How I Gained 1.8M Followers (and Make $930,000/Month)

Summary

This video script outlines a three-part system for growing an audience from zero to 100,000 followers on social media platforms, starting with no audience, budget, or experience. It emphasizes choosing one channel, finding a niche topic, and learning to create engaging content without spending money. The speaker shares personal strategies, including posting schedules and leveraging an email list, to organically increase followers and build a personal brand that attracts opportunities and revenue.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Growing an audience: The speaker has built significant followings on LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms, emphasizing the importance of audience growth for business success.
• 📈 Start with one channel: Focus on a single platform that is easy to start and offers strong organic reach, like LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter).
• 💡 Pick a niche: Choose a specific topic that you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. This helps in creating focused and engaging content.
• ✍️ Develop copywriting skills: Written text is powerful on platforms like LinkedIn and X. Mastering copywriting can significantly boost your content’s effectiveness.
• 🔄 Consistency is key: Post regularly to build and maintain your audience. For LinkedIn, post daily at a specific time, and for X, post multiple times a day.
• 📚 Learn from role models: Imitate successful content creators to understand what works, and then innovate your own style.
• 💬 Engage with your audience: Respond to comments, interact with followers, and build a community to foster growth and loyalty.
• 📊 Optimize your profile: Ensure your social media profiles are fully optimized with clear taglines, attractive photos, and strategic CTAs to convert visitors into followers.
• 🛠️ Use tools and build a team: Utilize tools like Hypefury and Figma, and consider hiring a team to help manage content creation and posting as you scale.
• 💼 Monetize your audience: Once you have a substantial following, start monetizing through workshops, services, or products, and reinvest earnings to grow further.

Q & A

How long did it take to grow the LinkedIn and Instagram audiences as mentioned in the script?

The LinkedIn audience grew to 272,000 in 14 months, while the Instagram audience reached 710,000 in 11 months.

What is the three-part system mentioned for growing an audience from zero to 100,000 followers?

The three-part system involves starting from Level One (zero to 1,000 followers), progressing to Level Two (1,000 to 10,000 followers), and finally reaching Level Three (10,000 to 100,000 followers), with each level focusing on specific strategies and tactics for audience growth.

Why is it recommended to pick one channel to grow on initially?

Focusing on one channel is recommended to avoid spreading efforts too thin and to allow for faster improvement and growth. It also reduces the need for extensive resources like expensive gear or a large team.

What are the top two recommended channels for growing an audience to 100,000 according to the script?

The top two recommended channels are LinkedIn and Twitter (referred to as 'X' in the script), as they have strong organic reach and are easy to start with using written text.

What is the 'icky guy' exercise and how does it help in choosing a content topic?

The 'icky guy' exercise involves making four lists to find the intersection between what you're good at, what you love, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This intersection is your calling and helps in identifying content categories that are true to who you are and serve your audience well.

Why is consistency important when growing an audience from zero to 1,000 followers?

Consistency is crucial for developing skills and understanding the platform's language. It helps in bridging the knowledge gap and improving the chances of creating content that resonates with the audience.

What is the recommended posting schedule for LinkedIn and Twitter (X) according to the script?

For LinkedIn, the recommended schedule is posting every day at 8:07 a.m. EST. For Twitter (X), the posts should be twice a day at 8:11 a.m. EST and 8:07 p.m. EST.

How can one develop a profitable profile to increase the visit-to-follower ratio?

A profitable profile can be developed by optimizing elements such as the tagline, cover photo, featured section on LinkedIn, and pinning the best-performing post to the top of the feed on Twitter (X) and Instagram. It also involves having a clear call to action and a professional headshot.

What is the significance of establishing an email list in the journey from 1,000 to 10,000 followers?

Establishing an email list is important as it helps in converting the rented audience on social media platforms to an owned audience. This owned audience can be directly communicated with and offered value, which can lead to higher engagement and monetization opportunities.

What strategies can be used to increase leverage and avoid burnout when growing an audience from 10,000 to 100,000 followers?

Strategies to increase leverage include monetizing the audience through workshops or exclusive offers, investing in a team (like a social manager, video editor, and designer), and using tools to streamline content creation and scheduling. This helps in maintaining quality and frequency of posts without the creator getting burnt out.