Hey ladies!
Today, I’m sharing five unique strategies you can use to grow your personal online brand when you’re first starting out. That’s when you’re really trying to get your business off the ground and get more social media followers.
I’m talking about when you’re brand spanking new and trying to go from literally 0 followers to 10 to 20 to 50 to 100 followers. And for the sake of this video, I specifically have Instagram in mind.
You may be asking, “What should I do to get people’s attention? What should I post? Should I follow a bunch of people first? Should I post my stuff with a bunch of hashtags? How do I make a name for myself when I’m starting at 0?”
Let me give you a few tips.
1. Post save-worthy content.
I’m not talking about just posting pictures of your product. I’m talking about a carousel post of helpful advice and tips that people would find interesting.
If you need some ideas, look through what other people in your niche are doing and take note of what’s working for them. You can also post some cool pointers in the form of a video reel that you think your ideal client should know. And don’t just post one. Post several. Keep them coming!
You’re a content creator now so make sure you’re constantly creating.
Also, it would be good to introduce yourself and share your personal journey of what has led you to this point of starting your online business and wanting to help others. I’m sure people will find that inspiring and start to root for you.
Content that provides value is way more likely to be saved, shared, and passed along to someone else. All you have to do is focus on value. Keep asking yourself, “Is this piece of content something I’d save myself?” If yes, then you’re on the right track.
2. Spend a few dollars a day on ads.
The idea of doing this isn’t the most thrilling, but in this day and age when IG has pretty much turned into a marketplace and the algorithm has changed so much, I’ve come to find out that you gotta pay to play.
Your content is more than likely not going to stand out on its own and take you from 0 to 100 to 500 to 1,000 followers that easily if you’re just posting with hashtags alone.
You could do that back in 2012 and get a lot of followers, but not in 2024. Back when I started my copywriting business in 2012, it was so much easier to get followers that way.
But nowadays if you’re not spending money on ads, you’re barely even going to be a blip on the radar. You have to look at ad spending more like investing into your brand rather than thinking that it’s frivolous spending.
You can start out very small with literally $3, $4, or $5 in a daily ad budget, and that’ll get your content in front of thousands of new people who would have never seen your work otherwise.
Or you can invest more like $10, $20, $50, $100 dollars or more. It’s all up to you.
Because what the algorithm does is push out who’s paying. That’s why you see so many sponsored ads on your Instagram timeline. More than people you might actually follow.
And this circles back to my first point: make sure your posts are save-worthy.
When you are paying for ads by clicking the boost post button, the posts you want thousands of people to see should actually be worth your spending dollars. Your posts should be getting you likes and follows and traction in your business.
Just test out different ads by doing split testing and tweaking different things in the copy or the graphics. You’ll find out which ads are working the best based on the responses you’re getting from the audience.
3. Do some organic marketing.
This one is about making things personal. Super personal.
It’s about you following people first and reaching out to them via DM and initiating conversation. I’m not talking about in a pushy, salesy way that makes the introduction all about you and whatever you’re selling.
No, I mean making it about them.
You can say something sweet and simple to someone like, “Hey girl, the tips you just gave in this video were awesome.”
Or… “I’m really liking this post you made. Dope!”
Or something to that effect.
Someone once told me that it takes being a friend to have a friend. And for the introverted girlies like me, you gotta remember that. You have to step outside of your comfort zone and extend your hand out to people and say, “Hey girl, it’s a pleasure meeting you. I really like your work. I like this and that about your content.”
And you never know where that initial point of contact can go. It can turn into a friendship or a collaboration in some way especially when you’re posting valuable content yourself.
You’re letting them see what you bring to the table. And they can introduce you to their followers or give you more business connections by putting you on to somebody else that they know. You’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to help out when they feel like they’re talking to a real human they can bond with.
4. Go live.
There’s something about going live that people just love. It’s raw, unfiltered content that people want to see. It’s a real look at your personality, your ability to promote what you’re selling, and it gives people a sense of what’s going on behind the scenes of your business.
You can announce your live broadcast a few days beforehand to give people a heads-up so they can keep it in their minds to tune in at a certain time.
Tiktok is another awesome live platform – if you want to try it on there as well.
When you go live either on IG or Tiktok, people can pop in, ask questions, and see you unscripted, in real time. They get to experience your vibe and your passion for whatever it is you do without the fancy edits and filters.
People who’ve been following you quietly might finally hit the follow button, and people who don’t know you at all are more likely to stick around because you’re actually letting them in on the moment.
Plus, it’s just fun! You get to test out new ideas, share a behind-the-scenes look, and actually chat with your audience instead of just talking at them.
And it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the imperfections are what make it real. So if you’re ready to grow your following, hit that “Go Live” button and just show up as you are. You might be surprised how many people are ready to tune in.
5. Give away something free.
Alright, let’s talk about the magic of giving stuff away for free on social media.
Now, I know what you’re thinking—“But, don’t I want people to pay for my stuff?”
Absolutely! But here’s the thing: when you give away something valuable for free—like a guidebook, a checklist, or a mini e-book—you’re not just giving out free content. You’re building trust, you’re showing off what you know, and you’re creating that moment where your audience is thinking, “Oh wow, she really knows what she’s talking about.”
People love freebies. Who doesn’t want a quick, helpful resource they can download and actually use right away? And the beauty is, every time they open up that freebie to refer back to it, guess whose name they see? Yours. You’re basically claiming a little bit of real estate in their brain!
Plus, by giving out helpful stuff for free, you’re showing people that you’re not just here to sell—you’re here to genuinely help them out. And when people feel like you’ve given them real value with no strings attached, they’ll remember you the next time they’re scrolling.
So don’t be shy with those free offers. Put together a little guide, checklist, cheat sheet—whatever you think would help your followers. Let it be the thing that makes them go, “Wow, they’re giving this away for free? I can only imagine how awesome their paid stuff is!” Trust me, they’ll love you for it, and it’s one of the easiest ways to turn followers into fans.
And there you have it!
Five strategies that grow your brand new online business from the ground up.
If you’re looking for a personal one-on-one business coach to help you grow your business, I can show you exactly how to do exactly that.
My coaching program called *BLOOM* is available via weekly video meetings where we’ll discuss how to flesh out your business idea, package it up into a high priced offer, create a visual brand, and launch in a matter of 6 weeks.
Send me a DM right now with the word BLOOM if you’re interested and we can get the conversation started on growing your business.
If you found this video helpful, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that bell icon so you don’t miss out on more tips like these. And as always, if you have any questions, drop them in the comments—I’m here to help your online business grow into a success. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video.
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