Ready to ditch efforts that reap no rewards?

Another Wednesday and another Candid Newsletter — this time with an experiment that will help you forget how much you hate social media efforts that don’t reap any rewards…

Keep reading for more… 😏 

In this newsletter:

• Essay: How I Grew my Threads (and Instagram) in two weeks

• Candid Calendar: Set goals for 2025 yet?

• Blog Resources: Social media & storytelling tips!

How I Grew My Threads (and Instagram) in 2 Weeks

I’ve been experimenting with Threads lately, and honestly? It’s been a mind-blowing!

Here’s the backstory:
Early last year, a social media strategist told me Threads was a new frontier—no rules, no “right” way to use it. It was a playground for creativity. But instead of diving in, I painfully stuck to Instagram, only to gain a grand total of 39 followers in a year. Yep, 39. For all that time, effort, and content? Let’s just say “disheartening” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

This year, I wanted to try something different. So, two Mondays ago, I re-entered Threads with a plan:

My Threads Routine:

1. Engage daily (30 minutes max): I really engage. Not just likes, but thoughtful comments, follows, and having actual fun in the comments section. (A new experience for me, since Instagram and LinkedIn engagement have felt...meh.)

2. Post daily: I’ve experimented with:

   • Questions for my audience

   • Random funny thoughts

   • Sharing others' posts

   • Valuable tips

3. Cross-connect with Instagram: For anyone who followed me back on Threads, I’d check their Instagram account and follow them there too.

The Results?

When I say “mind-blowing,” I mean it:

• My Threads following shot up from 11 to 278 followers in just over two weeks.

• My Instagram following more than doubled!

• And the best part? It hasn’t felt like work—it’s felt fun.

What Works on Threads:

• Strong opinions or bold takes: Posts that spark thought or discussion.

• Genuine questions: Ones where I don’t already have the answer, and it’s clear I’m not trying to pitch anything.

• Replies, replies, replies: My comments on others’ posts often get more engagement than my own posts. Bonus: They drive new profile visits!

I haven’t tried to sell anything on Threads yet—it doesn’t feel like the right vibe. But I’ve noticed that when people naturally ask for more info about someone’s offer, it feels organic, not cringe. Observing and experimenting with this will be my next step.

Over to You

Have you tried Threads? Had any wins, experiments, or tips you’d love to share? Let me know—I’m eager to learn from you. Or give me a follow there, and we can connect!

The takeaway? Sometimes, doing things differently is exactly what you need.

P.S. Here’s your permission slip to go have fun experimenting somewhere new — reply let me know what you’d like to test if you’d like an accountability buddy. You just might surprise yourself. 😉 

Candid Calendar:

I’m going to be honest, I’ve had to scrap all of my goal planning for this year already — and it’s only the 22nd January…

Mostly because I realised that the goals I had set were aligned with hustling until I’d be busting. And I’ve decided to stop burning myself out with bad habits instilled in my by the “hustle-happy” startup culture I couldn’t wait to escape.

So I’m resetting, and just in time too because tomorrow I’ll be hosting Rachell Starr for a Candid Masterclass that will help me write new goals with a sustainable edge.

You can read more below and sign up to join us there!

Free Blog Resources:

Now I know TikTok has been BIG in the news recently, along with a few other pretty hefty social media changes that were announced week.

• To help keep up, I’ve started a Social Spotlight segment in the community to help keep members up-to-date on the latest changes.

• Otherwise, if you’re still invested in video content, you gotta check out Content Specialist Marisa Crous’ new article on How to Build a Powerful Reels and TikTok Strategy for Your Brand

• And learn How to Use Storyboarding for Effective Storytelling from Learning Design expert, Nomusa Mavuso-Killian — or watch the masterclass replay here!

If you enjoyed this read, let me know what you liked about it and what you’d like to see more of — all replies are welcome!

Cands 😄