Making yourself visible on the web is a much bigger challenge today than it was even five years ago. The confusion around social media and the explosion in video content has relegated the casual content developer to the back row if they are even allowed to remain inside the room. Depending on the topic, it might not be possible to be heard at all.

That said, a motivated author, developer, video producer or businessperson can be heard, but it isn’t a matter of just posting a few things on social media and calling it a day. Promoting content requires continuous effort and actual person-to-person communication. By and large that can’t be done with social media alone. You need to learn how to put the extra effort and creativity into your content in order to get it seen by your target audience.

Say hello

People value actual interaction, especially when it comes to content online. If you’re active on social media, your followers want to know that you’re a real person with a personality. Learn to be more personable with your audience and those you want to share and engage with your content.

In the world of content sharing, exchanging links is one of the best ways to get visibility. Even if the person you are working with has only 100 readers, that’s 100 more than you’re likely to get from a tweet or an Instagram post. Exchanging links has been around for a long time; consider teaming up with an avid follower or someone else in your industry and work to share and promote each other’s content.

Build relationships

Over time, even the most casual hello can become strategic cooperation. Quality writers, developers, and influencers are in short supply across most of the web. If you manage to stand out as someone who can be trusted, who has the right kind of audience, and who is consistently there to provide good commentary, supportive opinion, and value for readers, you’ll find it is much easier to attract the kinds of relationships that will get your site and pages to the next level.

The longer your quality relationships persist, the more value they will produce for both you and the people you share an audience with. Over time, your combined readership will treat your link exchanges and content exchanges as a resource and eventually help build a larger and more engaged readership for both. Regularly interacting with your followers is a great way to build loyalty and interest.