The world of social media and online marketing is filled with opportunities to share value. But how much free content is too much? Learn to leverage free content with these content marketing strategies.
Sharing too much content for free often comes up when you’re just starting out in your online business.
How do you strike that perfect balance between delivering value and retaining your secrets? At which point do you put a price tag on learning more?
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The myth of ‘too much’ free content
If you fear you might be over-generous with your knowledge, here’s a comforting truth: I’ve hardly ever seen anyone giving away too much for free online.
Of course, if you’ve poured effort into creating a comprehensive course and then decide to just offer it free of charge, you might be going overboard.
However, strategically sharing valuable content is often more beneficial than you can imagine.
The more free content you share – via social media, Instagram Reels and posts, Youtube videos, TikToks, Facebook or LinkedIn posts, emails – the bigger is your chance this will land in front of your ideal audience.
How much free content is too much?
Once you get into sharing content for free and showing up online consistently, the inner urge to GET PAID will soon come up.
Where to draw the line? Which freebies should be paid offers? Which videos are giving too much?!
An important here to remember is that most free content is inherently limited. Social media posts, for instance, are just brief glimpses into your expertise. Think realistically – even frequent followers won’t typically absorb all the content you dish out.
Consider your own experience: when you find an interesting account, you might engage deeply for a while, but it’s rare to exhaustively consume every piece of content.
Therefore, free content doesn’t always fill one’s cup. It just gives insights, here and there, without fully leading your audience through their journey.
Share clever insights and tips on social media, but remember that it’s only a fragment of your knowledge.
Just because you’re generous daily doesn’t mean you’re over-sharing. Your audience usually won’t know how to fully implement every tip without deeper guidance.
The same goes for offers like freebies. A 10 page Checklist can be incredibly valuable and it CAN be sold as a low-ticket offer. But here it’s important to consider the bigger picture and understand which part of your sales funnel you need to focus on the most right now.
There’s always the next-step offer you can scale with, instead of withdrawing the free info. Courses or coaching programs provide a structured environment that a casual observer can’t access.
Even if your social media mirrors parts of your course, the nuances and sequence offered in a structured setting remain exclusive.
Learn to leverage free content
You might worry about giving away too much for free, particularly with freebies. Yet, freebies should be seen as steps towards your larger offerings.
People obtaining freebies are more likely to climb further up your product ladder.
Consider a logical sequence:
- Start with sharing simple insights: your social media posts, no matter how in-depth and insightful will share only a friction of the bigger picture;
- Offer a more detailed freebie: this is the next step your audience takes, it’s that YES they say when they’re ready to learn more – and now they’re a part of your mailing list;
- And then lead to a paid program: either it’s a low-ticket offer at the beginning stages of your funnel or a more in-depth course, here you have all the options to play around
This approach solidifies the role of free content as a stepping stone rather than an end point.
Your free content = chance for your audience to get to know you, understand what is your expertise in and whether or not your offers will be aligned with what THEY need.
Ultimately, giving too much away for free is largely a myth. If you’re uncomfortable with your level of generosity, adjust the specifics you share and ensure the next step in your client journey is clear.
Remember, showing up with knowledge and insights online is what attracts clients.
Generic advice is easy to find, but personal insights that show your expertise create a deeper connection.
Keep engaging your audience with valuable content, and they’ll look toward your paid offers for further depth. Your role as an expert will stand out, leading to fruitful client relationships.
TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED
💛 Connect with me on Instagram @coursecreationlab
📚 Join Your Course Creation Membership to plan, create & scale your offer
🎧 Listen to the Savvy Offer Hub podcast
