Sourced from FingerLakes1.com

In 2024, the landscape of sports marketing is evolving at breakneck speed. The old playbook’s been tossed out, and social media influencers are now the star quarterbacks. They’re changing the game, bringing a fresh, dynamic approach to promoting sports brands and events.

The Rise of Sports and Social Media Influencer Marketing in 2024

Exploring the New Trends

In 2024, the landscape of sports marketing takes on a fresh shape. With social media influencers at the helm, traditional strategies recede into the backdrop. Influencers, known for their creative approach, rehash the game, ushering in a new era of marketing industry standards. These individuals, followed by thousands, if not millions, of dedicated fans bring in a palpable authenticity to promotions and collaborations. Furthermore, the ability of influencers to connect on a personal level with their audience aids in garnering trust, in turn, enhancing brand visibility.

Key Factors Driving Growth

In this age of digital dominance, several factors contribute to the upsurge in the sports and social media influencer marketing niche. This is a broad topic, and you can visit Sports Fanfare to learn more. But, to put it shortly, the global adoption of smartphones and easy access to internet facilities have sparked in people an addiction to social media platforms. Such platforms turn receptive hosts for influencers to promote sports brands or events. Secondly, viewers’ alignment towards interactive and relatable content has steered marketing strategies away from conventional platforms like television, shifting to a more engaging medium – social media. Lastly, influencers who are celebrated for their talent in sports or admired for their fitness prowess become successful ambassadors, nurturing the growth in sports influencer marketing.

Strategies for Success in Influencer Marketing

Advancing within the realm of influencer marketing necessitates adept strategy. Below sections unfold key components of strategies that sports brands can apply to optimize their connection with audiences via social media influencers.

Choosing the Right Influencers for Sports Brands

Selecting apt influencers signifies a pivotal initial step in crafting efficacious strategies. Sports brands benefit from partnering with influencers who demonstrate knowledge and passion within the sports domain. Collaborating with influencers who have a robust established sports fan base can amplify brand reach. Example: an endorsement from a well-known football influencer would reach a broad audience of football enthusiasts. Brands must also consider the influencers’ audience engagement levels, verifying the potency of their connection with followers. Detailed evaluation of potential influencers guides brands to make informed and strategic partnerships.

Leveraging Multi-Platform Strategies

Utilizing multi-platform strategies plays a crucial role in influencer marketing success. Each social media platform offers distinct features and engages diverse audiences. Posting influencer content across multiple platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter broadens audience reach. Example: A brand-specific hashtag campaign could gain traction on Twitter, while a live-stream influencer takeover could be executed on Instagram to engage audiences in real-time. Multi-platform strategies extend the brand’s visibility, ensuring maximum interaction with potential customers, thus fostering brand awareness and conversion rates.

Impact on Brand Visibility and Sales

Comprehensive understanding of influencer marketing’s exponential impact on brand visibility and sales reveals captivating insights. Social media influencers bolster brands, manifest through amplified visibility, surge in sales, and enhanced brand reputation in the sports industry.

Case Studies: Successful Campaigns

Several campaigns serve as remarkable case studies illuminating the profound influence of influencer marketing. An instance of sports brand, Puma’s partnership with pop sensation, Selena Gomez, resulted in the campaign hashtag #DoYou raked in over 2 million likes per post on Instagram in 2024, massively boosting brand visibility.

In another instance, sports giant Nike’s collaboration with tennis star Serena Williams led to a significant boost in sales. The retailer reported a 10% boost in sales of the promoted line in the first quarter following the campaign launch.

Analyzing ROI for Sports Brands

Ascertaining Return on Investment (ROI) demonstrates the financial profit arising from influencer marketing campaigns. Investment in influencer partnerships often results in substantial gains. Research by Nielsen suggests that for every dollar spent on influencer marketing, businesses captured an average ROI of $6.50 in 2024.

Investment in influencer campaigns, thus, unveils a profitable pathway for brands in the sports industry, as evident from increased sales and improved brand visibility. However, brands must optimize their selection of influencers and strategic planning of campaigns to secure a lucrative ROI.

Ethical Considerations and Challenges

As the landscape of sports influencer marketing continues to evolve, a clear set of ethical considerations and challenges emerge. Maintaining transparency in endorsements and addressing audience skepticism become vital points of focus in 2024.

Navigating Endorsement Transparency

Transparency proves to be a crucial component in influencer marketing. It’s all about forming a genuine, authentic connection with the audience. Ethical transparency issues in influencer marketing mainly stem from undisclosed endorsements. Audiences, in 2024, have a right to know when influencers are being paid or compensated in some way to promote a product or service. One way sports influencers address this is through adding disclaimers in their social media posts, stating explicitly if it’s a paid promotion or sponsored content. Clear, visible disclaimers enable audiences to gauge the genuine sentiments of the influencer towards the promoted brand, keeping ethics in the forefront.

Ensure the influencer’s endorsements adhere to regulations set by authoritative bodies, such as the Federal Trade Commission in the United States. Regular check-ins, contractual obligations for transparency, and open communication channels are examples of measures taken to ensure transparency in sports influencer marketing.

Addressing Audience Skepticism

With increased influence comes increased scrutiny, and audience skepticism presents a significant challenge for sports influencers in 2024. Misplaced endorsements or tone-deaf content promotion leads to audience mistrust, affecting not only the influencer’s credibility but also the brand’s reputation. For instance, if a fitness influencer, renowned for promoting healthy living, suddenly endorses a fast-food brand, it could draw skepticism from the audience, thereby damaging the brand’s image along with the influencer’s credibility.

To address this, influencers must consciously collaborate with brands that align with their personal values and public image. Prioritizing authenticity over profitability helps maintain audience trust and mitigates skepticism. This approach also leads to better brand engagement and bolsters the overall effectiveness of sports influencer marketing.

As we’ve seen, sports marketing in 2024 isn’t just about traditional strategies. It’s about harnessing the power of social media influencers who have sports expertise. More than ever, authenticity and personal values alignment are crucial in influencer marketing. The landscape may be evolving, but one thing’s clear: sports and social media influencer marketing are playing in the major leagues.

Sourced from FingerLakes1.com

By Tyra Alexander

In the year 2024, career success is about more than just resumes and interviews — it’s about how you present yourself on paper, online, and IRL. In the current job scene, having a personal brand has become crucial in all areas of one’s career whether you’re still a college student or trying to kick-start your post-grad career. But what *is* a personal brand, and how do you create one?

