6 Steps To Building Your Social Presence

So You Want To Build A Strong Social Presence?

With the power of social media today, it's no surprise that so many people from all walks of life have started to build their online presence and creating their personal brands. If you've decided that this is something you want to try, then there are a few things you need to know:

1. Commit
The first thing you need to know is that this isn't going to be easy, and definitely not a decision to make lightly. You also need to understand that it's not going to happen overnight. So, when you decide that you want to market yourself online through personal branding, then commit to it - and understand what you're committing to. It often means choosing to write a blog post, creating a video, etc, over doing another activity.

There are no half measures here - especially not in the beginning.


2. Know Why
If you are going to make this long term commitment, you need to know why. Are you doing this just to get your name out there, or are you marketing something specific? For example, I decided to build my online presence to practice my writing, and to start building a fanbase for my writing. I also decided that I wanted to inspire new writers, and collaborate with existing ones.

What about you?

Maybe you have a great idea for a Youtube channel series or show, or you have a fantastic book full of family recipes that you want to share. Or maybe you have a talent or skill, and you want to share it with the world, and show them how they can develop it as well.

Once you've decided why you want to build your social base, and about which topic, stick to it! General blogs can work it some cases, but it's very important in the beginning to decided on who your target market will be, and work on drawing them in.


3. Choose your platforms
Which social media platform do you want to use? There are many available today, and I would recommend a combination of several - but, again, this is up to you. Personally I prefer a combination of Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Blogger, and DeviantArt. This doesn't mean they'll work for you. You might prefer to swop out a written blog for Youtube, and decide that Pinterist is more your thing. I can't honestly say that one platform is better than another - I can only say that they all have their own unique features. Pick those that you feel comfortable working with, and can easily tailor your content to.


4. Prepare
Someone once told me that planning is 90% of the work. If you do that properly, the rest will fall into place much easier. Plan your blog posts or videos, schedule your tweets and Facebook posts, and prepare a list of topics you can talk or write about. When it comes to scheduling posts, I love using Hootsuite, but it's not the only social media management tool out there.

Once you have a list of topics, and you know where you're going...


5. Write!
Or Record, whatever the case may be. Start putting your content, your art or your videos out there. Get your content together, try to be as unique as possible, and when things get tough - keep going! This is where you can get creative, and draw people into your world.


6. Be Active & Reciprocate
This is a very important element. It's very easy to skip tweeting for a day or two, to not have something to post, or not putting up new content. While it won't have such a major effect later on, in the beginning it's vital to be as active as possible. You need to be in front of people all the time! When they're browsing for new content around your chosen topic, make sure there's something fresh for them to find.

But this isn't a one way street! Go out and find others that know about your field, or are interested in it. Give advice, connect and initiate conversations. And if someone takes the time to read or look at your work, reciprocate! If you don't engage with your audience now, you might not have an audience to engage with later.


In short, deciding to create a social presence is not a decision to make lightly, and it requires dedication, time and creativity. Are you willing to invest yourself?

I would love to hear your opinions and stories! Or, if you feel like I missed something, please comment below and let me know!

As Always,