We’ve all seen movies that depict a high school dance, where most of the kids are out on the dance floor. All out there, save one or two children who are depicted as being left out. Kids who are invisible to the masses of people out there having fun. They tend to blend in and most definitely do not stand out. You can see them watching from the sidelines at all the people having fun, chatting, dancing and laughing and as we watch on, it breaks our hearts. We know, with 20 seconds of insane courage, they, too, could get out there and enjoy the fun. There’s enough room for them. Yet, from what we see, fear, worry and overthinking tends to keep them stuck, at the side of the room, watching on.

It’s a bit like what happens online these days. Business owners tend to hang back and watch what’s happening rather than jumping in with both feet. Many hold back because they’re worried about what their peers are thinking when they see their content. There’s the worry that you don’t have anything of value to say or share. Then, add that to the fact that you’re busy juggling everything in your worlds.

The risk of not changing how you approach the online world, is that you’ll get left behind while everyone else does. They will get the gains and you’ll feel the pain.

But how? How do you go from being invisible to visible – and beyond? Follow these 3 steps so you can embrace the power of the internet and grow your visibility.

Step 1. Know why you’re doing this

You are not the first business owner to put themselves “out there” on the internet and you won’t be the last. The first thing you need to do is know why you’re going to start putting yourself out there. The ‘why’ that you need to know is this: your audience and your prospective clients are online. They are on social media, but they’re not necessarily on there looking for you and your service. They’re killing time, watching videos and seeing what their friends are doing. This gives you a unique window of opportunity to stop them in their tracks and help them see you.

The second part of this is to remember that to put yourself out there and stand out, you need to be seen as being different. Spend some time brainstorming all the things that make your company and yourself different to everyone else in your industry. For instance, you might be brand new to the industry, which brings fresh eyes and a fresh outlook. Alternately, you may have been a pioneer in your industry which brings a wealth of experience.

Step 2: Be specific

The best thing you can do online is be specific with who you to attract as your customers and clients. This means you must know what your audience want and what the challenges are to them getting what they want. Brainstorm as many goals, dreams and desires that your audience have. Brainstorm as many problems, challenges and stressors that your audience have.

When you know this, it is going to make your next step, which is creating content for them, so much easier.

Step 3. Lights, Camera, Action

It’s time for you to now create content. The ‘secret’ with content creation, is that it needs to be relevant and it needs to be regular. You identified what your audience wants in step 2 and the barriers they have to getting it. Now it’s time to create content that inspires and motivates them to take action.

Create at least 5 posts per day sharing advice, hints, tips and imagery that will help them. Additionally, make sure you’re sharing with them how they can buy from you.

The result of working through these steps, and continuing to do so, is that you’ll become visible online and you’ll be seen as an authority in your industry. This will continue to bring more customers and clients to you. Social media content stays there forever, so it’s always working for you.

Nicola Moras is an online visibility expert, author of Into The Spotlight, a guide to help you step up your online visibility, become a Rockstar in your industry and make your business thrive in the simplest way possible. Find out more at www.nicolamoras.com.au