorced, and raising her kids on her own. She didn’t have a business background, funding, or a big following.
What she did have was determination. In one interview, she shared that her journey began by starting 900 conversations on LinkedIn… Five years later, she had built a 7-figure business — organically, and on her own terms.
7. Mindset Work
If you’ve ever said, “I know what to do, I’m just not doing it,” this is for you.
Your strategy won’t matter if your internal resistance is running the show.
Beliefs like “I’m not ready,” “I don’t want to be visible,” or “I’m bad at this” can sabotage your consistency and confidence.
📖 Proverbs 23:7 — “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
If mindset work feels unfamiliar, I’ve linked a deeper breakdown.
⚙️ Systems That Support All of the Above
If the 7 principles are what to do, systems are how you make them sustainable.
Start with the essentials:
✅ Idea Capture & Research System
✅ Content Creation & Writing Workflow
✅ Content Repurposing Workflow
✅ Distribution System
✅ Differentiation System (not many teach this…)
⚡ An additional note on differentiation:
This system — rooted in my background in advertising — helps you stand out early and naturally.
It doesn’t require complicated branding or endless visual assets. Just smart consistency across tone, message, and presentation.
🌱 Start with minimalist versions of each system. Build your rhythm. Then scale with confidence.
Each of these will be covered in future newsletters. For now, just know they exist — and they’ll change the way you approach content forever.
The Metrics That Matter While Building Your Audience
Here are key metrics that signal audience-building success:
List growth rate (% new subscribers/month)
Email open rates & click-through
DM replies or email responses
People mentioning & sharing your content unprompted
Requests for collaborations or interviews
Track these, not just views or likes.
Work on the above for 6 months at least and you’ll be really surprised by your results.
One more thing…
Final Note: Future-Proof Your Business
I believe the strategies and systems above will work for years from now but let’s face it. The future is unpredictable. Here are 3 trends that you will have to understand and use to your advantage:
AI Content Overload — Everyone's publishing. Yet human-first content and personal stories will always stand out. Take full advantage of AI but remember to never let it take over
Algorithmic Shifts — Platforms will keep changing. So build on what you own, diversify distribution, and insure your content will continue to bring leads.
Audience Behavior Evolution — Attention spans will drop. Trust and intimacy will rise in value. Use your content and some basic psychology to build deeper connection, not just traffic.
3) Mentorship
You can apply everything I teach, but without feedback and support, you’ll likely hit a ceiling. That’s why I believe in mentorship. Choose your mentor(s)* wisely.
(*at the moment I’m learning from three different ones)
If you are curious about me, here are a few details.
I’m a lifestyle entrepreneur**. My approach is to:
Build something strong, organic, and lean
Maximize profits for 5–6 years
Use them to invest
Build financial freedom while working on my business so I can slow down whenever needed.
(**as opposed to “growth entrepreneurs” where the business usually takes over one’s life)
If you're curious about working together, you should know the following:
My coaching & group programs are focused on one business model: the one person online business - reasons why, here
I teach categories 1, 2, 3, 6 (partially), and 7 - from the 7 categories of content distribution.
Which means I focus on organic, minimalist, smart strategies and systems.
If you're set on paid ads or SEO-heavy growth, I’m not your person.
But if you're ready to build your audience organically, with minimum investment and freedom in mind — I'm here for it.
Stay sharp. You got this.
Diana
Whenever you're ready, here are a few ways I can help you build your one-person online business:
If you're still looking for traction in your business, I'd recommend starting with an affordable program that guides you through all the necessary steps.
1- If you’re still finding your feet or want to test the waters first, start here:
→ Build Your Audience – For those exploring their niche or voice, we’ll clarify your vision, give you a proven system to write efficiently and with confidence, and help you create consistent content that attracts your ideal audience. This program uses my VITO framework to help you find your most aligned niche, followed by my SPARK framework which helps you consistently create high quality content and share your message without overwhelm.
2- Already clear you want to turn your expertise into a digital course?
→ Online Course SMARTtrack – The program that helps you find your best online course idea—purpose-driven, lifestyle-aligned, and in demand—and launch it profitably, even if you’re starting from scratch. Using my OSCAR and SMART methods, we’ll help you find your perfect course idea, test it in the real market, launch it strategically and build it with your founding students. Designed for beginners, with the accountability you need to follow through.
3- Ready to skip the tech headaches and launch your online presence fast and with confidence?
→ SMARTsite Template - is the exact framework I use myself—professional, fast, and with no monthly fees. Just make a copy, plug in your message, publish, and go live. It’s the shortcut to a clean, pro-looking site—without the expensive detours. Check it out.
FREE Tools to help you with your online business:
→ My VITO Framework - to find your best niche, what I call your Life Niche. It’s designed to combine the two classic niche approaches—topic-based and identity-based—in a smart, holistic way. (Use the copy icon at the top right of the page to make your own copy)
→ “18 Essential Elements for a Profitable Online Course” - a free guide to help you build your first or next course the right way. Don’t miss it—if you haven’t hit six figures with your course yet, you’re probably missing a few of these key elements.
Not sure where to start?
→ Fill out this quick questionnaire and I’ll point you to the right path for your stage of business.