According to the Harvard Business Review, personal branding means defining and expressing your public persona. Similar to how a company has a logo, mission, values, and generally identifiable personality, you have similar ways to define your own brand. A personal brand is used for many reasons — in the working world, this includes helping you land a job, build your network, and showcase who you are as a young professional.

Personal branding can be put into effect just about anywhere, from networking events to the font you use on your cover letter. But one of the best places to start building your personal brand for the job search is on LinkedIn. That’s because LinkedIn has so many different functions; it’s a platform for job-searching, networking, and sharing your professional accomplishments.

So, if you’re a college student looking to build your personal brand on LinkedIn, you’re in the right place. Below, Her Campus speaks with Keren Baruch, director of product at LinkedIn, for some personal branding tips to consider.

1. Have a complete LinkedIn profile that showcases who you are.

With over 1 billion LinkedIn members worldwide, standing out in a sea of users is crucial, which Baruch says starts with your profile. “I think the first thing is to make sure that you have a profile that is complete, because when you complete your profile, this is what shows up everywhere throughout the app,” Baruch tells Her Campus. A complete profile, according to Baruch, includes filling out all the major fields, including your experience, skills, profile photo, headline, bio, and more.

According to Baruch, your Linkedin profile acts like a “virtual handshake” — it’s the first thing people see when they click on your profile, so make a lasting impression. “When you’re thinking about your career, it’s so important that you’re making sure you’re sharing who you are, what matters to you, what is your expertise,” Baruch tells Her Campus. “When you have the world’s largest professional network like LinkedIn at your fingertips, making sure that you’re able to stand out is super important.”

2. Build authentic connections.

Personal branding doesn’t stop at setting up your profile. Being engaged and adding LinkedIn to your usual social media rotation helps you stay active and build connections on the site. TBH, this is where I struggle; building connections on LinkedIn seems way different than finding mutuals on IG and TikTok… or so I thought. According to Baruch, you may have more LinkedIn connections than you think.

“You already have a network of the people that you’re meeting,” Baruch says. “Your friends, your professors — these are all people who are maybe not [in your LinkedIn network] right now, but will come to be the people who are going to help you throughout your career.”

So, if you’re looking to start building your professional network on LinkedIn, start with your classmates or professors and as time goes by, build your connection from there. By starting with people who know you IRL, you’re creating a community of people with whom your brand is set up to resonate with, which is crucial for building a personal brand.

3. Create content that is true to you.

Another huge part of building a personal brand on Linkedin is creating posts. NGL, I had zero idea about what to post on LinkedIn, let alone what to post that would help me with my personal brand. Thankfully, Baruch has a tip for that.

“The most successful content that we see is from professionals who are reaching an audience that care about a topic that they have expertise and insights to share about,” she says. “The real power is in the knowledge, conversations, and engagement that you can spark for a community kind of helping people learn tangible things that can help them advance in their careers.”

Although it’s important to share your achievements and your success on your LinkedIn, what’s also beneficial is sharing posts about your values and things you stand for, which could in turn be relatable to other people in your network and beyond — thus enticing an audience to connect with your personal brand.

In terms of the different types of content, Baruch recommends trying out different kinds of posts when first starting.

“We recommend trying different formats to see what works for you,” she says. “Whether it’s video, text, [or] newsletters.”

4. Get started ASAP.

I know what you’re thinking: “When is a good time to get started on building a brand?” Luckily, there really isn’t a set timeline for building your personal brand on LinkedIn. According to Baruch, “As soon as you start having experience and work experience, or want to be getting work experience, that’s a great time to start your profile.”

So, if you’ve started racking up summer internships, jobs, or extracurriculars, now is a great time to build that brand!

Feature Image Credit: Christin Hume via Unssplash

By Tyra Alexander

Tyra Alexander is a National Writer for Her Campus, primarily writing about life, experiences, and academics. She is also Editor In Chief at her campus chapter at Loyola University Maryland. Beyond Her Campus, Tyra is a Junior English Major and communications minor. She is the Head Nonfiction Editor for her campus’ literary art magazine, Corridors and is Senior Copy Editor for her school’s newspaper, The Greyhound News. In her free time, Tyra can be found reading a romance book (or two), dancing with her university’s dance company, or watching vlogs by her favorite YouTubers. She is a big fan of R&B and pop, with her favorite artists being Victoria Monét, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande.

Sourced from Her Campus

By Kate DiLeo, Edited by Chelsea Brown

Discover how to move beyond traditional storytelling and embrace impactful brand conversations with the Brand Trifecta framework, designed to unify sales and marketing efforts, create trust with your audience and drive significant revenue growth.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling isn’t enough to drive sales. Instead, focus on concise, compelling brand conversations that clearly convey what you do, how you solve problems and how to stand out from the competitions.
• Utilize the Brand Trifecta framework, which consists of a clear tagline, a value proposition statement and differentiator statements.
• Ensure brand messaging is consistent across all channels to align sales and marketing teams and ultimately boost revenue growth.

Stories don’t compel people to buy. Conversations do. As an accidental brand strategist, I have learned that concise and compelling brand messaging is crucial to cutting through the noise, creating common ground with your target audiences and ultimately driving revenue. However, many of us get caught up in the trend that storytelling will enable us to deliver such a message and compel our prospects to take the next step and buy.

My journey into branding wasn’t planned — it was a twist of fate. I originally intended to pursue a PhD in linguistic anthropology. However, when the market crashed, a professor advised me to get a day job, pay off my undergrad debt and gain some world experience. So, I left academia and took my first sales job, where I was tasked with selling IT training services.

Starting my career in this challenging sales role, I quickly realized the importance of clear and impactful communication through trial and error. Cold-calling IT professionals to sell high-ticket $2,500 training classes taught me that within the first 15 to 30 seconds, you must convey what you do, how you solve someone’s problem and how you are different from the competition. This tough environment forced me to refine my communication skills and develop an effective brand pitch that enabled me to exceed my sales quotas and ultimately launch my career in brand strategy and development.

The Brand Trifecta

Your brand is your path of least resistance to revenue. In the first 15 to 30 seconds, you need to tell someone what you do, how you solve their problem and how you are different from the competition. Narratives alone won’t drive sales; engaging brand conversations will. When someone asks what you do, you shouldn’t lead with a story. Instead, you need a clear, compelling brand pitch that provokes curiosity and makes people want to know more.

The Brand Trifecta is the powerful and proven messaging framework I developed during my early sales career, and it has since helped thousands of organizations craft brands that bring more prospects to the table and generate more customers who buy. The Brand Trifecta is rooted in buyer psychology and enables businesses to create “you get me” moments that their target audiences need in order to build trust and ultimately purchase.

