• The Algorithm Blame Game

• The Compound Curve

• Operation 1K: How To Win Thriends in 5 Proven Step …

• Simple Summary

On July 10 2023 I started a Threads account with 17 followers.

• Since then I’ve:

  • Grown my account to over 3,800 followers,

  • Spent over 1,000 hours using, analysing and studying the platform,

  • Started the first Threads newsletter, where I analysed hundreds of top-performing posts that accumulated over 100,000 likes,

  • Used Threads to build my email list to over 230 subscribers

  • Created an online community with over 115 members that helps Threads creators reach their 1st 1K

In this Lesson I’m gonna give you 5 REAL steps to grow your Threads account.

• If you follow these steps, you can ignore all the growth hacks from people who claimed to be Threads experts 10 months ago when the platform just came out.

These 5 steps are proven and backed by experience.

Before we get into them, we need to address 2 key things.

The Algorithm Blame Game

It’s when you’re stuck in a cycle of blaming social media algorithms for your lack of growth, instead of actively working to increase your impact.

• I was playing this game when I started on Threads at 17 followers.

• I had been posted every day for a month but had only connected with 10 or so people.

• Something had to change… After all:

Insanity is playing the Algorithm Blame Game. Here’s why:

1. No accountability, no control

Saying it's the algorithm's fault is like dodging the blame and feeling like you're at the mercy of changes you can't control.

• This puts you on a never-ending roller coaster of stress and frustration. Not fun!

No accountability

Your personal brand’s the foundation of all of this, and the only one responsible for it is YOU.

Personal brand → Audience → Great products → Impact lives

• Can you see the point?

• Accountability and brand go hand in hand [1].

  • If you don’t take accountability for your brand, no one else will, and it’ll die.

No control

No control leads to the next big problem with the Algorithm Blame Game.

2. No growth

Your growth will plateau or decline if you give up control and rely on the algorithm.

• No growth means no audience to serve.

• Without an audience, you have a hobby, not a business.

And so the vicious cycle continues…

Algorithm Blame Game → no accountability → no control → no growth → no audience → no business.

Here’s the secret to breaking the cycle

The Compound Curve

The Compound Curve says that small, regular actions create exponential growth and credibility over time.

• i.e. sticking with audience building long enough to get compound interest.

It has two main benefits:

1. Fast feedback loops

The sooner you start receiving feedback on your writing, the faster you’ll grow [3].

• The best type of feedback is data, such as likes, shares, comments and views.

  • Data’s so powerful online because of how fast the feedback loops are.

  • You can post something on Threads and get feedback in the form of likes within seconds.

  • These fast feedback loops can be scary — “what if no one likes my post?!”) — trust me, I know…

  • But they’re your greatest asset to build an audience 10% faster than anyone who doesn’t use them.

2. Exponential growth and credibility

Growth

Growth = real, engaged followers.

Example:

Credibility:

Following the Compound Curve builds 3 layers of credibility: [3]

1. Implied Credibility is the quality of content compared to others in the chosen category.

2. Perceived Credibility includes signals like media features, followers, and achievements.

3. Earned Credibility is a signal of experience and consistency in creating valuable content.

So we need to avoid the Algorithm Blame Game and do everything in our power to benefit from the Compound Curve.

Here’s how.

Operation 1K: How To Win Thriends in 5 Proven Steps

Operation 1K is a proven 5-step process that shows you how to win your first 1,000 followers on Threads.

1. Optimize bio

You need to optimize 3 elements of your bio to show you’re a Main Character and not an NPC:

• Main Characters are players in the creator economy. The 1% of people using the internet as leverage to have a profound positive impact.

  • Non-Player Characters (NPCs) are the other 99% of people online who are controlled by social media algorithms.

    • NPCs consume instead of create.

1. Profile picture

   • Jot down three words that define you.

   • Design a profile picture reflecting these words.

   • Draw inspiration from your favorite creators' profile pictures.

   • Put effort into creating it (you’re a creator after all…)

     • It should convey: "I'm not an NPC, take me seriously."

2. Bio

   • Use this formula

     Writing about: [topic 1], [topic 2], [topic 3]. Building [newsletter name].

   • Why?

     • That’s what Dan Koe told me to use inside his MasterMind. It’s simple and effective.

