Chapter 1: The Unexpected Success

I'll be honest, I've often expressed my dislike for social media, yet it seems I have a knack for it.

I know, I promised myself I wouldn’t pen an article like this. But when something truly works in the often enigmatic world of social media, and I gain insights that could help others, I feel compelled to share my experience. A fellow influencer advised against sharing my success story, claiming we can't afford more competition on LinkedIn. However, I believe that as long as you aim to use social media positively, competition is welcomed. So, here’s my journey.

Last Wednesday, after some deliberation and design work, I launched the "Do Good, Be Happy" newsletter on LinkedIn. It was automatically shared with my 300,000 followers—assuming they hadn't disabled notifications for newsletters. The notification read something like, "Isvari Maranwe invites you to join her newsletter," which felt quite personal.

Within just 24 hours, around 11,000 individuals had signed up, whether intentionally or by mistake, I'm not entirely sure. Many reached out, expressing their excitement for my upcoming content, while hundreds engaged with my inaugural article—a brief overview of my purpose that I crafted by merging snippets from my best Medium posts.

This experience resulted in the easiest 11,000 subscribers I've ever encountered in my somewhat chaotic social media journey. Part of this success can be attributed to my unique brand and unconventional content, with roughly one in thirty followers choosing to subscribe in a single day. Yet, even if you're in a competitive niche without a massive following, you can replicate the strategies that contributed to my achievement.

Here are six crucial lessons I gleaned from this whirlwind experience, beyond just the benefits of having a LinkedIn newsletter. (If you're only interested in how I achieved this, feel free to skip ahead and start your own newsletter.)

The overarching theme is to embrace opportunities that resonate with you on social media and to be inventive in promoting your work.

1. Maintain Integrity and Kindness

   It's notable that many individuals with large followings often lack kindness or integrity. If you find yourself among this group, these tips are not for you. Please step back and refrain from making social media worse. If you have something positive to offer, and your content promotes happiness or productivity, you're on the right track. Consider social media a necessary tool for spreading good. Keeping your ultimate goal in focus will help you avoid harmful tactics that might seem tempting for gaining followers. Remember, not all publicity is beneficial.

2. Understand Your Audience's Preferences

   Tailor your content to what your audience wants to see on various platforms. For instance, I avoid discussing law enforcement on LinkedIn, as it rarely changes perspectives and often leads to negative interactions. Supporting movements like Black Lives Matter can be done by amplifying Black creators’ voices and engaging in discussions about workplace diversity instead.

3. Follow Industry Leaders

   Seek out successful individuals in your niche, regardless of your personal feelings towards them. Even those you may not admire can provide valuable insights. There’s a reason they’ve reached the top, even if it’s not for the best reasons.

4. Capitalize on Trends

   This is perhaps my most critical piece of advice. The success of my newsletter stemmed from the fact that it was an excellent way to notify my 300,000 followers. I had previously been an influencer on LinkedIn years ago but stepped away due to my disdain for social media. Now, as the President of an international nonprofit, I have to stay engaged. Understanding how LinkedIn promotes newsletters was key to my success.

5. Simplify Your Process

   I’m not shy about the fact that I’ll be reusing content from Medium for my newsletter. I have limited time to manage multiple social media accounts and produce new content consistently, especially since I work 60 hours a week in other areas. Thus, I plan to repurpose my TikTok videos for Instagram and share Medium articles on LinkedIn.

6. Connect with Key Influencers

   This final step is about getting fortunate enough to catch the attention of a major figure in social media—someone at LinkedIn, YouTube, or another platform who has the power to promote your work. Having previously been a LinkedIn Campus Editor, I had connections with senior content staff, which initially aided my success.

After the unexpected success of my newsletter, I’m eager to see what comes next. Can I encourage subscribers to explore my Medium work? Is it possible to transform my newsletter following into increased engagement on my posts? Will people interact meaningfully with my content?

And, of course, will I ever feel satisfied? You might assume that hitting 11,000 subscribers in a day would fill me with joy, but for someone who tends to downplay achievements, it’s just another box checked. Rather than being thrilled, I find myself wishing I had reached 15,000 or even 100,000.

Remember to cherish the small victories—every new follower, subscriber, and accomplishment. Use your social media presence to spread positivity rather than toxic hustle culture, and allow yourself time away from the likes and comments to reflect on what truly matters.

Check out some of my other articles on social media:

As always, if you need a free resume edit, career advice, mental health support, or any other assistance (regardless of background, race, sexuality, gender identity, disability, or country), you can receive free help here.

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Chapter 2: Valuable Resources for Growth

Learn effective strategies to gain your first 1000 newsletter subscribers.

Discover how I reached 1,000,000 subscribers in just 30 days and understand that success isn’t always just luck.