4,000 students, $0 in ads

4,000 students. $0 ad spend.

I blinked at the numbers on my screen.

I’d started out as a freelance writer just 18 months before, documenting everything I learned on my blog as I went.

Now I was staring at the enrolment figures for my online course teaching others how to build a freelance writing career, and the reality was sinking in:

I'd built a thriving community of fellow writers without spending a single penny on advertising.

How did I do it?

When I started freelance writing, I devoured every piece of content I could find about the topic, plus how to build an audience.

Blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, social posts — if it was relevant, I was there, soaking it all in.

This happened naturally. I was learning how to make a living as a writer.

But here's the thing: I didn't just passively consume. Instead:

• I was discerning in what I consumed

• I engaged with what I consumed

I had a knack for filtering out the bullshit and honing in on only the most relevant, valuable content.

Then I commented on blog posts and replied to tweets, asking thoughtful questions and offering my own insights. (And this was before replying and commenting became A Thing.)

Related.👇️ 

Be my guest

What really got me in front of people was guest posting — I tried to be everywhere in that space, always pitching to write for sites similar to mine but bigger.

In turn, my audience grew. Not as big as the sites I was guest posting for, but it grew.

Slowly but surely, I was becoming a recognised name in these online communities. People appreciated the value I was adding.

One day I realised I had built an audience that would have cost thousands in advertising to reach. Instead of paying for ads, I invested my time and genuine interest.

The result? A snowball effect of organic growth. Each new connection expanded my reach.

When I finally launched my course on how to make a living as a freelance writer, I had a ready-made audience of eager students.

I did it my way

Sure, I burnt all that to the ground to start again.

But!

The experience taught me a valuable lesson:

Then add value, give back and start the cycle all over again.

That's why I’m finishing on a slightly different note this week by sharing a curated list of the most helpful content from others.

Every week, I consume content that shapes my thinking, inspires new strategies and helps me better serve our little community of writers. 🫶 

Here’s what I’ve been devouring this week:

• To get you thinking (Article): Will GenAI be a timesaver or will it frazzle marketers at scale? 

• To brush up on your skills (YouTube vid): Learn Great Copywriting in 76 Minutes 

• For relatable shits and giggles (LinkedIn post): Comms Creatives on LinkedIn 

• To always be learning (and because I’m ghostwriting a book soon)(Podcast episode): The Spirit of the Business with Ginny Carter 

If you like this curated round-up of content, lemme know in the poll below and I’ll do it again next week.👇️