Today I am handing my blog over to my fabulous blogging pal Debbie who blogs over at My Random Musings. Debbie has written a really useful post about getting new blog readers by using Twitter. If you are a blogger then this post is definitely worth a read.
Four Easy Ways to Get New Blog Readers Through Twitter
As bloggers, we all love that feeling we get from finding new readers. Sometimes though, finding those new readers can seem like an impossible task.
It doesn’t have to be. Using Twitter to share your posts can be invaluable to any blogger, and by using these four simple tricks, you can easily pick up new readers with every tweet.
What Won’t Get You Any New Readers:
Firstly, let’s debunk some myths:
- Write good content
- Don’t have a lot of clutter in your sidebar and throughout your theme
- Use a clean font
- Use large, clear images
- Have a mobile responsive theme
None of those points above will get you any new readers, although a lot of the posts I have read in the past suggest they will. (Bonus: Once you get the new readers, they will help you keep them!).
What Will Get You Some New Readers
Ultimately, to encourage a new reader, it doesn’t matter how fantastic your content is, and how amazing your blog design is – they don’t see any of that until you get them there.
This is where Twitter comes in. Twitter moves fast, and you have a limited amount of characters (140), so you need something that grabs a potential reader’s attention even during a quick scan, and then holds that attention long enough for them to click your link.
Here are four simple tricks that will do just that:
- Tell the reader what you can do for them
Use your tweet to tell potential readers what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. For example, with this post, saying “Check out my new post” is telling people what they can do for you. Instead, tell them what they can do for you – “Want to gain new readers? Here’s how”.
A potential new reader now feels compelled to click your link – not because you said they should, but because you’ve told them what you can offer.
- Make your post title appealing
Remember, when your regular readers share your posts on Twitter, the title will appear in the tweet – make sure the title is enticing, again, show what you can offer a potential reader, but not misleading.
Again, using this post as an example, if you used the title “Get 10,000 New Readers in Two Days” it would get clicked. It’s total click bait. But when the person clicks it and reads the post, they are going to wonder where the proof is – where are the numbers to back up such a grand claim? You have just lost that reader – they will think you dishonest and untrustworthy and likely will never bother visiting your blog again.
On the other end of the scale, “Tweet Your Posts Like This” doesn’t sound very interesting does it? You have to find the balance between making a post sound appealing while sticking to the truth of what it’s about.
- Use a clean, clear image
Remember earlier when I said the images in the post won’t get you any new readers because they won’t actually see them? This is your chance to showcase an image.
Make sure the image is good quality, and preferably, has the post title in it somewhere. Most people are visual, and with the speed of Twitter, the image can be the thing that jumps out at them. Adding the title means they know exactly what they’re looking at before they read the tweet. This is another reason to make the title intriguing.
- Use relevant hashtags
Using relevant hashtags puts your tweet in front of people who are interested enough in that subject to be searching for it. You have a much greater chance of success if your tweets are targeted at the sort of people who will be interested in what you’re talking about. So this post could use hashtags such as bloggers (and all the variations), blogging tips, marketing etc.
Don’t be tempted to just put a load of trending hashtags in your tweet if they are in no way relevant to the post. Yes, it will increase visibility, but in completely the wrong way.
It’s unlikely anyone will click your link – it’s not why they’re there, and you will just look spammy.
In today’s world, everyone is short on time. Use these four simple tricks to show people why your post is worth their time. Happy Tweeting!
Thanks for all the great tips Debbie! I am definitely going to try some of these out and see if I can boost my blog following. Do you use Twitter to get new readers? What do you think of Debbie’s tips, is there anything you would add? I hope you find this post helpful and get lots of new blog readers as a result 🙂
If you would like to guest post on my blog, please send me an email on wendy@naptimenatter.com . I would love to hear your ideas, all posts are welcome.
Enjoyed Debbie’s post? Here are all her links so you can follow her and keep up with her brilliant blog, My Random Musings.
Links:
Blog: www.myrandommusings.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/randommusings29
FB: www.facebook.com/myrandommusingsblog/
Insta: www.instagram.com/debrandommusingsblog29
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Thanks so much for featuring my post, I hope your readers enjoy it 🙂
Debbie
Random Musings recently posted…Blogger Club UK Linky #39
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You’re welcome Debbie, it’s a fab post 🙂 xx
Lots of great advice here. The point about saying what you can do for the readers, rather than what they can do for you, really struck me and has made me reword my tweets today. I also need to widen my hashtag options – I use the same ones over and over again because I don’t know any other relevant ones. Someone needs to write a ‘parenting bloggers twitter hashtags’ post!
