Zero to one: how to get started with a new platform

Hey friends,

A few weeks back we discussed the importance of expanding your online presence to multiple platforms, especially if you’ve been building your audience on Twitter. Of course, you need to walk before you run, and adding multiple new platforms simultaneously is likely not a good decision. Instead, it’s best to start by adding one new platform only.

After you go through the motions of deciding what platform is right for you, it’s time to focus on building. However, getting started with a new platform is always difficult. Distribution algorithms tend to favor accounts with a substantial number of followers, which will likely not be you. So, how do you overcome the cold start problem?

Today, we’ll share three tips to help you do just that.

Use your existing platform

A good move when starting a new platform - whether it’s a newsletter, podcast or entirely different social channel - is to use your existing platform to create momentum on the new one.

If you’ve been building an audience for a while, there are likely people who follow you and like your content. They will likely appreciate the option of being able to interact with your content elsewhere, and would jump at the chance of being one of your first followers on the new platform.

Whenever you’re starting to build an audience from scratch, it’s important to let your existing audience know that you’re doing so. It can be as simple as posting a link to your new platform on your primary channel and encouraging people to follow you there. You can even sweeten the deal by giving them a glimpse of what your content will be like and how it will be different from what they’re used to so far - an additional incentive for them to check it out.

Reach out to valuable nodes in your network

Throughout the time you’ve been building your online presence, you’ve likely met other people who were on the same journey. Some of them may be a few steps ahead of you, while others could be super connectors who are quite well-known in your space. Some of these people may have become friends, while other could be trusted professional contacts. Either way, you would do well to reach out to them directly, once you get started on the new platform.

This way, you can ensure that you’re bringing your social capital with you, as you’re diversifying your channels. In addition, these people might be willing to share a link to your new platform with a relevant call to action with their audiences. This will help you expand your reach and ensure your new platform is seeded with an initial audience, even if you’re just starting to create content there.

Share with relevant communities

Last but not least, you would want to take advantage of any communities you belong to. Similarly to the people you’ve met throughout your audience building journey, the folks who belong to the same communities as you will likely be aware of you. Therefore, letting them know that you’re starting a new platform is a smart move.

Maybe they were already following you on your existing platform and would appreciate to see more of your content. Or perhaps they didn’t use your primary platform of choice and this is an opportunity for them to start interacting with your content beyond the community. Whatever the case, these people know that you’re an expert with valuable insights and will get value from following you.

Sharing the fact that you’re diversifying your online presence with as many communities as possible will increase the chances of getting a sizable initial following and - consequentially - overcoming the cold start problem.

Of course, starting a new platform is never easy and it will take some time to build up your audience, but if you implement these three tips, you will certainly shorten the timespan.

With love,

Team Salley

What is Salley?

Salley helps you build habits that allow you to create a strong online presence. With us, you can stay accountable and earn stress alleviating rewards for hitting your content goals.