You don’t have to have a talk show, newsletter, or podcast to reach your audience in today’s day and age. Thanks to social media, you can build a platform for free entirely in the palm of your hand. Anyone with a public Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook account can harness the power of social media to create change and grow a community. As a thought leader, social media is a powerful tool to connect directly with your community, reach new faces, and increase your impact and reach. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to building a community on social media, let’s begin with these basics.
Be Authentic
Authenticity is the most important element for building trust and credibility with your audience, both online and offline. To practice authenticity, be genuine and real with what you share. Communicate openly and honestly with your audience online. Remove the filters and share the ups and downs of your journey to help your audience relate to you. Not everything has to be perfectly curated and filtered. In fact, if you’re on TikTok or Instagram Reels lately, you’ll see that unfiltered, unexpected moments perform well and build trust. All in all, be you!
Be Consistent
When it comes to building an engaged social media community, consistency is key. If you post and disappear for two months, your audience won’t feel invested in you if they don’t already know you. If you want to gain a following and build loyal connections, you have to post consistently. This allows you to create an identity that leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Users are more likely to revisit your platforms when they know what to expect, especially when you stay within a specific niche. Create a content strategy and schedule, and stick to it. Over time, your audience and impact will grow.
Be Responsive
Don’t post and ghost! The people engaging behind their phones are just that – real people. Talk back to them, engage with them, and connect with them. Without engagement, social media might as well be television – a one-sided form of media. People don’t use social media for a one-way experience. They’re seeking connection and meaningful conversation. Translation? Your comments and DMs are where the magic happens. Over time, you’ll turn your followers into customers through positive interactions with you. Pro tip: Write meaningful, no-fluff captions to help your followers to get to know you. Reply to as many comments as you can to grow those relationships. Need help with your writing? Check out these tips from our founder, Jess Ekstrom to channel your inner writer.
Once you have these social media basics nailed down into your daily routine, your community will come…we promise. Social media doesn’t have to feel like something you’re constantly battling on top of your speaking or writing career. It should be a seamless supplement to your thought leadership content. It’s easy to get caught up in algorithms, trends, and analytics, but at the end of the day, your relationships are what matter more.
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