As a speaker, your ability to connect with your audience is paramount to your success. In today’s digital age, social media can be a powerful tool to enhance your reach and impact. However, growing your social media presence as a motivational speaker requires a strategic plan of action. In this blog post, we will explore the steps you need to follow to grow your social media as a motivational speaker, from where to start from scratch to developing a strong social media strategy. So, if you’re ready to take your motivational speaking to the next level, read on.
For public speakers, social media is a great way to establish themselves as a thought leader and share their knowledge with a broader audience. Here are some tips to grow your social media following as a speaker:
1. Share Knowledge:
Sharing your thoughts on trending topics and giving insights on your area of expertise can help establish you as a thought leader and attract a following. Here are some examples:
Opinion pieces: Writing opinion pieces or thought leadership articles on industry-specific topics can help establish you as an expert in your field. Public speaker and author Simon Sinek often shares opinion pieces on LinkedIn, which help solidify his reputation as a thought leader.
Video content: Sharing video content such as webinars or keynote speeches on social media can help convey your expertise and reach a wider audience. Public speaker and author Brené Brown often shares her keynote speeches on social media to inspire her followers and attract new ones.
2. Consistency:
Consistency in your content creation and posting schedule can help keep your followers engaged and attract new followers. Here are some examples:
Posting schedule: Creating a schedule for posting content on social media can help keep your followers engaged and ensure that your content is seen by a wider audience. Public speaker and author Marie Forleo regularly posts new content on her YouTube channel and Instagram page on a consistent schedule to engage her followers.
Personal branding: Using a consistent brand message and tone can help you create a consistent social media presence and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Public speaker and author Jay Shetty uses a consistent brand message and tone across all his social media platforms, which helps to reinforce his personal brand and reach a wider audience.
3. Engage with your audience:
Engaging with your audience through comments, direct messages, and asking questions can help create a personal relationship with your audience. Here are some examples:
Q&A Sessions: Hosting regular Q&A sessions on social media can help you engage with your audience and demonstrate your expertise. Public speaker and author Gary Vaynerchuk often hosts Q&A sessions on his Instagram page, which helps him connect with his followers and demonstrate his expertise.
Responding to comments: Responding to comments on your social media posts can help you create a sense of community and engage with your followers. Public speaker and author Tony Robbins frequently responds to comments on his social media posts to create a sense of community and connect with his followers.
4. Network:
Networking with other industry leaders, attending events, and joining LinkedIn groups can help you connect with like-minded individuals and grow your following. Here are some examples:
LinkedIn: Joining LinkedIn groups and participating in discussions can help you connect with other professionals in your industry and increase your following. Public speaker and author Mel Robbins frequently participates in discussions in LinkedIn groups to connect with other like-minded professionals.
Networking events: Attending networking events can help you meet new people in your industry and grow your following. Public speaker and author Adam Grant often speaks at networking events, which helps to increase his following and establish him as an expert in his field.
Plan of Action
No matter which category you belong to, there are some general tips that apply to anyone looking to build their social media following:
1. Define your Target Audience: The first step is to define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach and inspire with your message? For instance, if you specialize in motivational speaking for entrepreneurs, your target audience will likely consist of business owners, investors, venture capitalists and executives.
2. Build your Personal Brand: Using social network sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, you need to build and establish your personal brand. Update your profile, include your qualifications and experience, offer value and insights, and connect with people in your industry.
3. Create Engaging Content: To gain traction, you need to create content that is engaging, valuable and relevant to your audience. This could consist of posts on LinkedIn or Twitter that offer useful tips, inspirational quotes, or motivational videos.
4. Leverage LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a powerful tool for building a professional network. Use it to connect with fellow motivational speakers, professionals and industry influencers to grow your reputation, visibility, and inspire other people. You can also join relevant groups on LinkedIn, such as entrepreneurship or leadership, and post in those groups to ask for discussion or feedback on your content.
5. Use Twitter for Thought Leadership: Twitter is another powerful platform for sharing your views and insights, and establishing yourself as a thought leader. Use it to post short, incisive thoughts and build a following and engage your audience with discussions.
6. Use Hashtags: Social networking platforms enable you to reach a wider audience using the right hashtags. For instance, if you are posting on LinkedIn, use hashtags like #leadership, #motivation, #entrepreneurship to get your posts discovered by relevant people who are interested in your area of expertise.
7. Engage with your Followers: You need to engage with your followers both online and offline. Respond to and like user comments and messages, retweet or share content from other users that align with your message. Also, organize in-person events like seminars and talks to connect with your followers one-on-one and build relationships.
Benefits of leveraging your social network in this way can include:
- Building credibility and establishing yourself as a thought leader.
- Growing your audience and customer base.
- Generating leads or securing speaking engagements.
- Building a vibrant community and network.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social networking provides an excellent platform for motivational speakers to grow their brand, build their network, and inspire people to take action. By following the steps outlined above, you can leverage it to expand your reach, increase your influence, and make a difference in people’s lives.