Michigan Stadium, can seat over 100k people.
So can your Instagram... and here's how you're going to do it!
What is Organic Marketing?
Organic marketing is using social platforms to naturally attract and engage an audience without paid advertising, usually for a brand with products or services.
It's crucial for businesses right now!
Rising ad costs
Higher competition
Slowly saturated marketplace…
… means the more trust you build, the better of a foundation you have for your business.
It builds authentic relationships with customers over time, leading to lasting brand loyalty and trust, something many others aren’t always prepared to consider.
Who is the right person to learn from about this though…?
I don’t know, maybe someone who’s ‘generated ‘over 6 billion impressions for my clients in the last 2 years.’
Yep. That seems good enough!
Written by Claudia Lee | Founder of Nexus Gecko
Who Is Danielle Theobald?
Well, Danielle, in her own words, ‘scales brands on TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest through organic marketing and virality.’
And this isn’t small scale.
She is one of the best in the game at the moment, and really is your right-hand woman when it comes to marketing in 2024.
‘One of my first e-commerce clients went from 4 figures and running from her bedroom at her parent's house to now owning a huge office, with 5 full-time employees. It is now a 7-figure brand with multiple brand deals and is in high street shops.
This was through TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest management. We also re-vamped their automated email flow (abandoned carts, offers etc)It continues to scale and is a valued client to this day.’
Not bad huh?
Well, want to know the secrets…? Let’s see her blueprint shall we, right here on Nexus Gecko!
How To Grow From 0 to 100k Followers in 1 Year
Personalisation Per Platform
‘Think of your audience and their mindset on each platform. You need to personalise your strategy to reflect this.’
The type of people who use LinkedIn for example compared to TikTok, are different. The type of content will directly affect your brand image on that app.
‘If your target audience is Gen-Z females, what is their mindset on Instagram? They probably want inspiration and entertainment.
On Pinterest? They want pure inspiration (and also their buying intent is higher on this platform, so you can push sales here by hyperlinking to your website or setting up a Pinterest shop).
On TikTok? They probably want to be entertained with some form of value, whether that be funny, educational or personal (behind the scenes, day in the life etc).’
This is so well recognised, by Danielle. The overall aesthetic and use of the app, will directly affect how you grow your followers. As well as:
The leverage and sales power you have, vs the creative or educational presence you need to build.
As well as, the way your brand is presented. And how it comes across to that audience member.
Be adaptable.
Understand your audience so you fit the environment of the app.
Authenticity
Show your highs, show your lows.
‘Most of my viral content has been from sharing ‘failures’ and relating to people, not boasting about my wins.’
People like people. Even products and services are purchased due to emotional attachment to the outcome.
The more you know how to show this, through YOU, the more leverage you have on the platforms!
‘Don’t constantly talk down about yourself, but show people who YOU are.’
I like this point too, and see this within the work we do at Nexus Gecko…
… self-deprivation gets you nowhere.
Pick yourself up. Don’t be arrogant or overly demanding, but how you carry yourself is so important.
People respond to authority, not hesitancy. If you have something to say or show, do it proudly.
Themes & Series
This I love! Cause it’s exactly what we’re doing here at Nexus Gecko.
‘Create mini-series - for example my viral Insta re-vamp series.’
The longer someone spends with you, the more likely they are to come back.
Why does this work? The power of continuity.
The more familiar you make yourself, the more you build a familiar style, the more someone stops from scrolling past. The more habit and pattern recognition can step in, and the easier it gets to scale!
‘Gone are the days where you can lip sync to a trending audio and get loads of views.
You need to capitalise on micro-trends within your niche and create your own authentic mini-series that provides VALUE to your target audience and their interests (this can be irrelevant of your brand - shock horror)’
This is very true too! If you find a golden pond, jump straight in it! You do not have to put yourself in a box.
Find themes, and build that continuity, but don’t be so rigid with this. The more you can adapt, the more you can test.
Which is exactly why you should…
Test, Test, Test!
Here’s what you need to understand about marketing. Every single thing is a split test.
There is no perfect formula. This isn’t mathematics. Markets change, and trends shift.
And so will you.
