First, let’s look at what social influence is.
From the perspective of a psychologist, social influence is how individual thoughts, actions and feelings are influenced by social groups. There are five different types of social influence: peer pressure, obedience, leadership, conformity and persuasion.
When it comes to social influence online, it’s about making a positive impact on a lot of people. When you have social influence on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Pinterest, people trust you and listen very carefully to what you have to say.
That’s pretty powerful stuff.
Here are six ways to increase your social influence:
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1 Pay it forward
When you retweet on Twitter or like a post on Facebook or LinkedIn, you are recognizing other people and being, well, social. The more you interact via likes, comments, sharing, or linking, the more social “currency” you’re building. In other words, you are paying it forward.
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2 Share your best stuff
Don’t hold onto your best tips or advice – share them freely. This is another way of paying it forward, and this is also the way that thought leaders and influencers have built up their reputations.
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3 Create viral content
Easier said than done, but this will definitely boost your social influence! Viral content – whether it’s a blog, video, or image – has three major things in common: it creates an emotional connection, inspires people, and is original.
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4 Analyse trends
Pay attention to trends. When you find a trend that is connected to your business, offer your take on what it means and the potential impact it can have. Bonus: you’ll also be building thought leadership.
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5 Build relationships with influencers
Start following social influencers in your industry and engaging with them via retweets, comments, shares, etc. Get on their radar, and who knows – you might be asked to contribute a blog post to their website, or they might mention your company and product or service.
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6 Be down-to-earth and approachable
No matter what, it’s important to stay humble. You can only build your influence with the help of others, so if someone reaches out to you – even if you are slammed – shoot them a quick reply or helpful information.
What are you doing to increase your social influence?