9 Tips to Expand the Reach and Networking Power of Your Content by Stefanie Marrone
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t has never been more important to use social media to connect and inform, especially now during COVID-19 distancing. That being said, it’s only worth using social media if you’re going to post content of value to your ideal audience and you understand how the social platforms work. Here are some tips to expand the reach and power of your content in no time.
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Don’t just hit “publish” without adding introductory text to a post. You should add text that explains what you’re sharing and why, and tag anyone who is mentioned in the post. In addition, use relevant hashtags (more on that later).
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Share your content to multiple LinkedIn groups in addition to posting it in your feed. Since the pandemic, LinkedIn groups have surged as they provide forums to share ideas and content with like-minded individuals. Did you know that you can share content to your groups and reach a wider audience, including individuals to whom you aren’t connected (2nd and 3rd degree connections). I regularly do this myself and it has helped to build my brand. Just make sure the content is helpful, not self-promotional and educational.
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Use appropriate hashtags in your posts to reach your target audience. Hashtags are trending and commonly used search terms on social platforms (a hashtag uses the # sign followed by the term, so for example #socialmedia). Some users follow and search for content using hashtags and their usage is increasing across all social platforms. Incorporating hashtags into your social strategy will enhance your ability to reach prospects, clients, and other interested parties because individuals who are following or searching that hashtag may see your content even if they are not connected to you. I would recommend using 3 to 5 hashtags and doing research on LinkedIn before you post the hashtags. The best way to find the right # is to use the search functionality in the main search bar and type in a term to see how many followers it has. Too many followers will ensure your posts aren’t read, as
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will using a hashtag with few followers. The suggestions that come up when you type in a post aren’t always the best ones to use because they’re based on the context and not the number of followers a hashtag has. I am against making up your own hashtags because that won’t help your content be discovered.
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Did you know that when you post something to LinkedIn, it doesn’t automatically appear in the feed of all your connections and followers? LinkedIn decides where your writing will appear. The initial sample it picks is pretty small. LinkedIn waits to see if that small sample interacts with your writing (e.g., by “liking” or “sharing” it) before distributing it to a broader audience. When you post something on social media, ask close friends/colleagues to like or share your content immediately after you post it. This will encourage LinkedIn to distribute your content more broadly. When you receive comments, respond promptly, as LinkedIn measures the immediate impact of a post in deciding whether to circulate it more broadly.
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Post content at the most strategic times, which has historically been during commuting hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Since COVID-19, I have found that any time is good except after 8pm as business professionals are on LinkedIn seven days a week. Remember to consider time zones when you’re posting content. If you are in NYC and you’re trying to reach a target audience in Silicon Valley or London, you’ll want to take the times into consideration. Don’t worry, you don’t have to stay up all night or get up early, as there are several online tools that enable you to schedule future posts.
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Don’t forget about sending content via email. I find so many businesses are no longer sending emails and are instead relying on social media to distribute their content— and this is a big mistake. There is no better direct way to reach clients and prospects (if your contact list is updated and segmented) than email. Why? Because it puts the content
