This System Gets Me 1M Views Every 90 Days

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Over the past 10 years I have developed a distribution system I call, “Follow the Journey” to bring viewers virtually along content trips. While I have not built a massive following, roughly 50k+ in total (check out my media kit for up to date data), this distribution system is designed to engage viewers over and over again through a variety of formats as well platforms.

The secret is phasing the release of content and diversity of content delivered.

My idea for this began in 2020 when I started to realize people wanted to follow a journey, but didn’t want to work to follow. So, I created this system to showcase and encourage casual viewers to return time and time again. Keeping up with the adventures I was personally going on.

Now, I use this model to distribute content and get millions of views from the projects I am creating for myself, or clients.

An selfie from the creation of 14ERS, a documentary that took viewers along for the ride to the top of each 14er in the Sawatch Range over 20 days. Follow Dalton on your favorite platform: @storiesbydalton

Phases of the Content:

I have found how I release content to in phases to be more important than what I am releasing. Not to say you can just release crud into the world, but the platforms algorithms are so good at finding an audience, when you put it out into the world, the dreaded algos will do work for you, finding the audience the content fits.

So, here is how I publish content in phases that brings viewers along for the journey and keeps them interested. Meaning, they come back time and time again:

  1. Getting Started: Provide a BTS look at getting ready and building suspense for the trip. Showcasing how people can follow along and why they should follow along. Introduce the stories you are going to tell and what people can expect when they follow.

  2. The Journey: Showcase daily POV of the trip “in real time”, recaps at the end of every day across platforms while planting easter eggs for long form content, and share slightly longer weekly round ups across several platforms with more easter eggs. The easter eggs here are key to keep the interest going. Note: this doesn’t have to be complicated. Just a cliff hanger or say “I’ll be sharing more on this in a separate post”, etc.

  3. Post Trip: Debrief the trip to the audience who has followed along, share what is to come and how you will do this, but in the mean time provide ways for followers to binge the highlights and BTS of what was done. This is great for the new people seeing you for the first time. Also, tease what is coming up and how it will get done. Examples: how you edit the finished trip, how you process traveling, what does it look like to continue the journey, etc.

  4. Long Form Reminders: Share the long form with those who have followed along, getting everyone re-excited for the trip. This is the full circle moment for the viewers. They lived the journey with you, now they want to join. This could be a film premier, a showing, IRL event, or as simple as releasing the video on YouTube.

Leaping into the freezing waters of a glacial fed lake while on a project in Alaska. Follow Dalton on your favorite platform: @storiesbydalton

Diversity of content, with average numbers for all you data driven people out there:

Being everywhere at one time is taxing and doesn’t lead to the best content, but being in the places that fit what you are doing can create significant impact. So, when distributing content, I try to be in several places that make sense for me and not focus on being everywhere. Below is the breakdown of where I am with the average daily views this brings.

  • UnBound, the weekly newsletter:

    • 37k+ weekly readers = 5k/day

    • if you are not signed up I highly suggest checking it out: Click to Sign Up For UnBound

    • creates long form articles: grows over time with SEO (I don’t include these numbers as it is hard to track for a specific series)

  • Social media (sharing BTS, posts, reels, stories, etc. throughout the trip):

  • Leveraging earned media:

    • Digital Magazines

    • Podcasts

    • Newsletters

    • Tourism Boards 

    • Collabs with local pros, tour operators, guides, influencers, etc. across social media

    • Blogs (this one isn’t as impactful anymore)

  • Paid media (for an extra push or if needed):

    • While it has not happened to me yet, if everything flops I will put my own money behind the content to get it over the 1M mark if I am required to via contracts.

    • With 40-something projects of this kind under my belt, I have not had to do this, yet, when I include projected viewership numbers. Fingers crossed I still don't have to, but if I did, it means two things:

      • first, I over-estimated what I could accomplish and gain

      • second, what I am putting out is not worth viewing

      • in both cases, that is on me, so understand these for yourself

So, tally that up, not including earned media, paid media, or long for article views, we are already at 1.1M organic views in 90 days.

Kristin enjoying a not so casual catamaran ride in Nicaragua while on an assignment for Rancho Santana Nicaragua. Follow Dalton on your favorite platform: @storiesbydalton

There you have it, the “Follow the Journey” system I use to gain returning viewers of longer projects.

While this method doesn’t lead to follower growth, it is a great way to increase your visibility as a creative and start gaining fans who want to follow your journey in this creative life.

If this was helpful for you, or you want to connect, shoot me an email: dalton@dalton-johnson.com

About Dalton:

Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.

Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.

His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.