With the ever-changing interface of social media, it has become difficult to make sense of it and keep up with its pace. This is why many internet marketers have looked for ways to incorporate social media in their online marketing campaigns. The reason is that social media can be an effective lead generation platform. There’s no doubt social media revolutionized how the world connects. These platforms helped make possible connections, collaboration, knowledge, and learning previously unimaginable— they made relevant influencers become icons to many.
Each of these social media influencers can be a great source of motivation, inspiration, education, and entertainment. After all, they’re there to help teach us about their field of specialty. But what happens when we combine the collective expertise and insights of many different professionals in one place? Think thought leadership! Thought leadership is a marketing tool that lets you establish authority in your niche, enhance credibility, and build trust. Thought leadership content is created by or on behalf of an organization in the form of blogs, whitepapers, ebooks, case studies, webinars, etc.
If you consider yourself to be an authority in your industry, you know how important it is to build a following. It takes some time. But there’s one marketing tool that can skyrocket your influence: social media. Social media can increase your credibility and create new opportunities for you by allowing you to engage with influencers and other experts within your subject area. Relatively, this article covers five ways that you can build thought leadership on social media.
Create A Professional Social Media Profile
If you are a thought leader (or aspire to be one) it is important to manage your image. The first thing your potential audience will see about you is your social media profile. Your social media profile will make or break whether people see you as an authority in your industry. It can either enhance or damage the reputation of what you are trying to build so take some time to consider how you can give yourself the best chance of building credibility with your target audience. This is why it’s crucial for you to provide useful, quality content in your profile. If they like what they see, they’ll listen up.
Understand Your Target Audience
Social media has a lot of benefits. It helps you connect with people, it can profile your brand, and it lets you share your thoughts with people all over the world. But there is one important thing that most people miss about social media: your actions are based on an assessment of what the intended audience wants. Even if you already have a small following, knowing who they are and what they like will help you tailor your content strategy to suit their needs and make them want to come back for more.
Post Quality Content Regularly
No matter which social media platform you’re active on, it’s important to post regularly in order to build a strong community. People like consistency and the more active you are the more people will see your posts, like them and comment on them. These interactions will get you more likes, shares or retweets. Not sure which platform to choose? There are many platforms where you can reach your target audience and build your community, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We advise that you start with the one that you are most comfortable with and can best connect with your audience.
Join Relevant Groups And Participate In Discussions
LinkedIn Groups and Facebook Groups are home to like-minded individuals. Once your profile is set up, don’t just sit back and wait. Find relevant groups by doing a quick search for your industry or niche, then joining the ones relevant to you. Go through each post in the group and like/comment on them, depending on the platform. You can develop your professional network or industry reputation by joining these groups and utilizing them effectively. You can also contribute to existing discussions (which is a great way to target influencers in your industry) and pay attention to hashtags.
Network With Industry Leaders And Influencers
One of the best ways to stay up to date with the latest trends is to network and engage with other thought leaders, influencers, and like-minded individuals in your industry. Networking can prove to be a daunting task for many. It’s one of those things you wish you started early or were great at but the truth is, it’s one of the most valuable skills; one that every thought leader needs. The idea is not to go out networking with the sole intention of getting something in return, but rather expanding your network to form relationships and connect with individuals that you can actually learn from.
If you’re just starting out on social media, there is a plethora of information to take in. It can feel like you are having to learn skills from scratch and without any guidance. So we hope that our tips on social media that have worked for us work for you!