Building a following and finding a way to stand out online can seem like a marathon effort sometimes.
While you follow the guide book and produce creative content consistently to get your ideas across and attract the right tribe, it can be so frustrating when things aren’t happening as fast as they should…or as fast as you thought anyway.
Add the challenges that come with overcoming the mindset to keep putting yourself out there when you feel like everything you say is falling on deaf ears, it’s no wonder that more of us don’t give up sooner.
What if there was a way that could help you to stand out from the crowd and grow your following (and revenue) faster?
Well there is. In fact, there’s several ways, and in this post I’ll share three ways to stand out online that are working right NOW.
This morning I was having a laugh with one of my coaching clients while she recounted the Instagram Millionaires that were featured on 60 Minutes last night.
Apparently two ladies in particular were showcased for the millions of followers they’d accumulated, and the lucrative sponsorship deals they’d landed by:
(1) Posting a photo of themselves in a different bikini every day, and
(2) Posting photos of themselves dressed up as a cat.
Now while this may appeal to some, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to resort to these kind of extremes to build a following, share your message and make the change you want to in the world.
(BTW I forgive you for being pissed off by stories of people becoming Instafamous by doing stupid shit.)
But rather than whip out that itsy bitsy bikini, give one or all of these three methods a go and watch your online profile climb to new heights……
1. Facebook LIVE to Stand Out Online
It doesn’t seem so long ago when we could post something on our business Facebook page (text only!) and have it seen by our entire following… for FREE! The year was 2010 and Facebook was a lucrative minefield for innovative businesses (typically micro and small in size) like mine.
I was running an ecommerce business at the time and I distinctly remember demonstrating to my mum that I could post a simple “For the next 2 hours SAVE 20% off <product> with <voucher code>” only to have the product sell out in 10 minutes! #goodolddays
The landscape, and what type of posts get noticed, has changed SO much in the past 7 years. From text posts to images, to video, and then to LIVE video, the speed of change has been phenomenal.
But it’s not just the kind of posts that get traction that has changed. The dreaded Facebook Algorithm has continually evolved too, ensuring that more businesses step up to the mark and “pay to play.”
But thankfully there is still one area of Facebook where you can rise and stand out above the crowd and that’s Facebook LIVE.
Facebook LIVE enables you to stream live video directly into the pocket of your following. And it’s super effective.
The unpolished nature of live streaming enables people to connect with the real you… mistakes and all (the LIVE video where I accidentally spilled olive oil down my front is still my most watched!).
Facebook also rewards those who are embracing live streaming by showing your video far and wide.
My client Bel from The Root Cause experienced this first hand. After filming one of her first Facebook LIVEs earlier this year, it was shared by a large influencer. Her Facebook following jumped a staggering 5,000 fans seemingly overnight and within days she was on national TV sharing her thoughts on real food and child obesity stats in Australia. They then went on to have the best LIVE launch of the ecourse ever. Mindblowing!
There is no better online tool at the moment than Facebook LIVE to allow you to establish an authentic connection with your following and get noticed.
Give it a go before everyone is doing it!
2. Instastories to Stand Out Online
If Facebook LIVE is just too big a leap for you right now, and you know your target market is on Instagram, give Instastories a go.
Instastories allows you to upload photos or short videos that sit at the top of your follower’s Instagram feed where they sit for 24 hours.
It’s a great way to showcase the “behind the scenes” of your brand.
Because Instastories are automatically deleted every day, there’s not the pressure to have them as polished as your regular Instagram feed.
Due to the rawness of many Instastories, they’re also perfect for building an authentic connection with your following.
While Instagram isn’t my no.1 hangout, I’ve definitely noticed a jump in my Instagram following and engagement since giving Instastories a go. Why don’t you try them too!
3. Podcasting to Stand Out Online
If you have a big message to share or are looking to position yourself as an expert, I honestly think you can’t go past podcasting.
Like Facebook LIVE, the attractiveness of podcasting is that your subscribers can tune into your radio show via their Smartphone wherever they are in the world. And like video, audio also helps to build a connection with your listeners more than text ever can.
The other massive benefit of choosing podcasting as your platform of choice to share your message is that it’s one of the only channels where you don’t need to beat an algorithm to get seen.
This means that small budget podcasts like Eco Chat, recorded from my humble loungeroom in a tiny town in Outback Australia can compete alongside powerhouse programs.
Podcasting has enabled me to spread my sustainability message worldwide when I haven’t been in a position to travel easily and I just love the fact that I can do my best work in my pyjamas while the kids sleep. #flexibleworkplace
So over to you!
What ways are you currently positioning yourself and standing out online? Are they working? Do you need to switch platforms or techniques?
I’d love to hear if you’re currently using Facebook LIVE, Instastories or Podcasting to grow your following and how successful they’ve been for you.
Feel free to share below!!
P.S. If you’re frustrated that you’re still a long way off kicking your conscious business goals in 2017 and you’re keen to get back on track and see the year out with a bang, book a time to have a chat with me. I work intensely with a small number of women to grow their impact-driven businesses online would love to help you take your business to the next level if you’re ready for the leap!
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Laura Trotta is one of Australia’s leading home sustainability experts. She has a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering, a Masters of Science (in Environmental Chemistry) and spent 11 years working as an environmental professional before creating her first online eco business, Sustainababy, in 2009. She has won numerous regional and national awards for her fresh and inspiring take on living an ‘ecoceptional’ life (including most recently winning the Brand South Australia Flinders University Education Award (2015) for the north-west region in SA and silver in the Eco-friendly category of the 2015 Ausmumpreneur Awards). With a regular segment on ABC Radio and with her work featured in publications like Nurture Parenting and My Child Magazine, Laura is an eco thought leader who’s not afraid to challenge the status quo. A passionate believer in addressing the small things to achieve big change, and protecting the planet in practical ways, Laura lives with her husband and two sons in outback South Australia. 
