If your default is opening social media and binging on updates from others, there's a problem. The world needs to know what YOU can offer, and I believe everyone can add value. So first, switch to intentionally becoming a creator.
10 ridiculously simple tips I wish I knew about building an audience when I first started:
I mostly winged it 🤫
Let me share my lessons so you don't have to:
(a thread 🧵)
If your default is opening social media and binging on updates from others, there's a problem. The world needs to know what YOU can offer, and I believe everyone can add value. So first, switch to intentionally becoming a creator.
Most beginner creators people aim too far high and crash. It never works for me. Instead choose tiny habits like 2 tweets a day in the morning. Or 1 video for Youtube. Or 1 short essay each day on Substack. Optimize for consistency.
What comes naturally to you? Writing your thoughts, choose Twitter. Editing interesting footage and layering a voice-over? Choose Youtube. Short essays? Choose Substack. Pick one and stick with it for at last 1 month.
Don't focus on big bold segments with hundreds of active prolific creators already fishing. Find specific audiences and move towards them.
I was a no-code maker in 2018 so that niche came naturally. Later, I expanded to the community niche. Now #buildinpublic
If your favorite niche still feels big, combine two different ones and see if it resonates w people.
Many of my fav creators are masters at this. @5harath blends mindfulness + product, @JensLennartsson is marketing + no-code, @jackbutcher is design + mindset
Each social platform has styles that work and formats you can be inspired by
Don't copy their content but use their style/format as a guide
Ex: @brandonthezhang @jackbutcher @shl have unique recognizable formats on Twitter
People are scrolling so fast on all these feeds, if you sound half-ass or hesitant, they'll move on
To write with conviction, speak about things you know and have tried and have worked well (be ready to produce proof!)
Some people never make progress because they are trapped by trying to look flawless. I make a ton of mystakes. Typos. Bad grammar at times. Busy professionals don't care. They'll get the message.
Pride yourself in consistency
It goes without saying but I think it's worth mentioning
There are no free lunches
If you want to build an audience, you have to give value, your time, resources you already have etc.
You can't just ask people favors without giving freely first
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If you thought disinformation on Facebook was a problem during our election, just wait until you see how it is shredding the fabric of our democracy in the days after.
— Bill Russo (@BillR) November 10, 2020
Look at what has happened in just the past week.
In other words, the Social Media monopoly Facebook commands globally has gone full fascist in an attempt to preserve the corrupt and criminal hold on power by Republicans and Trump Administration.
Aiding and abetting a coup d’état.
As if there weren’t enough other reasons to dismantle Facebook’s monopoly, Zuckerberg is playing his cards and revealing clearly that Cambridge Analytica election interference was not just a onetime anomaly, but is now a feature of Facebook’s business model.
Megalomaniac Marc has now revealed the true colours of Fascist Facebook.
Facebook is a weapon to manipulate the masses. A tool to carry out disinformation campaigns with impunity.
And the response of the left... is to delete their Facebook account.
As if the deletion of a Facebook account will do anything. It might send a message that your virtues are principled, your morality superior. But it enables the weapon to be continued to gaslight and manipulate the electorate.
An inherent flaw in the left’s critical thinking.
So let’s talk about that!
Donald Trump has spent the last few months trying to ban TikTok.
— Sophia Smith Galer (@sophiasgaler) October 6, 2020
But I've found videos that suggest his re-election campaign might be using a TikTok hype house to track how well pro-Trump messaging performs on there. My story and a \U0001f6a8 thread \U0001f6a8 below. https://t.co/2XWLTRKLqq
Super glad I could be of help btw :P
Anyhoo: my background = senior web dev, data analysis a specialty, worked in online marketing/advertising a while back
You’ve got this big TikTok account that’s ostensibly all volunteer, just promoting Trump’s app because they’re politically minded and all that.
Noooooope. They’re being paid.
Sophia says it’s just possible (journalist speak I assume) but I know exactly what I’m looking at and these guys, Conservative Hype House, are getting paid to drive traffic and app installs for Trump.
So how do you know that, Claire?
Welp, they’re using an ad tracking system that has codes assigned to specific affiliates or incoming marketing channels. These are always ALWAYS used to track metrics for which the affiliate is getting paid.
The goal?
Learn how to craft interesting threads, and grow a following. It (mostly) worked.
- New followers: +2.5K (+100% MoM)
- Top thread: 373K impressions
- Top tweet: 2.5K likes
Here's what I learned. Quick thread 👇👇
To start, here's the most popular thread I've written.
Thoughts on what made it work, below.
Nikola Tesla was the greatest inventor of his era. He died penniless and alone, swindled by both Thomas Edison and JP Morgan.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) September 2, 2020
A thread \U0001f447\U0001f447\U0001f447 pic.twitter.com/80Gco1e6uq
1. Quality
The threads that performed best were (usually) the ones I put the most effort into.
One example is this one about Jeff Bezos's origins. I spent hours researching and drafting it.
It's worth taking the time to craft your
[Story time]
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) July 30, 2020
Yesterday, Jeff Bezos testified in front of Congress. It was almost exactly 15 yrs ago that Amazon introduced itself to the world.
We have all heard some version of his story. But in investigating his childhood, I was surprised to find much that has gone unshared. pic.twitter.com/CDaIAA0Fzj
2. Timeliness
Capitalizing on the news can be one way to expand viewership.
When Fornite launched its #FreeFortnite campaign, I wrote this thread.
At the time, it was my 2nd best performing thread. It also introduced me to the lovely
Fortnite is standing up to Google and Apple.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) August 13, 2020
They're offering 20% discounts to players that buy digital currency in the app, bypassing the payment systems of Big Tech.
This is a thread about the game's humble beginnings. \U0001f447
(All likes + RTs appreciated! \U0001f64f) pic.twitter.com/Zg5Lr3hDRu
3. Narrative Arc
Have a clear start and end in your mind.
I made this mistake with a few Amazon threads. I thought because my first one worked, I could keep the story going. But they didn't have as clear a narrative arc and were much less popular.
A book about lichen saved Amazon from going out of business.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) August 10, 2020
A thread \U0001f447 pic.twitter.com/kgfmBf4Dsj