Client Showcase: From 80 to 108K: Graham Weaver’s TikTok Triumph in Less Than 7 Months

In November 2021, the people-first focused visionary thought leader and founding partner of Alpine Investors, Graham Weaver, approached us with a huge vision that felt more aspirational than achievable.

Grow his humble list of only 80 TikTok followers to 25,000 followers.

The time frame?
Only a year.

Our team’s response?
Challenge Accepted.

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Initial Challenges

Achieving a big, hairy, audacious goal is what gets our team of strategists and creatives super excited, and this was one of our biggest challenges to date.

We knew what the end would look like, so the next step was to reverse engineer exactly how we could ensure Graham’s online whisper could be amplified, growing his authority and influence.

Graham’s authenticity and genuine content were refreshing, but it missed what so many other passionate but overtasked, multi-focused entrepreneurs face when trying to gain attention on social.

A consistent and effective growth strategy.

Growth is our keyword.

Anybody can post regularly for months or even years, and the only result they’ll come face to face with is burnout.

This is where strategies come in that optimize your amazing content for your platform of choice, and that’s exactly what our team did in collaboration with Graham.

The Collaborative Blueprint

Aligning A Vision

Before diving into the world of content, our first step was mutual understanding. Through exhaustive sessions, we hooked onto Graham's brand essence, ensuring our strategies were founded on his strong vision for what his brand could and would be.

We wanted to not only capture the essence of what Graham represented but also to ensure that our tactics and strategies amplified his already authentic and clear voice.

These collaborative moments established the foundation of trust and clarity, a cornerstone for a strategy that would result in amazing growth across all of Graham’s social media channels.

By becoming aligned with Graham's aspirations and partnering his bold and service-minded mission with our expertise, we moved forward together to turn Graham into an industry heavyweight, making sure the world took notice of a message so many needed to hear.

Video Mastery

Our video editor and dedicated account manager were pivotal in reshaping Graham's online presence. With their strategic and creative direction, Graham discovered not only the technical side of video creation but also the nuanced artistry behind engaging storytelling.

Working in partnership with Graham, the combined creativity elevated Graham’s content quality in a way that was both genuine and compelling.

Our elevated video strategy showcased a blend of authenticity with gripping visuals, turning passive viewers into enthusiastic followers attached to Graham’s story. Through meticulous framing, editing, and pacing, each video was a testament to the perfect marriage of Graham's vision and powerful message and our team’s expertise in amplifying that message.

Mastering the TikTok Algorithm

One of the crucial keys to TikTok success is understanding the algorithm while still playing to your strengths. While many creators get lost in the sea of trends, hoping for even the smallest moment of the spotlight, our approach with Graham was different.

Graham wasn’t in business to be an influencer and entertain the masses. His goal was to inspire and transform lives.

Instead of trend-chasing, we strategically assessed what made sense for Graham’s brand and audience. By fusing Graham’s unique content with these trending patterns that made sense for his audience, we created a blend that was both familiar to viewers while remaining refreshingly original.

With patience and consistency always on our minds, we began to see Graham’s audience slowly grow and increase their watch times. This would lead to content that was not just watched but saved, shared, discussed, and celebrated.

All a recipe of a brand steadily growing its reach and authority on social media.

Data-Driven Iterations

In the fast-paced world of social media, relying solely on a predetermined strategy can be the fast track to your client getting left behind and us not doing our job as a partner to help them grow using the awesome power of social media.

We recognized the necessity for adaptability. While our foundation was based on extensive research and expertise, we valued the dynamic nature of real-time data. Analyzing metrics, such as engagement rates and video views, helped us steer the direction of Graham’s content strategies. But numbers only told half the story.

The invaluable feedback we received from Graham, combined with audience reactions, was pivotal. Every video, every post, was an opportunity for learning and recalibration. When a video didn’t perform well, we didn’t see failure. It allowed us to stop chasing what didn’t work and focus on the open doors that would lead us to opportunities for serious growth.

This fluid strategy ensured that Graham wasn’t a bystander with the content he was so passionate about, but an active participant, with his finger on the pulse, actively shaping his online narrative.

We didn't just follow the data. We let it guide our combined vision, making iterative changes that propelled Graham toward shattering his goals.

Engagement Over Broadcasting

In the realm of social media, it's far too easy to fall into the trap of becoming a one-way broadcaster, where content is pumped out on a regular schedule without truly resonating with the audience.

As an organization, we are publicly against billboard marketing, hoping that the right people see our client content as they scroll through their feeds. Our focus is always on engagement.

Graham's message and mission were too valuable to be another talking head speaking into the void of social media. So, for each piece of content we created with Graham, we framed them as more than just a pivotal statement. We framed them as a conversation.

Graham took the time to respond to comments, answer questions, and even celebrate milestones with his followers. By sharing inspiration, insights, tools, and tactics, he was not just building a following but nurturing a community.

This two-way interaction transformed a once small and passive audience into a community, amplifying Graham’s message far and wide.

The ripple effect of this active engagement was an important foundational piece of the growth puzzle, with followers feeling valued and seen, ensuring a deeper, more loyal bond with Graham's brand.

Graham's Viral Victories

March 4th – First Taste of Virality: Our collaboration, consistency, and patience bore its first significant fruit. The Olympics-themed video didn't just get attention. It soared past our expectations, gaining over 21k views. At that time, any video crossing the 10k mark was deemed viral, making this a huge win for Graham and our team.
April 12th – The Million Milestone: Barely a month later, the TikTok community took notice. Graham’s video didn’t just cross the million mark but neared 2 million views! And more significant than the views, Graham's followers grew by 9,000.
And just as predicted, the after-effects of this virality spread further than just these two videos. The virality of these two hits had a snowball effect and elevated the views and engagement with Graham’s older video content, enhancing the performance of these posts.

This ripple effect underscored the hidden power of virality, a testament to our strategy, collaborative approach, and consistency.

The Results: From Unknown Visionary to Viral Sensation

It's one thing to have a vision but entirely another to bring it to life in the crowded world of social media. Graham started as a visionary with big dreams. And, with our collaboration, those dreams transformed into a legacy. Together, we not only achieved but crushed the initial goal of 25K followers, with Graham boasting 108K followers in less than seven months. This wasn't just a success story. It was a monumental leap that our lightweight strategies and collaborative approach can turn passionate, personality-driven thought leaders from relative unknown to industry heavyweights.

Are You Next?

We're more than just a team of social media strategists and creatives. We’re passionate collaborators who do more than become your biggest fan. We become your biggest advocates on your road to growing your brand using the awesome power of social media.

With our blend of lightweight yet high-impact customized strategies, we love transforming motivated business owners, founders, creatives, content creators, and thought leaders into industry heavyweights.

With Graham's journey still fresh, we're eager to help you navigate your social media success story. If you're a personality-driven brand ready to reach your full potential on social media with the help of a team that will go the extra mile to see you win, we're ready to become your partner.

There is space on social for your vision, message, and the transformation you offer. Let’s find your space and amplify your expertise–together!

Click here to book a call today!

About onlinedrea

Andréa Jones is a social media strategist who works with lifestyle brands to build their online presence through targeted social media and content marketing solutions. She's also the founder of SavvySocialSchool.com - a membership community with everything you need to achieve visibility, growth, and engagement on social media.