Don’t Build Your Author Audience. Do This Instead.

Apr 30

Written By Hussein Al-Baiaty

You're an author. You need an audience. Maybe you're aiming to land a publishing deal.

Maybe you're getting ready to launch your first book into the world.

Maybe you’re just starting to whisper to yourself, "Maybe... maybe I can do this."

And everyone keeps saying the same thing:

"You need to build an audience."

But let me stop you right there, because I want you to hear this from someone who’s been in it, who works with authors every single day:

You don’t actually have to build an audience.

Not the way you’ve been told.

Not in the overwhelming, soul-crushing way that makes you want to give up before you even post your first LinkedIn update.

Not in the way that makes you sit there scrolling through Instagram wondering, “How the hell am I supposed to compete with this?”

You don't have to build an audience from scratch.

The audience is already there.

They exist.

They’re gathered.

They’re waiting.

They’re hoping someone like you will show up, not as another salesperson, but as a real human being.

You just have to rewire your mind to see them properly, not as numbers, not as followers, not as potential sales, but as people.

People with full lives.

People who wake up tired some days.

People who carry burdens you’ll never see and dreams they barely admit to themselves.

People who are hungry for something real, something that reminds them they're not alone, not crazy for dreaming bigger, not wrong for wanting more meaning.

When you start seeing them for who they actually are, everything about how you "build your audience" changes.

And if you don’t believe me yet, let me tell you what just happened to me.

I recently got invited to speak at Oregon State University. Over 75 students had RSVP’d to my talk.

I booked my flight to Portland, drove down to OSU, and brought a videographer friend to capture the day.

I was excited.

Ready to pour my heart out. Ready to serve whoever showed up.

And when the hour came?

About 17 students showed up.

At first, I felt that sting, you know the one, the voice in your head whispering: "Was this worth it?"

"Was I enough?"

But I stayed.

I leaned in.

I looked at the students sitting there, really looked.

And something shifted.

The room got smaller. The energy got deeper. The connection got real.

We sat together.

We laughed. We shared stories.

I answered every question with no rush, no pressure, no clock ticking in the back of my mind.

It became one of the best talks I've ever given, because it was personal.

It wasn’t about the number of attendees. It was about showing up fully for the ones who showed up for me.

And you know what’s crazy?

They invited me back to speak again next year.

This is what growing an audience is actually like.

Not the viral fantasies. Not the influencer games.

Not the “look how important I am” highlight reels.

Real audience building is human. It’s deep. It’s personal.

And if you approach it like that?

You win, no matter what the outside world thinks.

"But Hussein... I barely have any followers."

I hear you.

"I can hear it now... I only have 327 connections on LinkedIn." "But Hussein... my YouTube channel has 47 subscribers." "But Hussein... no one comments on my posts."

Good. You know why?

Because 327 humans is a lot of people when you see them for what they are: humans, not headcount.

That’s more people than most weddings.

That’s more people than most churches on a Sunday morning.

That’s more people than a sold-out room at a lot of book events.

If you treat those 327 people like they matter, they will move mountains for you.

It’s not about the size of the audience. It’s about the depth of the connection.

And LinkedIn is one of the best places to build that connection right now — if you stop obsessing over the numbers and start obsessing over the humans.

There Are Only Two Real Ways to Grow

Forget the complicated marketing funnels.

Forget trying to "be everywhere" overnight.

Forget the fake urgency being sold to you.

Growing an audience — whether it's on LinkedIn, YouTube, or anywhere else — boils down to two things in my opinion.

1. Attract Them

You create something worth visiting.

You build something worth experiencing.

You stop thinking of your LinkedIn feed or your YouTube channel as a place to post content, and start treating it like a home people actually want to hang out in.

Behind the scenes.

Work in progress.

The messy middle.

The lessons you're still living through.

That’s what people want.

Think Jackie Chan bloopers — laughing, messing up, getting hurt, getting back up, having a damn good time making his art and movies. Those are my favorite parts in his movies.

We all love the making, the watching picasso make art as much as we love the final painting.

It's why Leonardo's sketchbook is absolutely priceless. It shares his thoughts, his process, and his genius before we see the finale.

Why can’t that be you?

Why can’t your LinkedIn show your wins and your working process?

