If you think of yourself as a brand in your own right, not just your company as a brand, imagine instant name recognition by those in the know in that niche. If we say Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, most people know who we are talking about and what they are famous for.

Becoming a thought leader in your niche can take some time and effort, but the financial and professional rewards can be well worth it long-term.

A strong online community is not just about numbers. It's also about how people engage with your business or brand and the ways they do it. Now let’s go over a few strategies you can use to start growing your influence. 

Most entrepreneurs who use social media are mainly interested in cranking out as much content as possible and getting ‘eyeballs’ on it. Smart ones know that social networking is not a one-way street, but a means of building relationships with your target audience. That is how you will gain real social influence in your marketplace. 

It’s not just about eyeballs, it’s about engaging with your visitors, customers and followers on social media and getting them to take the actions you want them to.  It’s also be about market research and using what you learn while monitoring your social channels to help support your marketing and product creation decisions.