How to Become a Thought Leader on Social Media: Part 2

In my last post, we talked about 8 ways to stand out on social media networks. These were tips that could be applied to most, if not all, platforms. Now, let’s get more specific about what you can do on a few commonly used networks to stand out even more.

Standing out on Facebook

Facebook can be quite amazing. If you can’t find your audience on Facebook, you probably need to narrow your niche or define your target audience more. According to Statista.com, on a monthly basis there are over 1.71 billion active users on Facebook. The best way to stand out on Facebook is to encourage interaction in a variety of ways.
Images – The folks at Facebook advise: “Marketers can generate up to 100 percent more engagement through image-based posts (rather than text-based).”  That figure alone should have you searching for images to use. 
While you’re searching, pay attention to image size. It is important to use the optimum image sizes. Every now and then Facebook changes its image sizes. Keep up to date on the best sizes to use so that they are more appealing and shareable. Here is a handy website that will keep you current.
Images in updates will help your audience find you in the sea of information in their news feeds. Use well-made, branded, attention-grabbing images to help promote your topics and updates.
Content – The content you share on Facebook should lead readers to take some type of action, whether it’s going to your website, blog, or getting them to sign up for your email list. Plan the purpose or a call to action for all content before you share it. Don’t share anything that is unrelated or uninteresting to your readers.
Engagement – Don’t blindly share content. Most Facebook users are not there to buy. Generally, they dislike advertisements and over-promoters. So, you need to engage with users on Facebook for maximum impact. One way to do that is by creating a group where they may feel more comfortable interacting with you and fellow readers.
Promote – You can’t just leave things to chance on Facebook. If you have something important to share with your audience, use the tools available to promote it. You can promote a post, run an advertising campaign, and share items more than once.
Facebook is the place to be if you want to increase the size of your loyal audience base. Create a group so that you can engage with people. Answer questions on other people’s groups, be a resource, and “go live” with important information for your audience a couple times a week.

Become a Thought-Leader on Twitter

Twitter has over 313 million active monthly users (Statista.com) so in all probability your audience is on Twitter. If you want to go beyond using appropriate #hashtags, here are some best practices and important tips to help you stand out on Twitter.
Repeat your Tweets – More than any other social network, repeating Tweets is an essential component of ensuring that your ideas are seen, commented on, and shared. Try sharing a slightly different tweet about the same info two or three times a day. Twitter may block any exact duplicates. Be sure you space each “repeated tweet/link” several hours apart to get the most engagement.
Don’t forget the Weekend – Weekends are a good time to interact with Twitter users. Some people may not have time to deal with social media during the week. Try sending tweets on weekends. Use what you know about the habits of your target market as well as analytics to find out when your audience engages on Twitter. You might be surprised at how much more you’ll stand out from those who aren’t doing it.
Use Images – Tweets that share images get more retweets and comments than those without. In fact, Buffer reported that for its user base, tweets with images received 150% more retweets than tweets without images.(Source) Be sure to brand your image with your logo. Let the image speak for itself with a small blurb on the image.
Promote – On Twitter, you want to promote your important Tweets to get more bang for your time. When you know you want your audience to perform a specific action from the Tweet, that’s a good time to promote it.
Twitter has a lot of promise when it comes to social media promotions. You can use Twitter ads, Twitter pics, and even video to stand out from the crowd. Avoid too much automation and focus on interaction, especially on Twitter. Take advantage of the fast pace and tweet in the moment.

Be an expert on LinkedIn®

Often thought of as a professional version of Facebook, LinkedIn® has a lot of potential for anyone who is trying to build a brand. If you really want your business to stand out, start making more connections on LinkedIn®. Here are a few best practices to work into your LinkedIn® social media plan.
Profile – LinkedIn® has a huge profile component. In order to stand out here, fill in every blank space that you possibly can. This includes an introductory video, a great professional headshot, as well as referrals, and testimonials from your clients.
Publish – LinkedIn® allows you to publish articles that will potentially get a high amount of viewers, even outside of your connections. This is because all of the second tier connections (your connections’ connections) can see the content you publish. Make your content unique, timely, and relevant. They’ll even give you writing ideas once you click “write an article” under your profile header.
Connect – It is tempting to connect to anyone and everyone on LinkedIn®. However, like most social media platforms, it’s best to connect with only people relevant to your business and people you know. Start with the friends you already have and build your connections over time. You can narrow down the relevancy even more according to your needs.
Engage – LinkedIn® has many groups that probably relate to your business, niche, and topics. However, you can create your own group, if you’d prefer. Whether you join a group or start your own group, make a commitment to engage with your connections on a regular basis. Contributing awesome information and content will attract the audience you want.
If you participate on LinkedIn®, keep your profile updated. Reach out to others who stand out. So many people are relying on automation now that when someone gets real and personal they’ll automatically stand out and make an impression.

Stand out on Google+

Google has shuffled things around a bit. Although some people have labeled it a ghost town, Google+ is still very relevant. Google Search still has the lion’s share of users compared to other search engines. So, Google products still carry weight. In fact, it’s important that you use existing accounts/products as long as possible, in order to stand out even more.
Share Regularly – Whenever you post anything, it should also be promoted and shared on Google+. You can automate this process somewhat but you should always check your accounts, answer questions, and engage with others.
Maximize Communities – You can create and participate in Google+ communities in order to build your authority or expert level but you need to ensure that you are using the community effectively. Create your own community and brand it so that people can easily find and recognize your group. Give your community members exceptional info.
Google Plus is always trying to improve by providing relevant information to readers. Be part of the solution by doing your part to provide top quality content in your little corner of Google+.
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This can all be a little overwhelming! I just published an e-book to give you some tools and resources that will help you. Just complete the form below and it will be on the way!
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