5 tips to market yourself as a thought leader on social media
Thought leadership never seizes to grow as a Google trend every day, particularly in today’s social media mainstream. Many people, now more than ever, are keen and very adept in their subject matter and can accurately envision trends before they even happen. Thought leaders can be anybody – your C-Suite executives, big influencers in your niche, teammates, or even you. However, only a select few understand what thought leadership really means, and the impact it could have for their business. Below are a few tips you could use to set yourself up as a thought leader on social media.
1. Answer all unanswered questions
A great deal of marketers focus on answering only common questions that add little or no value to their consumer’s query search. Few dive into the unknown to answer tougher and more complex questions. With data mining and frequent talks with clients, you can easily identify unique and unanswered questions and find a way of answering them with much ease in order to persuade and engage your audience more.
2. Get published often, and on reputable sites
You could start by self-publishing on Medium and LinkedIn before you pitch to other established sites across the web. Create a target list of blogs you love and move all the way up from the easiest to the hardest target. Make sure your content is also published regularly so that you can attract a series of both regular and loyal readers. Publish in-depth posts surrounding pertinent issues the industry is facing with your deep perspectives and insights.
3. Make yourself look approachable
For some, experts come across as unapproachable and distant. Therefore, it’s important to add a personal touch to everything you share to engage your audience. Personal anecdotes work like magic when you want to talk about useful information and valuable insights. Make sure you’re clear in all your demonstrations and keep it professional.
4. Share your story
Once you’ve established a presence on social media and built a following, you can share a story about your accomplishments. People love it when leaders share the struggles they endured in the past and turned out being wildly successful in future. People are also happy to hear some of the hobbies or activities their leaders enjoy most. Whether you’re a baseball fan or love golfing, such personalized experiences can help you connect more with your audience than you can imagine.
5. Weigh your influence and refine your approach
It’s crucial to quantify the effect your piece of writing has on people. Make use of social media analytics tools to know which specific posts and blog topics your audience love most, to measure your reach, and to replicate your audience approach in the content you’ll publish next.
Thought leadership is first about educating and last about selling. While your main goal is more likely intended to grow your business or create brand awareness, thought leadership can also yield other favorable outcomes. Follow the tips shared in this guide to help your audience overcome real barriers in their careers, and all the while becoming an influential thought leader on social media.