Building a successful business as an influencer requires a significant investment in expanding one’s following.
When one is working toward becoming a content producer on a full-time basis, it is essential to win the trust and attention of thousands of people. This can be accomplished on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or even LinkedIn.
When it comes to growing their followings, many influential people have developed certain techniques and pointers that they’ve picked up along the way, despite the fact that breaking an algorithm might sometimes be a matter of chance. Others may leverage the tools that are made available by creator economy firms, while still others rely on the regular production of content. (Learn more about 13 startups that are assisting creators in expanding their audiences and generating revenue.)
For instance, comic content producer Joy Ofodu, who just left a full-time position at Instagram, found that specializing in a certain subgenre of material was beneficial to the advancement of her career as a content creator. Her niche? Content related to dating
Ofodu disclosed to Insider that “it was all I posted about for around two years.” “And that really blew away my audience.”
How content creators and professionals in related fields recommend growing one’s following on social media platforms.
Insider has conducted a number of interviews with social media influencers and experts on the creator economy to learn how to expand one’s audience on a variety of social media platforms. The following outlines how individuals are gaining followers on various sites, such as Instagram and LinkedIn.
Instagram
In May, talent manager and trip creator Jaden Versluis began a consistent presence on Instagram with the publication of posts. During that time, he had a following of approximately 4,000 people.
After another three months had passed, Versluis’ viewership on Instagram had increased to 140,000 followers.
He came to the conclusion that search engine optimization (SEO) can have an effect on how easily material can be discovered. In an interview with Insider, Versluis stated that it doesn’t matter what platform you use, “your caption should be packed with keywords.”
YouTube
It is well known that building an audience on YouTube is one of the most challenging activities there is to undertake.
Paddy Galloway, a content producer and YouTube strategist, investigates in minute detail the factors that must be present for a channel to acquire followers on the platform. As a strategist, he has collaborated on projects with a number of the most successful creators in the world, such as MrBeast.
Recent developments, such as the launch of YouTube Shorts, which is a competitor to TikTok, have made expansion appear to be less difficult.
According to what Galloway said to Insider, “I’m pretty positive about Shorts.” “My long-form clients have their primary channels updated with short videos that we produce. After going through tens of thousands of videos, I have not found any evidence to suggest that competing with longer forms of content is detrimental to uploading shorter videos.”
TikTok
TikTok has helped launch the careers of a great number of content providers.
Corey Sheridan, head of music at TikTok, believes that livestreams and active participation in comments may both contribute to the company’s expansion.
Victoria Paris, a lifestyle influencer, grew her audience buy tiktok followers every day and engaging with the comments made on her videos by either reacting to them or loving them. On the app as of right now, she has more than 1.5 million followers.
But all it takes for some people is one viral moment and following the momentum of that moment. For example, Nate White, a fashion designer located in New York City, published his very first TikTok video in March of 2020. Two months later, his video of himself completing the “stank walk challenge” became viral.
According to what White told Insider, “Every time I updated my phone, there were a thousand new followers.” I came to the conclusion that the best way to capitalize on this momentum was to offer the people what they desire.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn may not be the first social site that comes to mind when one thinks about content creators; yet, the platform has committed a significant amount of resources towards providing another stage for artists.
In the past two years, the professional social network has significantly increased its focus on creators by introducing new features, expanding its creator accelerator programs, and even beginning to host podcasts.
Turning on the platform’s creator mode is said to be one of the most significant tools to deploy if you are attempting to create an audience on LinkedIn, according to Callie Schweitzer, who is the head of creative programs for the company. Because of this feature, other users of LinkedIn will be encouraged to “follow” you, and your content will be shown in a more prominent location on the platform.
