Many people are caught up in the social media craze – so much so that we can’t really call it a craze any more. It’s become a part of the way we interact with the web and, essentially, live our lives. But there are some people still asking how they can utilize sites like Twitter and Facebook in more efficient ways. Rather than simply telling everyone about their day or broadcasting their most recent political thought, people want to know how social media can drive traffic to their site.
This article seeks to answer that very question, and before you ask: no, we don’t have any “secret” tips or techniques here. Instead, you’ll find information that actually applies to the real world and can really boost your website’s bottom line with a little time and a little effort.
Understanding When Content Is King
There’s an old (well, somewhat old) saying in the web marketing world: content is king. In other words, no matter how many link-building tactics you use and how many people you implore to share your site with others, nothing will really drive traffic except key content that does the work itself. How? If content is compelling enough, readers won’t be able to help themselves: they’ll have to share it with others if they want to share the value.
This social instinct – to share the good stuff before anyone else can share it – is what drives the traffic-boosting value of content. And in the age of Twitter and Facebook, that old adage “content is king” might have never been more relevant. That’s why you need to start with a baseline of interesting, engaging content that actually provides value to your readers. Telling them what you ate isn’t engaging enough for them to share.
Need some tips to improve your content? Here are just a few.
- Try to view things as your audience will see them. What will help them? What guides are they looking for? Why do they come to a site like yours in the first place?
- Be sure that your content is easily-digestible. See these bullet points? We’re doing it right now. Think in terms of bullet points rather than novels and 15-line paragraphs.
- Work on it! You can’t just spit out your daily thoughts and collect a following – you have to be well-known already to master that particular skill. Work on your content, because that’s where the value will come from.
Before people ever share your “stuff” on Facebook or Twitter, your content has to follow these rules.
Tricks and Tactics
We promised no “secret” tricks, and we’re still not going to deliver them. Why? Because most of the traffic you get will be from no secret, but from sound social media marketing.
But you do have to make sure your site is conducive to social media websites. How can you do that? If you have a blog, for example, make sure that people can click a quick “share this link” in order to easily post to Twitter or Facebook.
Another tactic is to advertise yourself on Twitter or Facebook on your site above the fold. Link to your Twitter page and ask people to become a fan on Facebook; the more you get involved, the more action you can expect to get out of these sites.
