How can young Thought Leadership professionals use social media to build their brand?

In the social arena, I sculpted a niche. Imagine wandering without direction—I did. Now, I define my space, a beacon in the digital noise. Young thought leaders, be a constellation, not a star lost in the night. Define your niche; let your brand shine in specificity.

First, understand your strengths and weaknesses in the field of your expertise. Then, define your Niche which focuses on your strength. Second, Evaluate what you are good at to present your values: writing, creating videos, or visual explanation, that decides next to move forward with the platform. However, irrespective of your platform defining your niche and having a goal in mind is key.

Understand what you are good at to present your values: writing, creating videos, or visual explanation. Based on that you can decide whether you are going share your thoughts using blogs, publishing videos on YouTube, or any other social media platform to share visual content. Again, start small. Your niche is key and the audience looks for what values you contribute. So don't try to focus on multiple platforms initially, as you build up your brand and audience, you can focus on diversifying the social media platform based on the audience segments.

Master one or two platforms where your target audience hangs rather than be average on many. Be consistent to build a strong presence on whichever platform you choose. Here are some methods to consider: Content Compatibility: Choose platforms that are best suited to the type of content you produce. If you create more video-based content, YouTube might be your platform of choice. Diversify with Emerging Platforms: Don't limit yourself to just the major platforms. Consider platforms like Threads that are rapidly growing. These platforms offer different types of engagement and reach. Cross-Promotion: Once established on a platform, consider cross-promoting your content on other platforms.

All your marketing strategy should start with your target audience in mind. What social media platform are they using the most? The more people you help there, the more influence and success you will achieve. For example, linkedIn is the ideal platform to build connections with professionals in your field, collaborate with them, and expand your authority and build your network. Consistently post and showcase your expertise here with posts, articles, newsletters, videos, etc. Before each post, think: - How can you help them with your experience and expertise? - What impact do you want to have on them? By using this platform with purpose, you can create a strong presence and positively influence your industry.

Inform. Educate. Inspire. If you are not doing one of these then you are not sharing valuable content. Inform - updates or information on an event you might attend, role changes. etc. Educate - share your expertise and make it actionable for the audience. Inspire - spotlight good people, good companies, show gratitude and share something that has inspired you!

Content is the key, and the audience looks for value. So always focus on valuable content. It could be a simple topic, doesn't matter, what matters most is how it's going to benefit your audience. Another important aspect you need to consider is what content you feel is valuable for a specific set of people, that may be interesting ( E.g Could be level of experiences, etc.), however, your focus will not make sure, your content is aligned with the targeted audience.

To build trust and credibility it takes time and requires bi-directional communication. Make sure you are engaging with your audiences. Respond to the comments coming in your blogs, and also have an open channel through which your audiences can reach out to you and you to them.

Social media is not a one way conversation and this is the biggest mistake that people starting out make. Especially on LinkedIn, comment, react, repost and engage with the people in your network for higher visbility.

You can't improve something if you can't measure it. So measurement of impact is very critical in the path of thought leadership journey. This measurement could be both tangible and intangible. While the number of followers, shares, comments, and views are very important metrics to understand the impact, there are several other key measures such as increasing influences, more networking opportunities, invitations to seminars/conferences, etc significance of thought leadership beyond just measurable tangible metrics.

Measure the right metrics, the ones that matter! People get a little too caught up in reactions and likes, when the real measure of success is how many people actually follow you, look at your profile, click through the buttons. I once had over 200 reactions and over 20,000 impressions on a post, but the one with 4 reactions and 400 impressions was the one that resulted in DMs and follows.

Consistency is pivotal for professionals shaping their brand on social media. It goes beyond sporadic content; it's the rhythm that builds recognition and trust. Regular posting reinforces your presence, positioning you as a reliable source of insights. Whether daily tips or weekly analyses, a consistent schedule fosters anticipation and engagement, signaling commitment to your field. Consistency also extends to tone, visual style, and thematic alignment, reinforcing brand identity amid digital noise. Your audience engages more when they can predict and appreciate what you offer. Inconsistency dilutes impact, so commit to a posting schedule, stay true to your brand, and let consistency be your Thought Leadership cornerstone on social media.