Ever since the rude awakening I had on X when I tried to bring the same engagement energy I use on Hive to that place, I learned to tread carefully.
In the last few weeks, I understand I need to move slowly but strategically. I went in with the idea that quantity brings the best result. Getting restricted on my first few days taught me something different.
X is letting me use the 80/20 rule religiously and stop grasping at straws by moving around a lot and behaving like a bot. The platform is teaching me to figure out ways to do little but get maximum results without burning out.
I believe that had there been no restrictions, burning out would have been a huge part of the equation. I am sure some people are burning out every day because they haven't allowed themselves to stop and figure this out, too.
They get restricted, wait out the jail period, and then come back and do the same thing over and over again.
The upside of coming in and out of X jail is that you risk losing your newly acquired followers especially if you are a small account. People are brutal and do not take it kindly if you follow them, they follow you, and you go behind their backs and unfollow them.
They make it a point of duty to keep checking their list and get rid of those who try to be wise. I learned the habit too and I do it every time. I give accounts a 24 to 48-hour window, and if you don't follow back, I unfollow.
Getting into X jail often means you will lose followers. It's because the moment X suspends your account and asks you to wait, your account suddenly goes invisible. Your followers and those you were following disappear. And if the hunting account unfortunately checks in to see you are no longer following them which is not true, they unfollow you.
Some people unfollow and block. Some take a good look at your account and vow never to follow you again.
I know you think, what is so special about followers and following list that someone has to make a fuss over them? People on X make a fuss over these things because it is part of the criteria for getting monetized. X has a certain number of Verified followers and impressions your account should have to be eligible.
If you are trying to be smart by unfollowing after getting a follow, you get burned and the road to monetization becomes thinner.
I hope you are not thinking that we shouldn't be worked up over gaining followers, but provide value, and followers will come.
If you said that to yourself, then I will assume you didn't know that you could have the best things to share, but if you are not visible, you are simply wasting away.
Someone who doesn't have as much value to give will humble himself and try to gain followers and visibility, and do better than you, while you are stuck at, I can do it better than him.
Yes, you need people, followers, no matter how uncanny and uncomfortable it might feel at the beginning, you should stay humble and do it because you are only just beginning.
Nobody gives a shit about you at this point, so the best you can do is pretend to give a shit about them and bring them to your side.
With all of this being said, I believe it is better not to get into X jail to not lose the followers you gained as a result of a misconception.
My 80/20 rule is therefore to try to fish out how to make the most of the limitations X gives, while still furthering my interests. Instead of trying to engage with everyone at all times and risk getting jailed, I go fishing for accounts that will give me the most visibility and impressions.
This way I use 20% effort to get 80% results without X getting upset with my account. I won't lie, finding those accounts is where the work is. I have to experiment, drop a comment, check back by the end of the day, and see if it did well. Analyze, try to understand the author's audience, etc.
So, it might not really be 20% effort right now, but once I get it right, everything will fall into place.
When you see my dashboard, you will notice the transitions I had. The days I had the highest impression were not the days I engaged the most. It was the days I fished out the right account to gain visibility and impressions.
If I could get more of such accounts and double down on them, my impression will do better than this. The next few weeks or months will be invested in training. And I hope I learned new things to share with you.
Join me and learn as I go or let's hustle together both on Hive and X.
PS: Images are mine