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How I Got 319K Likes and 15K Followers From A Single Tweet

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How I Got 319K Likes and 15K Followers From A Single Tweet

Peter Yang
Jan 27, 2022
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How I Got 319K Likes and 15K Followers From A Single Tweet

creatoreconomy.so

Join 10,000+ others who subscribe to my writing below:


Dear subscribers,

I recently published this tweet that got 319K likes and 15,000 new followers:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
Just had a call with someone on Forbes 30 under 30 list and came away really impressed. He shared with me how he made VP at a top tech company before age 30: 1. 4:30 AM wakeup 2. Cold showers 3. Gratitude journal 4. Meditate 5. Dad owns tech company
7:24 PM ∙ Jan 14, 2022
319,079Likes40,939Retweets

What’s the secret?

I’m not sure, but here's some advice on how to go viral on Twitter:

  1. Find your niche

  2. Keep showing up

  3. Tweet like you talk to a friend

  4. Start with the emotion

  5. Shitpost for the win

I’ve also included some advice on how to get started if you have no followers.

Let’s dive in.


1. Find your niche

Image

Your niche is at the intersection of:

  • What people want

  • What you're good at

  • What interests you

My niche is:

  1. Explaining complex topics in a concise way. For example, people loved my curious beginner’s guide to crypto thread:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
New to web 3 and want someone to "explain like I'm five" how crypto works? I've written a single post that breaks down: 1. Web 3 2. Blockchain (wallets and keys, proof of work vs. stake) 3. Tokens 4. Bitcoin 5. Ethereum 6. NFTs 7. DAOs Let's dive in...
creatoreconomy.soCurious Beginner’s Guide to CryptoThis post “explains like I’m five” core crypto concepts: web 3, blockchain (wallets, consensus), tokens, bitcoin, ethereum, NFTs, and DAOs. Let’s go down the rabbit hole together.
2:13 PM ∙ Sep 29, 2021
2,693Likes570Retweets
  1. Writing shitposts. The ones that have a hint of truth are the best kind.

Check out this thread on how other creators have found their niche on Twitter.


2. Keep showing up

You have to publish frequently to grow on Twitter.

Frequently means that you should be tweeting every day. 95% of these tweets will get no traction but you’re betting on a few to go viral.

You probably think I spend a lot of time crafting the tweets that go viral. Actually, it’s quite the opposite:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
The secret to growing on Twitter for me has been to spend hours writing threads that get no traction and then to spend 10 min writing two tweets that each attract 15K+ followers.
Image
4:46 PM ∙ Jan 16, 2022
980Likes11Retweets

Keep showing up and follow my advice below to try to craft a hit.


3. Tweet like you talk to a friend

If you’re talking to a friend, you won’t use fancy words or jargon. Instead, you’ll be authentic, vulnerable, and maybe even witty.

That’s exactly how you should tweet too.

Treat your reader as a friend instead of as someone you’re trying to educate. Engage in a casual conversation with people in your tweet replies to engage them.

There’s one exception of course. Tweeting as you talk to a friend is no excuse for tweeting insensitive content. Avoid that at all costs.


4. Start with the emotion

I took this writing class from Shaan Puri last year and my most important takeaway was to start with the emotion:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
2/ Viral writing secrets Start with the emotion that you want readers to have: LOL: That’s so funny WTF: That pisses me off AWW: That’s so cute WOW: That’s amazing NSFW: That’s crazy FINALLY: Someone said it! Shaan provides many great examples in his course.
9:13 PM ∙ Jul 9, 2021
9Likes1Retweet

After you write your tweet, read it to see if it creates emotion. If it doesn’t, you probably need to re-word it. Here are a few examples from my tweets:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
Unpopular opinion: I like using Google Docs more than Notion
1:01 AM ∙ Jan 7, 2022
2,163Likes75Retweets

FINALLY: Someone said it!