‘Be CONSTANTLY testing.
When you feel you’ve tested enough, test some more.
This is the reason a lot of brands get left behind on social media.’
Social algorithms are changing all the time. And each platform themselves have different metrics and systems, to learn and keep track of. Do your best to stay up to date with this.
Train yourself to look for patterns, and always look at things objectively from the perception of the platform.
“If the product is free you’re the product!” - My favorite marketing quote in the world!
Socials are free to the audience. So the audience is the product. How does a platform want you to sell yourself so the ‘product’ (audience) are satisfied. If you can answer that…
…well you’ve got a hell of a good blueprint!
‘To keep up to date with the algorithm changes and maintain a high ranking, you need to consistently test with different content types, content formats and strategies.
Find what works and scale it.
Find what doesn’t work and cut it out of your content plan.
Do this every month and re-visit every season.’
Consistency
Consistency is key.
You are the product for these platforms. Slack on delivery. And, they’ll slack on you!
‘Integrate all your short-term reach platforms with a long-chain reach platform (Pinterest)...’
Gain constant traffic and compounding systems for you to get eyes on what you do.
Attention is the strongest currency right now. You can have an amazing product or service, but if you can’t get people interested in it, it will never sell.
You don’t always need to find your audience.
You create it!
What Does Danielle Make Of Business In General?
Since 2020, we’ve seen a global boom in entrepreneurship. But does that always mean something good?
With desperate scrambling for cash flow, many neglect the core… who they are!
‘It’s all good and well to tackle business, but a key is making sure your business is aligned to who YOU are as a person, with the same vision and core values.
To do this (I’m quite spiritual) you need to go internal.’
I love this from Danielle. I myself feel the same. When working as a freelancer before building Nexus Gecko, I just worked myself to the bone.
Because why? Well ‘hustle.’ And, I hated it.
I’ve never felt less like myself in my life. And forgot my work, was meant to help provide for me, to achieve what I really wanted to.‘Take a step back every now and then with no distractions, and allocate ‘thinking time’ if you have a busy schedule.
Go internal and take a big step back - is your business headed in a direction you’re happy with? What does the future look like? Are you happy with this?
This allows you to avoid mistakes, time, and energy on a direction you’re eventually unaligned with - which is something I also see so often in business. If you recognise it early, you can take action to pivot the direction.’
This is golden advice! And I highly suggest everyone, no matter how far along in business, do this regularly. Seriously.
More regularly than your average physical!
You can check out her YouTube channel here to listen to more from Danielle about this, (and go subscribe while you’re there too!)
Just How Important Is It For Danielle, To Be Authentic?
‘Business growth drives me. Not the vanity metrics of impressions, but seeing those convert into sales and business growth (I’ve scaled multiple business from 4-figure side hustles to 7 figure brands with their own office and employees) - this means the WORLD to me.’
Which believe it or not. Is quite rare.
A lot DO only care about the vanity metrics. And for me it’s rewarding to see Danielle isn’t.
‘I notice that people feel a pressure to post content just because, and there’s SO much media out there providing formulas for content and growth that it can get overwhelming, and when you don’t see results it’s super disheartening.
There is ALWAYS a way, and this is what I help people with. Each business is different and requires a different action plan.’
This is why content is still so untapped.
A lot jump on the bandwagon, and don’t play it their way.
If you crack that nut… you’re on to a winner.
So what are you waiting for.
Get creating…or…
Want To Grow Your Socials With Danielle?
If you have a brand, you want to scale and really hit the ground running, you can reach out to Danielle here on Linkedin - url or visit her website here.
Like all of our guests here at Nexus Gecko, we asked Danielle, who are 3 other creators people should go check out! Here’s who should be on your radar!
So go check them out!
If you’d like to appear on Nexus Gecko, and you have a story to tell, simply email claudia@nexusgecko.com for more details.
What is Nexus Gecko?
Nexus Gecko is a content agency, founded by Claudia Lee. We are a concise team of writers, SEO specialists and graphic designers who build content systems for companies all over the world.
If you would like to know more about having an entire year of content built and planned for you, in just 30 days, you can reach out to us here, or via claudia@nexusgecko.com.
