To Be or Not to Be - A SM Influencer
When taking on social media for your business this is a good question to ask.
My 21-year-old son, Josh Gold has just brought to light a very interesting dilemma in his young career.
The difference between a social media influencer and a professional athlete. Being a professional athlete these days requires first-hand knowledge of the inner workings of social media because you need to be seen and heard across platforms. Visibility is a must. Your value to sponsors depends on your ability to be seen and Social Media posts are the best way to provide value. The numbers associated with online marketing are real, valuable, and trackable.
So the question is where is the line. When do you cross over and become a social media influencer?
Finding yourself with an overwhelming case of FOSMI (Fear of social media interaction). The fear of getting stuck in a world of constantly posting just to post and stressing over the number of followers.
Because you post twice a week on your business does that make you an influencer? Do you have to be locked into the social media frenzy of followers, following, likes, and thumbs-ups????
The good news is NO.
“Influencers in social media are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views and opinions.”
https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-an-influencer
In other words, their business IS social media not professional services like Law or products for purchase.
An influencer can influence a purchase and they do this by using the platform to engage and entertain. A conscious choice by the person or entity, but if you are a business owner who wants to connect to the people who want and need your service there is a better way. Having a presence on social media does not mean YOU BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER! You do not need to be locked in a daily/weekly ritual worrying about your followers and their thumbs button.
As a business owner, your purpose for posting is very different, and this is a” good thing.”
So,
if becoming a Social Media Influencer is your goal then there are plenty of tutorials, coaching, and courses you can follow online. I won’t go into that here.
Or,
If you have a business and you want to use social media to get your business seen and heard then I have three quick and easy pointers for you.
1.Your main platform
Depending on what you do and how you want to interact online the choice of your main platform is crucial to your success. It takes thought and planning so here are some good resources to help your decision.
TikTok is a huge opportunity right now but you will have to commit to three posts a day. This is a tightrope tap dance of influencer vs. professional.
LinkedIn. Try LI Newsletters (Like this one), a new addition to the B2B professional world.
Meta is Facebook and Instagram all rolled into one. Use both! If Instagram is your thing crosspost to Facebook and vice versa.
Google - Google ads and Youtube both are completely different but like Meta, you can cover a lot of ground using both.
Choose your platform wisely, know what is expected to gain a foothold.
2. Purpose for posting.
Is it Brand Awareness? Advertising? Customer Service? For example, if you’re in Real Estate: Brand Awareness is key. Your customers are few and far between and your brand visibility is your main purpose. When people are ready to make a home purchase you need to be familiar to them to be considered. As compared to advertising for a store that needs lots of little touches so people think to pop in or click on when they are in need of a service, or for customer service/appreciation with offering advantages to followers with special deals or when your next sale may be.
3. Consistency.
Whatever you choose, twice a day or once a month, be consistent in your calendar and your message. This is how the world sees you, do you want them to see you as uninspiring? overwhelmed? Messy?, Scattered?. Check out my last article about algorithms. They are the internet’s gatekeepers and understanding how they work will save you time and money.
Tip of the day - Posting is ALL about consistency, not constantly posting to post.
I hope this article helped to clear up some of the confusion you may have felt navigating the great expanse of online marketing and get you moving on a new online visibility plan for your business.
Fear of being locked in, locked out, or manipulated by social media is real.
Understanding its uses and laying down some good solid guidelines will keep your online stream in check and healthy.
Any questions please comment below.
Reach out tgold@bigwaterci.com
Trina Gold
Master Creator BWCI