How is becoming a market influence like succeeding in real estate investing? It’s all about “Location, Location, Location.” 

You need to spend your time where it is best served. Depending on your particular business or niche, you will find certain virtual and brick-and-mortar venues work better than others for building your influence. Begin building a noticeable presence at the following online and off-line locations. This will reveal which are the best for helping you become an influencer in your field, and you can spend more time in those beneficial locations.

Where You Need to Be Online

You can, to some degree, build your reputation as an industry influencer on your personal website or blog. However, that is a virtual location where people usually return because they have already developed a sense of trust in you and your products. The ideal online locations for becoming an influential market presence are where your prospects congregate. That usually means social media.

Currently over 75% of all web surfers use social media. If you are going after a younger demographic, Instagram is rapidly becoming more popular than Facebook or Twitter. Business professionals need to have a presence on LinkedIn, and Google+ also attracts more businesspeople than just casual web surfers.

Earlier, we talked about developing a social media presence. Now it’s time to talk about which sites are most important for different types of people and content.
(Note: The following numbers do not illustrate the number of profiles or accounts. Rather, they show how many users log into each of the following social networks at least once a month. All data and figures for the following important online social networks were accurate as of August of 2015.)

• Facebook – 1.55 billion active monthly users

You probably don’t have to be told that Facebook is the king of all online social networks. With 23% of the world’s population as active monthly users, Facebook dominates online activity of every kind. Those kinds of numbers illustrate the power of Facebook to single-handedly boost your presence as a market influencer.

Communicate daily, because the vast majority of Facebook users log on several times a day. Built-in ad tracking, document sharing, the ability to create industry-relevant groups, and the chance to produce a massive following are some of the advantages Facebook has over other social networks.

To most effectively market on Facebook, use an easy-going, informative, casual delivery. Outright selling does not work efficiently on Facebook, at least until you’ve developed strong relationships.

• Twitter – 316 million

You definitely need to be on Twitter if you operate a B2C company or are involved in any way with the entertainment industry. The attention span of Twitter’s users is extremely short because of the 140-character limit on each tweet (though that limit may change).

Maintain a good mix of casual and professional when communicating. Don’t forget to add a hashtag (#) at the start of keywords and phrases you want to be searched for.

Also be sure to respond when your audience reaches out to you through reply tweets or direct messages. A 2015 study showed that 70% of Twitter users expect a brand or company to respond when they ask a question or in some other way interact with that company on Twitter.

• Google+ – 100 to 200 million

Estimations for Google+ active users are all over the map. However, one great way to use Google+, whether anyone interacts with you or not, is for SEO purposes.

Google is by far the largest search engine in the world. As a Google product, the posts made on Google+ are well respected in search engine rankings.

Post daily, or at least weekly, using important industry keywords to improve your market presence. Linking with other major social networks is an important benefit of Google+, which draws a more professional, business-minded user.

• YouTube – 1 billion

For the 18 to 49 age group, YouTube is more important than any cable network. This trend first started in 2013. Since then, the incredible reach of YouTube has grown even more significant. Online streaming of video and movies has far out-paced cable television viewing.

This video format is great for short how-to’s and informational videos. The commenting and sharing interaction on YouTube can be harnessed to effectively spread your market influence.

Find some way to translate your message to video, and get on YouTube as soon as possible.

• Pinterest – 90 million

More than 40% of women online use Pinterest. That demographic is heavily slanted towards the 18 to 49 age group, where 62% of online adults say they use Pinterest. Pinterest users have money to spend. A full 64% of all online adults that earn an annual income of $50,000 (US) a year or more are on Pinterest. Pinterest is an image-heavy social network, so make sure your images are vibrant and eye-catching, while also conveying essential information about your products or brand.

• LinkedIn – 414 million

It is a little-known fact that millionaires prefer LinkedIn over all other social networks, except Facebook. In a poll of 1,300 millionaires, more than 40% said they used LinkedIn on a regular basis. Connect with just 1 or 2 of these wealthy individuals and you could quickly become a powerful influence in your market.

LinkedIn, as was mentioned earlier, is the place for serious business professionals. You can connect with people through similar interests and topics, create and join groups relevant to your industry, and easily track profile views, how many connections you are making, and other important metrics.

• Instagram – 350 million

By August 2015, Instagram was growing faster than most other social networks on the Internet. One important point to note is that Instagram users are extremely active. This means that when you learn to use this photo and video-sharing social networking service successfully, your chances of benefiting from viral marketing are better than on some of the other networks listed here.

Where You Need to Be Off-Line

An argument can be made that the power of global Internet connectivity means you don’t need an off-line presence to become an influential force in your market. However, in most cases, a combination of online and off-line marketing is the best way to guarantee you are seen as someone important in your industry.

Attending far-flung conferences, seminars, and industry expos can be costly. Developing an industry presence in your own backyard, on the other hand, is financially feasible for even the smallest of marketing budgets. Begin showing up to events locally and eventually expand your reach using the following market influencing strategies.

• Local Chamber of Commerce

Joining a Chamber of Commerce usually requires a small fee. In almost all cases, this investment is well worth the money. You receive immediate access to your potential audience, and other influential professionals in that market as well. Once you’re a member, place your Chamber of Commerce badge or icon on your website, and on all of your marketing materials.

This delivers a sense of professionalism and respectability, automatically improving your influence. You may want to consider hosting a regular breakfast meeting or coffee club meet-up for others already involved in your industry, as well as those interested in what you have to offer.

• Relevant Conferences

Each year, most major cities host conferences and expos that have something to do with your area of expertise. Rent a booth or volunteer as an event speaker at the conferences in your area to improve your reputation as an industry influencer.

In smaller cities, the absence of a conference specific to your industry provides a great opportunity for you to step in and fill that void. This can instantly change how you are perceived in your field.

• Start a Podcast

Podcasts are definitely an Internet-accessible form of marketing, but they can deliver off-line rewards as well. Create and record a podcast in your local area, using this as a way to interview and educate people in your target market.

This shows you as both a local celebrity and a knowledgeable local market leader. You can start a podcast with nothing more than your laptop and a decent microphone. This portability allows you to move the location of your podcast for each episode, continually growing your market presence.

• Partner Up

Local charities are always looking for help raising money. There are also churches, schools and for-profit companies in your area that would appreciate your assistance in meeting their business goals. Just remember to be selective when choosing a partner for some type of joint venture campaign.

The right partnership can benefit both parties, and develop long-term relationships that solidify your position as an influential force in your market. Selecting the wrong partner can be a waste of your time and efforts, possibly delivering a crushing blow to your reputation in a worst-case scenario.

• Develop a Local Media Presence

Local talk radio and television programs in all genres are constantly looking for interviewees and on-air contributors. Your local newspaper and alternative magazines may also provide an opportunity for you to flex your industry-related muscles by providing free content in exchange for a byline and your business contact details.

If you are a chef, offer to host a weekly cooking show. As an author, you can provide free writing tips or lessons. An attorney can offer free legal advice.

Regardless your industry or market, your local newspaper, radio and television stations provide a wealth of opportunity in growing your market influence.