One question you should constantly ask yourself as an entrepreneur is “What am I doing differently from my competitors?”
Entrepreneurs need to be reminded from time to time that the major advantage they have over their competitors is the ability to be themselves, and reveal the uniqueness in what they do.
It is time for you as an entrepreneur to step out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there to build a personal or business brand, create rapport with your audience and attract customers who identify with you.
Some years ago, things were entirely different for me. I did not have a digital footprint. If you were to search for me online then, there would be no results. However, after lots of learning, trials and error, I discovered six specific (and easy to implement) methods that can help any entrepreneur grow a strong presence on the internet and social media.
Through the consistent implementation of these methods, I have not only increased my confidence, but I’ve also gained a tremendous amount of credibility, authority, and trust in the marketplace.
Table of Contents
How to Build Your Online Presence as an Entrepreneur
These are all Do-it-Yourself (DIY) methods I have used personally to gain authority online.
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Create your online presence
The first step to building your online presence is deliberately deciding to put yourself and your brand out on Google and social media generally.
Make your brand name searchable. Create a business website and link to it from your social media platforms. Be a part of networks and groups that align with your business values.
Let people know you and the value you have to offer. What you see (or don’t see) will give you a huge indication of where things stand as far as the internet is concerned.
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Host a podcast
Podcasting is such a fantastic way to build your online presence as an entrepreneur because you can create your show and position yourself as the expert on whatever topic you want your show to revolve around. With podcasting, it’s all about positioning.
You have the ability to position yourself as someone who is an expert, starting with something as simple as your job title. You also get to position yourself as an authority in the marketplace and maintain your online presence because you have a show that speaks about a specific topic on a consistent basis.
To that end, podcasting gives you instant authority, credibility, and access to celebrities. You can have influencers on your podcast that will give you even more credibility and gain trust through their listeners and followers.
Also, by having a podcast, you can get on platforms such as iHeartRadio, Audible, Spotify, iTunes, etc., which allows you to leverage these big-name platforms to add credibility to you, your podcast, and your business.
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Be interviewed
Another way to build your online presence as an entrepreneur is by getting interviewed. There are several ways that you can get interviewed on the topic(s) where you are an expert and build your online presence.
Start with those you know that have a podcast or shows and events that aligns with ideas and topics around which you are an authority. Reach out to them and ask them to be a guest to help pour into their audience.
You can plug yourself into Facebook groups and connect with podcast hosts for mutual benefit. And there are also websites out there where you can add yourself into their directory for podcast guesting.
Being interviewed as an expert is a sure way to build your online presence. This is a form of second-person validation that you are an expert in your field.
Read also: Virtual interview tips to ace your next interview.
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Have a unique content strategy
Having a unique content strategy on social media is another way to build and maintain your business online presence.You can generate authority online by doing super-cool stuff on social media that’s innovative or not regularly used.
For example, one content strategy is creating story stickers and GIFs. Story stickers are the animated stickers you can add to your TikTok videos, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat stories. These are a great way to brand yourself.
There is a process you have to go through to get featured on Facebook and Instagram stories, so not everyone can do this, although it has been a great way for me to build authority and business online presence in my niche because it creates curiosity, people want to know how you got the stickers on your Facebook and Instagram stories.
To get your GIFs and stickers featured, you will need to create a brand-approved channel through GIPHY, www.giphy.com. Be sure to have fun with your stickers and showcase your personality!
Read also: Content marketing strategy: How to generate topics.
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Create a course
Course creation is another way to build and maintain your online presence. As an entrepreneur, what better way is there to show people that you are an expert at something than to create a course that teaches people about various aspects of your business?
This is a good way to establish authority and also to reach people who haven’t heard of you. Once you create them, you can sell these courses or use them as a free gift to get people to opt-in so you can build your mailing list.
Sponsor your business with Insight.ng and you’ll be glad you did.
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Publish content around your expertise
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Lastly, an easy way to establish your online presence as an entrepreneur is to publish content around your expertise. This can easily be done through eBooks, downloadable PDFs, and white paper reports. All you have to do is simply take the content that you’ve created and transcribe it so you can create a publishable document that can be consumed by prospects who prefer to read.
These pieces of content can be giveaways to draw in leads and followers while you are a guest on a podcast or a speaker at an event. This is an effective way to build your online presence on social media.
Conclusion
No matter how strong or low your online presence on social media is, I believe the methods I’ve shared here can take your business to the next level. Use these six ways to start developing authority and establishing your online presence in digital spaces where you don’t have a presence.
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About Author
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Okafor Margaret N Is a freelance content writer and a Brand strategist that specializes in creating quality content for your Business/Brand and generating quality Leads/prospects.
"Every desired prospect or lead can be turned into a lifelong customer with the right COPY".
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