The Brand Trifecta methodology consists of three key pieces: a tagline, a value proposition statement and a set of differentiator statements. The formulaic combination of these three messaging components creates a brand conversation that converts.

Your tagline is the first impression of your brand. It should be short, clear and provoke interest. Think of your tagline as the headline of your brand’s message. It should immediately tell people what you do in a way that captures their attention and compels them to want to know more.

Next, you need a value proposition statement. This is where you expand on your tagline by explaining how you solve your customer’s problem. A value proposition statement is not just a list of features and benefits; it succinctly speaks to the value you provide to your prospects and customers by addressing their specific pain points. Your value proposition should resonate with your audience and make them see you as the solution they’ve been looking for. In other words, your value proposition statement should create the “You get me!” moment for your customers.

Matt McNeany, CTO of OPMG, highlights the importance of data when identifying your customers’ pain points: “Brands that do this most effectively are, of course, starting with data. They are using each customer interaction to learn more, capturing which content the customer is engaging with and adding that to their profile, building an experience that asks the customer their opinion and what they like.” This is where the magic happens — when you use these insights to tailor your messaging, you create a value proposition that truly resonates and compels your target audience to take the next step and buy.

Finally, your differentiator statements should clearly outline how you are different and better than your competition. What unique benefits do you offer? Why should someone choose you over others? Differentiator statements are crucial because they help you stand out in a crowded market and ultimately give your audience a reason to choose you over the rest.

“The best brands build differentiation through what they do as well as what they say. As the old saying goes, ‘Don’t tell me you’re funny; make me laugh.’ Or for brands, don’t say that you care about customers, demonstrate it to me — via imperceptibly personalized experiences that predict what I want and give me what I need, making my choices simpler and my life easier,” says McNeany. Bottom line: Your differentiator statements build trust and create a compelling case for your prospects to act.

Creating brand conversations that convert

At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to create brand conversations that convert. Focus on provoking your audience to want to know more. Remember, you are not in the business of convincing everyone; you are in the business of converting the right people.

Therefore, make sure your brand messaging is consistent across all channels and touchpoints. This will align your sales and marketing teams and ultimately boost your revenue growth. McNeany emphasizes how automation can play a helpful role in consistent branding across channels: “Intelligent brands have realized that they need to deliver consistency while simultaneously managing an explosion of content across channels.”

So, they are rapidly adopting an automated content supply chain, which combines a brand design framework with algorithmic decisions based on customer behaviour to deliver relevant, on-brand communications in every channel. Whatever sales and marketing tactics you deploy, keep your brand message consistent so that customers have a clear understanding of who you are, what you do, how you solve their problems and how you differ from the competition.

Furthermore, don’t lose sight of the power of consistent branding to bridge the gap between sales and marketing teams. Misalignment between sales and marketing can be remedied by cross-functionally leveraging a singular brand pitch that addresses what customers need to know to buy. When sales and marketing consistently use and leverage the same brand language, they become an unstoppable and unified front. The outcome? Increased conversions, shortened sales cycles and improved revenue growth.

Get your brand out of the box and break free from the storytelling status quo by building your Brand Trifecta. Develop a clear tagline, value proposition and differentiator statements, and reap the benefits of a powerful brand pitch that unifies your sales and marketing teams, accelerates sales cycles and boosts growth. Remember, your brand is your path of least resistance to revenue. Create compelling brand conversations and watch your business take off.

By Kate DiLeo 

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Edited by Chelsea Brown

Sourced from Entrepreneur

By John McCarthy,

X is suing an advertiser group it accuses of boycotting the platform in order to suppress voices on the platform. Adland has responded with incredulity that a brand safety discussion would be blown up into a freedom of speech debate.

The news that Elon Musk’s X is suing the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (Garm), its founding organization, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and Garm members CVS Health, Mars, Orsted, and Unilever has been met with bemusement and some amusement by the ad industry.

By John McCarthy,

Sourced from The Drum

By Andrew Hutchinson

We’re currently seeing some big shifts in the social media marketing space, as the platforms continue to refine their algorithms and approaches aligned to different elements.

Over the past year, Meta, for example, has made a more definitive stance against news content, something that for years it had actually looked to promote, while the changes at X have also sparked changes in social ads trends, that are now being more noticeably felt.

In essence, publishers and marketers are diversifying their social media marketing and promotion approaches in all new ways, which could both indicate rising interest in what have traditionally been secondary apps, and new opportunities for other brands.

For example, Reddit’s organic referral traffic has reportedly increased sevenfold in the last nine months, after it established a new partnership with Google on data sharing and discovery.

As reported by AdWeek, between August 2023 and April 2024, readership on Reddit nearly tripled, “rising from 132 million visitors to 346 million monthly visitors.”

Reddit’s deal with Google is primarily focused on data sharing, in order to help Google develop its Gemini AI models. But there’s also a provision within the arrangement to develop more “content-forward displays of Reddit information” within Google search.

That’s clearly had an impact, and that rise in attention has also driven more interest from publishers, which AdWeek says are now driving notable traffic gains from the app.

LinkedIn, too, is seeing steady increases in engagement, with LinkedIn newsletters, in particular, helping to drive more direct engagement, both for creators and publishers alike.

Again, Meta’s decision to move away from publisher content, by effectively penalizing the reach of link posts, has forced publications to look at alternative opportunities, and that could spark a broader shift in news engagement, in different forms.

Though it’s not only Meta that’s now penalizing link posts.

X has also moved to make link posts less prominent, as a means to keep people in the app for longer, while even LinkedIn is now looking to push publishers to take up LinkedIn Premium subscriptions by reducing the prominence of links posted by non subscribers.

Which, again, forces publishers who are looking to drive traffic to consider alternative sites, which could see more focus on other platforms over time.

There’s also been a notable shift in social marketing budgets as a result of platform updates.

As X continues to suffer from its worsening advertiser exodus, it seems that a notable proportion of that budget is shifting to Snapchat and Reddit, which have both seen significant increases in SMB spend.

In its Q1 performance update, Snapchat reported that SMB ad spend is up 85% at the app, while Reddit has more than doubled its revenue growth rate by, among other things, focusing on SMBs.

The broader changes at X have lead to a splintering of ad budgets, which is now seeing other platforms attract more interest, as marketers try out new opportunities, to see whether they can drive similar response from other apps.

