On this week’s Dear Katie, I was asked: What’s the fastest way to build influence online if I’m just starting out?

And this is a question I often receive from people who try standing out online as fast as possible. I haven’t found an overnight success story where someone stood out immediately with their first post, but I do have a strategy that has helped me:

• Build influence online
• Follow repeatable steps to success
• Help clients stand out online and grow their firms

I’ll explain my five-step strategy below that you can steal to start building influence ASAP.

1. Master One Platform, Then Expand

LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok – there is no shortage of platforms to choose from. 

However, a mistake that I often see is that people try to be everywhere at once, which requires significant dedication and resources.

I have good news. You don’t need to be everywhere.

I recommend:

• Focusing all of your attention on one platform.
• Find your posting rhythm.
  

Over time, you’ll build momentum on a platform and become an established authority. You can then use this success to transition to a second, third and subsequent platform over time.

Not sure which platform to focus on?

Ask yourself:

1. Where does your ideal client hang out?
2. Of those platforms, which one suits your content creation desires best?
   
   LinkedIn is a great platform because it supports all content creation efforts – video, written text, audio, etc. 

Hootsuite breaks down the demographics of each social media network to help you find the one where your audience is located.

Your chosen platform is one where you’ll post content, engage with others and build a community around.

2. Repurpose Like a Pro

When you repurpose content like a pro, you’re using one piece of content to create multiple types of content for other platforms. I use this strategy to avoid burning out.

Let’s see how this works:

• Turn LinkedIn posts into short videos for Instagram or TikTok.
• Repurpose key posts into content for your email newsletter.
• Recycle the content that performs best.

Using this approach, you can focus on your core platform and then use the content to create an echo chamber across other social media channels with minimal effort.

We create this same experience with our Content Engine offering, where a weekly long-form video is turned into a blog, podcast, YouTube video and multiple social media posts.

3. Use a 3-Pillar Content Strategy

Great content is three important things:

• Intentional
• Consistent
• Strategic

If you want to build influence and create great content that meets the criteria above, I recommend using a 3-pillar content strategy.

These three primary pillars will drive conversation and engagement:

1. Unique Insights: Share little-known knowledge or a surprising angle in your niche. If you can offer insights no one else is talking about, you can easily stand out in the crowd.
   
2. Personality: Pull back the curtain and let people see the real you. Share your wins, challenges, behind-the-scenes moments, routines and personal stories. Personality-driven posts will humanize your brand.
   
3. Sales-driven: Don’t be afraid to sell – it’s how you serve. Make sure you’re creating content that leads people to your services. Clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) are a great place to start.
   
   Not sure how to do this? There’s a right and a wrong way. Check out how to do so here.

4. Track the Metrics That Matter

Followers are vanity. Engagement is sanity.

Because ultimately, engagement is what matters most. 

The size of your audience means nothing if the audience isn’t engaged.

But how do you measure engagement or influence? Which metrics should you focus on?

Here are just a few: 

• DMs and comments: Both indicate that your content resonates with your audience.
• Shares and saves: These metrics show that your content is valuable.
• In-person conversations: When people tell you they’ve been watching your content. 
• Discovery call conversations: When prospects tell you that your content is what pushed them to book a call.

You might have other unique metrics that measure your influence, but these are some of the most important ones to focus on for now.

While you’re focused on tracking metrics, make sure that you’re doing one other important thing: showing up.

5. Show Up Every Day – Even When You Don’t Want To 

We all have days when we don’t feel motivated. It’s these moments that matter most. 

To build influence and stand out, you need to show up every single day – even when you don’t want to.

Your audience needs to know that you’re reliable. 

When you show up regularly, you build trust. And that trust builds influence. 

Does this mean that you have to create content every single day? Not necessarily.

But I do recommend following a schedule that looks like this one and setting aside time each day to engage with your audience. 

And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.

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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question? 

Submit it here

Until next time, cheers to your success!

Katie