Harnessing the Power of Social Media: How Pieter Levels Earns $210K Monthly
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Pieter Levels is a trailblazer in the world of digital nomadism.
As a seasoned entrepreneur, he has cultivated a following of over 422K on Twitter while managing startups solely from his laptop.
Among his ventures are various successful businesses.
What’s most impressive?
Pieter has achieved all this success without employing anyone.
> “For Photo AI, I’ve hired an AI developer for a while to assist in setting up AI models on GPU servers, but everything else is by me.” — Pieter Levels
He has traveled to over 40 countries and 150 cities, from South Korea to Brazil, and has never held a traditional job. He has always chosen the path of self-employment.
What a remarkable journey.
I first learned of Pieter in 2019 when I joined Nomad List, but it wasn’t until recently that I delved deeply into his story.
Over the past two months, I analyzed all of his 126.8K tweets to uncover:
- How he amassed such a significant Twitter following
- How he has successfully built multiple six-figure businesses
- Valuable insights he has shared since 2014
Let’s dive in!
Methodology Overview
My research process lasted about 60 days.
(This equated to roughly 60 hours of effort.)
- I utilized Twitter’s advanced search capabilities to sift through Pieter’s most impactful tweets.
- I compiled the most compelling tweets and blog posts in Notion.
- Lastly, I organized these tweets into a Google Doc.
How Has Pieter Leveraged Twitter for Business Growth?
Pieter’s Twitter following and business achievements are intertwined.
Here are seven distinct strategies I've identified.
Strategy #1: Pieter Engages Constantly with His Audience
Pieter treats Twitter as a dialogue.
Numerous instances illustrate his back-and-forth interactions with followers regarding his websites.
In this tweet, he actively communicates with his audience when they present questions or suggestions:
In fact, his commitment to these discussions is so great that he created an “Ideas + Bugs” platform where individuals can share their feedback:
He goes beyond simply discussing his projects.
In another tweet, he prompts followers to share their own “battle stations.”
Moreover, he encourages retweets for a post about one of his businesses, which received 8.7K retweets.
This specific tweet was brilliant because it:
- Rewarded his followers
- Introduced a novel concept (which others have since attempted to replicate)
- Aligned with his “indie hacker” persona of disrupting norms and embracing transparency
- Incorporated an appealing visual
- Yielded successful engagement!
Pieter isn't afraid to mix in unexpected topics as well.
In various tweets, he discusses — of all things — butter cakes:
Such interactions drive engagement and foster trust.
They also highlight Pieter's entrepreneurial ventures.
Pieter emerges victorious.
Strategy #2: Pieter Embraces Radical Transparency
This is already evident.
Pieter openly shares his monthly revenue figures in his Twitter bio.
Yet, transparency encompasses more than just numbers. He frequently provides insights into the inner workings of his businesses and the choices he makes.
For instance, he discusses his rationale for integrating facial recognition into Nomad List:
He has also disclosed:
- The coding needed for creating a jobs board
- Profits from hoodie sales
- Daily sales for avatarai.me
- The technology stack he employs
- The number of AI-generated photos on photoai.com: “Over 1 million AI photos are generated monthly [...]”
In previous years, Pieter even revealed his monthly business expenses:
Nothing is off-limits.
This level of openness establishes Pieter’s authority. It also serves as effective marketing.
People trust his insights.
Strategy #3: Pieter Produces Engaging, Thought-Provoking Content
Unlike most users who share clichéd one-liners, Pieter stands out.
His tweets resonate.
Take this example: it’s sincere, raw, and challenges the prevailing “work-life balance” narrative:
He even recorded a demo video featuring his “AI therapist.”
It’s INCREDIBLE.
(This also serves as excellent marketing.)
Pieter also appreciates a good meme.
Here’s a classic regarding Airbnb.
Once again, it’s aligned with his brand and garnered over 1 million views:
Returning to the theme of transparency, Pieter shared a graph displaying his monthly revenue during the onset of the Covid pandemic:
There are countless examples to choose from.
From soaring over NYC to grappling with inflation and receiving a shoutout from Kendrick Lamar, Pieter’s tweets overflow with emotion.
This depth is why I enjoyed reviewing them.
It’s also a key factor in his success.