And the broader context, again, is that the social media marketing landscape is shifting significantly, as platforms revise their focus, and look to new options.

That’s not to say that Meta’s apps are not as viable an option as they’ve always been, while Meta’s also updating its ad tools with new AI capabilities which will eventually deliver better results without you having to do anything.

Indeed, the data suggests that Meta’s evolving Advantage ad tools are worth considering. But in terms of broader expansion, it seems that many brands are now trying to find new opportunities, and new communities to reach in other apps.

Maybe you should too. Maybe, these platforms are seeing more opportunity because they’re delivering results, and as such, maybe it’s worth exploring these alternative platforms now, ahead of the Christmas marketing rush.

The data suggests that this is where people are turning, and if other businesses are seeing results, it could be worth looking into what kind of reach opportunities you can get from other apps.    

By Andrew Hutchinson

Sourced from Social Media Today

By Nii Codjoe

Discover what the best ad executives, filmmakers, brand strategists, and marketers use to build iconic brands.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Nii Codjoe

Senior UX Researcher, WeightWatchers @NiiCodjoe

Sourced from Inc.

By Brad Anderson

Nowadays, it’s hard to grow a business without being visible on social media. Studies have shown that companies can benefit from social media platforms because they can help them connect with larger audiences.

Businesses can use social media to communicate with their communities and establish their presence in the industry. One of the best sites for such activities is Instagram. The platform had 2 billion active users on a monthly basis at the beginning of 2024, and the fan base seems to be on a growing spree. Due to the large number of younger generations, it’s a good opportunity for businesses to attract people who might become long-time customers.

But how do you boost your profile? We’re here to help with some tips for increasing the recognition of your Instagram account. Let’s get started!

Is Instagram Recognition Important for Your Business?

A long time ago, explaining the importance of starting a social media strategy as a business might have given you some weird looks. Most business owners now recognize the importance of being present on social media sites. Instagram posts have tremendous potential to reach a wide range of people, even possibly bringing you more Instagram followers.

But if you’ve never done business before and you’re just now diving into it, perhaps you aren’t too familiar with why so many companies make efforts to post Instagram stories, reels, photos, and more. It’s easy – Instagram activity can give you access to potential customers and help build your brand’s visibility and recognition.

This platform allows you to create a brand image. Instagram users will rush to your page when they want to learn something about you and your services. Also, it’s a good chance to share news that may interest your followers, including new releases, job openings, and more. Many enterprises now buy cheap Instagram likes to increase recognition, but spending money on likes is not the only way to go.

How Can You Increase Your Instagram Account’s Recognition?

Reaching your target audience on Instagram is not that easy. If you want to succeed, you need to make a lot of effort to gain organic followers. Increasing brand awareness takes hard work and dedication, and if you’re new to Instagram and don’t know what to do to please the Instagram algorithm yet, we have the solution for you.

Here are some Instagram insights that will help you get the recognition you want and deserve:

1. Set an Instagram Posts Schedule

One way through which Instagram accounts can thrive is by carefully planning each Instagram post. When you schedule Instagram posts, you will remain active on the app while letting your target audience know when to expect your content.

However, the ideal posting schedule for you depends on who your audience is. For example, if you go for young adults, they may be students or employees. Chances are that they’ll be unable to check Instagram often during the day, so if you post too early, they may miss your photo and video.

Instead, plan your feed posts for when you believe your loyal customers will be active. Maintain this schedule as you go, so your fans know you’re consistent.

2. Discover Your Niche

People will check your Instagram profile if they find your content and like what they see. But if they find that your content is all over the place in terms of topics and categories, they won’t be too happy about it. On top of visually appealing content, they want you to know what you do.

Create your own personal brand by choosing a niche and tailoring your content to attract new followers to your page. While creating different types of content is not necessarily bad, it can deter certain people. If your page or business is about music, your content should focus on music, not travel.

If your niche is inconsistent and your followers keep seeing posts unrelated to your field, they’ll most likely choose to leave, and you’ll notice a decrease in user engagement.

3. Take Advantage of Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are great when you want to post something temporary. A story will be visible for 24 hours before disappearing. If you regularly post updates there, it’ll show your audience that you care about them and want them to be informed. Perhaps it may even encourage more users to follow you.

Besides sharing news and updates, stories also enable you to reveal behind-the-scenes videos, launch events, and more.

4. Buy Organic Followers Only

Purchasing followers is a misunderstood practice due to its negative connotations and the risk that comes with it. People expect this practice only to bring them fake Instagram followers while possibly getting them in trouble with the platform.

While there are some risks you should be wary of, follower purchases can be perfectly safe as long as you practice caution. For instance, you should always do your research on the companies selling these followers.

Some firms sell fake followers, while others offer real-user follows that grow slowly and naturally. By purchasing organic followers, your account’s popularity may increase, with the algorithm seeing your content as more valuable and recommending it to larger groups of people.

5. Use Relevant Hashtags

The power of a good hashtag cannot be underestimated. In fact, hashtags often help distribute your content among the right users. When someone looks up a specific hashtag, your posts will appear under that search.

Hashtags will boost your content’s discoverability, thus providing more opportunities for engagement and visibility.

6. Don’t Be Scared to Experiment

Don’t be too quick to put a label on your account or settle on one type of content. This especially applies when you’re new to Instagram and trying to build your following. There are numerous types of content you can work with, so you don’t have to limit yourself to one format.

Instagram offers photos, Reels, Stories, and many other types of content you can pick from. Try them individually and see which ones you enjoy the most, as well as which ones your audience seems to appreciate. Then, assess what content types bring you the most likes, followers, shares, and comments, and focus on them moving forward.

7. Don’t Hesitate to Go Live

Going live for the first time may sound scary when you have a new business account on Instagram. Still, lives are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they can be quite a fun experience that helps reach a larger audience. What’s great about this feature is that it makes your profile picture come first in the stories section, so followers will see it immediately when they open the app. Followers may even be notified when you go live, sparking their curiosity.

A live stream is a chance for fans to get to know the people behind your brand. They’ll see who the team is and can ask you questions. In some cases, these lives may also include interviews with popular influencers in the same niche, which may bring even more followers to your page.

8. Take Advantage of User Generated Content

Another good way to increase your account recognition on Instagram is to leverage user generated content. Doing this will grow your engagement, not to mention that it may even lead to the original creators resharing your post and bringing new people to your page.

What’s even better is that your authenticity and credibility will significantly grow when you share natural and authentic user generated content.

9. Optimize Your Instagram Account

Optimization is as important as the quality of your content. Your Instagram followers will appreciate you even more if you have a beautifully optimized page that stands out.

