Be Your Audience's Best Friend
Be Your Audience's Best Friend
lessons from katiexsocials
Grace Lemire
May 13, 2025
Hey.
The world doesn’t need another robotic creator following the “niche down” playbook.
It needs you— your full, authentic self. With all the seemingly disconnected interests. Because that’s what makes you interesting to the right audience.
In today’s newsletter:
- How to become the niche
- Tips for a more natural camera presence
- Building recognition on social media
- Quick link highlight: Pitch template for 80% success rate
Becoming Your Audience’s Best Friend (ft. Katie Xu)
We recently sat down with Katie Xu, a creator who helps entrepreneurs, musicians, and fellow creators build authentic personal brands. Her approach flips the traditional script for growth on its head.
Here’s her playbook in 6 simple steps:
1️⃣ Being the Niche > Niching Down
Traditional advice says: pick a niche and stick to it.
Katie says the actual nuance of what’s making you different as a creator can’t be represented in a simple content niche or pillar.
2️⃣ Multi-Identity Approach:
- Identify the various aspects of who you are (e.g., student, fitness enthusiast, entrepreneur, etc.).
- Find the common thread that connects these seemingly separate interests.
- Share content through the lens of your unique perspective on these topics.
Katie Xu
3️⃣ The FaceTime Mindset
Feeling awkward on camera? Katie says to stop thinking about “the camera” and start thinking about who’s on the other end:
When you FaceTime your friend or you’re on a Zoom meeting, you’re talking to the camera and you’re completely acting normal.
Katie shared these practical tips for a more authentic camera presence:
Talk to ONE Person
- Create content right after having a conversation with someone who needs your advice.
- Direct your words toward that specific person in your mind.
- Remember: if one person needs this information, thousands more do too.
Capture Your Natural Energy
- Record when you’re genuinely excited about a topic.
- Use hooks that convey authentic enthusiasm (e.g., “I’ve been thinking about this all night”).
- Skip filming when your energy isn’t there—viewers can tell the difference.
Share Relatable Struggles
- Start with a statement people in your audience would respond to with “Same!” (e.g., “I have a fear of being in front of the camera” or “I’m so busy that I just don’t want to do anything after my 9-to-5”).
- Use these relatable moments as bridges to your advice or story.
4️⃣ Build Recognition Through Repetition
Instead of constantly chasing new topics, Katie found success by creating recognizable series with consistent branding:
I realized that [a specific] phrasing was hitting really well. People liked thinking about it that way…so naturally, with every next video, I just framed it all under that same title.
5️⃣ Mundane Moments Are Compelling Content
Katie disagrees:
There’s a lot of things, small things within your experience day to day, that only you can translate into words.
For example:
- A single mom shopping for a family of four on a tight schedule
- A finance-focused recent graduate learning to budget for themselves
- Someone planning a surprise birthday celebration
- A meal prepper organizing their entire week of nutrition
6️⃣ Katie’s 15 Minute Production Process
Katie has streamlined her content production to an impressive degree. She’s able to publish consistently without the typical creator burnout.
Her streamlined workflow:
- Use TikTok to record initial thoughts.
- Film one continuous take on camera (7-8 minutes).
- Edit down the best parts using keyboard shortcuts.
- Use pre-made templates with consistent fonts, colors, and music.
- Auto-generate captions in her established style.
- Export and publish.