Summary

The author of the article shares their journey of growing their Twitter following to over 6500 by focusing on COVID-19 data insights for Ontario, consistently posting high-value information, engaging with prominent accounts, and bravely sharing personal opinions.

Abstract

The author, who created their Twitter account in 2014 but became active in May 2020, details their strategic approach to building a significant Twitter following of over 6500 users. Initially with only 14 followers and minimal activity, the author's Twitter presence began to grow through consistent sharing of relevant content, particularly COVID-19 data insights for Ontario, Canada. They emphasize the importance of high-quality, factual information and the use of engaging visuals and hashtags to enhance visibility. Engagement with prominent accounts and the courage to share expert opinions on trending data contributed to increased followers and engagement. The article highlights the significance of time commitment, content relevance, and credibility in building a trusted and followed online presence.

Opinions

The author believes that providing high-value information is crucial to attracting and retaining followers on Twitter.
Engaging with prominent accounts in one's field can lead to recognition and a boost in follower count.
Sharing opinions, especially when backed by expertise, can lead to higher engagement on Twitter.
The author acknowledges that maintaining a Twitter account requires time and commitment, and there is no quick fix to gaining followers.
Transparency about mistakes, such as tweeting incorrect information and publicly correcting it, is important for maintaining credibility with followers.
The author suggests that promoting one's Twitter account and strategically timing tweets can also contribute to follower growth.

How I reached 6500+ Twitter followers

I created my Twitter account (@AALJaishi) in 2014 but didn't start using it consistently until May 2020. At that time, I had 14 followers and tweeted less than five times. Below are charts (Figures 1 to 3) of the number of times I tweeted per month, monthly impressions (i.e., the number of times my tweets appeared on someone's Twitter timeline), and new monthly followers.

Figure 1: Number of tweets posted per month from May 2020 to Feb 2022.

Figure 2: Number of impressions per month from May 2020 to Feb 2022. Impressions are the number of times users see the tweets on Twitter.

Figure 3: Number of new followers per month from May 2020 to Feb 2022. Sep 2020 & Sep 2021 saw a significant increase in new followers because I started posting COVID-19 case trends for public schools in Ontario.

My suggestions below are not a magic bullet to gaining Twitter followers. Notable, growing your account requires time and commitment. My strategy was:

focussing on content relevant to my followers
consistently posting high-value information
engaging with prominent accounts
not being afraid to share my opinions

1 — Content relevant to followers

Goal: From the outset, my goal was to provide COVID-19 data insights for Ontario, Canada, and share high-quality information about COVID-19.

I have been closely following the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 and started tracking trends for Ontario, Canada, in April 2020. I began reporting COVID-19 cases on Twitter in a graphical and geographical format in May 2020. At that time, I had 14 followers, and my first few COVID-19 related tweets had very little engagement. Nevertheless, I continued to post COVID-19 tracking data, insights about trends, public health guidance, and published research.

2— High-value information

There is a lot of garbage on social media. I tried to tweet information relevant to the daily lives of my follower. Whatever the post, always make sure you attach relevant hashtags, images, and videos to increase impressions and engagement.

I always ensure my tweets are factual and based on current science. I also have to be credible to gain the trust of my followers. There were times I unknowingly tweeted incorrect or misleading information. When that happened, I took a screenshot of the tweet, deleted the original post, and tweeted the screenshot explaining why I deleted the post.

3 — Engaging with prominent accounts

Engaging and commenting on prominent Twitter accounts relevant to your area of interest is vital. Over time, they might come to recognize your name, follow you back, and retweet your content. The most significant boost in my followership came from tweets that acknowledged me as a trusted account for sharing COVID-19 related information (Image 1).

4 — Share your opinions

Most of my tweets were daily updates analyzing COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions, and death trends. I posted these daily updates for nearly two years. However, these tweets did not achieve high engagement (e.g., likes and retweets). The tweets that saw high engagement were those where I analyzed, interpreted, and shared opinions on COVID-19 related data. Generally, don't be afraid to share your opinion if you have expertise in a field.

Final thoughts

It takes time and lots of work to gain Twitter followers. Promote your Twitter account where you can. Try tweeting at least once daily, but keep in mind that the quality of the post is more important than the quantity. Finally, try timing the release of your posts at a time when your followers are more likely to engage with your tweets.

Please consider following this account if you'd like to support me.