One step you can take to help achieve your communication strategies is to leverage influencers on the web. You can use tools like the ones below to help determine and judge who are good targets. Once identified, take the time to get to know each influencer and the world that swirls around them: how often do they post, what’s their angle and bias, what’s the tone of the overall conversation, how are you networked to them (if at all), etc.
So many people on the web and social media channels simply listen in on the chatter and leave lots of opportunities on the table. Your next step is to join the conversation and participate. You have thoughts, opinions and expertise to share (really!) so share them. As long as you provide good, relevant content, you’ll find that all the people who were merely listeners like yourself shift. Awareness of you grows and if your contributions are good, they begin to take notice of what you say, what you link to and who you’re with. In short, people begin to take you and your ideas seriously. This raises your credibility and standing within the circles you participate in and a snowball effect takes shape. You slowly accrue enough people and attention to become a nexus of conversation, people push your content out and seek your thoughts and ideas out. You’ve become an influencer yourself and the more you participate and the better the value you bring to the table, the more virtuous the cycle becomes.
Of course, this takes time and effort. You have to research, dig deep and stay focused. This isn’t fly by night work. Stick to your strategy. Leverage the influencers you find to help determine how to differentiate your contributions for your own benefit as well as those of the other participants. Shape your offerings to meet your strategic goals AND fit the needs, wants and context of the wider audience and market.