   • What if I don’t know which topics I should write about?

     • Brainstorm 10 things you’re interested in, order them from best to worst, select your top 3.

   • What if I don’t have a newsletter?

     • Start one on beehiiv for free [affiliate link]

3. Link

   • Include the link to your newsletter.

   • Create a basic welcome email saying you’ll send the first issue once you reach 1K followers.

   • Build your email list while you build your following.

2. Post 3 times/day

The best way for you to learn is not to perfect 1 post but to post 1,000s of posts.

• Example: [6]

  An art teacher conducted an experiment...

  • Group A was tasked with creating a single, perfect clay pot,

  • Group B's goal was to produce as many clay pots as possible.

  • 1 month later*

  • The teacher reviewed both group's work and found the best and nearest-to-perfect clay pot came from Group B!

  • Moral of the story?

    • Sheer volume of work was key to getting better.

  • That’s why you should post 3 times/day.

What should I post about?

• The 3 topics you chose in Step 1.

• One post/topic/day.

What if I don’t have any ideas?

• Take notes on an educational YouTube video.

• Turn those notes into a post or thread post and share it.

3. Engage like crazy

Don't expect anyone to notice your posts.

• Get out there and make the first move.

• Look up people you'd like to follow, ideally those with a follower count close to yours.

  • Leave thoughtful comments on 3 of their latest posts and follow them.

  • Try to make them feel like, "Hey, this person is really into my stuff. I should return the favour and follow back."

  • Do this for 10 people every day.

• Make it a point to reply to every comment, preferably within a day.

• And don't sweat about the followers-to-following ratio.

  • It's not a big deal and it's not clearly displayed on Threads.

4. Create engagement group

If you've followed Steps 1-3 for a couple weeks, you should’ve connected with at least one other person you can join forces with to create an engagement group.

• An engagement group’s kinda like inviting friends to a soccer match to support you.

  • Your post is the match, friends engaging with the post are those cheering you on by the sidelines.

• Engagement groups just make sure your posts get seen by friends who would otherwise miss them due to the algorithm.

Aim for a 3-4 person engagement group.

• Share one post daily.

• Engage with all posts.

For the ultimate engagement group experience, check out Saints College. It’s my free online community for Threads creators.

5. Choose 3 data-driven topics

Use feedback (data such as likes, reposts, replies, views etc) to find 30 of your top-performing posts.

• Categorise each post's main topic, either manually or with ChatGPT.

• Select the top 3 topics and update your bio to reflect these (if different from the original topics you selected in Step 1).

• Start posting about 1 topic/day.

If you continue following those 5 steps, you’ll be at 1K 2X faster than anyone who’s just winging it, playing the Algorithm Blame Game.

Most people won’t follow the 5 steps because they’re not sexy. Don’t be like most people.

It works. I promise.

Simple Summary

Algorithm Blame Game = Blaming social media algorithms for their lack of growth, instead of actively working to increase followers.

Compound Curve = Small, regular actions create exponential growth and credbility over time.

Operation 1K = A proven 5-step process that shows you how to win your first 1,000 Thriends.

The Lesson

Overcome the Algorithm Blame Game and reach the Compound Curve through Operation 1K.

Cya

If you’re one of those people, come and join my online community — Saints College.

I’ll help you implement every step in Operation 1K, and it’s 100% free.

Click here to reserve your spot before we reach capacity!

Anyway, that’s it for this Lesson.

Keep it simple until the next one ✌🏼

(And check out my man Björn’s newsletter if you like mine!)

Resources I consumed to create this Lesson:

1. How to Get Rich (without getting lucky) (Naval, 2018)

2. The Millionaire Fastlane (MJ DeMarco, 2011)

3. The Art and Business of Online Writing (Nicolas Cole, 2020)

4. How to Do Great Work (Paul Graham, 2023)

5. #761 - Noah Kagan - What Are the Biggest Regrets of the Super Rich? (Chris Williamson, 2024)

6. Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking (David Bayles & Ted Orland, 2001)

Bonus download:

~ Community Shoutouts ~

• Eric Mehta, Alvan Sue, James Hansen, Stanley Wang, Andy Procopis, Michel Lamberty – welcome to Saints College!