A great way to enhance your reputation as a thought leader is by borrowing authority on social media. By becoming the authority in a number of mediums, you will slowly become the go-to resource on a particular topic, thereby boosting the online popularity of your business. 

You will want to start by borrowing an audience toward which you can direct your authority. Look through the various social networking sights you participate in online. You might look to forums, Q & A websites, hashtags, or networking hubs. Once you have decided on a location to pursue, find a specific audience within it to target. Request to join a group or begin posting in order to let your presence be known. Additionally, make sure to take the time to formally introduce yourself. This will give you an attitude of politeness while drawing attention to who you are and that you are there. 

A good introduction will position you to engage other members of the group. Then, you can start contributing useful information on the concept you are aiming to be the authority on. Join in on conversations about the topic, answer questions regarding the topic, or share new information concerning the topic. The best part is that you can easily research and gather facts behind the scenes before each contribution, thus ensuring that you really know your stuff. 

Eventually, after time has passed, you will be labeled as a top contributor to the field. As your contributions grow and you introduce more conversations yourself, you will solidify your role as the authority to this audience. In this role, you can easily suggest to users that they buy your products or direct them to your own website for further discussion. You want to be careful not to push sales or your own agenda too early or too quickly. Establishing real and trusted authority on the topic can be a slow process, and it is critical that others validate your level of expertise before they will rely on you fully. However, the payoff is big when you have become the authority to this borrowed audience. Try out this process soon, and know what it feels like to be the go-to expert!

Learn more about Social Media Marketing.