First impressions matter, which is why you cannot overlook the importance of how your profile is perceived. One of the first things you should pay attention to is, of course, choosing the right username. If you’re a brand, the brand’s name should be more than enough for this.

The next one is the profile picture. It should be a high-resolution and clear one that represents your brand. Most companies choose their logos to make it work, but it must be recognizable from the plethora of avatars.

You should also not forget to write a compelling bio. People will read it as soon as they land on your Instagram profile. It doesn’t have to go into great detail about you – a short, clear, and concise description that reveals who you are and what you do should be enough.

Lastly, don’t forget to include relevant keywords in the description to increase discoverability.

10. Pay for Instagram Ads

Spending money on Instagram ads is not exactly the first thing you want to do, but it doesn’t hurt once you’ve optimized your profile and developed the content strategy. Ads are among the best Instagram insights because they tell the world about you, bring in new Instagram followers, and increase sales.

Now, while getting followers and customers is most likely your goal, you shouldn’t sound too salesy either. Ads should be attractive and boost brand recognition. The key to this is using compelling visuals and a friendly and understanding approach.

The Instagram analytics tool can then tell you how well your ads perform. This way, you’ll be able to optimize your ad campaign based on it.

11. Create or Join Challenges

Let’s be honest – challenges are not only fun to engage with but also a way to connect with people. Every now and then, a new trend emerges, and influencers and businesses are eager to jump on the bandwagon. Challenges make for engaging content, so they’re great for your brand.

Now, you can take part in challenges created by others or make your own. These can involve creating Instagram reels with specific sounds or performing certain actions. To make it catchier, you can also offer prizes to fans with the most engagement after they join your challenge.

It’s also crucial to make sure these challenges are fun and safe. After all, you don’t want to scare away potential followers.

12. Interact with People

When your posts appear in your followers’ feeds, people may check your comment section. A business or creator account that ignores fans is seen as a red flag, and individuals will be tempted to ignore it. However, engaging with your fans will show your appreciation for them, allowing you to retain your loyal fan base while possibly attracting more fans along the way.

This will also have a positive influence on Instagram’s algorithm as it sees more engagement on your posts. Ultimately, this will boost your recognition on the platform.

The Bottom Line

Increasing your profile’s visibility can be done with a few tricks. Encourage user generated content, craft a strong Instagram bio, post consistently, create high-quality content, interact with your audience, post stories and reels, and optimize your profile to improve recognition. We hope our tips will help you see your Instagram profile grow.

By Brad Anderson

Brad is the former editor who oversaw contributed content at ReadWrite.com. He previously worked as an editor at PayPal and Crunchbase. All Posts by Brad Anderson

Sourced from readwrite

By Roger Dooley

Imagine if you could get your customers to comply with your requests almost automatically. Sound like a marketer’s dream? Well, it’s not just a fantasy. Behavioural science shows us that certain triggers can indeed prompt people to agree or comply with minimal conscious thought.

I recently caught up with Nancy Harhut, author of Using Behavioural Science in Marketing, who shared some fascinating insights on what she calls “automatic compliance triggers.” These are simple yet powerful tools that can significantly boost the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

The Power of “Because”

One of Harhut’s favourite triggers is the humble word “because.” She cites a classic study by Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer that demonstrates its remarkable impact. In the experiment, researchers tried to cut in line at a copy machine. When they simply asked to cut in line, about 60% of people agreed. But when they added a reason preceded by “because” – even if that reason was meaningless – compliance shot up to 94%.

What’s the takeaway for marketers? Test adding “because” to your call to action. Instead of a bland “Subscribe to our newsletter,” try “Subscribe to our newsletter because you’ll get exclusive insights that will give you an edge over your competitors.” The “because” acts as a mental shortcut, prompting your audience to nod along without fully processing what comes next. Of course, if the reason that follows “because” is compelling, that’s even better.

Charts Are Credibility Boosters

Another automatic compliance trigger Harhut mentions is the use of charts or graphs. Surprisingly, their mere presence can lend credibility to your message, even if people don’t study them closely.

Harhut shared an anecdote about a major metropolitan newspaper that saw a significant uplift in subscriptions when they included a simple chart comparing their offer to standard rates. The chart was so effective that it’s still used years later.

This aligns with what’s known as the “picture superiority effect” – our brains are wired to process and remember visual information more easily than text alone. So, next time you’re making a complex argument or presenting data, consider throwing in a chart or graph. It might just give you the credibility boost you need.

More Compliance Triggers

Beyond these examples, there are other automatic compliance triggers worth exploring. Just about any of Robert Cialdini’s Principles of Influence can be persuasive. Even if they aren’t the primary focus of an ad, their presence can influence customer behaviour. There are seven principles, not to mention dozens of cognitive biases, but here are a just a few examples of mental shortcuts marketers often use to good effect:

1. Social Proof: We’re herd animals at heart. Showing that others are using your product or service can trigger an almost automatic desire to follow suit. That’s why you see phrases like “10,000+ satisfied customers” or photo testimonials from happy users.
2. Scarcity: Our brains are wired to value what’s rare or dwindling in availability. “Limited time offer” or “Only 3 left in stock” can prompt quick action from your audience.
3. Authority: We’re programmed to defer to authority figures. That’s why expert endorsements or industry credentials can significantly boost your message’s persuasiveness. Even a spokesperson wearing a white lab coat can imply scientific credibility.

The Ethics of Influence

It’s crucial to remember that with great power comes great responsibility. These triggers can be potent tools, and it’s up to us as marketers to use them ethically. Cialdini refers to them as “sacred shortcuts.” The goal should be to guide customers toward decisions that genuinely benefit them, not to manipulate them into choices they’ll regret.

When used correctly, automatic compliance triggers aren’t just marketing tricks – they’re ways of tapping into how our brains naturally process information and make decisions. By understanding and ethically applying these principles, you can craft more effective messages that resonate with your audience’s subconscious decision-making processes.

So, next time you’re crafting a marketing message, ask yourself: How can I incorporate these automatic compliance triggers? A well-placed “because,” a simple chart, or a touch of social proof might be all it takes to give your marketing the edge it needs.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Roger Dooley

Roger Dooley is a speaker and author who covers science-based business strategies. He builds on behavioural science, AI, and neuromarketing to create practical business solutions. Dooley’s books include Friction (Top 3 Management Book, strategy+business) and global bestseller Brainfluence (now in 11 languages). He is a Top 50 Global Influencer on Customer Loyalty and has been a neuromarketing authority for two decades. He hosts the Brainfluence show and a YouTube channel. Dooley co-founded College Confidential, a digital business acquired by the Daily Mail Group. Earlier, he co-founded a successful catalogue firm and directed strategy for a Fortune 1000 company. Learn more at rogerdooley.com.

