How to build a personal brand and gain 100k followers on Instagram in 3 months

Summary:

This video explains how the speaker gained 100k followers on Instagram in three months and how to build a personal brand, detailing the perks and strategies involved.

The speaker showcases income generated [0:00] and the benefits of a personal brand.
Building a strong "why" for your personal brand is crucial for motivation and long-term success, focusing on reasons like financial freedom for family [0:57] or escaping a 9-to-5 job.
Create a new Instagram page rather than using an old one to foster a focused and comfortable environment [3:15].
Aim to hit your first 1,000 followers by consistently engaging with relevant creators and their audiences for at least an hour daily.
Post consistently, aiming for daily content, and plan your content on weekends, making the process easier [7:43].
Use your network by collaborating with fellow creators and sharing each other's content [10:44].
Don't force a unique style [11:21]; instead, recreate and combine ideas from two to five creators you admire (like in "Steal Like an Artist" [11:47]) to develop your own approach.
Focus on genuinely helping people [12:50] and providing value through your content, as this will naturally attract and retain followers.

Perks from a Personal Brand [0:00]

The speaker highlights the numerous benefits she has gained from building a personal brand.
- She showcases her income from content creation, displaying a total of $10,537.17 and total sales of $64,609 [0:00].
- She lists notable brands she has collaborated with.
- She displays pictures of hotels she stayed in during work trips to Japan and Korea.
- She shares images of free meals at restaurants and luxurious beauty treatments.
- She mentions passive income generated and gifted items like a chair, desk, and speaker.
She emphasizes that she achieved 100,000 Instagram followers in three months by following a clear strategy.

Why Build a Personal Brand? [0:41]

The speaker stresses the importance of having a strong "why" or reason for building a personal brand [0:41].
- She refers to Viktor Frankl's quote: "When you have a strong why, you'll have a strong how."
- Identify your three main reasons:
  - These reasons should be clear and not superficial desires like fame or money.
  - Her personal "whys" include:
    - Giving her mother a better life and financial freedom [0:57].
    - Gaining freedom from a 9-to-5 job and not working for someone else.
    - Having more time to volunteer and do meaningful things.
- Maintain motivation:
  - When facing a lack of motivation or no results, revisit these "whys."
  - Place them on a vision board, as affirmations, or among your yearly goals.
  - Re-reading them will remind you why you started and why it's important.
- Finding solutions:
  - A strong "why" will help you find a "how," meaning you will discover ways to build your brand even if the initial strategy doesn't work.
  - She assures that her strategy is detailed and clear, guaranteeing success.

1. Create a New Instagram Page or Use an Old One? [3:15]

The speaker advises creating a new Instagram page rather than repurposing an old personal one [3:15].
- Comfort in posting:
  - A new page allows for more comfortable posting without worrying about friends or family watching.
- Better engagement:
  - Starting with zero followers is preferable to having unengaged followers from a personal page.
  - New followers will be genuinely interested in your niche.

2. How to Hit Your First 1,000 Followers [3:59]

Set a realistic goal: Your first aim should be to gain 1,000 followers.
- Avoid unrealistic goals:
  - Many people fail by setting high targets like 100k or 1 million followers initially, leading to demotivation.
- Engagement strategy:
  - The speaker engaged heavily with others' content, even admitting it felt "embarrassing" initially.
  - Dedicate one hour daily:
    - Comment, like, message, and interact with posts for at least one hour every day.
    - This consistent interaction makes others notice your profile.
    - When people see your engagement, they are more likely to visit and follow your page.
  - Target relevant creators:
    - Find creators in your niche (e.g., UX design for her).
    - Go through their follower lists and engage with people who follow them.
    - These individuals are likely to be interested in your content too.
  - Consistency despite work:
    - She managed this strategy while working full-time, dedicating an hour after work.
  - Patience and payoff:
    - It took about a month to hit her first 1,000 followers using this method.
    - The initial 1,000 followers are the hardest, but after that, growth accelerates.
    - This investment of time is 100x worth it in the long run.
  - Prerequisite for engagement:
    - Before starting the daily engagement, ensure your page has 4-5 posts, a profile picture, and a strong bio.
    - This ensures that when people visit your page, they understand who you are and what your niche is.
The "Breakthrough" moment [9:50]
- For three months, she saw minimal results, with some reels stuck at 100 to 1,000 views.
- Suddenly, one reel hit 1-2 million views, triggering a chain reaction that boosted other videos and led to over 1,000 followers per day.
- This highlights that consistent effort, even without immediate results, can lead to a breakthrough. It's like hitting a rock 99 times and it cracks on the 100th hit; it's the cumulative effort, not just the last hit.

3. Post Consistently [7:43]

Consistency is paramount, even more than high-quality content.
- Aim for daily posting:
  - This is especially crucial in the beginning stages of growing your page.
- Plan content ahead:
  - She planned all her content on weekends to post during workdays.
  - A content planner can help maintain this structure.
  - Don't aim for perfection; view Instagram as a canvas.
- Avoid perfectionism:
  - She recommends the book "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown to shift perspective on delivering content.
  - Making things easier [7:43] doesn't mean sacrificing quality.
- Show up every day:
  - Post even when unmotivated, tired, or uninspired.
  - Social media platforms reward loyalty and consistency.
  - Don't focus on views; just keep posting.

4. Use Your Network [10:44]

Leverage your interactions with other creators [10:44].
- Collaborate and share:
  - Collaborate with fellow creators in your niche.
  - Share their content on your stories, and they might do the same.
  - This cross-promotion expands your reach.
- Mutual motivation:
  - Growing together with peers provides motivation and inspiration.
  - Maintain contact with creators you grew with.

5. Don't Push Yourself to Find Your Unique Style [11:21]

Don't feel pressured to discover a unique content style immediately [11:21].
- Recreate and combine:
  - Choose two to five creators whose styles you admire.
  - Recreate their content in your own way.
  - Combine elements from different creators to develop your unique approach naturally over time.
- "Steal Like an Artist":
  - She recommends the book "Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon [11:47].
  - This approach helps you comfortably "steal" ideas and integrate them into your own style.
- Analyze what works:
  - Continuously analyze why certain reels or content formats perform well for others.
  - Identify effective hooks, viral sounds, or visual elements.
  - Use this analysis to test different approaches on your own content.

6. Do it for the People, Not for the Views [12:32]

Shift your focus from gaining views to genuinely helping your audience [12:32].
- Genuine value:
  - Your primary goal should be to help people and improve their lives through your content.
  - Think about problems you can solve or experiences you can share, like thinking of how you can help people [12:50].
- Attracting genuine followers:
  - Accounts with millions of views but few followers often lack value.
  - People will follow and stick around if they perceive genuine value in your content.
  - For example, the speaker shared her journey of quitting her 9-to-5 job to become a freelance UX designer, resonating with those interested in similar career changes.
The speaker concludes by inviting viewers to comment if they'd like a part two on landing partnerships and more growth tips.