How Ben Addy Hit 500k Followers on Instagram and Then Started 30 Sub-Accounts
Apr 9, 2025
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Ben Addy, a digital strategist and content creator, shares his journey from building a 500K Instagram following to launching over 30 niche sub-accounts. He reveals his systemized approach to social media growth, emphasizing tailored content and monetization strategies. Instead of chasing virality, Ben focuses on creating meaningful connections with his audience. He also discusses transforming Instagram momentum into high-performing local newsletters, showcasing the importance of multi-channel engagement for sustainable success.
Ben Addy leveraged a systematic and tailored approach to social media by creating over 30 niche sub-accounts to enhance engagement.
He monetized his audience through diverse strategies, including affiliate marketing and experiences rather than traditional advertising.
Addy's shift to hyper-local newsletters created a direct connection with subscribers, reducing reliance on platforms like Instagram while boosting community relevance.
Deep dives
The Journey of Building a Social Media Presence
The speaker shares their journey of managing a large social media presence, starting with an Instagram account focused on travel and lifestyle. Initially inspired by seeing successful theme pages, they embarked on a creative outlet that grew substantially, reaching 10,000 followers in just six months. This accomplishment motivated further growth, pushing them to reach a goal of 100,000 followers. Over time, they built a network managing around 3 million followers across multiple accounts and emphasized the importance of collaborations and partnerships in their growth strategy.
Strategies for Growing Followers
The speaker discusses effective strategies for growing social media accounts, emphasizing the importance of understanding algorithms and user engagement. Techniques like following and unfollowing were used early on, though they have evolved and adapted over time to comply with today's platform rules. Collaborations, giveaways, and leveraging successful content were also vital elements in reaching further milestones. This growth was supported by hiring virtual assistants to manage the accounts and organizing followers into hyper-local subaccounts for better targeting and engagement.
Navigating Monetization Techniques
The podcast highlights various monetization strategies utilized by the speaker through their social media presence. Initially, they focused on tiered monetization, including affiliate marketing and sponsorship deals with brands to offset costs. By collaborating with tourism boards for experiences rather than direct payment, they showcased the potential for earning without traditional ad revenue. This innovative approach opened doors to providing valuable experiences, such as sponsored trips, that enriched their content without requiring significant financial investment.
The Shift to Local Newsletters
The speaker transitioned into creating hyper-local newsletters that serve as an extension of their social media strategy. By diversifying their offerings, they aimed to maintain control over their audience and reduce dependency on platforms like Instagram. This approach allowed for a more direct connection with subscribers, providing localized content that resonated with specific communities. Through targeted promotions and ads, they successfully launched multiple newsletters in different regions, highlighting the importance of relevance and community engagement.
Optimizing Growth Mechanisms and User Experience
The speaker emphasizes the significance of understanding user behavior and optimizing content to enhance newsletter growth. They explored various strategies, such as simplifying landing pages to minimize decision paralysis and improve conversion rates. By refining the user journey from ad click to subscription, they saw reductions in customer acquisition costs. The implementation of direct, engaging call-to-actions and personalized thank you pages exemplifies a commitment to maximizing user interaction and satisfaction.
In this episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Jared Bauman sits down with Ben Addy, a digital strategist and content creator who built a 500K-follower Instagram account—then scaled his success by launching over 30 niche sub-accounts.
Ben is known for his smart, systemized approach to social media growth, using hyper-targeted content and tailored monetization strategies.
He shares how he monetizes every corner of his audience by tailoring different revenue strategies to match each sub-account’s niche. Instead of chasing viral content, his approach focuses on creating content that truly connects—building engagement through relevance and regional impact.
Ben also explains how he’s taking things a step further by turning Instagram momentum into high-performing local newsletters that keep audiences coming back.
Don't miss this conversation that is packed with actionable takeaways and strategies that any content creator or entrepreneur can apply to their businesses.
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