#19 - How my Instagram went viral
In this interesthings: The things I learned and changed to grow my Instagram, and why this is still just the beginning. And some other little things I love.
'Tis the day before christmas. You might be having your vacation already or are still grinding those mails. For me the last week was insanely busy. I am realising that my work, training and Instagram takes a lot of time. For example, on Saturday I trained in the morning, went to the office to create content and went home at 10 in the evening to train at 07:00 in the morning.
This might be tough, but the energy it gives me is insane. Seeing my Instagram blow up, and so many of you also on this Newsletter (we hit the 100 subscriber mark!) makes me grateful.
Before I went ‘viral’ | 2013 - 2022
I have had Instagram since 2013, and for a long time, I just shared pictures of myself and friends. Vacations were a peak in sharing, as they are for most people.
In 2020, I started cycling, but I did not directly start sharing cycling content. I thought people would think of it as lame and unfollow me. Girls thinking I look bad in a suit and not liking me anymore. So I just stuck to my normal posting about non-cycling things.
Meeting Rik and Ruben | 2022
In 2022, I sent a message to Rik de Voogd. I started following him and noticed he lived close by. He already had a big following and does some amazing things with cycling photography.
I reached out to him to go for a ride, and he told me he did a group ride from Rotterdam. So I joined that ride.
It was the first time I went out with a 'cycling influencer'. We did a shoot at the Rowing Track, and I liked how he used the camera on the bike.
My first camera | 2022
After that ride, I went to my parents. They had a camera, and I took it on my rides. Just shooting stuff and learning to edit. That time was awesome, as everything was just cool to shoot, and I learned so much.
The transition | 2023
Slowly, my Instagram started to include more cycling. I didn't care that much anymore about people thinking cycling was dumb; they could just unfollow me.
I made more pictures, shared them on Instagram, and noticed that indeed, people started to unfollow me. But there were also people who started to follow me. I could be losing 30 followers after a post. That was a rough period, but it made me realize:
My journey is not for everyone.
With that realization, I kept posting more, and slowly my follower base started to change from former students and friends to cyclists. But it was just photos, sometimes a reel.
The wrong way to create reels | 2023 - 2024
In the beginning of my video journey, I expected it to blow up. Because why not? People would definitely love seeing a cyclist, right? I am unique, right?
I AM NOT
There is nothing unique in showing myself on a bike. That has no value. I have created so many reels in which I just thought that people would get it, without actually sharing something of myself. Hoping to just get viral on videos of me cycling in a cool format.
There is just one kind of cyclist where this strategy actually works: Female cyclists. Why? Because men are dumb and just like to see women cycle. So they like that.
The realisation | 2024
I had the realization in the summer. There would be nobody who would follow me if I just kept on sharing videos and pictures of myself.
Why would people follow me? Because I had a story to tell, because they can relate to someone who just started 4 years ago.
And that story had to be shared.
So I started to change my content, providing value to others on reels. Showing what I have learned in my journey as a cyclist. And that worked.
You might have seen a video of me with the following format:
Want to be [something] → Try these tips ⬇️
That was a format that I made with ChatGPT. I just needed a format that worked and where I could add a lot of value. And the algorithm liked it. This weekend, one of those videos got a MILLION views. A MILLION!
But after a while, it felt empty to make this format. I had done a few of those reels, and the tips I could share in that format became a bit pushy and felt fake to me.
It is an easy format and it works. But it's finite.
The funnel | Now
So I needed a format that would not be shallow and finite. And that is what changed in the last weeks on my Instagram.
My profile just hit a record 300 followers in a day. Which is insane. Let me explain to you what I changed.
The funnel
My instagram is just the tip of the iceberg. The format with tips is not shoved to this newsletter you are reading and my own website. Why? To give you a more in-depth view on what I am doing and the things I am learning.
To make the funnel concise:
Reels - The first contact point with me
Profile - The way people want to see more
Website - Give followers more in-depth content on a reel (I like to provide a guide or newsletter with every reel)
Newsletter - The best way I can reach out to you
The content
I was riding my bike and got the realisation: I need something that people could follow. That is where the Road to not getting dropped by (originally) Remco Evenepoel was born.
I always get amazing ideas on the bike, and have to stop a lot to write them down.
The series launched the day after, and it just blew up. People loved it. They want to see me struggle against someone that is far better than I will ever be.
And the creativity I can push in those reels is far greater than just showing how I ride a bike. Making it engaging and having something to work towards. And it works.
The issue: Time
Making these more-engaging reels is not easy. It takes me around 3-4 hours to produce one. That is why I have made less reels every week but put more content in them.
As I told you in the beginning of this newsletter, I work on it in the weekends.
So what next?
For me my goal is clear: I want to build the biggest cycling community. A group of fellow minded cyclists that want to learn and have adventures on the bike.
Epic finale in Calpe for the Mathieu van der Poel series
New Gran Fondo team kit launching in April
Fresh series ideas brewing (stay tuned!)
Things
For all the new people, my newsletter also offers some things outside of cycling that I love. Things I have seen or want to buy. That is where the name interesthings derives from.
Tech
I just saw the Home Assistant Green. As a former Raspberry Pi user I love this assistant and will be buying it to give a central hub to my smart home. Link to the Home Assistant Green.
Safety is important, and I am looking to install a Google Nest to give me that peace of mind my home is safe and more insights in air quality.
Home
I am building a storage room in my home to store things like Rice, Pasta and Nuts. I eat a lot of carbs in a year so buying in bulk is both efficient and cheaper.
Lifestyle
For my videos I have just been in my normal Uniqlo clothing (big recommend). I needed a more cycling-approach so I reached out to Bonk.cc to have a cycling sweater to wear on videos. It will be featuring in the coming reels!
They are doing a pre-sale for some clothing items as their manufacturing gets better and they are almost out of stock. You get a free cap with your order!
Movies and series
Watched Fly me to the Moon from Apple. It was a fun movie starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. A good comedy to watch during the days.
Watched The Apprentice about Donald Trump. I might not agree on everything he is doing, but I am always interested in the background of people. It helps me to understand the person.
Series I am watching: Dune Prophecy, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and Silo.
Well, that is the last newsletter for this year. I hope it inspired you in some way. If you want to know more about my journey or got something cool to share: Send me a message!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Mark