10 Ways To Increase Your Influence On Social Media

There is no doubt that social media is growing and people are now using social media more and more to communicate and connect with friends and family. People are now used to sharing information, thoughts and opinions through blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. There are so many platforms that are being created everyday to cater to the different niches too.

If you do a search and look for statistics, there are multiple infographics that indicate the growth of people registering and increased time spent on the different social networking sites. But what does all this mean? It just shows that as more and more people join in the conversation, the harder it is to be heard, especially if you are just starting out. If you are new to social media or have been active for quite sometime now but you feel your message is not being heard, we offer 10 ways to help you increase your influence online.

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1.  Set up a proper profile –  Okay you registered, what’s next? One thing that people take for granted is setting up a proper social media profile.  Two important things one must do are:

a.  Have a  proper profile picture - make sure you use a profile picture that will help people know who you are.  People want to converse and know people not an egg (Twitter) or a blank photo on Facebook.

b.  Write your bio -  Use keywords that represent who you are. Add links to your blog if you have one so that people can get more information and connect with you on a more personal level.

2.  Be an active social media participant  -  Once you have set up your profile, make sure you do not stop there.  Be active too. Don’t think people will instantly follow you back or like your page or add you to their circles if you are not active and don’t post any updates.  It’s a must to converse and share information on a regular basis.

3.  Connect with people beyond your circle -  We encourage our community to connect with people other than just their friends and family. Only when you open your world to other people will you have a better online and social media experience. If we ourselves did not open our circle to more than family and friends then we would not had the chance to meet each other. It is amazing to learn about new cultures and see different views from real people from all over the world.

4.  Take it offline -  Reaching out to people beyond the Internet is something we love to do and have found enjoyable. Meeting the people you connect with online will bring a bond that one cannot fully achieve if you don’t make the effort to connect in real life. Attend conferences or tweet ups and gatherings with people you share similar interests.   

5. Create thought leadership -  If you want to increase your influence and be heard, you will need to build thought leadership. Share information and join discussions that you are passionate about. If you have a blog, write and talk about information that you feel will benefit your community.

6. Build a community -  We wrote an article  just recently about how you can build your community. You can check it out here. In that post we talked about the importance of building your community.  It is only through your community you will grow. It is difficult be successful alone. Having a group of trusted individuals to learn from and connect with is a must. Learn to reciprocate and give and you will be surprised with the out pouring of support you will receive in return.

7. Be an active listener – Building your influence means people look to you for information. If you want to know if what you share is relevant then you will need to learn to be an active listener. Check out which of your articles are liked by your community and share more of those type. Answer comments on the social networking sites you are active on. Building your influence will take time and effort but believe us, it is well worth all the work you will put into it.

8. Engage – Sharing information is great but joining in the conversation is a must too. Converse and be helpful when you can. That is a great way to build your influence in social media.

9.  Use tools available to you – The majority of the people who give up on social media simply feel overwhelmed or too busy.  Do not fret. There are many tools available to help manage our online accounts. Use lists (available on Twitter, Facebook and as circles on Google +) Use buffer app and Hootsuite to schedule some of your updates. Use Twitter Chats and Google HangOuts to find people with similar interests as you.

10.  Measure and be flexible –  It is always helpful to check your progress in terms of your influence. There is Klout and Kred. Check your progress on a regular basis. This will allow you to make adjustments where necessary. These tools will also allow you to balance your conversation and information sharing.

There you go, 10 ways that have helped the both of us increase our influence and be heard on social media. Did we miss anything? Please share your thoughts with us by leaving us a comment.

Image Credit :   Marty McPadden

About the authors:

Marty McPadden founder and host of PodJamTv is a professional photographer, videographer, blogger, apple geek and a Production Supervisor at ESPN one of the largest sports network in the world. His vast knowledge in the above mentioned field will allow you our readers to tap into tools, apps, reviews and tips that he has learned and mastered over the years. How to’s and hacks that will allow you to have a richer online experience.

Misty Belardo co host and co writer of PodJamTv is an experienced blogger, designer and a self proclaimed Twitter-holic and an avid Facebook user is a Senior Production Manager at Barefoot Proximity, one of the most awarded advertising agencies across the globe. Her experience with writing, designing, SEO and brand and advertising strategy will give readers a point of view of what happens behind the scenes in the digital sphere.

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