How to Build a Substantial Online Presence

I really don't know the answer, but I'm guessing that it starts with good storytelling

While enjoying some well-deserved, pricey lattes at a coffee shop and vigorously chatting through WhatsApp with a friend overseas, I talked about what I felt was my best era, and surprise; this ain’t it.

The internal battle in my head says something to me like, “What are you talking about, Dave? You’re always going on about how things are great, and you’re a superstar!”

That might be true (tongue firmly planted in my cheek), but there was a stretch from 2013 to 2016 where I was absolutely on fire regarding growth, creativity, and influence.

Then, I took thirteen gallons of kerosene to my achievements and ran off in a different direction because my artistic inspiration was more important at the time. 🙄

Why I turned my back on all the success I had achieved is still a mystery to me and others, and had I stuck it out, I assume I would have reached that superstardom much sooner.

Despite all the missteps and mishaps, this current stage is still the second-best era of my online life, with the potential to rocket my way past my previous experiences. I’ll be on Mars before Elon, and these are the lessons I learned about rebuilding my online presence. The tools have changed a little, and so have the rules, but this is what I’m doing differently.

Record everything and share it online.

Whether you prefer writing, video, or audio, document everything and share it online. I don’t mean every aspect of your life needs to be shared, but the inspired moments you have about your work, inspiration, business, and creativity all have value that you and others can benefit from.

Write a blog, start a YouTube channel, or kick off a podcast where you talk about the things that make you tick. All of these things carry weight and add to the lexicon of your online life. Maybe that’s scary to some, but if your goal is to grow a substantial presence online, this is how it starts.

Post everything to a blog.

If you have a blog on your website, it’s a good idea to put all those things above into your blog. Although SEO isn’t the marketing machine it used to be, having the archive for people to view lends credence to your time and experience. People seen doing the work are typically considered as authorities, whether they believe it or not.

Also, do not delete anything ever (unless it’s evidence of you being associated with P-Diddy). My shortsighted belief that nobody would ever read or watch my old posts is a false flag. If I stuck to my goals and purpose, I would have a catalog rivaling Pat Flynn and Mark Manson.

**Sidebar:** Keep copies on external hard drives and double-check their health regularly. I’ve lost multiple book manuscripts because I let a hard drive fail with no other backup.

Maintain a healthy email list.

This might be my biggest regret and why I’m so intense about it here because your email list is by far the most powerful tool you have in your kit to stay relevant and connected to your audience.

Keep the list healthy by reaching out with messages at least once a month, and find elegant ways to reengage or remove cold subscribers (people who don’t open your emails) regularly.

A healthy list is powerful and filled with people who have chosen to stick with you. Make sure you do the same for them.

Be active in communities

In 2013, I joined an online training that maintained a vibrant Facebook group (and several unsanctioned sub-groups). The training was a valuable investment, but the community became the most vital aspect of that investment. I learned more from the discussions and experiences of others than I did from the training, and I also made life-long friends I still talk to regularly today.

Also, because I ran a blog, podcast, and YouTube channel, the community was a constant source of content ideas and inspiration. Guests were hoping for any attention they could get.

The landscape of communities has changed a lot, but if you can find one or two communities built for your interests, they can become a solid replacement for what many falsely credit as community…

Stop relying on social media

When I let everything go, I did so because of the false promise of what social media could do for me. Yes, I built up some decent followings on different social media channels, but over time, all those channels grew more challenging to develop and maintain.

Now, engagement is down across the board from small accounts to prominent influencers, and let’s be honest; there’s nothing social about social media anymore. Conversations and collaborations don’t happen like they did, and most of our efforts to maintain a dialogue for more than a few seconds are impossible as people have moved on to other posts to interact with.

Most importantly, you don’t have access to reaching out to your entire audience on social media. There are connections to be made, but unless you have a solid strategy of pulling those people off your social media platforms and onto your email list, you will eventually lose touch with most of them.

Stay the course

Burnout happens. In 2016, I was tired and needed a break, but instead of taking some time off to rejuvenate, I bailed on everything. Now, I schedule breaks during the year to spend time with my family and give myself space to recharge, and because I can plan things I share online, people often don’t know when I’m on a break.

I can’t deny that in 2016, I needed to stretch myself and indulge my creativity and artistic expression. Now, when I desire to make art, I embrace it, but I don’t let it distract me from my goals. Instead, I use that energy to refill my creative tanks and push through to sharing more stories to inform and inspire others.

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Recently, I shared a Reel talking about how Blake of Today is one of my favorite storytellers on Instagram, but despite his talent, he’s missing a huge opportunity because he has nothing to sell me. The most obvious choice would be a book I would gladly buy if he published one. If he had a small merch line, I’d probably buy a shirt, but alas, there is none.

When I shared that video, a few people told me they had gone down the rabbit hole of Blake’s content, acknowledging how good he is at his craft and admonishing me for making them lose thirty minutes of their lives deep-diving into Blake’s content.

It’s not high-production value, and most of his visuals are basic shots of him doing things around the house. The combination of the visual and warm tones of his voice-over pulls you in and keeps you captivated for long periods.

That’s what good storytelling does.