Summary: One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days

A few years ago, I hosted a read 30 books in 30 days reading challenge. One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days by Brendan Kane was the 14th book I read during reading challenge.

Book Bite: If you’re talented but unknown social media can give you exposure. Think about what makes you unique? What makes people want to share your message? Give fans a reason to linger on your website.

You increase your chances for innovating. I've said several times that when you’re reading, it’s important to go deep and wide. To go wide, I’ll be reading some books from the Big Ideas Simply Explained series.

What is One Million Followers by Brendan Kane About?

I recommended this One Million Followers to a friend. I thought it would be good for her because of the things she’s trying to do. After I explained my rationale she agreed with me. For me though, I didn’t like the book. I got some good information from it, but not the kind of information that will make a major difference in my business. Buying ads from Facebook or LinkedIn is not something that I want to do. And the book is filled with case studies. Although many people like them, I’m not one of them who do.

I know, I know, I’m very odd. Additionally,  I don’t really have much in common with the people profiled in the book. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way. I’ll now focus on information that most people will like. One Million Followers will teach you how to get authentic, dedicated, and diverse online followers from scratch using social media.

Brendan Kane advises that social media is the equalizer. If you’re talented but unknown social media can give you exposure. Think about what makes you unique? What makes people want to share your message? Give fans a reason to linger on your website.

Foundation to Get One Million Followers

• Hypothesis: Identify a format of a story or theme that engages audiences around a message. A great book to read is Storynomics.
• Test: Produce low-cost proof of concept or message that can be tested and validated. Learn what works and doesn’t work for you.
• Pivot: If the hypothesis is correct, invest in it further. If not, set a new hypothesis.

One Million Followers: 3 Themes to Focus on for Your Content

1. Thought Leadership: What kind of content will demonstrate that you’re a thought leader in your field?
2. Teaching: Think about  what you can teach your audience.
3. Inspirational Posts: People love it when you inspire them. With that in mind, what kinds of inspirational posts can you create that will resonate with your audience.

Quotes on images work very well. Get people to share your message. Create an ad to get people to like your update. You need to determine who will like and share your message and buy your product. Targeting the right people allows your business to thrive. You need to determine your target audience.

Marketing Goals 

• Increase awareness of your brand.
• Sell a specific product.
• Get people to register for your list.
• Drive traffic to a blog or website.

Knowing how to structure your message is critical to success. What makes what you do different? How can you make that important to others?

Brendan Kane mentioned the Process Communication Model. It sounds to me like something I should have known about. But I didn’t, so this knowledge is a game changer for me. The model helps you to get information to the people you want to reach. How will your audience perceive the content you create?

One Million Followers: Process Communication Model – 6 Personality Types

1. Thinkers: Perceive the world  through thoughts and logic is their currency.
2. Persisters: Perceive the world through opinions and value is their currency.
3. Harmonizers: Perceive the world through emotions and compassion is their currency.
4. Imaginers: Perceive the world through inactions and imagination is their currency.
   Rebels: Perceive the world through reactions and humor is their currency.
5. Rebels: perceive the world through reactions, and humor is their currency.
6. Promoters: Perceive the world through actions and charm is their currency.

To reach the majority of people in North America, it’s important to focus on feelings/compassion. Harmonizers make up 30 percent of the population in North America. Logic speaks to Thinkers, who make up 25 percent of the population. And Rebels respond to humor and they make up 20 percent of the North American population.

Kane created an ad to demonstrate how to speak to target audiences and it was exceptional. What I would have liked is if he had several of those ads so the reader gets a sense of how to create relevant copy. I would have appreciated the ads a lot more than all the case studies. Although I do not intend to use ads, I felt that I could use the information in the ad example in different ways. I could use it to engage readers because of the language.

5 Categories of Popular Content

1. Inspirational, Motivational/Aspirational
2. Political/News
3. Entertainment
4. Comedic
5. Pets

When you create content, have a core message, hook point, and tie in relevant trends to your specific message. I noticed that Brendan Kane has a book coming out that’s about hook points. Link your message to people’s dreams to create an emotional response. Will it make someone laugh, cry, smile, or feel angry? Hooked by Nir Eyal and Contagious by Jonah Berger are two great books to read. 

I pulled the following about hook points from Kane’s website:

“Here’s the Hook Point process:

• Imagine yourself passing a kiosk with magazines and books as you walk through an airport.

• You have just a few moments to choose a magazine or book to read on your flight.

• What headline would catch your attention and drive your selection?”

Source: It’s Not A Headline, It’s A Hook Point 

Have you read?

How to Write Viral Content: A Look at Contagious by Jonah Berger

Summary: Hooked by Nir Eyal

What makes you unique? Your headline should reflect that. Think of this from a consumer’s point of view. Find your compelling, original voice. Be service oriented in your message. A good book to read about service orientation is Be Our Guest. Reach out to the heart of your readers. And figure out how you can be of service to others.

Questions to Ask Before Content Creation

• Why am I here?
• How can I provide service and value to others?
• Why do I share the content I share?
• How can I make this the best piece of content?
• In what ways can I have meaningful impact

The above questions are very powerful and worth thinking about. Kane also recommends that you follow the 80/20 Rule when you create content.

• Give 80 percent of the time.
• Ask 20 percent of the time.

People Discover Content in 3 Ways

1. Everyone starts sharing your content and it goes viral.
2. Through search – your metadata and trends people are searching.
3. They find you through other people's content. 

Have you read?

Confident Career Woman Book 1: Read 30 Books in 30 Days Reading Challenge

Why Not You Book 2: Read 30 Books in 30 Days Reading Challenge

Own a Business? You Don’t Need Everyone, You Need 1000 True Fans

You’re Unstoppable: Learn How to Be a No-Limit Person

Start Taking Steps Now to Crush It Post Isolation

Go Suck a Lemon: How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Way of the Athlete: Learn the Art of Focus, Discipline and Achievement from Professional Athletes

Act Now: Do You Act Quickly on Opportunities Or Take Your Time

Is It Really a Good Time to Be a Girl, Ladies Please Chime In!

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero Will Help You to Get Through Isolation

Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

Book Review: Content Marketing Strategies to Attract an Engaged Audience

Final Thoughts: One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days

One Million Followers by Brendan Kane provides a guide to achieving success in the world of social media by focusing on authentic engagement and tailored content. While the book may not be a perfect fit for everyone, it offers valuable insights and actionable steps for those seeking to build a strong online following from scratch. Kane's emphasis on identifying a compelling message, testing it, and adapting as needed serves as a valuable framework for social media success.

The exploration of the Process Communication Model and its six personality types gives readers a deeper understanding of their audience's preferences. Kane's discussion of hook points and emotional engagement can help readers create content that resonates with their target audience. By asking critical questions and following the 80/20 Rule, content creators can enhance their impact and discover new avenues for reaching their audience. This book serves as a roadmap for those wanting to gain one million followers and beyond, while also delivering key principles for effective content creation.

Next Steps

Wondering what to do next, you can do all of:

1. Buy my new book, Leadership Reading: Spilling the Tea on How Top Leaders Read

2. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

3. Join the Art of Learning Membership Site

4. Download Unlock Your Genius Power Reading Tips Sheet

5. Buy me a cup of coffee!

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