How to Run X Ads for Beginners (5,700 Follower Case Study)
Key Takeaways:
- One winning X ad campaign brought in 5,700+ verified followers
- X Ads offer the lowest cost per follower in advertising right now
- Top-of-funnel campaigns work best for pennies per click ($0.01 per thousand impressions)
- Relationship-building content outperforms direct sales pitches
- Intent follow URLs can automatically prompt users to follow your profile
My X Ads Campaign Results That Brought in 5,700 Verified Followers
I'm Brad Smith, owner of AutomationLinks, and I've been doing marketing for the last 10 years, working with over 2,500+ brands. I've tested hundreds of ad campaigns to help business owners get more customers for less money. In this guide, I'm going to walk you through exactly how I ran one winning X Ads campaign that brought in 5,700+ verified followers for this account.
If you're a beginner, I'll break down every step, from setting up your first campaign to targeting the right audience, so you can get results fast.
- The winning strategy focuses on top-of-funnel campaigns using relationship-building content rather than direct sales pitches. By keeping users on-platform and using broad targeting, you can achieve costs as low as $0.01 per thousand impressions while building quality follower relationships.
- Best For: Business owners, eCommerce stores, service businesses, and personal brands looking to build verified audiences quickly without spending a fortune.
Why X Ads Are the Lowest-Cost Advertising Platform Right Now
X Ads offer some of the lowest costs per follower in advertising right now. When you use the right creative and targeting, you can build a verified audience quickly. Whether you run an eCommerce store, a service business, or you're building a personal brand, the principles in this method will work for you.
This method can generate leads, increase brand awareness, and drive consistent engagement, without spending a fortune. Your ideal customers are on X looking at the news, talking about politics, or just scrolling and posting memes. Maybe they're not looking for business-related content, but if you can show up and get them to follow you so you can build a relationship, that's how it's done.
Want the full step-by-step training on how to set up your X ads, get approved, and get these results? Join our Business Brand Builder where we walk you through how to set up your ads for success.
Comparing My Three X Ad Campaign Results
I tested three different X ads with dramatically different results:
Campaign 1: Quick Promote (Boosted Post)
- Spent: $50
- Results: Just 1 follower
- Cost: $3 per 1,000 views
- Performance: Poor
Campaign 2: Bottom-of-Funnel Retargeting
- Spent: $1,200
- Results: 116 followers (35 people unfollowed)
- Link clicks: $0.02 each
- Targeting: Very specific ICP (ideal customer profile)
- Performance: Moderate, reached big audience
Campaign 3: Top-of-Funnel Campaign (THE WINNER)
- Spent $1,465
- Results: 5,700 verified followers
- Cost: $0.01 per thousand impressions
- Link clicks to profile: 62,000
- Performance: Exceptional
The Winning Top-of-Funnel Strategy That Actually Works
Top-of-funnel means somebody that's never heard of you. This is the first time they've ever seen you. What you want to do is really be broad. Focus on your ad copy and your ad post to draw in the ideal customer because you're getting pennies per click.
We're letting the algorithm figure it out, letting the algorithm show it to as many people as possible, and then using the ads to follow up. That's what I want to encourage you to do on all ad platforms, whether it's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube - you want to branch out to as many people as possible, but have a really good ad that draws in your ideal customer.
The Critical Platform Rule: Keep Users On-Platform
Here's the most important thing: Do not ask them to click off the platform. You can see I'm getting $0.01 per thousand impressions and 62,000 link clicks to my profile because I'm keeping them on platform.
Most ad accounts want their users to stay on their platform. So if you try to encourage somebody to go to your website, that means you're taking them off their platform. That means they're going to charge you more - $3.69 instead of 0.1¢.
My Winning X Ad Creative That Brought 5,700 Followers
The next ad that I want you to focus on is not trying to get people to go to your website, not trying to get them to buy something, and really not even talking about your business. Because what you have to do is draw people in for pennies per click, build a relationship, have relatable content, get them to follow you, then if they start liking your organic posts and see your retargeting ads, that's when you're actually going to make the sale.
The Best Performing Post Examples
Here's my best performing post: "The best business relationships often start with a simple hello. I've met thousands of different incredible entrepreneurs on here and I'd like to support and connect with others."
I'm talking about connecting with you, supporting you, building relationships with you, not even talking about what I do for business. I'm not trying to sell myself yet because you don't trust me yet.
Another winning post: "I'm really focused on building a bigger entrepreneur network. I'm looking to connect with more agencies online. Let's connect and support each other. I want to build an entrepreneur network that helps each other grow. I cleared out some connections and I'm looking to focus on more quality."
