3 Ways to Make Marketing Exposure Work For You

Whether you're an artist, coach, film editor or expert selling what you know, understanding how to leverage exposure is essential to your success. Let's face it, everyone and their mother is going to offer exposure once you get a certain number of followers on your blog, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or Twitch, but exposure on it's own doesn't really do much for you in the long run if you don't know how to make the most of it.

For instance, I run a podcast for fun, I host it for the members of the #writingcommunity on Twitter. Getting onto my podcast is free, I interview the author for up to 40 mins, and put the podcast in a pinned Tweet on my personal Twitter account. I have about 7,200 followers, again I do the podcast for fun, but if an author plays their cards right, has a book or audio book for sale, they can get quite a boost from it. In fact, one author who knew how to leverage being on the podcast reached the Amazon bestseller list in a competitive romance category the same week as being interviewed. How did he do it?

1. Share the link where you're interviewed or featured way more than you think is necessary.

Whether you're on Twitter, Instagram or on Facebook, Twitch or YouTube, talk the experience up way more than you feel is necessary. Don't just shyly share the link once and expect everyone to see it. Let's face it, Social Media moves FAST, people miss posts, don't see tweets, or might miss the video the first time. Share, share, share and share. The authors on Twitter that get the biggest benefit don't just rely on my Twitter following, the maximize both of ours by sharing and commenting on the links. Doesn't matter which platform you are on, you want to share until you feel uncomfortable with the amount of times you're sharing out.

This also builds confidence in the relationship with the organization or platform featuring you. Guess which guests I ask on my show repeatedly? The ones who share the podcast episodes they're on with enthusiasm. It helps them, helps me, it's a win/win. That's one way to leverage exposure that works.

2. If you're offered an in kind product or experience talk it up.

Screenshot with permission from Mark AJ Nazal

AERO Brand Ambassador, Mark AJ Nazal, is really getting a lot out of his experience with the AERO 17 HDR. I don't just know that because he sends me emails. I know what he's up to because he's sharing photos and video clips he's editing on the AERO 17 HDR with frequency. In fact he posts on ALL of his social media channels including LinkedIn. He does it well ensuring he tags and links to all the relevant people, departments and organizations involved in his projects. That's excellent use of exposure. In turn, those shares are reposted, liked, and reshared by GIGABYTE Notebooks. Notice, it's again win/win.

No, you're not a sell out when you talk up your sponsors, IF you're using a product which improves your life, performance or career. If you're authentic and excited (or impressed, happy etc), then people will be happy to hear about your excitement.

If you are worried about people getting mad at you for bragging or you have people challenging you, then remember people get jealous. If your goal is to make a name for yourself or earn a living you have to be able to talk about the things that are going right for you, excite you and things you love. Don't ever be quiet just to make other people comfortable.

3. Keep the exposure evergreen.

If you're a special guest on a streaming program or podcast, get interviewed for an article, or have your work highlighted in anyway, be sure to make the experience live on as much as possible. It's like having a media portfolio! Super important if you're building your reputation and career. Don't expect people to know who you are, what you've done in the past or who has endorsed you. Get those links up on your website on a media page! Even if it's a small blog article someone wrote about your indie project link back to the article on a media page or in the occasional social media post months or even years later.

One of the ways you can keep the exposure evergreen is by using hashtags on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Exposure is one way to get your name familiar with audiences that matter most to what you do. If you have a way to tie it into a project you're working on, a sales funnel you have running or a campaign you're working on, use the exposure to help you grow.