I really truly think a social media hack is enthusiasm.

People (maybe a majority) follow me on Twitter who have no career focus on computer security.
I follow farmers on YouTube just talking about their tractor repair tribulations with perseverance. I will absolutely never drive a tractor or put any direct tractor knowledge they give me into practice. But I care because they communicate larger fundamental insights into finding solutions.

This is a magic ingredient. You can't really fake it. And people know when they see it. It's one of those inescapably human manifestations the brain recognizes micro-signals from.

As someone with 375k followers on Twitter:
Being fluent in social media is important, but effusing genuine enthusiasm is more.

I post computer security thoughts, random shitposts, 30-tweet threads of a short story. People do not fucking care as long as they sense true authentic effort towards what you produce.

Due to turnover I can lose more followers in 1 month than most gain in their entire life. I track the statistics. Or, I did. You have to believe in your message because doubt when turned into unqualified denigration will ruin you.

@SwiftOnSecurity I came for the interesting info sec and I stayed for the corn and plane shitposting

@SwiftOnSecurity I guess I’m saying I’m not gonna cornplane

…I’ll see myself out