Why can’t your YouTube channel be a behind-the-scenes look at what writing a book, building a business, or growing a dream feels like?

Attraction happens when you stop trying to be perfect and start letting people into the reality of your journey.

As you share and document, people will take notice, slowly migrate around your work, cheer you on, like, comment, and engage with your work.

That's the "building part" of all of this. While you build in public, you attract.

Stop viewing LinkedIn or other platforms as a wall of plaques, awards, life updates, and perfect quotes from others.

Quote your book, share expertise, and use it like a conversation with that one listening person.

They may not comment or like because so many people here do the lurking thing. You may be one of them. Consumed much of my content, but we've never even said hello to one another.

That's ok. I appreciate your support from a distance.

2. Go To Them

You leave your little island.

You stop waiting for people to discover you like a hidden treasure.

You go where the conversations are already happening.

And trust me, there are millions of conversations happening right now on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook groups, subreddits, Discord communities, and more.

People are already gathered.

They are already discussing the things you care about. They are already hungry for the kind of voice you have.

You have to walk into the room.

Comment on five LinkedIn posts daily, not with “Great post!” but with real thoughts, questions, or stories.
DM two people each week to thank them for a piece of content that helped you.
Jump into meaningful discussions on YouTube, in niche Facebook groups, or wherever your future readers are hanging out.

Connection isn't built by posting and waiting. It's built by showing up and caring.

And LinkedIn is hands down one of the fastest ways to do this, if you use it for honest conversations, not just megaphone marketing.

Here's my favorite part.

This is author marketing at its finest. You sharing your thought leadership, you being present, and using this platform to do what it's meant for.

Connecting.

People thinking about you, talking about you, sharing your work, and admiring your struggles and wins is marketing.

Marketing isn't bound to ads and quick sales. It's brand building on something worth someone's attention.

"But Hussein... I don’t have time."

Good.

Let’s get tactical.

Open your calendar. Find 30 minutes. Block it. Title it “Audience Work.”

Yes, you do have 30 minutes. If you're remotely serious and you want to be a professional authorpreneur. Get off the scrolling hamster wheel and start creating instead of consuming.

In those 30 minutes, I want you to hyper-focus on just one repeatable task:

Leave 5 thoughtful LinkedIn comments.
DM 2 people in your space.
Write 1 honest post sharing a small piece of your journey.
Share a behind-the-scenes clip on YouTube (even if it’s just filmed on your phone).

Pick one. Stick to one. Do it consistently.

You don’t need to master all platforms today. You don’t need 10,000 followers tomorrow.

You just need to show up for 30 minutes and move one step forward.

Then repeat.

That’s the real strategy.

Here's a prime example from my friend and previous client who was stuck in a rut. After a recent call, she decided to take action.

What It Really Means to Grow an Audience

Growing an audience is not a marketing tactic.

It’s not a performance.

It’s a relationship. It’s a commitment. It’s a practice.

It’s seeing people for who they are and showing up for them even when it feels like no one’s watching.

LinkedIn rewards real conversation.

YouTube rewards authenticity.

Humans reward consistency.

Stay present long enough, and the trust you build will be the most valuable thing you own.

Not your follower count.

Not your viral reach.

Your trust.

And that trust will open doors.

Keep Going

You don’t need to "build" an audience from nothing.

You don’t need to go viral.

You don’t need permission, or validation.

You need to take action.

See the humans who are already out there.
Build something worth visiting.
Go where the real conversations are happening.
Show up consistently, with care, not just content.

That’s it. That’s the art. That’s the work.

And if you stick to it, not only will you grow an audience, you’ll grow a community. You’ll grow a movement. You’ll grow a career that actually matters.

Go start.

One post. One comment. One conversation at a time.

The ones who are meant to find you will.

Whenever you're ready, here are three ways I can support your authorpreneur marketing journey:

1. Clarify and systemize your Author offer so your message lands and people instantly get what you do.

2. Build an author website that works, not just pretty, designed to attract leads and open doors.

3. Create a content and video strategy that builds your brand. Show up with purpose. Grow your authority. Use video to make your message unforgettable.

If you’re serious about leveling up your author brand, shoot me a message here on LinkedIn

Practice Patience & Gratitude.

Hussein

Hussein Al-Baiaty