Sourced from Forbes

By Brent Barnhart.

Trying to pick the best influencer platform for your brand? You should be confident about your choice! Below we break down what key features to look for.

For busy consumer brands, investing in an influencer platform is pretty much inevitable.

But with 10,000+ martech tools in the wild, choosing the “best” software for anything is daunting.

This is especially true for influencer marketing platforms and tools.

Why? Because the creator space is always evolving. Not to mention getting more competitive.

And so the tools you rely on to run your campaigns need the right features so you can scale.

We encourage brands to put potential influencer platforms under the microscope before picking. This post can help as we break down…

• The must-have features brands should look for in any influencer tool
• How to choose the best influencer marketing platform based on your company’s unique goals
• Key details brands often overlook when choosing an influencer platform

Choosing the Best Influencer Platform: 7 Questions to Consider for Your Brand

Remember: choosing the “right” tool depends on your brand’s situation.

That’s why it’s so important to do your homework. Many platforms present themselves as one-size-fits-all. Chances are your needs are anything but, right?

We’ll cover two types of influencer marketing platforms: self-service and scalable.

Self-service influencer marketing platforms help brands coordinate campaigns themselves. These tools include databases, CRMs and influencer marketplaces. 

Scalable influencer marketing platforms (like Statusphere!) programmatically match brands with creators and execute campaigns from A to Z. 

To hone in on which type of influencer tool is right for you, start with the seven questions below.

1. How Much Time Can You Dedicate to Your Campaigns?

“Oh yeah, we can totally handle that ourselves.”

We’ve heard that one before.

And we get it! Marketers end up multi-tasking and wearing a lot of hats in any given role.

However, working with creators is a time commitment. A pretty serious one, too.

We always urge brands to be honest with themselves when it comes to their schedules. Like SEO or list-building, influencers are an investment that drives results over time. Brands that benefit most from influencers understand they’re playing the long game.

If you’re going to invest in influencer marketing, you should do it right! That means giving your creators and campaigns the attention they deserve.

“Not much. Maybe a few hours per week.”

Brands often underestimate the legwork required to research and contact creators.

Scrolling through social feeds. Drafting and responding to outreach emails. Negotiating.

That doesn’t scratch the surface of your most time-consuming campaign tasks, either.

Brands on a time crunch have the most to gain from a scalable influencer marketing platform. Taking a hands-off approach frees up your schedule. This gives you plenty of time to track your campaign progress without doing all the work yourself.

“We have a dedicated team member to manage our campaigns.”

More brands today are bringing on full-time influencer specialists to take the reins.

Makes sense! Influencer marketing campaign management is a full-time job for many brands. This is especially true when you’re doing everything in-house, including:

• Shipping and fulfilment (think: getting products into influencers’ hands)
• Managing influencer relations
• Handling campaign reporting and KPIs

Some self-service influencer management platforms provide a place for you to consolidate some of these tasks. For example, they might offer an inbox or dashboard to manage your campaigns. 

A scalable platform takes all of the above off of your hands.  That said, you’re still in the loop on your campaign’s status and can make adjustments if needed.

2. How Much Have You Worked with Influencers Before?

Again, brands need to maintain realistic expectations when it comes to their campaigns.

It’s easy to dismiss the work required to hire creators at scale. That is, until you do it yourself.

“We’re totally new to influencer campaigns.”

First-timers can benefit from both types of influencer platforms.

Self-service influencer discovery tools can streamline your search process. A CRM or database might be overkill if you only end up working with a handful of creators, though. These tools can be overwhelming to first-timers.

If you have a campaign vision in mind but are struggling to execute it, a scalable platform is ideal.

For example, let’s say you want a specific number of creator posts of a certain style. Maybe vegan women in their twenties or millennial moms with newborns.

A scalable platform manages the creative direction of your campaigns and guarantees content from relevant creators. Contrast this with a discovery tool where how much content you earn depends on your success in identifying and pitching influencers.

“We’ve worked with a lot of influencers in the past influencers but we need help.”

Many brands try a DIY approach to influencer marketing and realize they’re in over their heads.

A self-service platform can help you uncover relevant creators, assuming you know what you want. Not 100% confident about what your campaigns should look like? A scalable platform can read between the lines, considering your goals to match you with creators and build a campaign around the information you’ve provided.

“We’ve run influencer campaigns in the past. We’re ready to scale.”

Let’s say you’re ready to scale your influencer campaigns. You’re committed and ready to go.

Nice! If what you’ve done has worked on a small scale, ramping things up makes sense.

How you go about it really depends on your team, schedule and budget. Do you want to manage all the elements at a larger scale or run a fully optimized campaign out of the box?

There is no right answer here. If you’ve been underwhelmed by an agency or platform in the past, a scalable solution could be a better fit.

3. What Types of Influencers Do You Want for Your Campaigns?

Audience size is a big deal to brands and rightfully so.

Based on the types of influencers you want to work with, some platforms are better than others.

Let’s say you’re a boutique brand working with a handful of smaller, specialty creators. Are there platforms out there for you? Absolutely!

Thing is, your platform of choice might not meet the needs of an ecommerce company hiring hundreds of micro-influencers.

“Micro-influencers. We want authentic, smaller creators.”

Micro-influencers are notable for their high engagement rates and level of authenticity. This results in meaningful interactions among their followers.

Micro-influencers resemble everyday consumers because they are everyday consumers. These creators are actively building loyal, trusting communities. Their authenticity is their superpower. This applies to the power-middle influencers we’ve partnered with, too.

Consider that micro-influencers with a few thousand followers might fly under the radar of many discovery tools. That’s because everyday creators don’t always resemble more “traditional” influencers. Finding micro-influencers in the wild often means doing some digging.

That’s where a specific micro-influencer marketing platform can make all the difference for brands that primarily want to work with smaller, authentic creators.

“Big influencers and celebrities. The bigger, the better.”

Maybe your goal is to get in front of as many people as possible. Many self-service influencer platforms allow you to filter creators by follower count. Want to partner with someone that boasts 500,000 followers? A million? Go for it. But keep in mind that follower count doesn’t necessarily equate to engaging with your target audience.

