Wanna know about “Clout In Social Media”? Read the full article and you will get to know all about Clout.
When social media was first introduced it revolutionized the way many people started interacting with others.
Chat rooms had been proving to be a very popular way for people to talk and message with strangers. Then along came real social networking sites.
The platform that many consider being the first social media site was Six Degrees, and it was launched in the latter half of the nineties. However, there was another site called LunarStorm that was launched by Swedish developers a year earlier.
It was perhaps not until MySpace though those people really started to notice something was happening. It was this site that helped to launch the Arctic Monkeys and several other artists.
Then perhaps the biggest change of all came, with the arrival of Facebook.
Nowadays, there are 4.6 billion people actively using social media according to Smart Insights.
But not everyone on social networking platforms has clout.
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What Exactly Is Clout In Terms Of Social Media?
The word clout often refers to hitting something hard or striking an object or person.
However, it also has another meaning, which is much more closely related to how social media can be used today.
Clout can mean having power, or influence.
According to BigCommerce, some companies are willing to spend millions of dollars in influencer marketing.
For an influencer to even be considered for this level of marketing budget, they need to have some serious clout.
How Important Is Clout?
Social media has become a critical part of many businesses’ digital marketing strategies. With the billions of daily users on these platforms, it is easy to see why.
Influencers are also a key component of these forms of marketing campaigns. An influencer with serious clout is going to have a loyal, and possibly very large, following.
Some influencers may have more people following them than a brand has customers. So, for a start-up business to gain access to that audience could be akin to a hugely expensive advertising campaign.
Some SEO experts such as Vectis, help businesses to devise strategies to improve their ranking on SERPs.
Part of these types of strategies includes using influencers on occasion.
Clout can help brand awareness, improve SEO, increase backlinks, and help improve traffic.
How Do You Earn More Clout In Social Media?
Growing clout on social media is going to take considerable time and effort. Unless you are already a celebrity in your own right, you’re going to have to put some work in.
Here are some areas to consider, or get involved in, to get more clout.
1. Find Your Audience
You are looking for an engaged, and genuinely interested group of people. Some people opt for buying fake followers and using growth tools.
Although this strategy sometimes pays off, over the long term it can be very damaging to your reputation.
Fake followers are easy to spot and may result in your genuine following distrusting you.
Determine who your target audience is, and follow these people and interact with them.
2. Provide Quality Content
Once you have your followers, you need to keep them. Be coherent about what your brand or image is about. If you want clout you will need to evolve into an authority in your desired area.
Blog, post videos and write guest content. Videos hold attention longer than words, and Instagram Stories are ideal for snazzy, short videos.
There are some top content strategies for social media, and one of them is allowing others to write for you.
3. Get Guest Posts And Ask For Them In Return
If there are influential people online that relate to what you are doing, then ask if you can guest post for them.
To do this you will need to use what is termed as outreach marketing. You can find a lot online on how to approach this angle.
Consider what you want to write about, then pitch that idea to the influencer. You should be able to demonstrate what value they will gain by putting your content on their account.
Don’t stop there though. Ask others to contribute to your posts.
It is a good idea to mix up what you post so that there is a good balance between your original content and other people’s. As long as it is appropriate and well written.
Putting up guest posts from others has a couple of advantages.
- Firstly, you don’t need to think of ideas for content as often.
- Secondly, you will be posting more regularly.
- Thirdly, you will be providing extra value for your audience.
When you are first beginning, it can be difficult to build up clout. After all, no one knows you are online and trying to grow your audience unless you tell them.
You can find what is known as social media evangelists. These are people who believe in social media and are passionate about promoting certain uses of it.
If you can find people like this who are relevant to your cause or niche market, then they can be a real boon, especially as you just start out.
Evangelists will often share other people’s content if they find it relevant. These individuals enjoy helping people on social media and are keen to impart their knowledge to others.
This means that you will gain access to their followers, and hopefully, many of them will follow you in return.
5. Keep Interacting
Social media is about engagement. There is little point in going on one of these platforms as an influencer if you have little interest in interacting and engaging.
If you are representing a business, or you are just an individual, the same rules apply.
Engage with everyone who contacts you or interacts with your posts. Never ignore anyone.
Use tools to help measure your progress.
There are actually tools available now to measure clout. In a world full of analytical business tools this is possibly not that surprising.
Yet, it can be very useful. There are a number of these tools now, and one of them is called Klout.
By checking in there, you can see what clout you have on social media. This means you can make some changes, gain some new followers, and then check back to see how much extra clout you have.
Can Clout Affect Your Business Presence Online?
Many people may wonder, can your social media presence impact your online business?
The answer is absolutely. There are many businesses now who have embraced social media and understand that a viral tweet can do wonders for publicity.
Having clout means that you are seen as an authority. You will have influence, and this will mean a bigger audience. Your brand will grow, and that will mean more conversions.
Summary
The term clout in social media may still be unfamiliar to some, but it is becoming increasingly important.
Some people on social media such as celebrities have undeniable clout. They can influence the sales levels of a particular product just by a quick post or tweet.
This type of clout is sought after by big and small brands. It can be utilized to promote brand awareness and market products.
To gain more clout though, can be hard work. Therefore, the easiest way to get some is to follow others who already have clout, and use their network to gain more for yourself.
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