When you are trying to gain exposure for your poetry, it can seem a lot harder than finding opportunities as a fiction writer. That being said, there are many places to find submission opportunities, if you are willing to put in the work to find them. 

Here are just a few I have found but I am sure there are many more places you can find a home for your work. 

Social Media: There are many platforms on social media that can give your work an outlet and give you the opportunity to publish your poetry, gain a following and build a name for yourself. To get the best results, you must educate yourself on the techniques of networking effectively, discover what is trending and start building and connecting with your audience. 

Twitter: The most important skill to learn on Twitter is choosing the most effective hashtags when you are posting. If you get this right, you can really build your exposure among other poets and potential readers. For example, you could begin with hashtags such as #poetry #poems but you could also be much more specific and use hashtags that describe the style of poetry you write. Maybe your poetry is around world events such as climate change. If this is the case, you may want to check out relevant hashtags that are gaining attention and popularity on the platform, #gretathunberg or #emmawatsonUN. Look at what content similar poets are posting. Research which tweets gain the most engagement, then use that as inspiration for your posts. 

WordPress, Instagram, Tumblr: These platforms allow you to have a greater deal of creative control. Using pre-made designs and widgets, you can create a unique brand for yourself and this will help you build respect amongst other writers and potential readers. Forming a unique brand will also help you stand out from other poets and, in turn, will build trust and respectability. 

YouTube: Beginning your own YouTube channel to showcase your poetry is fast becoming a very popular way to get poetry heard. If you are not keen on being seen on camera, there are so many free software programs that you can use and then you simply have to narrate your poetry to a pleasant visual backdrop. Check out Savannah Brown's channel for inspiration. 

Forums: There are many forums on the web at the moment, focused entirely on poetry. Some of the most popular websites where you can connect to other poets and share your work are Pig Pen Poetry, All Poetry, and The Poet Sanctuary. These websites are perfect as they have message boards where you can post your work and get constructive feedback. 

Publish an e-book: Amazon makes the process of self-publishing so easy with their Createspace sister company. Here you can upload your work, add relevant tags so your poetry can be found by your readers. They even have templates to help you design your e-book cover. There are paid and free services available and there are guidelines and tips to help you market, edit and publish your e-book too. 

As with any form of writing, you have to be prepared to spend time networking with like-minded authors and organizations and marketing your work. Keep your mind and eyes open to every opportunity to showcase your work. I wish you the best of luck on your publication journey.