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10 Tips for Getting Traffic Through Social Media Sites

You have probably heard me say before, but it’s worth repeating, Web 2.0 sites and social media has arrived. (and won’t be going anywhere for a long time). Experts predict that this trend will only grow. That means if you don’t start using social media now – today – you’ll be left behind.  In case you haven’t heard, the search engines are now picking up content from Twitter and soon you’ll see those posts at the top of the search engine results.

Here then are 10 tips for using Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites to drive traffic to your website…

1. Complete your profile.

When you first sign on to your Twitter, Facebook, Squidoo or other social media site account, fill out your profile (including a picture). Doing so makes it easier for people to get to know you and build relationships with you, knowing the things in which they have in common with you will make it more likely they’ll click through to your site.

2. Interact.

Social sites are, just what they imply, social. They’re two way streets (not monologues) where people with common interests can interact. That’s why you shouldn’t just post content and move on. Instead, spend a few minutes each day interacting and getting to know people in your network. Remember, people like people who take interest in them.  It’s not just about you.

3. Include a link to your site on your profile page.

This tip is simple but effective: Give people a reason to click through from the social media site to your website, blog or wherever you want them to find more information about your company  Offering a free solution (tip, article, reports, money saving ideas) is usually a good incentive for people to follow your link.

4. Ask your followers to “retweet” and repost.

If you create a “buzzworthy” post (such as a post on a hot or even controversial topic), ask your Twitter followers to “retweet” or “share” it.  Going viral is the goal.

5. Spend time each day growing your network.

Commit to spending at least 10 minutes every day growing your network. Find new friends and fans daily and you’ll see big results by the end of the month. You’ll be amazed at the size of your network in six months or a year from now.

6. Link your social site pages together.

It’s a good idea to link your Twitter account to your Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, HubPages and other social media pages. And vice versa.

7. Use your real name so that you’re easy to find.

People who want to do business with you won’t respond well to working with “bahamamama1969.” Instead, build trust by using your real name. Doing so also makes it easier for others to find you on Facebook and other similar sites, not to mention if they Google your name.

8. Post good content.

Social media is not just about networking, it’s also about sharing information. If you share some of your best information with your network, you’ll get respect, trust… and more sales. Plus you’ll establish yourself as an expert in your industry.

9. Optimize some of your content.

Some social sites (such as Yahoo! Answers and Squidoo) get crawled and indexed regularly by the search engines. For this reason, you should  consider optimizing some of your content for the search engines by including relevant (longtail) keywords two or three times for every 100 words of content.

10. Get the most benefit for your time.

Instead of trying to interact and build relationships with thousands of prospects, which is not possible, consider building a relationships with a handful of “partners” (your target audience). That’s because just one good partner can send you hundreds or thousands of prospects and customers.

In summary: Social media is only expected to grow in the future – and now is the best time to get involved if you’d like to grow your business right along with it. You can start today by applying the ten traffic-generating, relationship-building tips you just discovered!

See You Online!

P.S.  I can be found on Twitter here and Facebook here.

P.S.S. If you are interested in learning more about developing or improving the online presence of your small business, help is available. We specialize in internet marketing consulting for small businesses. I can help you with the tools and techniques that will help you attract online customers and keep them coming back. For more information, contact us today.  843-647-0489 or toll free at 1-866-945-9707


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