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
I'm often asked how a big company might crush a startup. Well it's quite simple really, but few know the process:
2:23 PM ∙ Jun 4, 2021
4,787Likes795Retweets

HMM: How does a big company crush a startup? I am curious…

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
It never made sense to me why you need to be "accredited" (1M net worth or $200K+ income) to invest in the best startups, yet anyone can go gamble in Vegas or buy lottery tickets. I hope crypto blows this restriction wide open. We need more education, not blanket rules.
12:36 AM ∙ Dec 29, 2021
3,544Likes429Retweets

WTF: That pisses me off and I agree.

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
A preview of the content we've written and designed for our "Intro to web3" learning path. Launching next week - follow to be the first to read it 💫
Image
4:27 PM ∙ Dec 11, 2021
4,712Likes436Retweets

WOW: I want this content!

Don’t be too clickbaity, but do start with the emotion to hook the reader.


5. Shitpost for the win

The reality is that many tweets are filled with the same old crap:

  1. Thoughtboi vision threads 🧵👇

  2. Fortune cookie advice (e.g., “Eat like a lion, not a cow!”)

  3. Wikipedia explainers (e.g., “Here’s how Elon Musk succeeded…”)

People still click on this stuff but I think (hope!) that they’re really tired of it.

That’s why people also love shitposts that make fun of these tweets.

Now, let’s dissect why my shitpost went super-viral:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
Just had a call with someone on Forbes 30 under 30 list and came away really impressed. He shared with me how he made VP at a top tech company before age 30: 1. 4:30 AM wakeup 2. Cold showers 3. Gratitude journal 4. Meditate 5. Dad owns tech company
7:24 PM ∙ Jan 14, 2022
316,139Likes40,326Retweets

What emotions do you feel when you read this? Could it be something like:

  • “Oh God, he’s talking about Forbes 30 under 30.”

  • “Wow, what a joke - cold showers and gratitude journal to make VP?”

  • “Dad owns tech company…LOL”

I think this tweet went viral because it made people feel CRINGE and then LOL. It also made fun of the usual stuff that you see on Twitter.

That’s why shitposts that have a hint of truth to them work out great on Twitter. Here are my best shitpost threads from last year:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
When I reflect on 2021, I'm most proud of how much great advice I shared on Twitter. If you missed out, here are my top threads on: 1. How BigCos crush startups 2. How billionaires win 3. How to ace PM interviews 4. How to run meetings 4. How to buy a Bay Area home Read on...
11:22 PM ∙ Dec 27, 2021
816Likes121Retweets

Make sure you follow some other shitposters on Twitter - Alex Cohen, Trung Phan, and the highly underrated Tweet Davidson.


Ok but I have no followers, how do I get started?

The same advice above applies even if you have no followers, with two adjustments:

  1. Reply to large accounts with something thoughtful or funny.

  2. Tweet about the latest news and trends.

If you have no followers, your goal should be to go where the audience is. For example, people enjoyed telling me that I’m an idiot for writing a 20 tweet thread about OnlyFans back in the day when it’s clear that they grew because p0rn:

Twitter avatar for @petergyang
Peter Yang @petergyang
🔒 OnlyFans grew faster than any other creator platform this year. Let's explore why 👇 1. Overview 2. Flywheel 3. Creators 4. Fans 5. What's next
Image
4:42 PM ∙ Nov 29, 2020
4,899Likes827Retweets

Trying to grow on Twitter can be a lonely road early but if you keep at it, it could pay off in a big way down the road.

If you found this post helpful, consider tweeting it 😉

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How I Got 319K Likes and 15K Followers From A Single Tweet

creatoreconomy.so
3 Comments
John Bardos
Writes CreatorBoom
Feb 7, 2022

Hi Peter, Do you now how many of those new followers become newsletter subscribers? I'd love to hear how Twitter success translates to newsletter subscribers.

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1 reply by Peter Yang
Market Sentiment
Writes Market Sentiment
Jan 27, 2022

Hahaha, I'm one of the people who liked and shared that tweet and it's fun to be a part of history :p

Glad to have discovered your Substack though! Came for the shitposts, staying for the content.

I'm trying to write threads on finance and investing myself and it's a bit frustrating when they don't take off... Hearing your story gives hope and inspiration! Thanks for sharing.

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