Growing a Twitter Following: From Zero to Millions
While you could use this post to gain followers, I more intend this post as voyeurism into Twitter follower growth
If you want to read any of the other articles related to social media released this week:
Outrage vs Inspiration: Western vs Chinese Social Media
Introduction
Dickie Bush began 2020 with essentially no Twitter audience. In January 2020 he had no following on Twitter and was writing a small newsletter sharing insights from books and podcasts. By September 2020 – after about 9 months of effort – his newsletter had only ~300 subscribers and his Twitter following was still in the low hundreds. Frustrated by the lack of traction, Dickie realized he needed to change tactics. Rather than waiting for an audience to find his content, he decided to go where the audience already was – Twitter. This marked a turning point: he committed to focusing on Twitter content to grow his reach.
Dickie’s initial Twitter strategy centered on creating valuable long-form threads. In late 2020, he set an ambitious challenge for himself – “30 threads in 30 days” Each thread was a series of tweets sharing lessons, tips, or stories about topics he was passionate about (productivity, writing, personal growth). The idea was to deliver high-value content that could attract readers in his niche. For example, rather than tweeting randomly, he treated threads almost like mini blog posts, packing them with actionable insights. During this period he also shared short-form tweets daily, often testing ideas. In fact, Dickie later revealed a clever tactic: he would validate ideas by first tweeting a single tip or insight and gauging reaction. Each week, he posted 8–10 standalone tweets and identified which topics got the most engagement; he then expanded the top 1–2 ideas into full threads. This way, he ensured his thread content resonated with his audience’s interests.
Dickie relied entirely on organic reach and compelling content. His focus was on building credibility and interest through free content (a path many individual creators choose). This organic approach meant that any growth he achieved was through the merit of his tweets – which, as we’ll see, began to pay off dramatically.
In the first few weeks of his “30 days, 30 threads” experiment, growth was slow – until an unexpected partnership boost changed everything. On day 28 of the challenge, one of Dickie’s threads caught the attention of a very prominent Twitter user: Naval Ravikant (a well-known entrepreneur and investor). Naval found Dickie’s thread valuable and decided to retweet it to his own large audience, effectively endorsing Dickie’s content. On day 28, just before he was ready to quit, Naval retweeted his thread and he doubled his small following overnight. From there, he was off to the races. This single shout-out instantly brought Dickie thousands of new followers and validated that his content was hitting the mark. It was a classic example of cross-promotion: a bigger account amplifying a smaller creator.
That Naval retweet was the inflection point. Suddenly, Dickie’s follower count jumped (he later recalled it “doubled…overnight”), going from a few thousand to many more, practically in a single day. More importantly, it wasn’t just about the numbers – those new followers were highly targeted (fans of Naval and interested in entrepreneurship and personal growth, who were likely to enjoy Dickie’s threads). This set off a chain reaction: with a larger following, each subsequent thread by Dickie reached more people, getting more retweets and likes, and drawing in even more followers. He had tapped into Twitter’s viral network effect, where good content plus an initial boost led to accelerating growth.
Crucially, this breakthrough came without any paid advertising. It was partnership in the form of community support – essentially, an organic endorsement. In Dickie’s own words, by consistently putting out positive, useful content, he attracted boosts from people that honestly didn’t need to support him. That goodwill from established figures in his niche was a form of informal partnership: they amplified his reach simply because they found value in his content.
Building a massive Twitter (X) following might seem mysterious, but most success stories boil down to three core approaches: creating content people love, leveraging ads, and partnering with others. In this casual guide, we’ll walk through how people grow their followers at different stages – from the first friends-and-family followers to 10,000, then 100,000, and eventually millions – and how they keep those followers engaged. Along the way, we’ll highlight real examples, key strategies at each phase, and common pitfalls (like engagement drops, follower churn, burnout, and algorithm changes) to watch out for.
Phase 1: From Friends & Family to 10,000 Followers (Early Growth)
Getting to that first 10k followers is often the hardest part because you’re starting from scratch. Early growth usually relies almost entirely on organic and unique content and personal networking. At this stage, content is king – you attract followers by consistently posting things people enjoy, and by actively engaging with the community.
In the early stage, focus on quality content and engaging with your niche community to attract your first followers.
Here are the key strategies for the early phase:
Optimize Your Profile: First impressions count. Make sure your profile picture, bio, and pinned tweet clearly show who you are and what you offer. A clear, friendly profile photo (ideally your face) helps build trust, and a bio that highlights the value or interests you tweet about can convince visitors to hit follow. For example, a tech enthusiast might mention “Tweeting coding tips and gadget reviews” in their bio to attract like-minded followers.
