Having a social media presence is more important than ever. People rely heavily on their respected social media influencers to help them decide what they read. There are content aggregators, like Zite, that can guide you to reading that interests you, but there is no bigger influencer than your circle of contacts - and what they're sharing with you - on social media.
Of course, it goes both ways: not only do you tend to focus on what your friends, family, and professional contacts are sharing, but publishers are, too. They know that the best way to determine what people want to read is to seek out what they're currently reading and talking about. What better way to pinpoint successful stories than by following the discussions surrounding them on social media?
Why Publishers Want Social Sharers
Online publications want contributors with large followings. It's the best way to draw attention to their site and get content distributed across the web that lists their site as the original source. It's logical that they would want to feature leaders of companies with established social media channels to help distribute the content. If you want to maximize any article or press about yourself, be proactive and build your social media brand. You can get an article, in any publication ranging from the small sites to the mammoth URLs, and still not get the exposure you want. The quality of the article is only half the battle - promoting the article is the other half.
The amount of content on each site is only going to continue to grow. Sites like Business2Community and Business Insider are providing their readers with a vast amount of content. Why wouldn't they? They aren't limited like print editions are. There isn't an additional paper cost as you post more content on the web. Therefore, you need to do what you can to distinguish any content belonging to you, and social media is one of the best ways to do so. Content with increased social shares is more likely to be pulled to the first page of a site to gain even more exposure.
How Being a Social Butterfly Benefits You
In combination with being better positioned on the site, social branding helps people distinguish your content from others' submissions. Readers scan over topics on a site, and there are usually social shares attached to the topic's listing. Readers are more likely to click on an article, no matter what the topic is, if the social share count is substantially higher than other articles' shares. Visitors gather a sense of missing out on something all their friends must be talking about - they feel the need to join the conversation. Online publishing is, without a doubt, one area where popularity counts.
At the same time, you're developing a more professional image, which will help you stand out more as a contributor, or a feature on the site, to the editor. She will be more likely to accept content and compile stories about you if she sees that you'll draw attention to the site through your content. Credibility - and the instant cache that comes with it - is a huge help when obtaining publishing opportunities.
Social media is now influencing what content is written, how publishers accept content, and the overall information that's displayed online. People who build their companies and personal brands are gaining more followers, friends, and connections. As a result, they are getting more press, opportunities, and authority. Rather than wait for your ship to sail in, swim out to it. Being proactive is the only way to make a splash in the publishing industry.
