The rise in social media has created a spike in the interest in social media marketing. The number of social media users has grown and is continuing to grow. The rise of interest from leaders and their organizations to be active on social media has also grown tremendously. These same leaders and organizations not only use social media for pleasure, but they are also using social media to display their leadership skills and stand out as thought leaders.
An excellent social media strategy can act as a conduit for success in the social world and can open new doors and avenues for you. A decent social media strategy can also help give you a competitive advantage as you look to develop a name for your business and take it to the heights you envision.
Almost 94 percent of all small businesses today are using social media. Gone are the days when just being on social media was a competitive advantage.
With today’s complicated and complex work structure, organizations and leaders need to make sure that they invest their time and efforts on social media and minimize any distractions whatsoever. As a leader on social media, you need to target thought leadership on different platforms.
With this being said, your social media posts do not necessarily have to be out of the ordinary or innovative. All you need to do is target thought leadership and stand out within your industry.
This article discusses some ways to stand out on social media become a thought leader.
Tips on How to Use Thought Leadership on Social Media
We will start with a few tips about thought leadership you can follow to succeed on social media. These tips can help you improve your persona on social media and derive the best results possible online.
Pick the Right Social Networks
The first step for social media domination is to pick the right social networks. Rather than jumping in on every social media platform, you should make sure that you identify your niche, the target market you are appealing to, and the kind of content they want to see. Ensure you have a decent understanding of the social media networks your niche market uses.
This is extremely necessary because the ultimate purpose behind thought leadership on social media is to get noticed by your target market, which happens when you are active and know what your target market wants. There is no sense in trying to fit into social media platforms that aren’t the best fit for your target market.
With around one billion active users and several new features for marketing and branding, Facebook seems ideal. It is the most logical choice for anyone just starting on social media and wants decent branding and results.
Not every user on social media is a possible customer you can lure or someone you can get to join your team. Still, regardless, Facebook promotes organic relationships with customers who may be potential team members. Interaction is essential when you are looking to establish and grow relationships with people in your customer base.
There are several other options beyond Facebook, which is why you should check with your team and see what other platforms they use or suggest. You could go for Instagram if you target a younger audience. You can even try Snapchat if you have a niche product that stands out in that market. What is important is that you choose the social media platforms you decide to use deliberately.
Recommend Solutions
One of the best ways to build thought leadership online is to converse with users and give them solutions for their problems. While customers face issues that your products can solve, other issues require guidance and expert leadership.
You should provide recommendations to users on your social media account to assist them and solve their problems. Doing this gives the impression that you are ready to help your users whenever and wherever they require your guidance. You want your audience to feel comfortable in your presence, and the best way to do so is by giving them recommendations and solutions, even if they aren’t your own. You can build a positive rapport and develop a positive impression if you provide solutions to customers, even if you don’t have anything directly at stake.
Draw Inspiration from Others Around You
You will find several small businesses and entrepreneurs around you that can act as a source of inspiration for your business. These businesses and leaders have probably been on social media for a while, and you can use the template they have followed to build a successful brand of your own online as well.
Countless brands can help you step towards thought leadership. To simplify your research, you can look up a list of some of the best social profiles on Google. The search engine will guide you towards the best options and what you can do to learn from them and replicate their success.
Also, you shouldn’t feel shy or pressured about reaching out to social media influencers native to your industry. Social media influencers allow you to drive your publicity and branding forward. Almost 92 percent of consumers purchase because peers or family pressures them. You can target influencers with a decent fan following to ensure that you get good returns on your investment.
Don’t be Afraid to be Yourself
Your followers and customers on social media want to see the real you, not a bot sitting on the other end, creating nonsensical posts. If you’re going to go for thought leadership online, you should use your social media yourself and shouldn’t be afraid to be yourself.
If something makes you laugh, and there is something that you feel good about, do not be afraid to share it with everyone on your social media.
Yes, it would help if you looked to highlight your expertise and professionalism, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of hiding your human side. Your customers can better identify with you if you express your values, be yourself, and interact with them as humans would.
Take Advice from Your Audience
Listen to them. Set a proactive tone versus a reactive one by asking your audience for feedback and recommendations. This is a great way to head off potential issues. It also allows you to make your audience feel valued and respected by interacting with them and asking them for new ways to improve your social media presence.
If you have a social media group or page, you can ask pertinent questions about your industry and see how they respond. You will get people talking about your company and industry, and it will help give you several new ideas and solutions. The conversations will also go a long way to demonstrate just how much your audience matters to you and how much you are willing to trust them today and in the future.
Image Text: Social Media Networks Logos
Observe National Holidays and Days
There is always an opportunity to celebrate a national holiday or a national day with your audience. There are different days for raising awareness, promoting products, and celebrating with everyone. You shouldn’t skip these days if you want to stand out on social media. It is a great practice to celebrate campaigns from National Trivia Day to National Lasagna Day and the more serious Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The more active your online presence is, the better it will do to get customer attention and make them stay for longer. Customers will realize that you value these small things and are looking to make an effort. You can segregate your days based on the meaning they carry and how it relates to your audience. Pick the days that are of more importance to your audience and celebrate them with zeal and zest.
Post Quality Content Regularly
The last thing you can think of doing online on social media is to go MIA after making a couple of posts each month. If you want a sizable following for your posts, you should ensure that you make and post quality content regularly. The content you write should stand out and should be consistent in nature. As much as quality matters, consistency is key here as well.
Make it a point to create quality content that resonates with your audience. Regardless of whether it is posting twice a day, twice a week, or twice a month, all that is important is that you have a definitive content calendar.
A content calendar can regulate everything and help you develop the right positing schedule required for the day.
Join Relevant Groups
Joining relevant groups can help you take your thought leadership to the highest stage. Facebook has many social media groups that you can join. You can pick groups that relate to your industry niche, as that will provide you with more room to voice your opinions, make your solid facts stand out, and be appreciated by those around you.
Start with picking a few groups that relate to your niche. Once you choose your groups, you should focus on quantity over quality. Make sure you have at least 4 to 5 groups to join and be active. Don’t join 10 to 12 different groups when you aren’t active on even one of them.
Besides sharing your knowledge, make sure that you make your presence felt in the groups and engage with other group members. It is a decent idea to converse with people and offer solutions to problems requiring advice and recommendations.
Network with Thought Leaders and Influencers
As you look to grow in thought leadership online, it is necessary that you network with influencers and thought leaders online. Networking is important for success online, and you should look to regularly do it.
If it helps in the long run, you should build your credibility, listen to new perspectives and expand the community you build. You can also work with thought leaders from other industries to talk to them about their knowledge and the struggle they went through to stand where they currently are.
You can also conduct podcasts and other online discussions to communicate with industry leaders. An excellent way to position your brand as a thought leader is to talk to thought leaders from the same industry and let their reputation trickle into yours.
Answer Questions on Quora
Is Quora a social media platform that most entrepreneurs use? No, it isn’t! However, Is it one of the platforms that entrepreneurs should be part of? Yes, it should be!
Check out Quora and identify questions related to your organization, expertise, industry, and knowledge base. You can answer these questions with your name and description to get everyone talking about you.
Before you move to Quora, make sure that you have a fair understanding of the answers you can offer. Quora is a public view platform, and everyone will read your answers. While a good answer will get you new customers, a bad one can scare them away.
We hope you find the right techniques
for thought leadership on social media by now. Run through these tips again to make sure you stand out on social media and get the results you deserve.
