Haiden Hibbert
Every successful creator and membership business owner has one thing in common: an audience. Without people paying attention to your work, it’s tough to grow your business — no matter how great your content or community might be. And for most creators today, that audience lives on social media.
The tricky part? Social media can feel like a maze. There are endless platforms, constant algorithm changes, and so much noise competing for attention.
Here’s the good news: you don’t need millions of followers to build a thriving membership. What you do need is a thoughtful approach to growing the right audience — the people who are genuinely interested in what you offer. In this post, we’ll share simple, practical ways to grow your audience on social media and start turning those followers into members.
Why You Don’t Need a Huge Following to Grow on Social Media
A common myth is that you need tens of thousands of followers before you can start making money from your membership. The truth is, you don’t need massive numbers — you just need the right people.
Smaller audiences often convert better because the connection feels more personal. A fitness coach with 800 engaged Instagram followers who converts even 5% into paying members could earn more than someone with 10,000 disengaged followers.
If you’d like to dive deeper into this idea, check out our posts on Nano Influencers and Micro Influencers. Both show how creators with modest followings can build sustainable businesses by focusing on trust, not vanity metrics.
How to Choose the Best Social Media Platforms for Your Membership
Not every platform is right for every creator. Instead of spreading yourself thin, pick one or two places where your ideal members already spend time.
For example:
- A career coach working with professionals may find LinkedIn more effective than TikTok.
- A craft teacher might thrive on Instagram or Pinterest, where visuals are the focus.
The simplest way to decide? Ask your audience. A quick poll in your email newsletter or community can reveal where people actually hang out online.
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, make sure there’s a clear path from your social profile to your membership. With a tool like MemberSpace, you can link directly to gated content, courses, or a private community — giving followers an easy next step when they’re ready to go deeper.
What to Post on Social Media to Attract the Right Audience
One of the biggest mistakes creators make is treating social media like a billboard.
They post announcements, promotions, or random updates — and then wonder why nobody’s engaging. The truth is, people don’t follow you for ads. They follow you for connection.
Think of your content as a mix of value and personality.
For example, if you run an online yoga membership like Jenni Rawlings, you might share a quick breathing exercise (value) alongside a story about how you discovered it during a stressful week (personality).
That combination gives your audience something useful and reminds them there’s a real person behind the post.
Another simple way to build trust is by highlighting your members. Share a photo of someone in your community who’s made progress, or repost a testimonial. Not only does this celebrate them, but it also shows potential members what’s possible if they join.
The goal isn’t to post more often — it’s to post in a way that makes followers feel like they belong.
How to Stay Consistent on Social Media Without Burning Out
Consistency builds trust, and trust is what turns followers into members.
But posting every single day isn’t realistic for most creators. The key is finding a rhythm you can actually sustain.
One way to do this is by batching content. For instance, set aside one afternoon a week to create and schedule a few posts.
You might also create recurring themes — like Tip Tuesday or Behind‑the‑Scenes Friday — so you’re never starting from scratch.
And remember, not everything has to be public. With MemberSpace, you can share exclusive content with your paying members while keeping your social feed active with shorter previews or highlights.
Turn Followers Into Members
Social media is a great way to get people’s attention — but attention alone doesn’t pay the bills. To build a thriving membership business, you need to guide your followers from simply liking your posts to actually joining your community.
Here are a few ways to make that transition smoother:
- Use simple calls-to-action. Instead of just posting content, invite people to take the next step. That might mean “Join my free email list,” “Grab this free resource,” or “Check out my membership community.”
- Show what’s inside. Share sneak peeks of your membership — like behind‑the‑scenes content, member success stories, or a look at your community space — so followers can picture themselves as part of it.
- Make it easy to join. Don’t bury your links. Keep your membership link in your bio, highlight it in Stories, or pin it to the top of your profile.
With MemberSpace, you can take the next step by selling access to a content hub directly on your website. That hub might include:
- Digital resources like guides, templates, or downloads
- Video lessons or past workshop replays
- A library of exclusive blog posts or tutorials
Because everything lives on your site, your followers don’t have to jump between different platforms. MemberSpace handles the payment and access side, so you can focus on creating valuable resources that keep your members engaged.
Think of social media as the “front door,” and your content hub as the place where followers settle in and become long‑term members.
To learn more about how to turn followers to paid members, check out our video on Sam from The Micro Squad.
Simple Social Media Strategies to Grow Your Membership
Growing on social media doesn’t have to mean chasing trends or posting 24/7.
It’s about building the right audience, showing up consistently, and inviting people into your membership.
Start small: pick one strategy from this post and put it into practice this week. Over time, those small steps will compound into real audience growth — and more members for your business.
