How to Grow a Following on X (Formerly Twitter) and Make Money
This article outlines a seven-step plan to grow a following of 10,000 on X in 6-12 months and start monetizing your personal brand. The platform offers unique opportunities due to its potential growth and features like ad revenue sharing.
Why Grow on X?
There are several compelling reasons to focus on building a presence on X:
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X's Potential Transformation: Elon Musk aims to transform X into an "everything app" similar to WeChat. The user base is rapidly growing, and it is predicted to hit over 2 billion people in the next four years.
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Less Competition: Compared to other platforms, X currently has less competition, providing a greater opportunity to build a brand and gain exposure.
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Monetization Opportunities: X is one of the few platforms that pays creators through ad revenue sharing.
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Easy Content Creation: Creating content on X is quick and easy, allowing for rapid testing and validation of ideas.
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Repurposing Content: Content from X can be easily repurposed for other platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, expanding reach.
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High-Quality Audience: X tends to attract a more intelligent and engaged audience compared to other platforms.
Seven Steps to Grow Your Following
The following seven steps will help you build a significant following on X:
Step 1: Define Your Content Pillars (GAP Framework)
Your content should fall into three categories:
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Growth Content: Focus on trending topics and well-known figures relevant to your brand. This type of content gets high engagement because it's top of mind.
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Authority Content: Provide content that solves your audience's pain points or moves them closer to a desired outcome. Focus on topics related to wealth, health, or relationships. Don't try to be an expert. Document your journey.
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Personal Content: Share your story, failures, transformations, and opinions to connect with your audience on an emotional level. Personal content is what makes you unique and creates die-hard fans.
Step 2: Optimize Your Profile
Your profile is crucial for attracting followers and generating sales. Optimize these five areas:
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Profile Photo: Use a high-quality headshot taken with a good camera, whether an iPhone or DSLR.
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Bio: Focus on the benefits for the reader. The first line should clearly state what your account is about. The second line should back up your authority or document your journey.
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Banner: The banner serves as wallpaper for your brand. It just needs to match the vibe you're going for.
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Username: Choose a username that is easy to spell and remember, without numbers or underscores.
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Pinned Post: To optimize for followers, pin a long-form story post about a transformation you've experienced. For sales, pin a case study demonstrating your expertise.
Step 3: Dedicate Time to Learning
Dedicate 1-2 hours daily to reading, listening to podcasts, or taking courses relevant to your niche. Store your notes in a tool like Notion or Google Docs to refer back to when creating content.
Step 4: Post Regularly
Post consistently, aiming for one to five times per day. This helps prioritize your content in the algorithm and increases familiarity with your audience. Use the "What, Why, How" framework to structure your posts. State your idea, explain why it matters, and describe how to apply it.
Step 5: Create Long-Form Posts
Supercharge your growth by creating one to three long-form authority and story posts per week. These posts build more trust than single, one-off posts because they go into more detail on the topic. Break down the steps to reach a desired outcome or solve a pain point.
Step 6: Create Your Top 100 List
From zero to 5,000 followers, create a private list of 100 accounts with the audience you want to attract. Engage with their content by leaving thoughtful comments 25 times a day or more. This will get you more followers.
Step 7: Build a Network
Engage with other accounts you connect with by commenting and reaching out in DMs. The more you interact, the more the algorithm will push your content to a wider audience. Consider creating a group of 5-10 creators to exchange engagements and accelerate growth.
By consistently implementing these seven steps over the next six to twelve months, you can grow a substantial following on X and position yourself for success as the platform continues to evolve.