Building a following from the ground up is a challenge when you first introduce yourself to the world.

Nobody knows who you are or what you do.

Your content and marketing should reflect your abilities and communicate your value.

But when it comes to gaining customers and followers, it helps to have some influence.

Consider the scenario when you need to find something online--

a new restaurant to try with a significant other or a new game to help you pass the time.

Today's online world isn't just a database of information, it's a living,

breathing source of recommendations from the people and companies you connect with.

To you, they are trusted sources and they have a degree of influence over you

and the way you make decisions.

So, as you start your own business, you should consider your role as a potential influencer.

What kind would you like to be?

Do you want to be a thought leader that provides educated opinions and research

on industry issues and concepts.

Would you rather be a curator, seeking out and sharing the best content

from various sources online.

Maybe you'd rather be a follower, getting started by learning your trade

from the best in the business or perhaps a little bit of everything.

One way to get started is to take a page from the ones that influence you

as you use each social platform, you should seek out sources of information and content

that are meaningful to you and follow them.

Industry experts, trusted news sources, and different companies and organizations

can provide excellent information to you on a daily basis, so when you find them,

ask yourself, if they're influential to you, who might influence them?

Platforms like Twitter can actually show you who these experts follow and checking out

those sources can often reveal new opportunities for information and networking.

Follow and make real connections with these influencers

and they may become important allies when starting to promote yourself.

Growing influence requires becoming an active participant online.

Creating and sharing great information, links, and other quality content

is appreciated by those with similar interests.

Utilizing helpful hash tags and other platforms specific codes

helps link your work to other related searchable content.

In addition, reaching out to others online and beginning or jumping into conversations

can allow you to share your expertise, interests, as well as your sense of humor.

Users want to follow real people with knowledge and personality.

Not faceless entities that are only concern with numbers.

Remember that influence is subjective and while some try to measure and put labels

on the kind of influence you might have, the most relevant effect of influence

is on the goals you have for your business.

If you send out a tweet asking your followers to check out a new product,

how many actually click through, how many shared that tweet to others,

and how many actually make the purchase?

Measuring conversations will give you an idea about what kind of social outreach is working

and how effective you are as an influencer?