Post Content People Care About: Since you don’t have a built-in audience yet, create tweets that can resonate beyond your immediate friends. This could be funny observations, insightful tips, or visuals – whatever plays to your strengths. One person (@SahilBloom) started with only ~500 followers, but by consistently sharing in-depth Twitter threads explaining finance in simple terms, By the end of 2020 he skyrocketed to 75,000 followers alone. His secret was no gimmick at all: just consistent, high-quality content that was authentic to his expertise and voice.
Engage with Others (Networking on Twitter): At the start, nobody knows you, so you often have to go where people are. Comment on bigger accounts tweets in your niche, join conversations, and be genuinely helpful or entertaining. This can get you noticed. In fact, many creators have grown early followings by being among the first to reply to popular tweets with a witty comment or useful insight. When a high-profile account engages with or retweets you, it exposes you to a wave of potential followers. Think of it as standing up in a crowded room and saying something that makes people turn around and ask, “Who’s that?” – if they like what they hear, they might follow.
Leverage Your Existing Network: Don’t be shy about inviting friends, family, or colleagues to follow and share your posts. Early on, a lot of your support may come from people you know. Those shares can snowball – for example, a friend’s retweet might bring in their followers who share similar interests. It’s a small form of partnership at the personal level: your inner circle helps amplify you.
Experiment with Early Growth Hacks Carefully: Some folks try things like follow-for-follow (following lots of people hoping they follow back), or joining engagement pods where members like/retweet each other. These can give a quick bump, but be cautious. If the people following you aren’t truly interested in your content, you’ll see low engagement (or they might unfollow later – a phenomenon known as follower churn). Similarly, outright buying followers is a big no-no; you might inflate your number, but fake or disinterested followers won’t engage at all, and Twitter periodically purges bots. It’s better to have 1,000 engaged followers than 10,000 ghosts.
Minimal Ads (Optional): At this stage, most individuals or small creators don’t pour money into ads yet, but it’s not unheard of. If you have a budget and a clear target audience, you could run a small “Promoted Account” campaign or boost a particularly good tweet to reach more people. Twitter’s ad targeting can put your content in front of users likely to be interested. For example, a indie game developer might promote a tweet about their game to fans of similar game genres. Keep expectations realistic: ads can attract some followers, but if your profile is mostly empty or your content is weak, it won’t convert well. Focus on organic quality first.
Pitfalls in Early Growth: The biggest early pitfall is giving up too soon. Growth can be slow and non-linear; you might gain 5 followers one week and then none the next. Many people quit when Twitter “feels like shouting into the void.” To avoid burnout, pace yourself and celebrate small wins – your first 100 or 500 followers is a big milestone! Another pitfall is getting obsessed with numbers over substance. It’s tempting to resort to gimmicks (like spammy follow-backs or clickbait tweets) early on, but those can backfire by building a hollow audience. Remember, Twitter’s algorithm also notices engagement – a bunch of followers who never like or retweet your content can even harm your reach. Quality followers > quantity, especially in the beginning.
Phase 2: 10,000 to 100,000 Followers (Mid-Stage Momentum)
Hitting five digits is a strong validation – by now, something about your content is working. In the mid-stage, growth can come a bit faster because you have a larger base amplifying your tweets (you’re no longer starting from zero every time you post). But new challenges emerge here. The strategy becomes a mix of doubling down on what got you here, scaling your efforts, and smartly using ads or partnerships to accelerate momentum.
Key strategies for the mid-stage:
Keep Creating Content People Enjoy – and Level It Up: With a larger audience, you’ll get more feedback (through replies, likes, and analytics) on what content resonates. Use that data to refine your content strategy. For many Twitter creators in 2023-2025, threads became a growth engine – detailed multi-tweet stories or guides that provide lots of value. It’s said that “it’s very rare that people grow on Twitter without threads”. If you haven’t tried longer threads yet, this stage is a good time, as each thread has potential to go viral and pull in thousands of new followers. For example, a science communicator with 15k followers might start posting a weekly thread breaking down a trending science topic. One big hit thread can bring a flood of new followers, but even threads that don’t go viral help maintain high engagement among your existing base. Just make sure each thread starts with a killer hook – the first tweet should grab attention (something @JonBrosio did effectively by mastering his opening lines)
Consistency and Schedule: Mid-stage is often when you establish a posting cadence. Many accounts that grow to 100k+ tweet multiple times a day and stay on-topic (or on-brand) most of the time. You’re feeding a larger machine now – if you disappear for weeks, followers may drift away or forget about you (and Twitter’s algorithm certainly won’t do you favors). This doesn’t mean you can’t take breaks (mental health is important; more on burnout later), but a consistent schedule helps keep growth steady. Some creators even use scheduling tools to ensure regular output.
