How These Entrepreneurs Are Leveraging a Digital World Beyond Social Media Entrepreneurs Ahmed Mukhtar and Kelly Wing prove the value of the digital world as a whole, opening more avenues for entrepreneurs to grow and diversify

While social media has taken center stage over the last ten years, there is a lot more to the online world that entrepreneurs must consider. With numerous platforms available and inherent risk to confining our content strategies to specific channels, business owners and visionaries alike understand that diversification is the key to any content marketing strategy. As we look towards the future, embracing platforms beyond social media will take new precedence in our rapidly changing environment, and entrepreneurs Ahmed Mukhtar and Kelly Wing are leading the charge. Mukhtar is the founder of NeXarise, a network marketing site for individuals looking for a more direct way of doing business online. Kelly Wing is the CEO of Ohwabisabi, a content-driven site for thought leadership; she has seen many users turn to her website due to social media's unpredictability.

Is social media risky?

As regulations and governments go back and forth on restricting social media usage for various reasons, it can be challenging to know where to turn. A lot of influencers have made social media their primary source of income. Mukhtar explains, "Social media is a fantastic tool to generate income, but focusing all your energy into any one platform is going to be risky. If for any reason, it goes down, your entire hard work, content, and strategy go down with it."

Wing agrees. "Anyone and everyone can use social media, and sometimes that leads to a firestorm," says Kelly. "If you have something worthy and important to say, it's crucial to stay above the fray and pursue more stable platforms to get your message out there."

What are the alternatives?

"Social media is everyone's go-to, and that is understandable," states Muktar. "But with a little research, you'll find that there is a much bigger world out there beyond Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter." What Mukhtar has found in his work is that people looking to earn big are tired of working through the many layers of social media. They want something more direct and are turning to network marketing sites, direct selling, industry publications, and even their own eCommerce stores.

"There is so much opportunity online," explains Wing. "It's about finding the right fit for your unique content." Thought leadership is on the rise, and websites and organizations are looking for experts to share their knowledge straight to their audience, whether through blogs, interactive marketing, and even email lists. Wing explains further, "when social media is volatile, don't overlook the tried-and-true methods of traditional digital marketing."

How do you diversify?

"Put yourself out there," says Muktar. "Learn new skills, build your independent business, and scale it by marketing those essential products and services that people across the globe need on a day-to-day basis." Mukhtar developed NeXarise to open more income streams for people who want to achieve time freedom and financial freedom together. "It's important to tap into global opportunities and enjoy the perks of residual income. There's a huge potential beyond social media."

Wing agrees that an entrepreneur's primary focus should be on platforms that promote their message rather than lose it in all the noise. "Content sites driven by interests and thought-leadership have huge audience potential," explains Wing. "Think of yourself as an expert for your industry and author your content appropriately." By publishing thought-leadership content, you begin to build a following for yourself.