Customizing the Message for Your Business
You can do this based on whatever business you want. If you're trying to connect with more CPAs or more law firms or more agencies, you could say "I'm looking to connect with more agencies online" or "I'm looking to connect with more faith-based entrepreneurs."
The pattern is trying to build better relationships and get them to connect and follow.
The Secret Follow URL Trick for More Followers
Here's the secret trick: putting an intent follow URL. If you leave a comment below asking for this system or link, I'll give you this link. All you got to do is copy this link, go ahead and put your username at the very end. When somebody clicks on your ad, it'll automatically ask them to connect and follow you. That's how you get more followers and build more leads.
For more advanced X advertising strategies, check out our complete X advertising guide.
How to Target Your Ideal Audience on X
When setting up your campaigns, focus on broad targeting for top-of-funnel campaigns. Let the algorithm show your content to as many people as possible within your general target market. The key is in your creative content, not narrow targeting parameters.
Your ideal customers are on X even if they're not actively looking for business content. They're engaging with news, politics, memes, and general conversations. By showing up consistently with relationship-building content, you can get them to follow you and then nurture those relationships over time.
Post-Campaign Content Strategy for Maximum ROI
Once you set these campaigns up and start getting more followers, don't just post sales-type posts. You need to be posting educational, helpful, personal-style content. You can check out other videos on my channel where I talk about this extensively.
This approach is how you're going to be able to get a huge return on investment. You don't want to just be selling. You want to be following up and building relationships.
The key is focusing on building better relationships rather than immediate sales. This long-term approach creates more valuable, engaged followers who will eventually become customers.
For comprehensive marketing automation that works with your X advertising efforts, join our Business Brand Builder to learn how to set these up for your brand.
Tracking and Scaling Your X Ad Campaigns
Monitor your cost per follower and engagement rates closely. The winning campaign achieved $0.01 per thousand impressions, which is exceptionally low. If your costs start rising significantly, review your creative content and ensure you're still keeping users on-platform.
Scale successful campaigns gradually while maintaining the relationship-building approach. Don't rush to convert new followers immediately, focus on providing value and building trust first.
Next Steps: Implementing Your X Advertising Strategy
Start by creating relationship-building content that speaks to your target audience without directly selling. Test different variations to see what resonates with your specific market.
Set up your first top-of-funnel campaign with broad targeting and focus on keeping users on-platform. Use the intent follow URL to maximize follower growth from your ad clicks.
Remember, the goal is building relationships first, sales second. Consistent implementation of this strategy, combined with valuable organic content, will generate leads, increase brand awareness, and drive engagement without breaking your budget.
Key Takeaway: X advertising success comes from relationship-building content, broad targeting, keeping users on-platform, and patient nurturing rather than immediate sales pitches.
Ready to implement this system? Get more strategies and subscribe to my channel for weekly X advertising tutorials: Subscribe here.
How much should I budget for X ads as a beginner?
Start with a small budget of $50-100 to test different creatives. My winning campaign achieved exceptional results, but start small to find what works for your audience before scaling up.
Why are X ads cheaper than other platforms?
X ads currently offer some of the lowest costs per follower in advertising, especially when you keep users on-platform. The algorithm rewards content that keeps users engaged within X rather than driving them away.
Should I target specific demographics or go broad?
For top-of-funnel campaigns, go broad and let the algorithm find your audience. Focus your energy on creating compelling relationship-building content rather than narrow targeting.
How long before I see results from X advertising?
Results can vary, but with the right approach, you should start seeing follower growth within the first few days of your campaign going live. The key is having the right creative content.
What type of content works best for X ads?
Relationship-building content that doesn't directly sell works best. Focus on connecting, supporting, and building networks rather than pitching your business immediately.
Can this strategy work for any type of business?
Yes, whether you run an eCommerce store, service business, or personal brand, these principles work. Adapt the networking language to your specific audience (CPAs, lawyers, entrepreneurs, etc.).
How do I know if my X ad creative is working?
Monitor your cost per thousand impressions and follower growth. If you're achieving costs around 0.1¢ per thousand impressions with steady follower growth, your creative is performing well.
What's the biggest mistake beginners make with X ads?
Trying to drive traffic off-platform immediately. This significantly increases costs. Keep users on X initially to build relationships, then nurture them through organic content and retargeting.
How often should I post after gaining followers from ads?
Post educational, helpful, and personal content consistently. Don't immediately start selling to new followers - focus on providing value and building trust first.
Should I use the intent follow URL for every campaign?
The intent follow URL is a powerful tool that automatically prompts users to follow you when they click your ad. It's particularly effective for follower-growth campaigns like the one that brought in 5,700 verified followers.