Engage Your Growing Community: By now you might have a core of fans who regularly reply or retweet. Engage with them! Show you’re listening: respond to comments, ask questions, maybe run polls. This not only strengthens loyalty (so people stick around), but also boosts your visibility (each reply you post can put your tweet back in others’ feeds). Consider hosting interactive sessions like Twitter Spaces or tweet chats. For instance, an account at 50k followers might host a weekly Space to discuss industry news – bringing followers together in real-time. Such events can also attract new followers who see the Space promoted in the app.
Form Partnerships with Peers and Bigger Fish: Here’s where collaboration really starts to pay off. Look for complementary accounts in your niche – they don’t have to be huge, just engaged. By cross-promoting each other, you both win. You could do simple things like swapping guest tweets (each of you tweets something like Check out my friend who posts great content on X, or more involved projects like co-hosting a Space, co-authoring a thread, or running a joint giveaway. Micro-influencers (those in the 10k–100k range) are often very open to such collaborations and usually have high engagement in their community. For example, if you run a fitness tips account (~20k followers) and you partner with a nutrition tips account (~30k followers) for a joint “Get Fit” giveaway (perhaps giving a free e-book or training session to a random participant who follows both accounts and retweets), both of you can gain exposure to each other’s audiences. In one case, Coca-Cola partnered with Domino’s Pizza for a cross-promotional contest – fans had to follow both brands to enter, giving each brand access to the other’s fan base in the process. “Grow together” is the motto here: as one marketing expert put it, when you team up with others, you blend your audiences and creativity for mutual gain.
Smart Use of Twitter Ads: Mid-stage is a common time when people or brands consider investing in Twitter ads to push growth further. If you have some budget, Twitter (X) ads can target very specific audiences likely to be interested in your content. There are a couple of ways to use ads at this stage:
Promoting Top Tweets: A highly effective tactic is to boost tweets that already did well organically. This way you’re putting proven content in front of new eyes. For example, blogger Jon Morrow took a tweet that was performing great and put ad dollars behind it. The result? He got about 2 million impressions and roughly doubled his following from ~3,000 to ~7,000 in a short period. The reason this works is a sort of flywheel effect – the ads bring more engagement, which makes the tweet even more visible on Twitter, attracting more organic engagement too. Importantly, Jon didn’t just blindly promote tweets; he also retargeted users who engaged – meaning if someone liked the promoted tweet, they later saw another ad inviting them to follow him. This strategy brought in active, relevant followers (who then continued engaging with his posts) rather than random people.
Promoted Account Campaigns: Twitter allows you to run ads specifically to gain followers (it will show your profile to targeted users with a “Follow” button). These can work too, especially if you’ve honed in on a niche. Just watch the Cost per Follow – it can range quite a bit. The example above with Jon Morrow’s campaign data showed some campaigns costing only a few dollars for hundreds of follows, and others spending more for fewer follows. The more niche and engaging your content, generally the cheaper and more effective this can be. You might experiment with a small budget ($50-$100) to see if promoted account ads give you a boost.
Be strategic: One tip is to advertise around times when you have something great to offer new followers. For instance, if you’re about to drop a free guide or a big informative thread, that could be a good time to run a little ad campaign, so that new people who follow you immediately get value. Also, ads don’t have to be continuous – some growth hackers use them in bursts to get over plateaus (say you’ve been stuck at 50k for a while, a well-targeted ad could jumpstart new growth).
Continue Networking Upwards: In the 10k-100k range, you may start getting attention from much larger accounts if your content stands out. Don’t be afraid to engage with the “big fish” in your pond. Reply to industry leaders, quote-tweet influencers with your own thoughts, and build genuine relationships. If a super popular account in your niche starts recognizing you (maybe they reply, or even better, retweet you), that can bring huge follower influx. Engaging with high-profile users can “exponentially increase your reach” by drawing their audience to you. This is how a lot of mid-sized creators break into the big leagues – one viral interaction at the right time, and suddenly you’re on the radar of thousands of new people.
