There’s no doubt that social media is a major source of traffic for bloggers and businesses alike. Through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can reach a massive number of current and prospective consumers with the click of a button. One challenge of social media marketing, however, is how inconsistent the traffic can be. One day you may attract thousands of viewers and the next day you may encounter an inexplicable drought.
For this reason, many business owners and bloggers dismiss social media as a waste of time, focusing their efforts on other internet marketing initiatives like SEO and PPC advertising. While these other strategies are essential, it is also beneficial to maximize your social media presence.
Research shows that 74% of marketers see an increase in website traffic after investing only six hours per week in social media efforts. The key is knowing how to improve the consistency of this traffic. Here are three tips that should provide a bit of insight.
Post often
New posts draw in the most traffic and you’ll notice that after a few days the influx of visitors dies down significantly. To avoid long slow periods, continually publish new content so that the traffic keeps rolling in. Not everything you post will be a hit with your audience, but having consistent new content can offset that cooling off period between popular posts.
Educate yourself
Every social network has its own audience and expectations. It is important to get to know the differences between various social media websites so that you can better target your posts to specific audiences. The more you know about social media and user behavior, the easier it will be for you to direct traffic towards your website.
Include “Share” buttons in your blog posts
Posting links to your own blog content is one way to increase visibility; however, the best way to get your brand name out there is by having others post your content. To encourage visitors to share your blog with their friends, make sure you have an easily accessible “Share” button next to every blog post.
Perhaps most important to remember is that you can’t just post to social media and walk away. The best way to increase and stabilize your level of traffic is to monitor your success and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. What posts are being shared most often? What topics seem to be popular? Keep a close eye on your followers and their behaviors as well.
