Followers vs. Traffic

Understanding the difference between "followers" and "traffic" is crucial, as it often hinders many from launching a content-based business.

Followers

"Followers" and "subscribers" represent individuals who have chosen to engage with YOU (or your brand). They have formed an emotional connection or interest in you because of certain aspects of your personality, beliefs, or appearance. This relationship mirrors that of a "celebrity/influencer" and their "fan/subscriber."

The term "relationship" is vital here. When a connection exists, influencing someone becomes easier. For instance, when a friend excitedly shares, "Oh my God, I just bought this [product], and it changed my life!" you are more likely to consider purchasing that product.

Thus, having a loyal audience can be a significant asset in business, but cultivating such an audience takes time. If you’re just starting and need immediate income, this can feel daunting. Fortunately, you don’t need a substantial following to sell products online and generate revenue.

Traffic

So, how do "traffic" and an "audience" differ? "Traffic" refers to individuals actively seeking solutions or information to address their current problems. Unlike an audience that has an emotional bond with you, traffic typically involves no prior relationship with the content creator or product seller.

Consider shopping on Amazon. If you need a shower caddy to organize your bathroom, you might search "shower organizer," find a product that suits your needs, and make a purchase without considering who the seller is. You identified a problem, found a solution, and completed the transaction. This scenario plays out millions of times daily across the internet.

Curious about the revenue generated by the seller of that shower caddy? They could be earning around $242,704 monthly — with zero "followers," as per Amazon sales data via Helium 10.

How can this seller achieve such income without a following? They drive substantial traffic to their products, mainly through paid advertisements.

I’m not suggesting you become an Amazon seller to reach similar income levels without an audience. Rather, there are countless products you can promote or sell that don't require you to wait for a large audience. If you have traffic and a product, you can start earning money immediately.

The Money Equation

Generating income is fundamentally a mathematical process. Like dieting, it can seem more complicated than it really is. Here are the essential components:

1. Something to sell — This could be your own product or a third-party product that you sell for a commission.
2. An offer — Here’s where you communicate how the product you’re selling addresses a specific problem. This encompasses content marketing.
3. A traffic source — This explains how individuals discover your offer.

If you present an offer to enough people facing the problem your product solves (this part is crucial), a percentage of them will likely make a purchase. This conversion rate is vital.

For example, if 100 people view your offer and 10 decide to buy, your conversion rate stands at 10%. Simple math. Knowing your conversion rate allows you to strategically invest in ads to drive traffic to your offer and ensure profitability.

Here's the formula:

Profit per sale x Conversion Rate = Max CPC (cost per click)

As long as your ad costs remain below your Max CPC, you will profit from your offer.

Using this method, you can create dependable income streams without relying on followers.

Free Traffic

Everyone desires free traffic, and it's accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort. This is why social media platforms and search engines are teeming with content. However, the challenge lies in competition.

It becomes a skill-based game: How adept are you at capturing attention in the marketplace? This distinction between free and paid traffic is often overlooked. When you invest in attention, you typically encounter less competition.

When competing for free traffic, you must elevate your content creation skills to attract views. The two primary sources of free traffic are:

1. Search — This includes individuals searching for specific keywords. Platforms like Amazon, Google, Bing, Pinterest, and to some extent, YouTube primarily generate search traffic.
2. Algorithm — This involves matching content with viewer interests. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and NewBreak operate largely based on algorithms.

While there are strategies to boost visibility in both categories, the amount of traffic you receive is largely beyond your control. This often leads to discussions about "audience building." However, it’s essential to focus on generating traffic first to successfully build an audience.

Once you master traffic generation, you can direct it to your offer and subsequently invite individuals to subscribe to your email list or follow you on your preferred platform. In this way, you can earn income while cultivating your audience simultaneously. But it all begins with traffic.

Want to dive deeper into how I generate free traffic for my content-driven business? Check out my next story!