So how do you use social media to promote your blogs?
Do you just upload them on your Facebook, Instagram or any other platforms for the sake of posting?
If so, you might not be able to see the expected results.
Social media can expose your blog to wider audience if used strategically.
Here I have come up with some tips that can boost your blog’s engagement and traffic.
Let’s get started.
Include Sharing Buttons on Your Blog:
This one is no brainer.
Sharing buttons let your visitors share your blogs on their social media accounts.
Make sure to position the social sharing buttons prominently on your blog so that they are easily noticeable and accessible.
Ideally, they should be located near the beginning or end of your blog posts, where readers are more likely to engage with them.
Share snippets and teasers:
An interesting way to trigger the curiosity of your audience!
Just create interesting snippets or teasers instead of the entire blog post on social media. It can encourage visitors to click through to your blog to read full content.
Use attention-grabbing headlines and include a brief description or summary of what readers can expect.
Let’s say you have a blog post titled “Delicious and Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Summer.”
“Get ready to beat the heat with these mouth-watering summer smoothie recipes! From refreshing tropical flavours to energizing green blends, we’ve got you covered. Check out our top 3 recipes to get started.”
In this example, the social media post provides a glimpse into the content of the blog post by highlighting three specific smoothie recipes and their appealing qualities. The use of emojis adds visual appeal and reinforces the summer theme.
The post ends with a call-to-action, inviting users to click the link to discover all smoothie recipes. This approach creates a sense of anticipation and encourages users to visit your blog to access the full content.
Use Hashtags Strategically
Hashtags are keywords preceded by the # symbol that categorize social media posts and make them more discoverable.
When choosing hashtags, do some research to find those popular in your industry as well as any trending hashtags of the moment.
Aim for a mix of both broad hashtags (like #blogging or #socialmedia) and more specific hashtags (such as #contentmarketing or #digitalmarketing). Using a blend of 3 to 5 hashtags per post is ideal.
Be sure to include your hashtags in the first comment on your post. This makes them clickable, allowing people to discover other posts with those tags. You can also include 1 or 2 high-volume hashtags in your actual post if they fit naturally.
Keep your hashtags consistent from post to post to increase visibility over time as people come to associate those tags with your blog. However, also continue researching new relevant hashtags to keep things fresh.
While hashtags alone won’t drastically increase your traffic overnight, when used consistently over time, they are an effective way to expand your reach and get discovered by new readers.
Tag Influencers and Engage With Them
Comment on their posts, share and like their updates, and send them a quick message introducing yourself and your blog. Don’t be pushy—just let them know you’re there and you enjoy their content. Over time, as you continue engaging, many will follow you back and some may even share your posts with their followers, which exposes you to new audiences.
Once you’ve built up a rapport, you can reach out to influencers with a short, polite email to ask if they’d be open to a collaboration like:
-Writing a guest post on their site with a link back to your blog
-Having you interview them for your blog or podcast
-Cross-promoting content on social media through shares, links and mentions
-Sending each other free products or services to review
Working with influencers is a mutually beneficial relationship. They gain new, high-quality content and promotion, while you get exposure to their loyal followers. Keep the lines of communication open, continue engaging with them, and look for new ways to support each other. In time, these influencer relationships can drive a steady flow of social traffic back to your blog.
Choose the right social platforms.
Not all social platforms are created equal—or are equal for your needs. Focus on 2-3 platforms that target your specific audience and content type.
- Bloggers: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are great for sharing blog posts and engaging with readers. These platforms make it easy to start conversations and get feedback.
- Visual content: Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube are ideal if you share lots of photos, videos, or other visual media. Build an audience that appreciates eye-catching content.
- Niche topics: For specialized or academic subjects, consider platforms like Reddit, Medium, or Quora where engaged communities gather to discuss specific issues in depth. Share knowledge and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
The key is choosing social platforms that enhance your message and brand, not just the ones with the biggest potential audiences. Post frequently and consistently, engage with others, and optimize your posts for each platform. Your followers and traffic will grow over time as you build a presence and following on the right social channels for your needs. With a strategic, tailored approach, you’ll connect with more of the right readers in no time.
Use compelling visuals
Images, graphics, and video are highly effective for engaging your audience on social media. Compelling visuals capture attention and are more likely to be shared.
Here’s how you can nail this one…
- Include photos of your products, team, workspace, or related subjects. Make sure any photos are high quality, well-lit, and visually interesting. Photos of people tend to get more engagement.
- If you have data or statistics to share, turn them into simple infographics, charts, or graphs. These types of visuals are easy to read and share. They also make your content appear more authoritative and well-researched.
- Short video clips, live streams, tutorials, or interviews are highly engaging on social media. If you have the means to create video content, do it! Even simple videos shot on your phone can be effective. Post video clips natively to platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, then share those posts to your other social accounts.
- Animated GIFs are a fun way to capture attention and share short bits of content on social media. You can find many free GIF creation tools online to turn short video clips, slideshows or screencasts into animated GIFs. These tend to spread virally on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit.
Engage with your audience
Slip in your audience’s shoes and you will find that nothing is more frustrating than posting a question or comment and getting no response.
Reply to comments on your blog posts and social media updates. Say thanks for the feedback, answer any questions, and join the discussion. Your readers will appreciate the interaction and be more likely to return and comment again.
Conclusion
Implementing even a few of these tips can make a big difference in growing your blog over time through social media. The key is to be consistent, engage with your readers, and provide value on the platforms where your target audience spends the most time. Keep tweaking and optimizing and watch as your blog traffic starts to grow through the power of social media.