Pitfalls in Mid-Stage: One common challenge around the 10k-50k mark is hitting a plateau. Growth might slow after an early spurt, leading to frustration. This is often because what got you to 10k might need tweaking to get you further – the same jokes or insights might start to feel repetitive. Avoid content stagnation by iterating and innovating (introduce new formats, cover fresh topics within your niche, etc.). Another pitfall is chasing virality at the expense of your core audience. It’s easy to think that you can get viral and hit 100k, but if you attempt gimmicks or controversial takes just to get retweets, you might attract the wrong crowd or even alienate your original followers. For example, doing a random viral giveaway (like “RT and follow to win an iPad”) might net you 5,000 quick followers, but many will unfollow later or stay inactive, and you could even annoy your genuine followers in the process. Growth that’s too fast and unfocused can lead to a high churn rate – lots of people in, lots of people out. Algorithm changes also start to be felt more at this stage: Twitter might tweak how the feed works, and you suddenly notice your engagement isn’t what it used to be. (In one instance, after a major platform change in late 2022, some users reported their engagement dropped to one-third of previous levels!) To hedge against this, build an engagement habit with your followers – the more they actively interact with you, the more likely your tweets keep showing up for them despite algorithm tweaks. Finally, watch out for burnout: maintaining a constant content output can be draining, and indeed about 90% of online creators have experienced burnout from the always-on pressure. If you feel signs of burnout, it’s better to dial back and explain to your followers that you’re taking a short break than to push yourself to the point of quitting entirely.
Phase 3: 100,000 to 1,000,000+ Followers (Advanced Growth)
Reaching six figures of followers means you’re now a “Twitter influencer” in your own right. At this advanced stage, your growth might take on a life of its own – media might start quoting your tweets, you have a strong brand, and you might even get verified or become a Twitter Blue subscriber for extra features. That said, getting from 100k to 1M is another big leap, often requiring mainstream appeal or tapping into larger networks. The strategies here revolve around solidifying your content brand, scaling partnerships to a bigger scale, and sometimes branching out beyond Twitter to feed your Twitter growth. The growth strategies on twitter are similar as before, but now one needs to be better aware of the pitfalls:
Even big accounts face challenges. Engagement drops can happen as your follower count balloons – you might have millions of followers but only a tiny fraction actively engage. This often happens if a lot of people followed you after one viral hit but then lost interest. To combat this, you need to continually deliver value and maybe periodically prune your followers (Twitter doesn’t have an easy way to remove followers, but some do block-and-unblock to remove obvious bot or spam followers that drag engagement rates down). Follower churn still happens too; at large scale, even a small percentage unfollowing each week can be numerically significant. Sometimes a controversial tweet or a shift in your content can trigger noticeable unfollows. The best way to handle it is not to panic over day-to-day fluctuations. If your net follower trend is upward month over month, you’re fine – don’t sweat the occasional dip after.
Another major pitfall is algorithm or policy changes on the platform. When you’re big, you’re somewhat at the mercy of Twitter’s system – if they change how the feed works or what content is boosted, it can dramatically affect your reach. We saw examples of this during the Elon Musk takeover era: some large accounts complained their posts suddenly got less visibility, or that the introduction of Twitter Blue (X Premium) priority meant non-subscribing accounts (even with huge followings) saw reduced reach. Unfortunately, individual users can’t control the algorithm, but you can adapt (e.g., if Twitter is favoring video content or certain topics, consider adjusting your strategy if it makes sense). Also, diversify your channels (as mentioned) so you’re not 100% reliant on one platform’s algorithm.
Lastly, burnout and public pressure become very real. With a million followers, you’re in a spotlight. Every tweet can get thousands of replies (including trolls or critics), and there’s pressure to keep topping yourself. Creators at this level sometimes face intense scrutiny that can be mentally taxing. Burnout is common if you try to keep up the breakneck pace that got you from 0 to 100k without breaks. Remember, even the biggest names step away for a while – some announce a Twitter hiatus to recharge. It’s smart to set boundaries (maybe you don’t tweet on weekends, or you hand over some content creation to a team if you have one). As one report noted, 71% of creators with large followings have considered quitting at some point. Don’t let the “Twitter game” consume you; maintain your health and personal life. Your true fans will understand if you slow down a bit to ensure you can continue creating long-term.
