Dhar Mann

Dhar Mann.

• Dhar Mann is an entrepreneur with more than 10 million followers on Facebook and best known for his motivational videos.
• He had no experience in filmmaking before launching his Facebook videos, but he figured out how to gain followers and views through analyzing data and trying different content styles.
• Mann said the most important thing to do is find and tell your unique story, even if it feels uncomfortable to share.
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When I posted my first "motivational" video on Facebook on my birthday in May 2018, the video got a whopping 125 total views. I'm guessing half of those were from people that felt bad and wanted to support me, since it was my birthday.

Fast forward to today, a year and a half later, and I have over four billion views and I'm gaining half a million followers … a week.

How did I do it?

Well, I'm not a filmmaker. I don't spend a lot of money on my videos - or a lot of time, for that matter. I still choke up when I'm in front of a camera, and I wouldn't even consider myself an expert on social media. But there is one gift I have that has helped me get to where I am today: storytelling.

The best influencers are the best storytellers

Think about your favorite influencer or celebrity on social media. Why do you like them so much? Sure, they're probably a great actor, musician, sports player, or talented at whatever they do that makes you like them. But if you really dig down deeper, you probably like them because of their story.

If you ask me why I like The Rock so much, for instance, the first answer that comes to mind is not that he killed his performance in the "Fast & Furious" franchise or his epic one-sided eyebrow raise. It's the fact that he was a struggling football player who didn't make it because of an injury, got so broke that he couldn't pay rent, and then overcame all that to become the global superstar he is today - all while being humble.

The first step to grow your following and engagement is to figure out your story. And most of the time it's your struggle, or the darker parts, that are the most interesting for people to connect with. It may be uncomfortable for you to share, but think about all the people out there that have gone through something similar and are hoping to connect with someone else who has.

On social media, there are no new messages - there are only new stories. So make sure all the content you create helps get your real story out there: It may be the story you're scared to tell.

Choose a style of content that comes naturally to you

When I created my first video, it was of me talking in front of a camera for five minutes offering my "followers" (a.k.a., my few hundred friends on Facebook) motivational advice. It took me over 100 takes to record that video, and it ultimately did nothing.

I continued down that path for quite some time. Creating video after video, spending countless hours on numerous takes, only to post each new one and never see it get more than 500 views.

Over time, I realized that not only was I not that good at telling motivational stories in front of camera, but also I didn't enjoy it. Instead of giving up, I found a new strategy that worked for me: I decided to use family and friends as "actors" in my videos to tell the stories I wanted to share, and I would just come in at the end to summarize the lesson to be learned. When I adjusted my style of content to this new format, 168 videos later, my total views exploded to over four billion.

Figure out a style of content that works for you. If you love writing, then maybe start with Twitter or Reddit. If you love taking pictures, then focus on Instagram or Pinterest. If you love making videos, then explore YouTube or TikTok. If you can do it all, even better - but don't feel like you have to.

The most important thing is that once you've chosen what kind of content you want to create, don't give up if it doesn't work out right away. Keep adjusting your content style - even slightly - the way that I did until something clicks. Give each strategy at least a couple months before giving up on it, and always remember you're one strategy away from something that could really take off.

Study your data

Whether you have 100 or one million followers, all popular social media platforms offer easy-to-understand analytics tools that never existed to early content creators. Instagram offers Insights, YouTube offers Analytics, Facebook offers Creator Studio, and so on and so forth.

A lot of people think that these analytics tools are only for popular content creators or really savvy technical people. That's simply not true. I obsessed over my data before I had any followers, and I'm certainly not very technical. Get in the habit of checking your analytics daily and it will make more and more sense to you over time.

Once you understand the numbers, think of your social media analytics as street signs while you're driving: guiding you which way to go with your content. Follow the path that gets the most engagement.

For instance, out of your last 20 posts, which one got the most likes, comments, and/or shares? What made that piece of content different? Maybe you included your dog and your followers love your dog. Maybe you had a really inspiring, heartfelt caption. Maybe you posted about a topic that your audience really cares about. There's a reason half of my Instagram images are of my beautiful fiancée and her pregnancy.

The writing is always on the wall. Figure out which type of content your audience loves the most and then double down on that style. Continuously use the data to guide you in the right direction. And as you start to push content that your audience cares the most about, you'll start to see your engagement grow a lot faster because you're giving people what they want to see.

Anyone can grow a following on social media

A lot of times, people think that the only way to be popular on social media is to be a 16-year-old with an exceptional personality, have an extreme talent, or be a social media expert. None of that can be further from the truth.

If I - a 35-year-old male that gets uncomfortable in front of a camera and has no background in social media - can build a massive following, then you can, too. Figure out your unique story, find a content style that works for you, and obsess over your analytics. You'll start growing in no time!

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