When it comes to growing an audience, many creative entrepreneurs assume the key lies in perfecting their social media strategy—posting more, tweaking their content, and hoping for a breakthrough. But here’s the truth: audience growth doesn’t start online. It starts with relationships.

The Myth of Online-Only Growth

If you look at the people who’ve built substantial audiences, especially artists, makers, and creative entrepreneurs, you’ll notice a pattern: they didn’t just gain followers by posting content. They built a name for themselves in real life—through community, collaboration, and relationships.

Think about it: an actor gains followers because people recognize them from their work. A designer grows their audience because they’ve been featured in exhibitions, residencies, or collaborations. Their visibility in the real world naturally translates to an online following.

The Missing Piece: Being Social (Not Just Posting Media)

Social media has two words: social and media—and too many people focus only on the latter. They prioritize content distribution over actual engagement. The creatives with thriving audiences aren’t just churning out posts; they’re engaging with the world. They’re attending events, collaborating with peers, teaching workshops, and getting involved in their niche.

By being social offline, they create natural pathways for people to discover them online. Their name is passed around, their work is referenced, and their collaborations get shared—all of which drive people to their social channels.

How to Build an Audience the Right Way

Instead of stressing over the perfect post, shift your focus to building relationships. Here’s how:

• Engage first. Comment on others’ work, start conversations in DMs, and support your creative community.
• Collaborate. Work on joint projects, create with others, and share the process. Collaboration brings fresh eyes to your work.
• Show up in real life. Teach a class, attend a meetup, volunteer, or join a group related to your niche.
• Create with people, not just for people. Instead of trying to “reach” an audience, embed yourself in a creative ecosystem where mutual support fuels growth.

People Follow People

At the end of the day, people are drawn to people—not just content. Your work matters, but your relationships are what make it stick. So if you want to grow your audience, stop obsessing over the algorithm and start investing in real connections. The followers will come.