Note that some platforms charge brands for content based on an influencer’s follower count. This means that you end up paying for potential reach rather than actual engagement.

4. How Much Control Do You Want Over the Creative Process?

When using an influencer marketing platform, creative control is a trade-off.

Outsourcing any aspect of your business can be a challenge. That’s why brands should approach their platform like investing in a partnership. You should be able to trust the tools you’re using to support you and your goals.

“We want to outsource our campaigns but maintain some creative control.”

You can with an end-to-end influencer platform! Tools like Statusphere translate creative input from brands into pieces of content. We listen to our partners’ feedback and our campaign targeting optimizes over time. This gives you a hands-off approach while still maintaining control.

“We want to put the final stamp on what our influencers post.”

This is where things get tricky.

While self-service influencer marketing platforms can give you control over more campaign details, doing so comes at a cost. The more hands-on you are, the more time and resources are required from your team.

Assume you’re using a platform to hire influencers but want to run campaigns yourself. That means you’re on the hook for:

• Writing creative briefs and communicating instructions to influencers
• Ensuring that influencers stick to FTC guidelines
• Negotiating with and compensating influencers

Sure, the ability to have the final say on your content means peace of mind.

But due to all the tasks involved, this can create bottlenecks for your team and creators. Compare this to an end-to-end platform where you can provide input minus any micromanaging.

5. How Long Do You Plan to Run Your Influencer Marketing Campaigns?

Just like influencer marketing is a commitment, so is investing in a tool. Brands trying to choose an influencer platform should decide if they’re ready for the long haul.

“Short-term.”

In this case, you actually might not need a dedicated tool at all. For example, most self-service platforms and databases require annual contracts. If you aren’t playing the long game, you might burn through your budget.

“Long-term.”

We find that brands yield the best results with always-on influencer campaigns. The longer your campaigns run, the easier it is to scale your content production. Likewise, you have more data to tweak and optimize your strategy. With platforms, it’s all about keeping your momentum going.

6. Do You Need Total Control of Your Campaign Data?

Maybe we’re biased but access to analytics should be a deal breaker for brands.

The correlation between high-quality data and business growth is well-documented. Optimizing any marketing campaign means regularly reviewing metrics, trends and KPIs. Influencer marketing is no different.

“Absolutely. Regular reports and campaign tracking would be ideal.”

Any platform worth your time is going to track campaign-level data. This includes reporting on:

• Engagement rate % of your creators’ posts
• How many pieces of influencer content you’re generating
• Reach, impressions, plays and loops (think: TikToks and Reels)

“Doesn’t matter.”

We can’t stress enough how valuable your influencer campaign data is. Again, platforms should share this with you by default. Your data is key to understanding:

• Which products and posts perform best among your target audience
• The types of creators that generate the most social engagement
• How your influencer marketing strategy is growing over time

7. Do You Sell a Specialty Product?

There are creators of all shapes and sizes out there. No matter what you’re selling, chances are there’s a community of creators ready to promote you. The challenge is investing in a platform that can uncover those niche influencers.

“No. Our audience and product are pretty mainstream.”

For example, skincare and fashion brands are safe industries for finding influencers. There’s no shortage of creators in these spaces. Any discovery tool should make them a cinch to find.

“Yes. Our audience is kind of niche.”

We often hear complaints about influencer databases that lack “unconventional” creators. Niche creators are hard to find because their profiles don’t always say “Hey, I’m an influencer!”

In our experience, niche brands arguably have the most to gain from a scalable influencer platform. From paper towels to dog food and beyond, we’ve found that small creators can get seriously creative with less traditional products. For reference, note how countless CPG brands are popping off on TikTok right now.

What Features Do the Best Influencer Marketing Platforms Have?

Looking through a laundry list of software is exhausting. We get it!

Brands should focus on the key features to optimize their campaigns and save the most time. Below we break down exactly what those features look like and why they matter so much.

Influencer Matchmaking

Again, researching and confirming that influencers match your brand is a big commitment. That doesn’t even take into account pitching and reaching out to them.

If you’re using a platform as a sort of search engine, that’s totally cool. Just understand that you’re still responsible for managing influencer relations.

Likewise, even someone that looks “perfect” on paper might not be a good fit when it comes time to post. There’s so much trial and error involved when finding potential influencers to work with.

That’s why a tool with built-in influencer matchmaking is so valuable.

A programmatic platform only aligns your brand with people interested in your products. For example, Statusphere matches brands and creators based on 250+ unique data points. You only get matched with relevant influencers based on your products and audience.

Why Matchmaking Matters

• Eliminates time-consuming influencer research and outreach
• Allows for easy scalability
• Reduces manual messaging back and forth with creators
• Guarantees that influencers are relevant to your unique target audience

Vetted Influencer Network

The biggest shortcoming of influencer database software? Lack of a proper vetting process.

Some platforms boast about their network made up of millions of influencers.

Sounds impressive at a glance. Thing is, reviewing a million creator profiles manually is impossible. And many of these tools rely on scraped data.

Sure, finding potential influencers through a database can speed up your search. The problem is that you still have to do the legwork of vetting creators yourself.

Not to mention, many of the search features offered by self-service platforms are in jeopardy following Facebook’s announcement of crackdowns on data scraping.

This illustrates the value of using a platform with an opt-in or invite-only network. With a hand-picked network, you don’t have to worry about creator authenticity. You likewise only work with creators who want to work with brands like yours.

Why Vetting Matters

• Ensure that your influencers’ posts receive meaningful, authentic engagement
• Only partner with creators that maintain an active social presence
• Make your influencer campaigns more consistent with guaranteed content

Ease of Use

Maybe it’s cliche but the best influencer platform is the one that you’ll actually use.

Because learning a new tool shouldn’t drain your team’s time or productivity, right?

Onboarding should be a matter of hours rather than weeks or months. The quicker you can get up and running, the better.

That’s why Statusphere is designed specifically to save brands time. While we do the campaign-related legwork, our brands monitor their campaign progress in their brand portal. Our platform saves marketing teams an average of 100 hours per month.

Why Ease of Use Matters

• Start and scale your campaigns sooner rather than later
• Reduce wasted time (and stress!) on behalf of your marketing team
• Take full advantage of the platform’s features to maximize your results

Built-In UGC Advertising

Maximizing the ROI of your influencer campaigns means reusing and repurposing your content everywhere you possibly can. Most notably, UGC ads featuring authentic influencers are proven to outperform brand-made creatives when it comes to engagement and conversions.

