No matter what industry you’re in, social media can be used to your advantage.

Not only can it be used to promote your business to people across the world, you can also connect with potential business partners, colleagues, clients and customers without having to be physically present.

On top of this, social media can be used to help you turn a profit and make money in new and exciting ways.

How can you make money using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the likes? We take a look:

 

BE CONSISTENT

Most social media accounts post random thoughts and information that doesn’t target any specific demographic.

If you intend to earn money through social media, however, it is important to focus on a single subject which you are good at or to pick a specific area to concentrate on.

You should then tailor all your posts to fit into the niche you have settled on. By sticking to your chosen subject, your account will become regarded as a reliable source of information on electronics. This will bring in lots of followers interested in this particular subject and willing to buy products in the niche.

 

KEEP ACTIVE

A dormant social media account is only good for snooping on other people’s lives.

When it comes to making money, you need to keep active to keep your page relevant and exciting to onlookers.

Continually posting updates on your timeline will make your account seem more trustworthy and also prove to your followers that you are not a bot.

This doesn’t mean you should be posting lots of nonsense to keep your account active however, you should always strive to provide relevant content that is useful to your followers.

 

FOLLOW THE TRENDS

Social media trends are continually shifting and what is considered hip today can end up sounding old-fashioned tomorrow.

To ensure that you stay relevant on social media, you will have to stay informed on the latest trends to keep users engaged with your content.

Following social media trends will ensure that your posts remain popular and visible in among a sea of misinformed statuses.

 

BE AUTHENTIC

Authenticity is an attractive trait to other users when they’re looking to spend money on what you have to offer.

No one likes to feel that they’re being ripped off, so it’s important that you exude a personality and image that is trustworthy.

If your content is not compelling enough or your passion does not shine through, your audience won’t be engaged. Just because you’ve seen influencers in fitness achieve success, don’t join the bandwagon unless you’re genuinely a fitness enthusiast.

Authenticity is the most effective way to gain a genuinely engaged audience. Genuine influence is way more valuable than paid or fake followers. If you wish to make money off social media, make sure you’re doing what it takes to engage your audience.

 

PROVIDE VALUE

Collaborating with brands is the path to making money on social media, and you don’t need thousands of followers to make this happen.

Brands are willing to pay for the right kind of influence. A large number of followers alone does not demonstrate influence, it is the value of what you have to offer that speaks volumes.

Instead of simply offering a sponsored post on your feed, bundle it with a blog review too that takes time, care and effort to pull off.

Make sure to create an appealing and visually aesthetic media kit before you start pitching. Your media kit will be a representation of the value you can provide and will show prospective partners that they will be getting good value for money.

 

BECOME AN AFFILIATE

Becoming an affiliate is a great way to make money on social media without having a large follower count.

As an affiliate, you are responsible for promoting a brand or its products on your social channels.

When one of your followers clicks on it and makes a purchase, you earn a commission from it – it’s that simple.

Bear in mind that simply sharing an affiliate link might appear pushy, and make sure that you are not selecting products that are irrelevant to your niche.

Couple your links with reviews or articles to engage your audience, and being authentic will tell your audience that you are frank, and can be trusted.