The #1 Way to STAND OUT and SHOW UP Online + Grow Your Following
WHATEVER YOU DO, BE CONSISTENT
A WEBSITE THAT’S ALL YOURS
BE WHERE YOUR PEOPLE ARE
MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE
The number one rule of getting your business or organization to stand out online is consistency. Whether you are writing blogs, posting on a Facebook page, uploading TikToks, or uploading videos to Youtube, consistency is key! Every platform praises and promotes consistent and reliable CONTENT. Their goal is to have people coming back to their platform as often as possible. When you post consistently, you’re helping them with their goal and are therefore rewarded.
#1 - Whatever you do, Be Consistent
I’ve heard countless stories from those who have made it big and built huge audiences across the board, their number one tip is consistency even when it feels like what you are doing gets absolutely nowhere. Now, if you’re asking, “How do I post consistently?” I have a couple of tips for you: plan ahead, schedule time, and schedule your posts.
Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the day of to come up with an idea. Start writing your ideas down now and put them in a calendar. That way you know in advance about what your next post will be. Set reminders so you remember it’s coming up. I use Asana for this and having a content calendar with reminders will definitely help you get ahead of your publishing schedule and ensure you are posting consistently.
Schedule Creative Time
Once you have your topic on the schedule, make sure to give yourself time to actually create the content. Think about how much time you’ll need, then block your calendar so you can get it done.
Schedule Your Posts
One of the best things about being ahead of your posts is you can schedule them in advance. You can do this on Facebook and Instagram using the Meta Business Suite. There are also several paid and free social media publishing tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer. Overall, these services will help you save time as you only have to create content in one platform then you can send it out to multiple channels at once. If you are a blogger, a big perk of Squarespace is that you can set it up to push new blog posts to LinkedIn and Pinterest automatically when the scheduled blog posts.
#2 - MAKE YOUR WEBSITE POP
You may hear people say you don’t need a website. That is a lie. Unlike Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media that can decide to take down your content, not show it to anyone, or just delete your account entirely for no real reason, you control your website. Social media content typically also has a very short lifespan and quickly gets buried in a user's feed whereas website content can be evergreen and show up in Google searches years after it’s been posted.
Your website is a place where you are in complete control. You can be sure that when you post a blog, it will be there for people to see. Your website is similar to having a brick-and-mortar storefront. It adds immensely to your credibility as a brand and business. It gives you the ability to share your story, mission and vision, and values. Plus, it helps people connect with you. It is also a great place to build your email list. If people like the content you have within your website or what your brand is about, they’ll be much more inclined to join your newsletter.
If you need a website that speaks to your ideal clients and makes your business shine - that’s what I do! Schedule a free consultation and let’s talk about how I may be able to help!
#3 - BE WHERE YOUR PEOPLE ARE
Do you know who your ideal client is? Do you know where they hang out? Are they spending time on Instagram, watching TikToks, discussing things on Facebook, or searching for a restaurant on Yelp? This is essential information to know first- spend the time to figure it out.
Then, be present in that space! Post Instagram reels highlighting your new drink. Build a Facebook group about real estate investing in Arkansas- or join and contribute to one that already exists.
Show time-lapses of your process on TikTok. Whatever it is that you do, find where your clients hang out and post content that is valuable to them.
Don't waste time in spaces where your people aren't. Make sure you have a minimal presence in many spaces but put 90% of your effort into where your people hang out. For example, I've seen accounts from people with huge followings that realized none of their clients were coming from Instagram so they instead decided to focus their efforts on their blog and eventually youtube. They now only post on insta a few times a year and their bio just says "I've broken up with Instagram and hang out on Youtube now! Come join me there!" This is an incredibly effective strategy because it allows people to find you and follow you for the times when you do post, but it also tells them where they can follow you and has an actionable way for them to find you where you are getting real results.
#4 - MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE
No, in this case, I’m not talking about being eco-conscious. Make it sustainable for you as a person or your organization. Don’t overcommit and burn yourself out. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
The great part of all this is that you get to choose your schedule. If you can only write 2 blogs a month, great! Do it! If you can post an Instagram story every day, fantastic! Just be consistent! I’m personally working on posting two blogs a week and posting to social media every Thursday. Think about your capacity and what you can sustain for at least 6 months then do it, and have fun! Sharing your knowledge and creating engaging content that people want to interact with is a journey.
Then, pay attention to the type of content that gets the most response from your audience. Look at engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, and shares, to identify patterns and preferences. Take what you've learned and create more content that receives positive feedback and engagement.
Following the steps above can be a bit daunting, but make it a priority and I’m positive you’ll begin to see your online presence improve and your audience grow.