How to Successfully Monetize Social Media

Ways to make money has certainly changed in the past few years.

If you really think about it, every day a new niche appears which may just be a smaller aspect of something much larger. I often think how great it would be to have had all these tools when I was younger. When I say tools I mean social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and the list goes on.

Back then life was simple. Income options were limited. Who would have guessed you could ever shop without leaving your home and all from a little gadget called a smart phone. Now the consumer market is huge since most people can have access to whatever they want.

But, having all these great tools has a dark side too. It’s called the shiny object syndrome and if you have it you won’t find success anywhere. At one point or another we all encountered it and maybe that’s how we ended up here together at the WA.

We all have interests and passions. We all have one topic we can talk endlessly about. With that in mind find the one thing that really interests you and are passionate about, latch on to it and don’t let it go. Stick with it. Once you’ve done that follow some these tips to help build your business and you will find success.

1. Understanding Your Audience.
   Building a relationship with your audience is key. You need to know them and understand their needs and desires in order to connect with them. The number of followers you have is less important than caring for each and every one of them. If you care about them they will care about you. Build their trust and you’ll be able to build your business and profit.
2. Know Their Desires.
   If you have ever watched the TV series Lucifer, in every episode Lucifer uses his hypnotic power to ask a person what they desire. The answers are sometimes hilarious! Lucifer gets into their minds and you need to do the same with your audience. Find out what empowers them, makes them feel good and what motivates them. The idea is to become an authority and build trust with your audience.
3. Post Quality Content.
   Many of the social media platforms began as a fun way to stay connected with family and friends. But, these platforms are so much more than that. Use them correctly and you can create a successful business. When posting content it’s crucial to post something of value to your readers. Post thought provoking content because in essence you are educating them. By doing this consistently you are fulfilling their cravings and ultimately you will become a trusted advisor.

One last thing to sum it all up and that is the importance of "Building a Brand". Imagine the business term, “three-legged stool”. It’s a term used in many areas such a financial planning where you have pensions, social security and personal savings. The idea being, if one part is taken away you won’t end up broke. Same thing in business.

The idea here is to understand your audience, know their desires and post quality content to satisfy their needs. Once you have those three parts focus on building your brand in order to achieve long term success no matter what happens. Your followers will follow you wherever you go even if you change social media platforms. I guess you could say building a brand is like the final topping on a cake.

There’s no doubt that becoming an authority in your niche and building a brand is a lot of work and takes a lot of time but it’s something very rewarding and so worth it! After-all, that's why we are here.