In 2008 I wrote the article Authors – How to Promote Yourself. 6 years later, here I am. Since then, things have changed in the world. Social media has taken over our lives. However, it is not that bad if used smartly. It could actually help us promote ourselves and smart people are taking advantage of it.
In this article, I will focus on how authors can get advantage of today's tools to promote themselves and gain more exposure. Consider this to be part 2 of the previous article J.
After several days of hard work, you finally have your article published on C# Corner or any other online community. Let me ask you a simple question. Why do you want to share your article on a community? I am sure you have some idea. If you're still not sure, I highly recommend reading my blog Why Do You Want To Share Your Article or Blog on a Community Website.
The first benefit of sharing your expertise on a popular community is to gain more exposure. You're exposing your voice to thousands and thousands of people.
Once your article is published, don't just stop there. If you want to gain more exposure, there is more work left. And this is exactly what I will educate you about in this article.
1. Social Media
Social Media has been big for self-promotion lately and I don't disagree. I may be too old to adopt the trends but it does not mean you cannot take advantage of it. If you have a profile on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, sharing with your account is one of the best promotions you could do. And the reason is simple. These are the people who are your friends and followers. They all would love to see your work and achievements.
2. Mention People, Company, Technology
Both Twitter and Facebook can be one of your best friends in self-promotion. Not only your friends and followers will love to know more about you, you can also have other parties involved in it. For example, if I write an article on Microsoft Azure, I can mention my Microsoft Azure account in my Tweet to let them know that I have written an article on Azure. They may like it, retweet it or favorite it. In any event, you want the related party to know about your work. If you have published a news about Google Glass, be sure to mention GoogleGlass in your tweet. If applicable, mention people, company and technology involved in your content.
3. Comments and Feedback
If you have any comments and feedback on your articles or blogs, you must reply to them right away. This is the best way to engage with your readers. Once you have a reader engaged, that reader will be with you for a while. Sometimes your work may be criticized. Take it in a positive way and learn from it. Don't just start arguing with the poster.
4. Let People Know
If you are visiting community forums and other places where there is a question asked on the topic that you've covered in your article or blog, do not hesitate to let people know about it. If you're speaking at a conference or user group or meeting, don't be shy to tell them about your profile and achievements. Don't be arrogant about it but put it in a polite way.
5. Be Nice
Last advice. Anything you post online, think of it that everybody will read it. So be careful what you post online. Definitely be nice to everyone, even to your critics.
Summary
In this article, I gave you 5 pointers to gain more exposure. I am sure you may know some more ways. I would love to hear what you have to say. Need more advice? Here are Top 10 Career Advice by C# Corner Experts.
Cheers!
Lakshmanan Sethu SankaranarayanPosted Sep 8, 2014, 1:23 AM
Exactly Spot on Mahesh
Vithal WadjePosted Sep 7, 2014, 4:00 AM
great
Sandeep VaghelaPosted Sep 6, 2014, 1:03 PM
Thanks for very good and useful information.
Jeetendra GundPosted Sep 6, 2014, 5:53 AM
Thanks sir
Kaviya BalasubramanianPosted Sep 6, 2014, 1:49 AM
Thank You Mahesh for your good and very useful article :)
Ramesh MaruthiPosted Sep 5, 2014, 5:54 PM
Thank you Mahesh Sir !!