5 lessons from a creator who grew to 20k+ subscribers in 8 months

Hey folks👋🏽

There are a lot of striking stats in the Forbes ‘Top Creators 2023’ report (like the one that 50 creators on the list are expected to generate $700 million in revenue this year).

While I’d love for these numbers to expand for you (and me 👀), there was a more telling story about the state of the creator economy.

An article in Bustle about how some creators feel trapped in the personal brands they’ve built (or been assigned) over the past few years sparked some anxiety — and thinking — around how to keep my brand fresh, so I don’t fall into an archetype I might grow out of.

It’s thinking thoughts-hours for me this weekend!

💌 In today’s email:

• 📈 She’s grown an audience of 20k+ newsletter subscribers in less than a year — get the top five lessons from her story
• 👀 We're curious – what platforms have you moved to or use in addition to Twitter (X)?
• 🤖 Use this AI Assistant prompt to get ideas for better hooks for your social posts
• 📱Mitra recommends a fun, trending audio for Instagram Reels
• 📣 The latest social news, features, and bonus reads
• And as always, all the latest and greatest content from the Buffer blog.

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday!

Warmly, 

Tami & the Buffer team

P.S. Come hang with us in the Buffer community!

☑️ The poll of the week

Last week, 61.9% of you said you won't continue using Twitter (X) if it goes behind a paywall. Thanks for letting us know!

We’re testing the new sections and would love your feedback on the experience here!

🏊‍♀️Deep dive: 5 lessons from a creator who grew to 20k+ subscribers in 8 months

I spoke to Chenell Basilio, a creator who’s grown her deep dive newsletter, Growth in Reverse to over 20,000 subscribers in less than 8 months. Here are the top lessons she had to share for anyone looking to grow an audience online:

1. Follow your curiosity: Chenell didn't have a grand plan when she started her newsletter. Her curiosity about how others were growing their email lists led her to research and eventually start her own newsletter. Her approach is a vital lesson in being open to opportunities and following your genuine interests.
2. Authenticity and consistency build loyalty: It’s important to be authentic and human in your interactions. Chenell blends automated systems with genuine human interaction to keep her brand and content authentic, which has been key to building a loyal audience. Another important element in Chenell’s rapid growth has been consistent output. She mentions that a regular publishing schedule helps keep her on track and sets expectations for her audience to trust that she’ll deliver as promised.
3. Avoid “shiny object syndrome”: Chenell has managed to avoid many of the distractions that creators fall prey to like the next big trend, platform or idea. She emphasizes staying focused on your core mission and audience, which has been crucial in her growing engagement rates.
4. Provide quality content efficiently: Chenell started her newsletter to share her research on how other creators succeeded. This shows that doing your homework and providing valuable, well-researched content can be a strong foundation for your own success. And because doing your homework consistently can take a lot of effort, Chenell advocates using templates and systems to streamline the content creation process. This allows her to focus on delivering value to her audience without sacrificing quality. 
5. Adapt and learn: Chenell didn't have it all figured out when she started. She adapted along the way, learning from her experiences and feedback from her audience. This adaptability is crucial for anyone looking to grow and sustain an online audience.

 🚀 Three entrepreneurs skyrocketing their growth with Buffer

We pride ourselves on being an excellent tool for entrepreneurs and business owners to grow on social media — and our users were more than happy to back us up.

• Michael Piperno on LinkedIn: “What used to take me hours now takes me minutes. Easily 2 hours saved per week.”
• Nathalie Tran on Instagram: “My engagement has increased around 999% on Pinterest!”
• Jennifer’s Fading Memories podcast: “I’ve made over $8,000 in podcast sponsorship since using Buffer”
• Adriana on LinkedIn: “Buffer has been the player in my following growth on my personal LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, over 5,300 followers. I cannot imagine life without Buffer.”

Want to skyrocket your growth? Click the link below to get started with Buffer today!

👇🏽 The latest from the blog

• She’s Grown An Audience of 20k+ Subscribers in Less Than A Year – Here’s How: Chenell Basilio shares how she built her thriving community.

• My First 30 Days at Buffer: What It’s Like To Join the Company in 2023: our new content writer on how she was onboarded to our fully distributed, remote team.

• Personal Branding for Introverts: How I’m Managing my Anxiety While Growing on Social Media: Freelancer Tamilore shares her best personal branding for introverts tips.

• How to Save Time with AI Social Media Content Creation: Learn how to leverage AI social media content creation tools and save valuable time in your social media marketing efforts.

• He’s Been A Creator For More Than A Decade – Here Are His Top Lessons: Matt Ragland shares his thoughts and advice about content creation and social media.

🤖 A prompt for getting ideas for your hooks in Buffer's AI Assistant

Use this prompt to assist in crafting captivating hooks that grab the reader's attention from the get-go. It’ll give you a variety of hook ideas that can be seamlessly integrated into a post, making it more engaging for a specific audience.

The Prompt

Generate {Number of Hooks} catchy social media hooks for a {Platform} post on {Subject Matter}.

• Platform: "Enter the social media platform (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
• Tone: "Specify the tone (e.g., professional, casual, humorous, etc.)"
• Subject Matter: "Enter the main subject or theme of your post"
• Additional Keywords: "Provide any additional keywords or phrases you'd like to be included in the hooks"
• Number of Hooks: "Specify the number of hooks you'd like to generate (e.g., 3, 5, 10)"
• Target Audience: "Specify your target audience demographics if any (e.g., entrepreneurs, parents, gamers, etc.)”

Create the hooks to follow each one of the following principles:

• Value Proposition: "Describe the value or benefit the audience will gain from your post",
• Teaser Information: "Provide a teaser or a question to evoke curiosity",
• Expertise Display: "Mention any credentials, endorsements, or authoritative sources",
• Limited Offer: "Provide details if there's a limited-time offer or availability"
• Personal Touch: "Include any personal anecdotes, stories, or relatable content"

We’re testing this new section and would love your feedback on the experience here!

📱Social tip of the week from Mitra, Buffer’s Social Media Manager 

“The sound that starts playing in my head when….”

This is an easy Reel to put together with just one clip! To tap into this trend, add text that says: “The sound that starts playing in my head when…” and complete the sentence with something related to your niche. You can make this one as silly or serious as you’d like.

Here’s an example from @coastalcollectivemarketing!

🎧 Grab the audio here.

📣 What's happening in social?

Social media managers rejoice! Threads now supports logging in to multiple accounts on mobile, and TikTok has added a "Switch Account" feature! Facebook has added captions to stories; Instagram is testing replies on broadcast channels; and say bye-bye to Twitter ‘Circles’. X is shutting them down on October 31. 

Get these updates and more in our new Notion page!

Thanks for reading! 💟

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