The ability to instantly turn your top influencer content into ads with less back-and-forth is crucial for brands. For example, our platform has built-in content rights for UGC so you can repurpose posts faster. Statusphere also allows brands to turn their campaign TikToks into Spark Ads in just two clicks. No negotiating rates or permissions required.

Why UGC Advertising Matters

• Instantly increase the ROI of both your influencer and paid social media campaigns
• Save massive amounts of time and resources on in-house ad creatives
• Opportunities to strengthen other marketing channels (email, product pages) with UGC

Product Gifting and Seeding

Influencer campaigns are anything but one-size-fits-all. While some brands may have specific requirements and expectations for their guaranteed content, others just want to get their content into the hands of creators as quickly as possible with no strings attached.

In situations like product launches, being able to send products swiftly is invaluable. For example, Statusphere offers brands flexibility between getting guaranteed content with traditional influencer campaigns or product seeding with guaranteed delivery.

That means you can get products to creators ASAP with fewer question marks about your shipments. Not only that, but our matchmaking algorithm will ensure that your products only get sent to relevant creators to further increase your posting success rate.

Why Product Gifting and Seeding Matter

• Brands benefit from options when it comes to guaranteed content vs. delivery
• Product seeding and traditional campaigns give brands the best of both worlds
• Gifting and seeding support scalability and word-of-mouth

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Social media moves fast. Like, really fast.

While your brand might primarily focus on a specific network now, that can change in an instant.

Think about it. A couple of years ago, there was no such thing as a TikTok influencer platform.

Fast-forward to the present day and brands have totally taken over the app. This highlights the value of working with a platform that makes it easy to pivot.

With ongoing algorithm and privacy updates, you may need to bounce to another network. Ideally, doing so shouldn’t mean dropping your current influencer platform.

Why Cross-Platform Compatibility Matters

• Provides an opportunity to build awareness with a new audience
• Gives you the freedom to pivot your campaigns if needed
• Ensures that your creator campaigns are active where your audience is active

Which Type of Influencer Marketing Platform is Best for Your Brand?

Listen: investing in any sort of tool for your business is a big deal.

And influencer marketing tools are no exception.

You should be confident about getting the features your brand explicitly needs. In turn, your influencer platform should be built to get the results you want.

And if you want a tool that does the work for you, Statusphere can help.

Our micro-influencer marketing platform handles the heavy lifting related to your campaigns. That includes matchmaking, reporting, fulfilment and more. Our platform is built to save brands time while earning influencer content at scale.

Want to learn more about how the platform works? Get in touch with one of our experts to see how we can scale your influencer marketing efforts in a fraction of the time.

By Brent Barnhart

Sourced from STATUSPHERE

By Melissa Houston,

The dream of getting rich often feels out of reach, particularly if you believe that wealth requires a hefty initial investment or a lucky break. However, the truth is, many successful entrepreneurs have built their fortunes not from a windfall or a massive inheritance, but by leveraging something they already possessed: their skills.

If you have a skill set you’re passionate about, you’re sitting on a goldmine.

Here’s how you can use what you already have to start a business and get rich:

1. Identify Your Core Skills

Before diving into the business world, it’s essential to identify the skills that set you apart. Are you a natural problem solver? Do you have a talent for writing, designing, or coding? Maybe you’re great at teaching, organizing, or managing projects. Start by making a list of all the skills you possess, both soft and hard skills. This list will become the foundation for your business idea.

2. Find a Market Need

Once you’ve identified your core skills, the next step is to find a market need. Research industries or niches where your skills are in high demand. If you’re a skilled writer, businesses are always in need of quality content for their websites, blogs, and marketing materials. If you’re a web developer, there’s a constant demand for websites and apps. The key is to match your skill set with a problem that needs solving.

3. Start Small and Lean

One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business is that it requires significant upfront capital. However, many successful entrepreneurs started with little to no money. You can start small by offering your services as a freelancer or consultant. This allows you to test the waters, build a client base, and gain experience without the financial risk of starting a full-fledged business.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you can start by taking on freelance projects. As you build a portfolio and a reputation, you can gradually expand your services and client base.

4. Leverage Technology

Technology will help you start your business. You can use online platforms to market your skills, find clients, and even automate parts of your business. Social media, freelancing websites, and personal websites are powerful tools for reaching a global audience without spending a dime.

Platforms like LinkedIn can connect you with clients looking for your specific skill set. Meanwhile, a well-maintained social media presence can help you build your brand and attract customers organically.

5. Network and Collaborate

Networking is a critical component of growing your business. By connecting with others in your industry, you can gain valuable insights, find opportunities for collaboration, and increase your visibility. Attend industry events, join online communities, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people who might be able to help you grow your business.

Collaboration can also open new revenue streams. For example, if you’re a web developer, partnering with a graphic designer can allow you to offer a more comprehensive service to your clients.

6. Upskill Continuously

To stay competitive and continue growing your business, it’s essential to keep learning. Invest time in upskilling and staying updated with the latest trends in your industry. This could mean taking online courses, attending workshops, or simply dedicating time each week to learning something new.

Upskilling can also allow you to diversify your services. For example, if you’re a content writer, learning about SEO can make your services more valuable to clients looking to improve their online presence.

7. Focus on Delivering Value

Ultimately, the key to getting rich using your skills is to focus on delivering value. When you consistently provide high-quality work that solves your clients’ problems, you build a reputation that leads to repeat business and referrals. Over time, this can lead to higher rates, bigger projects, and more significant opportunities.

8. Scale When the Time is Right

As your business grows, look for opportunities to scale. This might mean hiring additional help, expanding your services, or even creating products based on your expertise. For example, if you’re a consultant, you might create an online course or write a book to reach a broader audience.

Scaling should be done strategically and only when you have the processes in place to handle the increased workload. However, when done correctly, scaling can significantly increase your income potential.

The bottom line is that getting rich doesn’t necessarily require a revolutionary idea or a large amount of startup capital. By leveraging the skills you already have, identifying a market need, and delivering consistent value, you can build a business that grows over time. Remember, wealth is often built slowly through persistence, continuous learning, and smart business decisions.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Melissa Houston

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Melissa Houston, CPA covers business and personal finance impacting women entrepreneurs. With her CPA designation and over 20 years of practical experience, Houston is widely regarded by her expertise in financial management. Houston shares her knowledge and experience with Forbes.com readers and has done so since August 2020. Houston is the international selling author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business, founder of She Means Profit, international speaker, and covers small business finances. Houston has worked with hundreds of small business owners to help them increase profit and make more money in their businesses.

Sourced from Forbes