When you step into the world of affiliate marketing or online business, you’ll quickly realize something: not everyone who follows your content is actually your audience. You may finally find a product or program that resonates with you, start recommending it, and dream about turning those recommendations into income. But soon, the questions hit: Who’s my target audience? Why aren’t people buying?
Here’s the truth: the internet is worldwide, and your real audience isn’t just your old colleagues or friends from high school. Some people will watch your content for years without ever taking action. Others will grab every free resource they can find but never invest in themselves. Over time, I’ve come to call them by two names: voyeurs and freebie seekers.
In this post, I’ll share who they are, how I first noticed them in my own journey, and what you should do instead of stressing over them.
Affiliate Marketing Beginnings
When I started, I didn’t want to create my own product right away. I chose affiliate marketing because it gave me the freedom to recommend programs and products I believed in—and earn money through my recommendations. It sounded perfect.
But then reality hit. I struggled with the same questions many beginners do: Who is my audience? Who am I talking to?
At first, I made the beginner mistake of trying to sell to people I already knew—friends, old colleagues, even childhood connections. Some were curious, a few even joined. But most weren’t interested. Looking back, I see that my true audience was never just people I knew. My real audience was out there on the internet, searching for solutions to problems that my offers could actually solve.
That’s when I began noticing two types of people who kept showing up: voyeurs and freebie seekers.
Who Are the Voyeurs?
Voyeurs are the quiet observers. They’ll follow your content for months, even years, without taking any action.
Back in my early days, I noticed childhood friends regularly checking my posts. Some even asked about my offers, but they never made a decision. At first, I thought I was failing. But later I realized: they were just watching.
Voyeurs might not be ready today—or even next year—but they’re still paying attention. Some eventually turn into clients or partners. Others never will. Either way, they’ll silently track your journey, waiting for… something.
The lesson? Don’t build your strategy around them. Create content consistently, but don’t expect voyeurs to carry your business.
Who Are the Freebie Seekers?
Freebie seekers are different. They’re not just watching—you’ll often notice them actively downloading free resources, grabbing trial offers, and searching for the next “hack.”
They love motivational speeches but rarely take action. If they record music, they’ll search for cracked software instead of investing in proper tools. They want shortcuts, and they want them for free.
The problem is, freebie seekers rarely commit. They don’t invest time, energy, or money. Instead, they hope that one day, somehow, success will just fall into their lap.
And just like voyeurs, they can hang around your content for years without ever buying.
What Should You Do About Them?
Here’s the key: don’t waste energy chasing voyeurs or freebie seekers.
- Accept reality. Not everyone who follows you is a customer.
- Work on your funnel. Make sure your systems guide the right people—those with real problems to solve—toward your offers.
- Focus on your site and social media. Refine your message, improve your content, and make it easy for the right audience to connect with you.
- Don’t take it personally. Silence doesn’t mean rejection. People are at different stages of awareness.
Some voyeurs will eventually take action. Some freebie seekers may change their mindset one day. And some followers are simply there to support you, even if they never buy.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re building your presence online, you will encounter voyeurs and freebie seekers. They’re part of the landscape. Accept them, but don’t let them drain your energy. Your focus should be on those whose problems your product or program truly solves.
At the end of the day, we’re all human. We’re all walking different paths, with different levels of awareness. Your job is not to convince everyone—it’s to show up consistently, share value, and let the right people find you.
So don’t stress over voyeurs or freebie seekers. Instead, build your funnels, refine your message, and keep moving forward. The right audience is out there—and they’re “waiting” for you.
📬 Want more tips like this?
Subscribe to get fresh blog posts directly to your inbox.
