At first glance, Twitter mightn’t seem all that important. In terms of members, it’s no Facebook and in terms of growth, it’s certainly no Pinterest.
The one thing that Twitter has proven itself to be time and time again however, is an excellent marketing tool. And in my opinion, it’s a marketing tool that no self respecting blogger should be working without.
Should you find yourself looking to boost your blogs traffic, here are ten simple tips for doing so in 140 characters or less.
Attract a Following
First off, we have the small matter of followers, you’re obviously going to need them. Here are a few tips for attracting a healthy Twitter following.
- Be worth following i.e. publish plenty of quality content.
- Make some of that content exclusive to your Twitter followers.
- Place social sharing buttons in prominent locations throughout your blog.
- Fill out your Twitter profile completely.
- Advertise your handle in your email/forum signatures.
Invest in Quality Titles
Snappy post titles are always advantageous but if you want to promote your blog on Twitter, they become downright essential. When limited to 140 characters, it’s your title and nothing else that’s going to be responsible for getting the clicks. A twitter friendly title is:
- Descriptive and honest.
- Interesting and attention grabbing.
- Includes keywords (tastefully).
- Short enough to facilitate retweets.
Don’t Over Promote
Don’t be self centred. In other words, for every one promotional tweet, you should be sending out at least five that have nothing to do with your blog. Think of your Twitter feed as a television channel, would you keep watching if there was nothing but ads?
Multiple Tweets
The opposite of over promoting is under promoting. Every time you publish a new post, don’t be afraid to tweet about it more than once. Provided you’re also tweeting about other topics i.e. not being self centred, there’s no reason to limit yourself. Multiple tweets are especially important for those with followers living in different time zones.
Get Your Timing Right
Speaking of different time zones, don’t underestimate the importance of timing when it comes to getting the most out of your tweets. While it depends on the specifics of your target audience, in general, early morning, evening and weekend tweets all tend to receive the most engagement. If you’re not available at these times, learn to automate.
Tweet Old Posts
While most bloggers use Twitter to promote their latest work, there’s no rule that says you can’t occasionally promote past creations. I personally tweet around one old post per week and the reception has generally been very positive. Look for posts that have proven popular in the past and of course, limit your selection to those that remain both relevant and accurate.
Tweet the Competition
While the idea of promoting the competition may at first seem somewhat counterproductive, doing so is actually highly beneficial for two reasons. First off, it increases the value of your feed. And secondly, most bloggers are more than happy to return the favour. Don’t underestimate just how much traffic the second benefit can lead to.
Use Trending Tags
Keep track of trending topics. Don’t fall into the trap of tweeting irrelevant information for the sake of it but always be on the lookout for trending topics that you can take advantage of. Learning how to use trending hashtags effectively is one of the cornerstones of effective Twitter marketing.
Interact with your Followers
An often overlooked aspect of effective Twitter marketing is the importance of interacting with your followers. Rather than talking at them, try to genuinely communicate. This means asking questions, answering them and simply engaging with those who take the time to read your tweets. Most bloggers are surprised to learn just how much they end up learning about their niche in the process.
Aim to Go Viral
While simply being active on Twitter should ensure that you get a nice boost of blog traffic, the real pay off is always going to be in going viral. In other words, retweets are everything. Here are the three easiest ways to get them:
- Be first: When something happens in your niche, tweet about it immediately.
- Be useful: Provide a link that’s so valuable, people can’t help but share it.
Spark an emotion: Make your followers laugh, smile or scowl.
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