"How do I get more followers?" It's a question that we hear often at Monk. We've looked at how to build a basic social media strategy and how to do it in an hour or less. But we've never looked at how to get more fans until now. Right now, in fact.

We're starting a new series here on the blog in preparation for our August 19th webinar, "Easy Ways to Build Your Social Media Base". The webinar will focus on practical, easy, real-world ways to gain more followers, fans and readers.

Nice, eh? In order to "prime the pump", here are the posts we'll have in the series "4 Easy Ways to Build Your Social Media Base":

1. Building Your Social Media Base: Social Listening Apps
2. Building Your Social Media Base: Identify the Influencers
3. Building Your Social Media Base: Power of the Mention
4. Building Your Social Media Base: Pump Out the Content

What do all of these action-packed, prime pieces of social media content have in common? Getting your following to the next level! Here's a quick preview of each week.

Week 1: Social Listening Apps

I want to show you the tools that I use on a regular basis to listen to our audience. There's "listening" and then there's listening. There are so many different ways to focus in on the keywords that mean something to your organization. Even better news? There are powerful, free or low-cost tools that can help you do this no matter what your time budget looks like. Want to get a bead on your audience? I'll show you how to do it.

Week 2: Identify the Influencers

Now that you're listening with the web-based apps we looked at in week one, we'll take it a step further and identify the influencers. Who's making waves in your niche? You'll want to key in on them and find out what makes them tick.

I'll show you how to focus in on the people you want to be following you (read: no spambots) and teach you how to interact with them. Listening (not its ugly step-sister, broadcasting) greatly increases the chances of getting a high-quality follow. A surefire way to build your social media base!

Week 3: Power of the Mention

Did you know you can leverage the established networks of influencers to build your own network? You can. It's like online hitchhiking (but without the threat of being murdered by a hobo). You can add value to other people's networks while leveraging their platform to build your own. Yeah. It's like that. Learn the power of the mention while building your social media base.

Week 4: Pump Out the Content

It's last for a reason: I want you to remember this! This should be the last thing in your mind as you set out to grow your social media fan base: Create good content! If you remember nothing else, remember this: Content is king. You'll clear a lot of the hurdles in your way if you can give your fan base something to eat ... content! Social media is about sharing content, not conversation. Your fans want something that's going to make their life better. You do this, you're good to go.

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That's what we have planned. Consider this your official invite to the series. Also, we'd love it if you would join us for the aforementioned webinar, "Easy Ways to Build Your Social Media Base". It's on August 19th starting at 11a PST/1p CST/2p EST. As always, it's free to the MonkDev online community.

Let's do this.

While you're in the clicking mood, why not click over to our Facebook page and Twitter feed and show us some love!