By Norman Arvidsson
When you create influential content, many great things happen.
First, your readers are more likely to share your content with others and talk about your posts on their own social media pages.
Next, your authoritative posting makes it more likely your calls-to-action will be answered.
Finally, and most importantly, the more inspirational posts, tweets, updates, and images you produce, the more power you gain to effect change in your chosen industry.
Unfortunately, creating content that causes followers to take action or change their minds, requires more than a simple ability to write interesting blog posts and social media updates.
If you want to create online postings that increases the influence you have in your space, check out the following 10 tips.
Keep Track of What Your Audience Likes
Your most mind-changing posts are going to be the ones that generate the most traffic, get the most shares, and receive the most positive response from your audience.
When you publish new blog posts, tweets, and other digital marketing contributions, pay attention to the response you receive.
You will quickly learn your readers’ preferences as far as subject matter and type.
Participate in the Conversations You Create
Speaking of conversations, when you post something that generates conversation, don’t leave your followers talking to themselves and one another.
Jump in and take part as well. Answer questions, and ask your followers for feedback.
Involve Your Audience With Interactive Content
Interactive content includes, polls, surveys, and quizzes.
If you are interested in producing more advanced interactive content, there are also interactive infographics and even interactive white papers.
Interactive content results in a lot of engagement and social sharing because it allows the user to share their thoughts and opinions, to gain personal insight, or indulge in a bit of a fun distraction.
Get an Influencer to Weigh in
An influencer is a person in your niche who has earned enough credibility that their word carries a lot of weight.
It is very important to do what you can to develop relationships with influencers in your space, because it makes it easier to reach out to them for positive quotes or commentary on your posts.
Getting this kind of endorsement is extremely important considering the influence of social media on business nowadays.
Use Data to Boost Credibility
If you can back-up the things you claim in your social media posts with solid data, it is much more likely to influence change or action.
If you can present that data in visual form, that is even better.
Keep Social Media Meaty
There’s nothing inherently wrong with posting the occasional fluff piece for fun and entertainment.
However, those pieces aren’t going to help you become influential.
For the most part, focus on fact-filled, well researched pieces of writing that provide readers with information and instruction they can apply to their lives.
Build Relationships and Earn Links
Earning inbound links from other reputable influencers and social media participants is extremely important when it comes to search engine optimization and boosting your reputation.
The best way to earn these links is to develop relationships with other bloggers and writers, especially those in complementary niches.
Get to know them, share their posts, and link to their contributions in your own posts.
Soon, they will return the favor and link your content as well.
Make it Visual
When you include visual content such as charts, graphs, videos, or infographics in your blogs and social media updates, you increase the likelihood that it will be read and shared quite significantly.
You also increase the amount of trust your audience feels when it comes to you and digital marketing efforts.
For example, something as simple as including your picture in your blog posts can make a huge difference in credibility.
Visual imagery is also more likely to keep readers on your pages for longer periods of time.
Optimize Your Content
Don’t forget about the importance of optimization when you produce content.
First, always use keywords properly, but sparingly.
A tool such as BuzzSumo can help with that.
Then, make sure your headlines is eye catching and also optimized for search.
You can also optimize your images by using descriptive file names, hashtags in captions, and other techniques.
Be Consistent
Your ability to influence people with your content is heavily tied to your reputation.
A large part of that reputation lies in your consistent production of high quality contributions that informs, entertains, solves problems, and creates great conversations.
You don’t gain influencer status by writing one or two great posts.
It requires a combination of both insight and consistency.
image credit: shutterstock
