Ghost-written Blog Post: How to Stand Out in a Flooded Market

How to Stand Out in a Flooded Market: 5 Tips to Be Original and Put Yourself in the Spotlight

“Get online,” they said. “Build a presence on social media,” they told you. But now what? Marketing in today’s flooded online landscape is more complicated than ever. The whole world is online: your kids, your favorite television shows, your parents. By now, just about everyone you can think of has a Facebook page or a Twitter account, even dear old sweet Aunt Edna who insists on signing her posts with ‘Love, Aunt Edna.”

Social media has evolved into an essential marketing tool. Your marketing plan is nothing without it, but proceed with caution—you’ll need to do more than simply set up a Facebook page in order to be found. You’re going to have to stand out in a sea of look­alikes when marketing online. There are millions of brands out there vying for customers’ attention, so make sure that your voice can be heard and your messages (read: awesome posts) can be seen.

Like everything else in this world, the landscape of social media is ever ­changing. It’s a world inundated with brands and personas. Now more than ever, it’s imperative that you stand out amongst the crowd and distinguish yourself as the expert that you are. In order to do that and be seen, you’ll need a few tricks up your sleeve. It takes a virtual village; things like an SEO expert, a social media wrangler, and a great message are helpful. But if you don’t have all of those, these five tips can help:

Be uniquely you.

What do you offer that no one else can? Be sure to define yourself and define your brand. Once you find your voice, let it be heard, seen, and shared. The ultimate goal of any social media campaign is a shared post, preferably a viral one. That's the beauty of social media; you create (or curate) the content, and others will do the rest of the work for you. But first, you have to make sure that content can be found.

Get social.

Be conscious of communicating with people who have taken the time to engage on your social channels. Make sure that you're striking up conversations with key influencers, gaining the right kind of followers, and reciprocating social love by re­tweeting, commenting, and sharing their content. You are who you surround yourself with; it’s true in marketing as well as life. Make sure your online friends and followers are people who are interested in hearing what you have to say, as they’re the people who will continue to spread your message. Let your best customers be your voice, and consider experimenting with hashtags to expand the conversation.

Nice niche!

Do you have a niche, a specific category in which you would file yourself, your business, and your goals? If you don’t have a niche, find one. Finding your niche, or a unique way to identify with your brand, will set you apart and tell your customers everything they need to know. It’s also a great place to display your expertise! As a small business, you decide where you want to be and where you want customers to find you. Finding your niche and targeting your message will help to streamline your efforts and maximize your marketing budget.

Be consistent.

Now that you’ve found your voice and your niche, don’t change it for anyone. Give your audience (read: your customers) exactly what they’ve come to expect—every time. Keep your message and your tone consistent and gear your content, whether original or curated, to the audience you've built.

Content is still king.

The content that you share is important. If you’re looking for unique content and want to wow your followers and customers, consider real stories. Shine the light on your business from another angle, perhaps with a glimpse behind the curtain, and don't forget to throw in the occasional picture of your morning cup of coffee or that gorgeous sunset from your most recent vacation. When you connect with your customers on a personal level, you give them a reason to care. It’s the reason they follow you on Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest.

Whatever you do in your pursuit to get noticed and stay relevant, be sure to shine a spotlight on everything worth sharing with your past and potential customers. Let your name become synonymous with that of a reachable and valuable business. When other people see those positive interactions, they’ll want to be a part of what’s happening. Now get out there and get social! Trust me, you've got this.