We are all on one or another social media or social networking platform, right? You must be spending considerable time sifting through updates on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and if not, maybe content creation apps like Flipboard. Social has become a part of life. It is no longer a fad. From grannies to toddlers, everybody these days has one or another social media account.
Where there are people there is business, whether one likes it or not. It is not just about businesses, even people running the social media websites need to make a buck. Normal people using Facebook aren’t going to pay Facebook unless they are really desperate to use it. The same goes with Twitter. With LinkedIn, of course things are different because anyway it is a business networking platform so people don’t mind paying it to use some of its features. But the other social networking platforms need to depend on businesses to make money even just to sustain the platforms.
There are two ways you can promote your business on social media: (1) advertising and (2) posting content and interacting with your followers and connections.
Although you may have your own preferences when you create and post content for social media and social networking websites, this Content Standard blog post lists three trends to follow in 2015 that can bring you success. These are
- Use more of the platform you’re already using: This perfectly makes sense. You must have spent lots of time creating your presence on a particular social media or social networking platform so why not use it instead of starting on with something new? Besides, the social networking platforms are constantly introducing new features that you can use to promote yourself and your content. For example, on LinkedIn you can create articles and blog posts exclusively for the platform to showcase your expertise.
- Create your own network of influential people: No, it is not something like starting a new version of Facebook or LinkedIn. What it means is, be proactive and establish contacts with influential people in your field. For example, if I provide content writing and content marketing services, in order to promote my content, I should establish contact with people who are already doing great in this field and have gathered a massive following. Even if once one of them decides to promote one of my blog posts, it can bring me lots of exposure.
- Start making money with your content: Well, some of us have already been making money with our content, if not by directly selling that content, then definitely by expanding our presence.