It isn’t uncommon for affiliate marketing experts to recommend traffic generation using social media. What if you don’t want to use social media? For instance, I’m an introvert and don’t particularly like using social media. I’m going to share how to promote a digital product without using social media.
I’ve found social media platforms like Instagram are hit or miss when it comes to growing a large following and getting tons of views.
Some creators get lucky with some of their content going viral, while others are consistent and persistent enough that their following grows as well as their views.
Let’s dive into how to get traffic without using social media.
Table of Contents
Focus on Long-Form Content
I’ve been a blogger for years and yes, blogging is different now than when I started. I’ve also had my websites affected by Google algorithm updates. Yet, I still feel that long-form content in the form of blog posts is one of the best organic traffic strategies.
It takes time and effort as well as learning some SEO (search engine optimization) skills. However, when you start growing your traffic from a blog, you don’t have to focus on using social media.
Blogging is great for introverts or anyone who doesn’t want to be on social media. Another perk of blogging is that you don’t have to do it every day the way you do with social media.
Writing one to two posts per week will work but if you can write more, it definitely helps. I also find that I get more visitors opting into my email list from my blogs.
This is possible with even a small amount of traffic. If you want to grow an email list with social media, you need a lot more traffic and hope that your viewers will click your link.
Most people are not on social media to do anything but be entertained. It is the coldest of the traffic so it is harder to get a conversion.
Blogging is a slow process but once it picks up speed, you’ll be glad you started.
What You Need to Create a Blog
Starting a blog is simple and it doesn’t take much. I create all of my blogs on self-hosted WordPress sites. You can get a self-hosted WordPress website with almost any web hosting provider.
What you’ll need includes:
- Web hosting
- Domain name
- WordPress
Many hosting providers will have everything you need and will even auto-install WordPress on your hosting account. The last thing you’ll need is a WordPress theme and there are plenty of free and premium options to choose from.
Research Low-Competition Keywords
A large part of blogging is knowing what to write about and you want to write articles based on what your target audience is searching for.
In order to give your blog posts the best chance of ranking well in the search engine results, it helps to find low-competition keywords.
You can do this by using any keyword tool or typing in keywords into Google or another search engine and browsing auto-complete results.
Keyword tools are helpful for finding low-competition keywords but most keyword tools are not 100% accurate. They will give you a general idea of which keywords are worth going after.
Keyword research takes time but it is important to take the time to do it so you can attract the right audience.
How Often to Write Blog Posts
After you’ve established the keywords you want to go after, it is time to write your blog posts. For a brand new blog, I like to write a post a day for a month or two.
It doesn’t always work out but having that schedule forces me to write more often than not. Not everyone can keep that type of posting schedule.
The key is to be consistent with whatever schedule you choose. If you can only post once per week, then stay consistent with that. Once a month? Same, stay consistent.
Some bloggers choose to outsource the writing. That is completely up to you and whether or not you have the budget to pay for freelance writers.
A good option is 1 – 2 posts per week.
Build and Grow an Email List
Email marketing is an optimal way to promote a digital product without social media. That is because you can message your email list anytime with marketing messages.
Another big benefit of building and growing an email list is having your own audience that is interested in what you have to offer.
You don’t have the worry of losing your audience the way you do on other platforms such as Instagram or TikTok which can close accounts at will.
That is why I focus on sending all of my traffic to my sales funnel so I can grow my email list daily.
Set Up a Basic Sales Funnel
A basic sales funnel is a simple 2-page website. The first page consists of your opt-in page which is where you’d place a form to collect visitor email addresses.
The second page is your thank-you page where you introduce your visitors to the product that you’re promoting. You can do this by creating a video review or writing copy talking about the product.
The purpose of your sales funnel is to not only grow your email list but also to sell and convert the product you’re promoting.
Not everyone who goes through your funnel will buy immediately. Since they will be a part of your email list, you can continue sending marketing emails that may eventually lead to a conversion.
Give Away a Freebie (Lead Magnet)
You can increase the percentage of visitors who will fill out the form on your opt-in page by giving away something for free.
This free incentive is referred to as a lead magnet. You can create a free how-to guide in PDF format, create a video tutorial, an online course, or anything that offers some value.
Communicate with Your List
Email marketing success requires communicating with your subscribers often. I like to email my list daily if possible. The minimum I’ll go is 2 to 3 times per week.
You don’t want to email sporadically as the people on your list may forget that they opted-in. That can lead to your messages being marked as spam or people unsubscribing.
If you’re wondering what could you possibly write about, I understand the dilemma. There was a time when I barely emailed my list due to a lack of ideas.
Today, I simply write about what I’m currently doing in my online business. For example, I’ll share what I’ve just learned or the results of a strategy I’ve implemented.
If you are actively growing your online business, you will always have something to share with your list.
Create Content on Other Platforms
A popular way to promote a digital product without social media is to leverage other platforms such as Medium or LinkedIn.
Some of these platforms’ content ranks really well in the search engines such as Google. Currently, Medium articles rank extremely well.
Write for Medium
Many content marketers write content on Medium and link to their own sales funnels from those articles.
It is rare to do a search on Google and not see at least a couple of Medium articles at the top of the search results.
Take advantage of this while you can. It is a great way to get organic traffic to your sales funnel.
Post Content on LinkedIn
You can accomplish the same effect by posting content on LinkedIn. Place a link within your content to your sales funnel.
Many people use this platform so your content has the potential to receive a lot of exposure.
In Summary
If you want to promote a digital product without social media, it is absolutely possible. You can create a blog and post regularly.
Creating content on other platforms such as Medium is a good way to receive a steady flow of organic traffic.
Set up a sales funnel and direct any traffic you get to it. Your sales funnel is how you grow an email list.
Send regular emails to your email list subscribers. Some messages can be marketing-related. That is how you create a steady income online.
Ready to start creating a semi-passive income online? Follow the same training I followed.