Launching your website or online business took countless hours of hard work, but it’s frustrating when it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
This struggle is something many bloggers, website owners, and entrepreneurs face.
Turning a website or online venture into a profitable enterprise is a huge challenge. Even if your idea or product is fantastic, it won’t make an impact if no one sees it. Getting that initial momentum going can be the hardest part.
Especially if you’re bootstrapping and avoiding big advertising expenses, tapping into other people’s or companies’ audiences can really accelerate your progress. There are plenty of individuals and brands out there who already have the ears and eyes of your ideal customers. Harnessing these existing audiences is one of the fastest paths to growing your own.
Regardless of your niche, here are ten solid ways to grab some attention:
- Share your story through interviews
Every entrepreneur and startup has a fascinating journey to share. Opening up about your experiences through interviews is a fantastic way to gain exposure and kickstart your business growth. Interviews can help you build a loyal following, especially when your story resonates with the audience. Platforms such as Founder Reports regularly feature interviews with entrepreneurs and startup founders. Additionally, there are numerous podcasts and YouTube channels that host interviews with guests to help them gain exposure.
Tip: Craft a compelling pitch tailored to each platform, highlighting what makes your story and business stand out.
- Feature interviews
Hosting interviews on your own website is a powerful way to tap into someone else’s audience. When you publish an interview, the person you feature is likely to share it with their social media followers and email subscribers. This can give your site valuable exposure to a new audience for free.
Moreover, publishing interviews helps you build links from other websites. Many interviewees have dedicated pages where they showcase their media appearances. After publishing an interview, ask your guest to consider linking to it from their own profile or website.
Securing interviews with influential figures may be easier than you think. While you might not land Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, many notable individuals are willing to contribute to smaller platforms like blogs, podcasts, or YouTube channels. You never know until you ask!
Tip: To boost your chances of success, target individuals who have recently participated in interviews elsewhere. They’re likely open to additional opportunities for exposure.
- Share compelling stories
Another effective tactic, akin to conducting interviews, is crafting storytelling articles. These pieces can be developed through interviews or independent research, weaving together captivating narratives.
I personally employ this strategy on one of my websites with great success. It not only generates intriguing content but also encourages those featured to share it with their own audience. Similar to interviews, stories often lead to backlinks as people reference and link back to articles written about them.
At Partnerkin, we've got a treasure trove of fascinating case studies waiting for you to explore.
- Write guest posts
Guest posting on other blogs has long been a go-to strategy for promoting and building links. While it remains effective, many people approach it the wrong way.
Bloggers receive countless emails daily about guest posts and sponsored content, often leading them to ignore or charge for these opportunities. Getting quality guest post placements through cold outreach is extremely challenging nowadays.
The best approach? Start by networking. Building relationships with bloggers in your niche significantly increases your chances of getting published. Once you've established rapport, ask if you can contribute a guest post. This method yields far better results than sending out unsolicited emails.
- Collaborate
There are countless ways to team up with other individuals and brands. Consider who you'd like to collaborate with, what you can bring to the table, and how you can both gain from the partnership.
For instance, if you're an online course creator, teaming up with an influencer, blogger, or newsletter owner who shares your audience could be a game-changer. Offer to host a free workshop tailored to their followers, with a soft pitch for your course at the end. This not only provides valuable insights but also introduces your course to potential new students who might sign up at a special rate.
Alternatively, you could offer your course as a prize in a giveaway promoted by an influencer or blogger. These are just a couple of ways to collaborate, but the opportunities are limitless!
- Publish expert roundups
While not as trendy as they once were, expert roundups remain a powerful tool. These blog posts gather insights and quotes from various experts on a specific topic. For instance, you could explore common mistakes made by startup founders and include advice from multiple leaders in the field.
Experts featured in these roundups often share the post across their social media, offering you valuable exposure to their followers. By curating opinions from those with active audiences, you can amplify your reach.
Creating an expert roundup is straightforward. Platforms like Featured.com allow you to pose questions and collect responses easily. Another option is Qwoted, a great alternative to HARO, which requires minimum traffic for submissions on new websites.
- Quote people in your articles
Another effective tactic is to feature quotes from industry experts in your articles and blog posts, linking back to their websites. Alternatively, reach out directly to individuals for their insights.
Once your article is published, email those you've quoted and ask them to share it on their social media. Many are happy to oblige.
Tip: Use #journorequest on Twitter for quote requests.
- Mention people in your articles
A similar strategy is to mention influential figures in your field within your articles, linking to their content. After publishing, notify them about the mention. Oftentimes, they'll share the link with their followers.
There are countless ways to integrate others into your content. Start by compiling a list of prominent blogs, podcasts, newsletters, or YouTube channels in your niche, and reach out to those featured to inform them of your mention.
- Stay updated with industry newsletters
Email newsletters have become immensely popular in recent years, covering every imaginable niche and industry. Many newsletters curate valuable links to articles and resources that appeal to their subscribers. To use this, subscribe to newsletters within your niche and identify those that feature external content.
Once you've identified suitable newsletters, create compelling content and approach the newsletter editors about featuring a link to your content in their upcoming issues.
- Engage in online communities
Platforms like Slack, Discord, and Telegram host a variety of communities on a wide range of topics. Additionally, Facebook Groups, subreddits, forums, and other websites host their own active communities.
Participating in these established communities offers valuable exposure opportunities, though it's crucial to respect their promotional guidelines. Even if direct promotion isn't allowed, there are often creative ways to subtly promote your website or business while contributing meaningful content to the community.
Conclusion
Building a new website or online business from the ground up is undeniably tough. Many aspiring entrepreneurs throw in the towel early due to the frustration of gaining traction. However, don't be disheartened! By implementing the strategies discussed in this article, you can harness the power of existing audiences to kickstart your growth and pave the way for developing your own loyal following. It's all about finding opportunities and turning challenges into stepping stones to success.
