This is post 3 in a series of 10 about how to get social media authority. The first post is 7 ways to get more followers, the second post is 5 reasons you should use Facebook ads.
10 Ways to Build Your Credibility on Social Media
Social media is an incredibly powerful marketing tool that can help you to reach a potentially unlimited number of people with a minimum investment in terms of time, money and effort.
But, while social media might be incredibly powerful, it's still only as good as the strategy you have in place and if you haven't first established yourself as a credible authority then you'll find that everything you do falls on deaf ears.
To improve your effectiveness then, you should make this one of your biggest priorities.
Here are ten ways to build that credibility:
1. Create a Blog
Then fill it with well-researched, in-depth and informative posts and share them on social media. This is content marketing 101 and one of the best ways to establish trust and authority. If you can't write, hire someone who can to do it for you. The post you're reading was written by someone else and I did a LOT of editing so that it was accurate and flowed well. Sometimes I'm a better editor than I am a content creator, while other times I'm a better creator than editor. Either way, this post and the other 9 in the series are researched, informative and are exactly what my readers have been asking for. Don't know how to blog? Don't know where to start? I know a great platform that will get you started within 15 minutes. Check it out here >>>Your Own Blog<<<
2. Get/Earn Followers
Unfortunately, if you have a single social media account with 14 followers, you will have a hard time convincing people to put stock in what you say. This is where numbers matter. People see this as an indicator of your authority, so get to work growing that number by following other people, sharing quality content, commenting with informative and interesting information.
3. Be Personal
People like to know that there's a real human being behind a social media account. By being personal, you're showing that you are real and that can help to build trust and credibility. How? Every now and then posting a personal image will help to build that connection with your fans. If you have hobbies that you can tie to your business, post an image of you and the hobby. Share your views on a topic, your opinion on a subject. No need to share your entire life story, but by sharing bits and pieces you're showing people that you're a person, too. And they will respond.
4. But Not Too Personal
That said, a drunken rant or a Tweet about your toilet habits can also seriously undermine your respectability. You might think it's amusing/poignant, but your business account is not the place for that kind of content.
5. Branding
Your social media pages should have strong branding with high definition images and well written information. Make sure that everything says quality.
6. Spelling
Does a misspelling mean that your interesting fact isn't true? You might think it doesn't matter, but to a large portion of your business audience, it does. The occasional slip almost always is overlooked, but if you consistently put out misspelled words you're going to be viewed as an amateur.
7. Post Regularly
If you go days, weeks or months on end without posting, then your social media will look like a ghost town which suggests it's not a professional account. And while it's best to blog every day, share the post and additional posts every day on social media, if you're not able to keep to this type of schedule…then keep in mind that unless you already have a raving fan base, you won't be building one. Social media moves fast and your followers have expectations that you need to meet.
8. Network
One of the easiest ways to be persuasive is to appeal to another authority on a given subject. If you can get a referral from another big social media account then this will help you greatly. How? Start a conversation with the owner of the profile and get to know them. Share with them something that you think they will value…surprise them with information that will help them succeed. Give something of value and it will be appreciated.
9. Participate
Communities on social media give you a chance to answer questions and demonstrate that you know your stuff. You should consider it an opportunity to showcase your expertise and knowledge. Don't limit yourself to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest. There are forums and communities all over the internet that you can join and be a part of. Look for a community on Google+, check out Quora, look for a community centered around your hobby or passion. Then participate. You will be noticed. Ask me how I came to be known as a ‘sourcing expert' a few years ago. (don't ask me in the comments…find me, follow me, send me a message and communicate with me).
10. Deliver Quality
Make sure that all your posts are interesting/entertaining and that you are consistently delivering quality and value. Make note of the blogs you're following and are interested in…what are they posting? Why is it valuable to you? What about the Facebook page you Like? What kind of posts do you engage with? Don't rely solely on an image or a video…share your views on the image or video.
So there you have it. 10 Ways to Build Your Credibility on Social Media. I hope you found this helpful.
