To become known as an online influencer you need to master your message, build a tribe of loyal followers, and create a shareworthy brand style or mystique that is compelling. That’s a tall order. Much of the time the popularity of an influencer is directly related to the topic.
Choose Your Topic of Influence Wisely
If you are an expert or have a passion around a trending topic, brand, politics, or celebrity, then you’ll have an easier time of developing your identity as an influencer. However, all is not lost if you don’t. If you are committed, have a valued message and/or content, and you follow some basic best practices, you will garner more attention.
How To Become Influential
The time it will take to develop yourself as an influencer depends on your commitment and the priorities of your market. If you are halfway in, then results will be mediocre at best.
If you are super passionate and are speaking, being interviewed, producing video and social imagery, as well as articles all over in a consistent manner, you will begin to rise in visibility.
To become well known, reach out and make connections with other influencers of your market. Like their posts and offer positive comments and acknowledgement of their work. Share their posts. Then reach out with a friend request, follow, or connection request. Yes, you want to connect with well known people including CEOs and thought leaders. You can also reach out to those who are their biggest advocates online. Remember competition is not an obstacle when you’re building social media influence. It actually helps. You may want to participate the Facebook and LinkedIn groups these leaders have. Be sure NOT to be self-promotional. You’ll actually shoot yourself in the foot if you do. Be a giver! You may choose to answer questions that arise in the group or add value where you can. Apply to speak at the conferences they speak at and find new ones in your niche.
To grow your tribe, create a content marketing strategy. Showcase your expertise in blogs, LinkedIn articles, and video content that you share across the various networks your market is active. Use a tribe marketing platform like Social Buzz Club to expand the reach of your content. Members of these platforms curate each other’s content. Make sure your website is set up to compel your ideal market to opt-in to be on your mailing list. This means have an irresistible free offer for them. Downloadable content that offer solutions to what they are craving work the best. When your tribe drives traffic to your blog posts that have useful content and powerful calls to action (CTAs), you will grow your influence rapidly.
How to Measure Influence without Klout
Between 2014 and 2018 there was a site called Klout.com which went to great lengths to measure influence. Klout was bought out and then sunsetted like many a buyout. Nonetheless, since that time we have seen the rise in influencer marketing. To know how influential you are, you’ll want to measure some things.
General rule of thumb is to look for and measure the reach of your own posts and track traffic to your website, specifically your blog content. In addition, gain momentum by OTHER people organically sharing your blog posts. Passionate entrepreneurs, product managers, and brands will often use a gamified content sharing platform to do so. When you can have a blog be shared organically by a dozen or so people to their social networks, you drive more traffic and at a minimum visibility for you as a shareworthy influencer.
