20 Ways to Increase Content Visibility on the Top 4 Social Networks

With all the content and information cluttering the web, it's a constant struggle to get people's attention online. And with so many different social media channels available to marketers, it's difficult to make your content truly stand out.

As soon as you follow a few hundred Twitter users, a few hundred Twitter users are inundating your Twitter feed with information that may or may not pertain to you. So the question is, as a marketer, how do you cut through the clutter and direct the attention of prospects and customers to your social media content and messages?

To help make your content stand out, we've come up with a list of 20 tips for increasing content visibility on the top four social networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

How to Increase Content Visibility on Facebook

1. Create a business page for your company or brand that shows what your company does beyond make money.

2. Do something different. Everyone has a Facebook page now, and most brands are learning that they need to constantly engage with their followers. Start an interactive contest. Offer exclusive content only available to Facebook fans. Give your fans a reason why they should "like" you.

3. Experiment with Facebook ads. They allow you to target your audience more accurately and help drive more people to your page.

4. Don't stop with text on Facebook pages: include videos and pictures! YouTube isn't the only channel you can use to leverage video content and increase brand awareness. Furthermore, include infographics and pictures of people interacting with your brand. Make your Facebook a visual experience for those who visit.

5. Create a custom landing page tab to promote content right off the bat. Make it the default landing page tab for new page visitors, and encourage them to like you and download a content offer such as an ebook.

How to Increase Content Visibility on Twitter

1. Leverage hashtags to not only keep track of who is talking about your company or event, but also to promote content.

2. Start discussions with influential people on Twitter. The next time you share an interesting article, they may be the one retweeting it to their thousands of followers.

3. Ask questions when you tweet about your content. It gives people a reason to respond, interact, and want to share your information.

4. Share pictures on Twitter that relate to your content. Many people just skim their tweets, but if they see a photograph included, they may take a second look.

5. Utilize Twitter lists. It helps you keep track of followers who may have previously engaged with you. That way, you can better target your tweets and get the continued attention of people who should be listening.

How to Increase Content Visibility on LinkedIn

1. LinkedIn isn't about having the most number of connections. Start discussions on appropriate, industry-related LinkedIn groups to network with other people. When appropriate, link to content you've created that addresses a specific discussion topic. To really stand out, create your own group on an industry topic.

2. Use LinkedIn Answers to answer industry-related questions and position yourself and your business as a thought leader on a particular subject. Just as in groups, link to your content as well if it supports your answer to the question.

3. Create and optimize your LinkedIn Company page. Spend some time generating a following for your company to expand the reach of the content you share through your company updates.

4. Share remarkable content through personal accounts, too! Many people don't think of LinkedIn as a resource for content, but personal status updates give you the opportunity to share professional content. Encourage your colleagues to leverage their personal accounts to share your company's content, too.

5. Respond to others' posts with references to your content. This will get others interested in some of the content you are posting and help you potentially reach a new audience.

Ways to Increase Content Visibility on Google+

1. Leverage your Google+ business page. If you haven't already, create a Google+ business page, encourage your fans to add the page to their Circles, and optimize your page to expand the reach of your content on Google+. Google+ is a social network that thrives off of visual content, so incorporate images often in your Google+ marketing strategy.

2. Be strategic about your Circles. When you share content and information, use the Circles to determine who will be the most interested in that information.

3. Think outside the box...errr Circle. Consider sharing content using Google Hangouts.

4. Tag others in your posts. Not only does it engage them, but it helps to spread your content to their connections, too.

5. Make Your Page Eligible for Direct Connect. Google is starting to include Google+ posts from businesses with Direct Connect in its organic search results. Make your page eligible for Direct Connect so you can take advantage of Google+ being part of the most powerful social engine around.

How do you make sure your content cuts through the clutter in social media?

Photo Credit: The Cake Guru