4 Best Ways to Grow an Audience in 2025

Hey, 👋 it's Jonathan –

This week's issue is sponsored by Kajabi – my favorite all-in-one platform to build and grow your online business. Launch your course or membership, build beautiful pages, and automate your marketing—all in one place.
✨ Grab your 30-day free trial here: jmill.biz/kajabi

Let’s be real for a second...

Most marketing today feels like a bad infomercial.

Loud, annoying, and pushy. 👎

But what if you could attract the right audience without being salesy?

That’s what this week’s issue is all about—The 4 Ways to Build an Audience Online in 2025 (without burning out or selling your soul 😅).

Here’s a quick story...

Back in 2006, Blendtec was just another blender brand. Then they started a quirky YouTube series called Will It Blend? where they threw things like iPhones and golf balls into their blenders.

No pitch.

No pressure.

Just wildly entertaining content.

Sales shot up by 700%.

Why?

Because people love to buy, but they hate being sold to.

It’s the perfect example of what I call Pull Marketing—attracting people with value, not pressure.

👆 Re-read that point. It's HUGE!

Let’s dive into The Audience Attraction Playbook, the five-part strategy I teach in my book Build Your Audience.

🎯 The 4 (Plus 1) Ways to Build an Audience Online

Here’s the playbook:

Capture: Build Your Email List

Your email list is gold. Offer something valuable in exchange for an email—like a checklist, mini-course, or workbook.

Think of it as a first date. No need to propose right away.

✅ Try this: Create a lead magnet so good you’d sign up for it yourself.

Boost: Increase Social Media Engagement

Don’t just post—connect. Ask questions, tell stories, reply to comments.
People want to follow people, not just brands.

✅ Try this: Share a behind-the-scenes moment from your work today. Be real.

Build: Create Evergreen Content

Think blog posts, YouTube videos, or podcast episodes that show up in search months (even years) later.
This is how you get off the content treadmill.

✅ Try this: Write one helpful blog post this week that answers a common question in your niche.

Borrow: Tap Into Other People’s Platforms

Guest blog, be on a podcast, speak on someone’s livestream.
Their audience becomes your audience.

✅ Try this: Reach out to 3 podcast hosts with a pitch that adds value to their listeners.

BONUS: Buy (Use Paid Ads Strategically)

Not all ads are bad. Just make sure you're offering value, not just pushing a sale.
Think "free + shipping" offers or lead magnets—not cold sales pitches.

🧭 Today’s Exercise:
Sketch out your own Audience Attraction Plan using these 4 strategies:

• What’s your lead magnet (Capture)?
• What will you post to engage more this week (Boost)?
• What’s your evergreen content plan (Build)?
• Where will you show up this month (Borrow)?

Start small.

Build momentum.

And remember—progress over perfection.

🔥 Special Sneak Peek – Launching Tomorrow!

Something big is coming...

🎁 Tomorrow, I'm opening the doors to The Audience Growth Academy!

And the first 25 people to sign up for a 30-day FREE Trial will get 4 physical workbooks shipped to their doorstep.

Yes, real books, in your hands!

Keep your eyes on your inbox.

This offer will go fast.

Have a fantastic week ahead!
Your Message Matters,
Jonathan Milligan

PS. If you were to buy these workbooks on Amazon, they would cost you $60! But for the first 25 people, all you have to do is cover the shipping!

Note: The free workbooks special offer is only for new members of the Growth Academy. I expect this offer to go fast, so be on the lookout for the email tomorrow (Tuesday)!

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