How to Grow an Audience (From 0 to 10K Followers)
Getting the first 10,000 followers may seem like a daunting task.
People try to post something, but it yields no results. Then they try again and the same patterns repeat. It seems like this is some kind of unfair game and this whole thing starts to get overwhelming. What if I tell you that most of these people actually focus on the wrong things?
Today, I would like to give you a 7-step framework on how to grow your audience and refocus efforts on things that actually make an impact.
Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Create your content plan.
When you are just starting out, you need to have some kind of strategy.
Pick a niche and write down topics, content types, and posting times for your future content.
Think about your target audience's problems and what would help them.
Step 2: Create a converting profile.
In order for people to trust you and actually follow you, you need to optimize your profile.
Change your profile image from a faceless account to an actual human. Make sure to use a high-quality image and choose one where people can see your face.
Write your description as a quick sales pitch.
Here is a quick breakdown of my Twitter profile:
[Who I am] + [How can I help you] + [Social proof].
- [Who I am] - Solopreneur.
- [How can I help you] - Building digital product businesses and sharing the process with others.
- [Social proof] - Currently growing pathpages.com from $0 to $500k/year.
Lastly, make sure your call to action is simple yet straightforward.
Example: Join +40k readers → modestmitkus.com
Same logic applies for LinkedIn as well.
So in the end it looks like this:
Solopreneur. Building digital product businesses and sharing the process with others. Currently growing pathpages.com from $0 to $500k/year.
Step 3: Learn from what works for others.
A lot of people, when just starting out, start writing posts from their own mind. I don't blame these actions, and I don't doubt their skills or knowledge. However, most of the time, it's not what the readers actually want. You need to conduct research on what content performs.
So, search for people in your niche who have more followers and are active. Analyze their content to see which types of posts resonate with their audience. Use this information as inspiration and guidance. Ensure that each of your posts leads in the right direction for growth.
Later, once you have a lot of followers, you will be able to test your own ideas by posting short content to validate.
Step 4: Give away value for free.
Change your mindset from “when I get something from this” to “how can I actually help them”.
Give as much value as possible and expect nothing in return.
If you only think about your own problems, people will feel this. We want to have full focus on actually helping others, and our current problems are not their problems.
Create content for people, create value for them, give, give, give, give, give, give, give…
Create posts, threads, free products, and always try to help as many people as possible with your content. Try to make an actual impact, one that you would be proud of.
There is literally no chance you will not get anything back from this.
Step 5: Schedule your content in advance.
Find a good scheduling tool to plan and organize all your content. Some of those tools are free, while others require payment. If you are serious about this, spending $15/month may strain your finances, but it will save you countless hours and allow you to maintain focus. Regardless of the tool you choose, it is important to schedule your content ahead of time.
Personally, I use @typefully and write my content for an entire week in advance.
Additionally, tools specifically designed for Twitter will have extra features that can aid in your growth, such as auto retweet and autoplugs.
Step 6: Engage with others.
Never ignore the people who comment on your tweets; try to reply to all of them.
Once you're done with that, make a list of people you would like to be friends with.
Check when they're posting and try to add value to their content through comments. This will help you build connections and form a small community.
This small community will be the first to engage back once you post something.
They will also support your journey in many ways.
You will need friends on this journey, so make a few.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Step 7: Stay consistent.
You can only fail with this strategy if you are not consistent, and it can be challenging to maintain consistency when you are just starting out. Try to create routines and form new habits of writing content and engaging with other people.
Personally, I have everyday tasks and weekly tasks to stay on track. For example:
Weekly tasks (every Monday):
- Write (1x newsletter)
- Write (2x threads)
- Write (14x tweets)
- ...
Daily tasks (everyday):
- Engage with others (30 minutes)
- Collect ideas (20min)
- Write (2x tweets)
- ...
Use a calendar, habit tracker, or any task manager with a reminder feature. Set your weekly and daily tasks and try to stick with them. At first, it will be hard, but later it will get easier, just like with any sport.
Final words.
Growing on your audience can be a challenging task, but it is well worth the effort. You start knowing nothing, and you slowly get better at it. It's a game for those who have patience and want to help others. I hope this guide was helpful, and you will learn from my mistakes and crush it!
That's all for now.
Modest M.