Social Media Engagement: Finding Your Niche

As a recent college graduate, I have begun the transition from collegiate socialite to an aspiring professional by downplaying many of things I did in college on a daily basis. However, this lifestyle transformation also rings true for the way I go about creating my new niche among the social media society. Of course, I am not changing who I am completely; rather, I am simply making a conscious effort to accurately and effectively create and convey my personal brand for those with whom I interact online.

The case remains the same for celebrities, public figures, small businesses and large corporations.

Take basketball superstar Dwight Howard for example.  In my opinion, Dwight is one of the most personable, happy-go-lucky athletes to ever have graced the NBA. Howard captivates an enormous audience on the court as a result of his awe-inspiring physique, gravity-defying basketball skills, and laugh-inducing personality.

When he’s not dominating NBA opponents, Howard builds relationships with his fans by keeping up with his blog. In every post, he maintains his ceaseless exuberance, his ridiculous sense of humor, his humble nature, and most importantly, his sense of authenticity when blogging about his team’s performance, a charity event, or his personal life—all elements that comprise Howard’s online brand.

Despite these strong efforts to build a charismatic online persona, Dwight has actually gotten into some trouble with the league on more than one occasion because of his criticism of NBA officials on his blog. Most recently, the NBA fined Howard $35,000 after he griped about the seemingly unfair officiating during a playoff game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Ironically, Howard wanted to avoid getting in trouble with league in his post, yet what he said online clearly had a consequence offline. On the surface, no part about his blog comments appeared to be disrespectful, inappropriate, flagrant or offensive. In fact, he was doing everything right to create a personal online brand for his fans, even if the league disapproved.

Moreover, Howard’s case underscores a key point with respect to social media engagement that is especially applicable to a small business or a large corporation: when interacting online, it is crucial to consider the persona you are exuding towards your followers. It’s not just about what you say, but more importantly, to whom you say it, how you say it, and how your audience perceives it.

Here are a few things to consider as you begin to find your niche and create your personal brand using social media:

Be Authentic. Your followers will know if you are not the one producing your content. Your online personality will be misrepresented and your personal brand will suffer.

Be Transparent. Everyone is always watching when using social media. There is no hiding, so being open and honest is the only way to go.

Be Conscious. THINK! Always plan out the content you want to produce and how you want to interact with your followers.

Be Respectful. Build relationships with your followers, but be certain not offend or upset anyone. If you do accidently, repair the damage before it gets worse.

Be Committed. The relationships that you build using social media only persist if you post new and creative content, actively engage your followers, and create value in order to form a community.