If you have been following my blog long enough, then you know I am a big fan of using social media to drive traffic to my blog.
When I started my blog 15 months ago, I looked for ways to drive traffic to my blog and that is when I jumped on the social media wagon. At first I didn't see much use for it, I didn't get much blog traffic, I didn't get much engagement, I thought it was a waste of time.
I decided to stick to it and see what would happen. I slowly learned to use social media correctly, share more, engage more, be there more, build that community. Once I did all that, I started to see what many other saw...
Social Media Works, If You Work Social Media Correctly!
Even today, 15 months later, everything I learned still applies and works very well.
One truth you cannot ignore is, if used right, it can generate impressive amounts of traffic and increase engagement around your blog.
Now that we know that truth, only thing left is to learn how to better use social media tools.
How Social Media Can Bring You More Blog Traffic.
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Know What You Want
Ok let me get this out the way...."Your Shit Will Not Go Viral" Ok, it had to be said.
Yes I know we all want a post or a video we did to get seen by 100,000 people, but the reality is, it will not happen, so going viral should not be your goal with social media.
Better goals to have are...
First, get your post or video in front of the most targeted readers as you can.
Second, engage with those readers on a daily basis.
Third, build a community around the followers you have.
Finally, bring that community back to your blog.
Using social media the right way is not hard, but using social media the wrong way is not hard either.
Treat it as a "real life" conversation.. ex.. you bump into a friend in the grocery store..now do you jump in and start telling them about everything in your life, new things you bought, new things your doing?
Nope! You share a little bit, you listen a little bit, you joke, laugh and have a nice CONVERSATION.
Social media should be the same way, share a little, listen and have fun.
Word Of Mouth Has Power
The stronger your community within social media, the more you and your blog will be shared with others. If done correctly, you will have an army of followers referring your blog or products to their followers, which will drive an avalanche of new blog traffic daily, weekly, monthly.
On a daily basis I get new readers to my blog that tell me they were told about my blog from a mutual friend on Twitter.
Treat your followers the right way, and they will treat you well in return.
Focus Your Time
To get more blog traffic from social media, you don't have to be there all day.
It is more important to share quality content and engage your followers, then it is to be on social sites all day. You will do better with 3-5 hours working and engaging, then you will with 10 hrs of just sharing and sitting back.
I believe NO social media is better then BAD social media.
Why? Bad social media will brand you and your blog in a negative way.
No social media will be see as just a missed opportunity for you.
So focus on the quality of time, and not the quantity.
That's all folks This is what I have lived by on my social media journey the past 16 months that has worked very well for me, made great friendships, connections, and brought in blog traffic everyday.
Social media is easy, stop over complicating it.
Share What Is Helpful.. Talk About it.. Make Friends/Connections.. Invite Them Back To Your Blog!