If you’ve ever tried to build an audience, you might have experienced the painful scenario of posting a piece of content you’re particularly proud of and… crickets. As the supply of content increases, accelerated by the introduction of AI content tools, it’s harder than ever to earn attention. However, this also means that the value of attention is increasing, and those who succeed have more leverage than ever before. Famed investor Andrew Wilkinson sums this up well in the following tweet:
The good news is that building a new audience isn’t impossible. It just requires a different strategy than before.
So in this post, we’ll discuss a step-by-step strategy you can use to build an audience from scratch in 2026.
Step 1: Select a Topic, Medium, and Angle
If someone consumes a piece of content you created and then follows you, it’s probably because they liked it and want to see more similar content. So if you change the topic and style of your content, you might lose those subscribers because they might not like the new topic or style of content. As a result, you’ll find that your subscribers frequently churn, and you’ll struggle to build a loyal following. This was a key mistake Eric Siu mentioned he made when building his YouTube channel. He discussed marketing in some of his YouTube videos, while in others, he discussed NFTs and cryptocurrency. His audience began unsubscribing as the audience interested in marketing didn’t care about his NFT videos, and the NFT audience didn’t care about his marketing videos. So the key to building a sticky, loyal audience is selecting a topic, angle, and medium. Here’s how I define each of these:
Topic: What You’ll Talk About
This is what you’ll talk about. Examples of topics include marketing, finance, food, travel, etc. Choose a topic you have unique knowledge about and are genuinely interested in. Content is a long game, and you’re much more likely to be successful if you have a genuine interest in the topic, as there will be a period of time when you won’t receive any reward for your efforts.
Medium: How You Communicate Your Content
This is how you communicate your content. Examples of mediums include video, text, or audio content. The key to choosing the best medium is to select one you enjoy and can produce consistently. Publishing consistency is key to long-term growth, so if you don’t think you can produce that medium of content weekly, choose a different medium. For example, if you don’t think you can produce video content each week, you might want to choose text-based content.
Angle: How Your Content Will Provide a Different Perspective
This is how your content will provide a different perspective from other existing content. Similar to product-market fit, your angle is the differentiator that helps you achieve “content-market” fit. For example, if you’re starting a Japan travel vlog, how will it differ from existing Japan travel vlogs? Maybe you’ll interview local Japanese chefs and film them making a meal. The key to selecting a successful angle is to make it both unique and repeatable. For example, interviewing Japanese chefs and filming them making a meal is a repeatable format.
To help you choose your topic, medium, and angle, here are a few examples for inspiration.
Example #1: Justin Rowe
– Topic: LinkedIn Advertising
– Medium: Text (LinkedIn)
– Angle: He shares tactical breakdowns and case studies of how to improve your LinkedIn ad performance.
Example #2: Sam Parr and Shaan Puri
– Topic: Entrepreneurship
– Medium: Podcast
– Angle: Casual business conversation between two seven/eight entrepreneurial friends.
Example #3: Caleb Simpson
– Topic: Rent
– Medium: TikTok
– Angle: Asks people on the street how much they pay for rent and then tours their apartments.
If you look through each of these individuals’ content, they cover roughly the same topic in a repeatable format. Note: You’ll notice that they all have audiences across multiple different platforms (Twitter, YouTube, etc.). Below, we’ll discuss how you can take an omnichannel approach, but when you’re first starting out, it’s best to focus on just one medium on one platform.
Step 2: Create Content and Publish Regularly
The main cause of content failure is the creator quitting too soon. Your first pieces of content probably won’t hit, and that’s okay. In the early days, the most important thing to do is to get the reps in and hone your abilities as a content creator. So select a specific content topic, medium, and angle and commit to publishing consistently for the next three months. Here are a few tips to help you publish consistently:
Set a Reasonable Goal
Set a goal of publishing once a week. This is a reasonable goal that allows you to build a consistent publishing schedule. If you find that you can publish more than once a week, great! But if you struggle, don’t beat yourself up. The key is to be consistent, not to publish as much as possible.
Create a Content Calendar
A content calendar can help you stay on track and ensure that you’re publishing consistently. It can also help you plan out your content in advance, so you know what you’ll be publishing each week. There are many tools available to help you create a content calendar, such as Trello, Asana, or even a simple Google Sheet.
Batch Create Content
If you find that creating content each week is too time-consuming, consider batch creating content. This involves creating multiple pieces of content at once and then publishing them over a period of time. For example, you could create a month’s worth of content in a single week and then publish one piece each week for the following month.
Leverage AI Tools
AI tools can help you create content more quickly and efficiently. For example, you can use AI to generate blog post ideas, write blog posts, or even create social media posts. However, be sure to use AI tools responsibly and ensure that the content you create is high-quality and valuable to your audience.
