One of the more effective ways to get more eyes on your content is to find the people who influence your industry and get them to share what you’ve created. This may include business leaders, popular bloggers and any other individuals who are highly respected in your field.
Of course, the people who have such significant followings likely receive more messages than they are able to respond to on the average day. So how can you get them to actually look at and share your content?
The following are a few tips that have worked well for our content writers:
- Share what they write: Sharing an influential writers’ content is a somewhat subtle nod that you appreciate what they write—and it might get them to notice you. Figure out which platform your chosen influencer uses most and focus your efforts on that channel. Then, add some personalization. In a tweet, for example, tag the person who wrote the article and include a quick personal message like “Great article by @ProPRcopy.”
- Comment on their content: Many established blog content writers also have established commenting communities—people who regularly read and comment on their posts. Get involved in these discussions, as it’s a great way to let your voice be heard and to potentially connect with the author of the content, especially if the writer responds to your comments.
- Be an active content writer: Once you’ve grabbed the attention of your chosen influencers, make sure you are giving them material worth reading on your own blog. It’s important that the content you write is actually of high quality. If not, there’s little chance it will be shared.
- Offer do a guest post: Introduce yourself to the influential writer and offer to develop a guest post. In this offer, include information like who you are, what you do, what you would like to write and how the influencer’s audience would benefit from the information. You could also offer to have the influencer write a guest post for your site.
- Ask for a share: If your indirect approaches to getting a share haven’t worked, you can always just ask. The worst that can happen is they don’t respond or say “no,” and then you’re right back where you started—no harm done.
It can be difficult for content writers to get their foot in the door with key influencers in their industries, but once they do, the results can be outstanding. Keep these tips in mind as you consider the role influencers can play in your overall content marketing strategy.