How to Choose the Best Channels to Build Your Engaged Community

There are so many different outlets or channels to begin sharing your influence that it can seem totally overwhelming. You may have avenues that you already use and are comfortable with or you may be ready to try something new! Either way, once you have begun creating your content, it's time to choose which channel you will use to get your message out and to engage with your community!

How Do You Choose? 

First, you need to be aware of the most commonly used social media channels:

I chose to begin sharing my message by blogging. I consider myself a decent writer and it was the easiest way for me to get started. At the time, blogging was the norm but results were unproven for the most part. I wrote blog articles weekly knowing that it would pay off in the long game by building a library of knowledge and giving you a chance to see and know me.

Having already been using Twitter for fun on a personal level, I knew that it was easy for me to love. It suited my ADHD just perfectly... As soon as I started my business account, I connected my blog to it that same day.  

*Fun Fact*  My @SocialSavvyGeek Twitter account has still generated more traffic to my site than any other source!

Everyone's Twitter experience is different, but by following a repeatable process and taking consistent, daily actions you can make the best use of the platform for yourself.

If none of those are within your comfort level then find someone who knows. Ask them to help get you started and show you what they do. Create a learning experience out of it!

The point is you have ideas, thoughts, and a message... that needs to be shared! If you really don't feel confident about putting it out there by yourself, get help from people who can!

If you think you can give a speech practice, practice, practice!

If you write pretty well then get to it and have someone edit for you.

Where you put your content is dependent on what you’re saying, who you are saying it to, and your zone of comfort.

Take a look at the different social media channels; most have tutorials so you can easily see which ones you may work better with based upon your avatar and your brand.

How Can You Use Your Core Content to Connect with Your Community?

We’ve discussed the different types of core content you need for a 90 Day Launch in previous blog articles. The bottom line is that your core content should bring value to your audience. You need to answer the questions that your audience is asking. In other words, you need to be coming from a place of service. To Serve is to Love.

Your core content can be blog articles, podcasts, or a video show - whatever you decide. It’s your choice!

How Can You Provide Value from a Place of Service?

The first step is to let your audience benefit from your expertise before they ever sign up as a client. Instead of hoarding all your knowledge behind a payment gateway, let your audience experience what it would be like to work with you before you ask them to pay. This is a great way to build know, like, and trust with your audience.

Serving first is also a great way to communicate your brilliance with your audience and an opportunity for sharing your experiences.

This creates connectivity, which makes it easier for you to discover your ideal clients' needs and their burning desires! When you keep all your expertise to yourself instead of giving it away how can you effectively serve your audience? People don’t like vagueness, they want know what you’re all about before they make a purchase!

When you give your core content away (A CONTENT UPGRADE!) and your audience benefits you gain their trust.

As you continue to build trust you will give more content that your audience wants to receive from you. You want your audience to keep coming back to you because they love what you have to say. (It works because you are answering THEIR questions and solving THEIR problems!) This is also a great way to build consistency within your brand. You want your ideal clients on the lookout for your brand because they know and trust you!

You may be wondering why you should give your best stuff up free right from the start... You worked hard for your audience and I’m telling you to give knowledge away free... Why?!

The idea behind giving core content away free is to provide your audience a guided small win.

When creating your content you want to give them something that will help them make a shift in their business. Something that will get them over a small hump.  Your content upgrade could be anything from a time-saving hack to a cheat sheet on how to do something specific.

Offer ideas or inspiration as much as possible. The shift or action is given in your download or content upgrade... it's an extra little something for your audience. You want to give people enough to start and generate desire to get more from you. This is where your download comes in; it's your opt in. Those interested in the promised result take advantage of your offer and exchange their email address for your resource. This gives you the opportunity to send them related follow up messages.

You should definitely give away amazing content upgrades. If you are helping others succeed then there is little reason to keep hiding your content behind a payment gateway! Let your audience in on your ideas, your expertise, and your INFLUENCE so that they want more... and they will be eager to pay for it!

It’s okay to give your best stuff away free and here’s why:

Have you ever downloaded a worksheet and it sat there on your desk, gathering dust? Or a cheat sheet just to store it in one of your many folders on your computer and never look at it again?

The truth is you can count on your audience doing exactly the same thing, so they need YOU to help them be accountable and to put what you know into practice. Don’t be shy about putting your knowledge out there free! You worked hard to create it and your audience needs YOU to put all the pieces together.

Amy Porterfield is a fantastic example of giving away amazing content free. She gives and gives and gives. She offers free trainings all the time. When I found her, I was intrigued and impressed and knew she is someone to emulate!  

Amy gives so much away, she leaves her new audience members wondering how much more is within her paid programs. Her free resources and training are simply incredible and they truly are the tip of the iceberg. Inside her paid programs you get roadmaps and learn how to implement all of the things she inspired people to want through her free resources. You can get more access to her. Priceless.

One of the best things about how Amy operates is that she has created a community of followers, people who want to know more from her on a consistent basis. She has positioned herself as a person of influence for others and her positive message has captured thousands of minds! When you are building your platform, after discovering your ideal avatar and creating your personal brand that speaks to your audience, remember that as an influencer you have a responsibility to share a message that makes a difference in people’s lives and in their businesses.