Tips for Maintaining a Large Following
Growing your following is only half the battle – keeping followers (and keeping them interested) is an ongoing effort. Here are some tips for maintaining a thriving Twitter presence once you have a big audience:
Stay Engaged and Personable: People appreciate when large accounts still interact with the community. Something as simple as continuing to reply to comments, or doing periodic Q&A threads, can make followers feel valued. For example, Wendy’s fast-food account (with millions of followers) became beloved for actually replying to people’s tweets with witty banter. That kind of two-way engagement builds loyalty. You obviously can’t reply to everyone when you have thousands of mentions, but popping into your replies now and then (and showing you’re listening) goes a long way.
Provide Consistent Value: Make sure your content doesn’t go stale. As you gain followers, some might have followed for slightly different reasons – try to cover the bases of why people follow you (education, entertainment, news, etc., depending on your brand). If you promised “daily coding tips” or “regular travel photos” continue delivering that reliably. The moment your content veers into feeling like spam or self-promotion only, you’ll see unfollows. A large following can see an engagement drop if followers feel they’re not getting the content they signed up for. One way companies handle this is by maintaining a content calendar to balance different types of tweets (e.g., 50% helpful tips, 30% personal updates, 20% promotional).
Adapt to Algorithm Changes Proactively: Keep an eye on Twitter’s updates (follow Twitter’s official blog or influencers who discuss algorithm changes). If video content or Spaces are suddenly being pushed, consider experimenting with those so you’re not left behind. Sometimes maintaining reach is about quickly embracing new features – those who jumped on Twitter’s now-popular features early (like Fleets or Spaces when they launched) often reaped extra exposure. However, always evaluate if a trend fits your brand; don’t do cringey things just because “the algorithm”. The key is to evolve your tactics while keeping core principles the same.
Handle Negative Engagement Wisely: With more followers comes more criticism – it’s almost a law of Twitter. How you handle it can affect your public image. Avoid getting into flame wars or constant negativity, as that can drive away followers who are here for your usual value. Many big accounts choose to “ignore and mute/block” liberally to maintain a positive feed environment. Others address criticism calmly to show professionalism. Whatever your style, remember a single badly handled interaction (like lashing out at a critic) can go viral for the wrong reasons. Maintaining a large following sometimes means exercising restraint and taking the high road.
Monitor Analytics & Feedback: Twitter’s analytics can tell you if your engagement rate is dropping or if certain content isn’t performing like it used to. Pay attention to signs like declining retweets per impression, or lots of followers gained but even more lost in a short time (indicating churn). These can alert you to issues – maybe you’re posting too often, or the quality slipped, or a section of followers didn’t like a new direction you tried. Use that data to adjust course. Occasionally, you might even ask your followers (via a poll or tweet) what they want to see more of. It makes the audience feel heard and gives your insight into how to keep them happy.
Self-Care and Sustainability: This isn’t talked about enough, but maintaining a social media presence is a marathon, not a sprint. Build a routine you can sustain. If tweeting 20 times a day is burning you out, cut back and explain to followers that you’re focusing on quality over quantity. Most will prefer a bit less content if it means you don’t vanish entirely. Also, don’t tie your self-worth to the daily whims of Twitter metrics – even big accounts have off days where a tweet flops or they lose a few hundred followers. It’s normal. By keeping a healthy perspective, you’ll avoid the mental rollercoaster and continue to be a creator people enjoy hearing from year after year.
In summary, growing a Twitter following from zero to the stars involves a mix of great content, smart use of ads, and collaboration, applied with different emphasis at each stage. In the early days, it’s all about making something worth following and getting those first fans by being active and engaging. In the middle, you refine your content game, possibly inject some ad spend, and team up with others to broaden your reach. By the time you’re big, growth comes as much from outside opportunities and maintaining quality as from individual tweets. Throughout all phases, remember that behind every follower count is a real audience of people. Focus on connecting with them authentically – that is the secret sauce that keeps an audience growing and sticking around, even as algorithms shift and trends come and go. Twitter fame is never guaranteed or permanent, but with genuine engagement and adaptability, you can cultivate a following that not only grows, but endures.
Notes: This is my own opinion and not the opinion of my employer State Street or any other organization. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell any stock. My team and I use a Large Language Model (LLM) aided workflow. This allows us to test 5-10 ideas and curate the best 2-4 a week for you to read. Rest easy that we fact-check, edit, and reorganize the writing so that the output is more engaging, more reliable, and more informative than vanilla LLM output. We are always looking for feedback to improve this process.
Additionally, if you would like updates more frequently, follow me on x: https://x.com/cameronfen1. In addition, feel free to send me corrections, new ideas for articles, or anything else you think I would like: cameronfen at gmail dot com.