Step 3: Engage with Your Audience
Engaging with your audience is crucial for building a loyal following. Here are a few tips to help you engage with your audience:
Respond to Comments
Responding to comments on your posts can help you build a personal connection with your audience. It also shows that you value their input and are willing to engage with them. However, be sure to respond to comments in a timely manner and with a genuine tone.
Ask Questions
Asking questions can help you gather more information about your audience and encourage them to engage with your content. You can ask questions in your posts, in the comments section, or even in your bio. For example, you could ask your audience what topics they’re interested in or what questions they have about your content.
Share User-Generated Content
Sharing user-generated content can help you build a sense of community around your brand. It also shows that you value your audience and are willing to share their content with others. You can share user-generated content on your social media platforms, in your blog posts, or even in your emails.
Host Q&A Sessions
Hosting Q&A sessions can help you build a personal connection with your audience and answer their questions in real-time. You can host Q&A sessions on your social media platforms, in your blog posts, or even in your emails. Be sure to promote your Q&A sessions in advance and encourage your audience to ask questions.
Step 4: Promote Your Content
Promoting your content is crucial for building an audience. Here are a few tips to help you promote your content:
Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms are a great way to promote your content. You can share your content on your social media platforms, in your bio, or even in your stories. Be sure to use relevant hashtags and engage with your audience on social media.
Collaborate with Other Influencers
Collaborating with other influencers can help you reach a wider audience and build relationships with other content creators. You can collaborate with other influencers by guest posting on their blogs, appearing on their podcasts, or even co-creating content together.
Use Email Marketing
Email marketing is a great way to promote your content and build a relationship with your audience. You can use email marketing to send out newsletters, promote your content, and build a sense of community around your brand.
Leverage Paid Advertising
Paid advertising can help you reach a wider audience and build an audience quickly. You can use paid advertising to promote your content on social media platforms, in search engines, or even on other websites.
Step 5: Analyze Your Performance
Analyzing your performance is crucial for building an audience. Here are a few tips to help you analyze your performance:
Use Analytics Tools
Analytics tools can help you track your performance and understand what’s working and what’s not. You can use analytics tools to track your website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, and more. Some popular analytics tools include Google Analytics, Social Blade, and Mailchimp.
Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Setting KPIs can help you focus on what’s important and track your progress over time. You can set KPIs for your website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, and more. Be sure to set realistic KPIs and track your progress over time.
Adjust Your Strategy
Adjusting your strategy based on your performance data can help you build a more effective audience. If you find that a certain type of content is performing well, consider creating more of that type of content. If you find that a certain type of content is performing poorly, consider adjusting your strategy or creating a different type of content.
Conclusion
Building an audience from scratch in 2026 requires a different strategy than before. By selecting a topic, medium, and angle, creating content and publishing regularly, engaging with your audience, promoting your content, and analyzing your performance, you can build a loyal following and achieve success. Don’t be discouraged if your first pieces of content don’t hit. Keep publishing consistently and engaging with your audience, and you’ll see results over time.
FAQ
How Long Does It Take to Build an Audience?
The time it takes to build an audience depends on many factors, including your topic, medium, angle, and strategy. However, many influencers report that it takes 6-12 months to build a significant following. Some influencers may take longer, while others may take shorter. The key is to be consistent and patient.
What If My Content Doesn’t Perform Well?
If your content doesn’t perform well, don’t be discouraged. Many content creators experience low performance in the early days. The key is to analyze your performance data, adjust your strategy, and keep publishing consistently. Over time, you’ll see improvements in your performance.
How Can I Stay Consistent?
Staying consistent is crucial for building an audience. Here are a few tips to help you stay consistent:
– Set a reasonable goal for yourself, such as publishing once a week.
– Create a content calendar to plan out your content in advance.
– Batch create content if you find that creating content each week is too time-consuming.
– Leverage AI tools to help you create content more quickly and efficiently.
What If I Don’t Have a Lot of Time?
If you don’t have a lot of time, consider batch creating content. This involves creating multiple pieces of content at once and then publishing them over a period of time. For example, you could create a month’s worth of content in a single week and then publish one piece each week for the following month. This can help you stay consistent even if you don’t have a lot of time.
How Can I Engage with My Audience?
Engaging with your audience is crucial for building a loyal following. Here are a few tips to help you engage with your audience:
– Respond to comments on your posts in a timely manner and with a genuine tone.
– Ask questions to gather more information about your audience and encourage them to engage with your content.
– Share user-generated content to build a sense of community around your brand.
– Host Q&A sessions to build a personal connection with your audience and answer their questions in real-time.
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