How I Achieved a Faster FROG Than 77% of the Top 100 Publications
Without using quick growth hacks or the follow-unfollow method to grow my 7000 followers
It took me over a year to get going and achieve a rapid Follower Rate Of Growth (FROG), but you can probably do it in less after reading this and implementing some valuable routines.
Roll up your sleeves, follow a peer-reviewed methodology, and you will see improvements in your FROG.
1. Observation
Lately, I have noticed an exponential increase in my FROG, as you can see in the graph below.
2. Question
In 2020, I was still on my learning curve on the platform, and the data confirms this conclusion.
After the initial push, it started to lose momentum, and you will notice that the end of the year coincides with a slight decline regarding FROG.
Apparently, this is a recurring pattern that occurs every year from November to February.
2021 was a great year for building an audience, and as I looked more closely at the numbers, I began to wonder.
What if my FROG outperformed that of the most successful publications on the platform?
3. Gathering Information
First, let me clarify where the data for this case study comes from. I based my analysis on data from this site, which currently tracks 13,285 publications and ranks them by the number of followers — a valuable data source for anyone who wants to track trends on this writing platform.
This site regularly updates the follower growth rate of each publication. So it’s a valuable source of information for writers looking for the best place to publish their work.
I also cross-referenced the numbers with data from this other website, which tracks the growth of 20,020 publications to date.
I found these two websites shortly after publishing my first Medium story on September 24, 2020. They have since become valuable tools for my writing, editing, and marketing work on this platform.
4. Background Analysis
When I looked at the raw data, I immediately realized that I had missed the golden era of publishing.
As I gazed at the list of publications, I realized that many of my favorite online magazines and newspapers once thrived in this writing environment.
However, most of them seem to have left for greener pastures. So do not be fooled by the raw data and huge figures.
Many of these once-thriving writing havens are now ghost communities, where only the occasional tumbleweed blows into town.
Recent changes in the writers’ habitat have made it even more inhospitable for publication owners, and that’s not a bad thing.
I am the owner of several indie publications, and I consider something similar to what happened to the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago.
The analogy is evident when you consider that large-scale publications’ prolonged dominance is waning, similar to what happened to the dinosaurs.
In general, the large-bodied, “mass-eating herbivores” were the first to go extinct. The smaller carnivores and herbivores hung on for a while before disappearing or evolving.
The extinction of the dinosaurs allowed mammals, which also flourished during the Mesozoic, to take over the world eventually. Therefore, the period between the demise of the dinosaurs and the present day is called the Age of Mammals (of the Cenozoic Era).
NB.: If you want to learn more about dinosaurs please refer to the stories by Panos Grigorakakis. Panos is an expert on the topic.
This is the current state of affairs. We have seen large-scale publications die out, and from my experience, indie publications are already feeling a decline in the number of views, submissions, and general ROG.
The age of publications is coming to an end, bringing forth the era of self-published authors.
So if you do not want to miss the boat, you should hurry up and find effective ways to boost your FROG, as explained below.
This is the beginning of a new era where self-published authors can thrive side-by-side with small and mid-sized indie publications.
In October, my fan base grew by an average of 46 followers per day. When I compare that number to the average growth rate of the top 100 publications, I find that my FROG surpasses the rate of 77% of those publications.
5. Findings: How to iterate these results
▶️ Update old content
Part of any blogging strategy is to create great content on popular topics that are in high demand. However, rehashing old and much-discussed topics can be a good source of traffic for your blog.
Some topics are recurring and timeless, especially those that are fundamental to some technical fields.
For example, in one of my recent articles, I explain how music reviews about music legends like ABBA still have enough viral energy to attract a large audience forty years after the band’s last studio release.
▶️ Optimize for SEO and SERP
Now that we are moving towards an integrated semantic web model in the context of Web 3.0, creators must also evolve and adapt to a more demanding framework.
It’s simply not enough to be a great writer; you also need to be a marketer and a bit of a techie to succeed online.
Recently, I have been researching and sharing helpful SEO optimization tips. So if you want to know more about this topic, please read the following article:
▶️ Be creative and unique
Writing platforms are highly competitive environments. You have probably noticed that there are a thousand articles urging writers to find their niche and focus on it. I am not saying that’s wrong, but I advise against feeding your blog with too much content on the same topic.
When you write for a specific niche, you gain authority in that area. However, to stand out from the competition, you need to do things differently. You need to tackle topics that have never been covered before. This takes time, but it gives your blog a unique highlight and brings you more visitors.
If your content is optimized for Google crawlers and your approach is fairly unique, your content will stand out on search engine results pages (SERPs).
▶️ Invest in visually appealing content
Audience-engaging content is not only well-written and rich in information but also visually appealing.
Therefore, you should always follow the latest visual trends and update your blog accordingly. In this article, I explained how I recently redesigned my blog.
Then, you should look at each blog post like a piece of art. You can outline your article structure and follow a train of thought that will entice the reader to follow the breadcrumbs you leave behind, leading to the maze’s exit.
You also need to choose high-resolution, enticing visual elements, especially for the main image of your article.
▶️ Connect with others
Engage with your audience, spread the love, and build small communities on and off the platform. You can publish your own posts, create groups or sections on social media, or both. Building a network of relationships is key to exponential growth.
Concluding Remarks
The relational model I uphold is designed to help creators grow their audience rather than relying on large-scale publications to curate their work to increase reach.
However, please note that state-of-the-art AI-based algorithms look beyond your follower base and focus on content that attracts, engages, and entices readers to spend valuable time reading your work.
▶️ Key insights:
- Update old content
- Optimize for SEO and SERPs,
- Be creative and unique
- Invest in visually engaging content
- Connect with others
⭐️ Sign up through this link. Support your favorite platform and its talented authors. You’ll boost our community’s success and support my work with a small commission, all while gaining exclusive perks and benefits as a member.
