Posting content is great, but if you are not getting clicks or shares of that content then it may be a waste of time. After all, the goal of posting content is to get your name or your business name out there and to attract business. Without people clicking on links or sharing your content you will be unlikely to be attracting new leads that could lead to business. A recent post on Medium blog reports ways in which one person managed to achieve a 700% increase in link clicks. The writer explains that having written posts, almost no one was clicking on links or sharing them. As the writer puts it:
“I had over 1,500 followers and none of them would click on a link, let alone look at my blog”.
Of course, faced with such a problem can be quite disheartening after spending time creating content and building up a following. When considering why this was occurring, the author of the Medium blog post came to the important realisation that spending time focused on producing a few good postings is much better than putting less time into many posts.
At the same time the Medium writer came up with a few approaches that would be taken to increase interest in the posts that were being made. The first was to only share the best content. The second was to focus on building relationships. The third was to engage in discussions going on about relevant topics. Examining these recommendations in greater detail, the Medium article author explains that sharing only the best content with your followers is hard work and it takes time. One important recommendation here is to understand what your audience is really looking for in terms of content. One of the best ways to achieve this is argued to be looking at forums and communities, especially those where content is rated. Reddit is provided as an example of a site where content is rated. Having looked at this in detail it is easier to understand the kind of content that will be interesting and relevant for your own target market. The Medium writer also suggests searching on a number of other different forums for potential posts that may be of interest, and finding content relevant to your target audience is of course important. Specifically content that is “rare” and more unique than other content is argued to be more likely to attract the attention of your followers since they may not have already seen it elsewhere.
Four tips to increase links and shares IntelligenthqThe Medium blog posting also recommends developing relationships as a key part of getting clicks and shares. Focusing on the numbers of followers or favourites is simply not enough to get attention online. Indeed, the author suggests that it is better to work towards getting a small following of dedicated fans rather than a larger but very random array of followers that are not really that interested in what you are doing. It is suggested that to achieve this it is important to connect with potential clients. The writer suggests looking for people that like your comment and understanding why they shared that particular post. It is recommended to focus on those that don’t share everything, but rather to focus on people that are selective about what they share, because the former are probably spamming people, while the latter are more likely to be genuinely interested. You also have to share their content too to get noticed. On this subject, the writer explains that:
“Persistence is key, people rarely take note of one reshare but if you do it continually as well as reply and validate their content choices they will surely take note of you”.
Of course you need to attract the interest of not just potential clients but also of influencers. This again means sharing their stuff and commenting in a helpful way so that you get noticed. It takes time and commitment.
Engaging with people requires both persistence and quality content. The Medium author explains that this requires regularly commenting on blogs and responding in a helpful way to social media posts of influencers. Being complimentary without being over the top is important, as is being clear about which aspects of their posts helped you. By endorsing them in this way you will eventually gain their help too.
Paula Newton is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Paula’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Paula has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Paula has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