Strategy #4: Pieter Boldly Expresses His Opinions
... And he does so with conviction.
This doesn't mean I concur with all his viewpoints. I don’t.
For instance, in a 2014 tweet, Pieter contended that automation is leading to job losses in the US.
(I disagree because I believe new jobs emerge as industries evolve.)
At times, I find myself in complete agreement with Pieter.
Consider this tweet about “gurus”:
Occasionally, Pieter throws out surprising comments that spark conversation.
A notable example involves parachutes for planes:
Regardless of the topic, tweets like these compel engagement.
Pieter rarely shies away from confrontation.
All of this fuels interaction and draws attention to his content.
Strategy #5: Pieter Isn't Hesitant to Seek Assistance
Requesting help is beneficial for several reasons:
- It provides him with numerous insights
- It boosts tweet engagement
- It raises awareness for his upcoming projects/startups
Consider this instance. Pieter conducted a poll for subtitle ideas for his book, Make:
Not all of these requests for help are merely attention-seeking.
Sometimes, they are genuine inquiries for assistance.
In this tweet, Pieter poses a technical question regarding Cloudfare:
In another instance, Pieter solicits help with Stripe.
Interestingly, the CTO of Stripe even stepped in to provide support.
This naturally led to a compelling narrative that Pieter was eager to share:
Why wouldn’t he?
This unique story allowed him to tag Stripe.
Such tagging resulted in increased PR and visibility.
Strategy #6: Pieter Has a Great Sense of Humor!
His spontaneous tweets are among the funniest I've encountered.
Take this one about Bali:
And this one regarding a faux Starbucks:
This tweet might just be my favorite.
If you know, you know:
Pieter’s humor showcases his personality and relatability.
If he solely focused on arguments, he wouldn’t enjoy the same popularity.
Strategy #7: Pieter Uplifts Others Accomplishing Great Things
This attribute of Pieter's is one I admire greatly.
In addition to elevating others, Pieter understands that sharing remarkable achievements can reflect his own values.
This tweet about a Brazilian nomad serves as a perfect illustration:
Often, Pieter refrains from directly endorsing businesses. He simply points his audience in their direction.
For instance, in this tweet, he promotes an alternative to Typeform.
Unquestionably, his tweet directed significant traffic to YouForm:
This tweet may be my favorite of all.
Pieter inquires whether his followers know of any “Indie Makers” who are thriving:
I appreciate it for the responses it generated.
I explored a number of them, which introduced me to intriguing individuals to follow.
(And provided plenty of ideas for future articles!)
Key Takeaways
Certainly, Pieter’s ability to identify genuine problems and develop solutions plays a crucial role in his success.
This should not be overlooked.
However, the reason Pieter is so widely respected is due to his transparency over the past decade.
Indeed — a decade.
He has been engaged in this endeavor for an extended period:
> “Took 82 months of work!”
He has also launched a multitude of projects — not all of which have been successful.
In fact, only a select few have proven to be profitable:
So, what can we learn from Pieter’s business achievements?
Here’s a concise summary:
- #1: Communicate with your audience — not at them. Pieter consistently engages with his followers and addresses their concerns. It’s a reciprocal relationship.
- #2: Practice transparency. You don’t need to be as candid as Pieter about every detail. Just remember that people relate to your imperfections. Don’t conceal them.
- #3: Share thought-provoking and emotionally resonant content. If you offer the same tired one-liners as everyone else, you’ll fade into the background. Make your presence felt.
- #4: Stand firm in your beliefs. It’s natural for strangers online to disagree with you — and that’s perfectly fine. Be like Pieter. Defend your stance.
- #5: Regularly seek assistance. Pieter continues to do this, regardless of his success. He remains humble, recognizing that he doesn’t have all the answers. There’s always more to learn.
- #6: Share what makes you laugh! Others will likely find it amusing too — and it will draw you closer to them.
- #7: Celebrate those doing remarkable things! Good karma will come your way.
If I had to distill Pieter’s success into a single sentence?
It would be this:
Dedicate time to honing your skills and fostering trust with your audience while consistently delivering new products.
Go seize the day!
> Interested in escaping the 9-5 grind? Download my free 19-page guide: Everything I Did to Quit My 9-5 Job & Transition Into Profitable, Sustainable Solopreneuring :)