Lucy At Home recently posted…Bloggers Bluff #05: SuzieW Author
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Ohhh if someone does write about parenting hashtags please let me know! I am clueless when it comes to knowing what hashtags to put too xx
Some really good advice here for new starters like myself,thanks for the heads u!
#familyfun
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They are great tips aren’t they, hope they help xx
Nice, simple to the point help. Love this, thanks for sharing some knowledge! #bloggerclubuk
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It’s a great post isn’t it? Debbie has shared some really useful tips xx
This is definitely food for thought! Will be trying these tips out 🙂 #abogginggoodtime
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I hope they work for you xx
Some great ideas here – I’m with Lucy at Home regarding hashtags – I literally make them up as I go along as I have no idea what would work etc – must be something to look into! #ablogginggoodtime
The Newby Tribe recently posted…Kids TV – Love it or loathe it!
Wendy and Debbie, great tips! I’m always hoping to grow my Twitter following in order to get more eyes on my blog.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com recently posted…Travel Review – Napa Valley
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Aww thanks, but Debbie wrote them all! I think we all want more readers really don’t we? This seems like an easy way to get started in finding some new ones xx
These are brilliant tips and Debbie is a fabulous blogger! I am still getting to grips with hashtags, I am rubbish at promotion. Thank you for linking up to #ablogginggoodtime
An imperfect mum (Catie) recently posted…A Blogging Good Time #20
I like all the suggestions. I especially like the action idea. It makes sense. I also read that one should use emotion in a headline but then there are so many misleading headlines that it really annoys me if they don’t provide proof within the first paragraph or two. People’s attention span is fleeting. Great tips. #familyfun
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Ahh I hate it when people write headlines like that and then their post is about something else entirely. yep, Debbie really knows how to use Twitter to her advantage xx
Thank you for this. It is helpful. Something I certainly need. #picknmix
Kirsten Toyne recently posted…Valuing Our Role As Parents
Great tips Debbie. Twitter is so fast moving and people do just scroll on by, generally looking for the chat the takes place. You need to stop them in their tracks and make them click. x #picknmix
Laura – dear bear and beany recently posted…Surviving Two Years With Two Children…
Great tips, especially the first, I’d not really thought of the wording before x
#Picknmix
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Yes nor me but it makes lots of sense!xx
Some great tips here. I find twitter a bit tricky sometimes cause the life of a tweet is so short so it’s all about baking the maximum impact in the shortest amount of time isn’t it and these tips are great for that. Thank you for sharing at #familyfun. Hope you can come back next week xx
Handy tips – thanks for sharing! #thelist
Rhian Harris recently posted…The hardest post I’ve ever had to write
Very useful tips, the images are something I need to utilise more often! #picnmix
Claire recently posted…It’s the little things that get you.
I find that joining in with chat hours helps bring about followers. #FamilyFun
Helena recently posted…Word of the Week: Switch
Really good ideas here – thanks Debbie and Wendy #ablogginggoodtime
Mindful Mummy Mission recently posted…Wicked Wednesdays #10: Bake me Happy!
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You’re welcome 🙂 glad you found it helpful xx
Great tips!!!
Twitter really is a gold mine for bloggers, you just have to know how to tap into it. It makes me really sad when I see some bloggers who aren’t using Twitter because, honestly, I would say Twitter is the reason for MOST of my new followers.
Really staying engaged on Twitter helps tremendously as well. Thanks so much for sharing! <3 #KCACOLS
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Yes it really is the perfect platform for bloggers but you need to know how to use it properly. Glad to hear you have had lots of success getting new readers using Twitter.xx
Twitter is great but can be disheartening too because it all moves so quickly so the chance of someone actually Reading your tweet is pretty small! Good tops though! #KCACOLS
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Yep you’re right, it really does move so so fast.x
Great Tips! Thank you for sharing #KCACOLS
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Glad you found them helpful xx
twitter has always confounded me. I use it more on my personal account to talk sports but have been clueless getting views from my blog account #KCACOLS
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It can be hard as it all moves so fast. I think scheduling is a great way to get your posts seen and more of your followers are likely to see your links. I do miss the more personal side of Twitter though, my feed is full of other bloggers promoting there stuff. Maybe I need another account too, for non bloggy stuff x
Great tips and ones I really agree with. #kcacols
New Mummy Blog recently posted…#MySundayPhoto – my apple tree flowering in October
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They are really good aren’t they, Debbie clearly knows a lot about Twitter..much more than me anyway!xx
Really great tips here, and from someone like me who doesn’t know a lot about Twitter and growing readership i found this mega interesting! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday
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I am glad you enjoyed Debbie’s post, I hope it helps xx
Relevant and useful tips..I will definitely use them now.here through #FamilyFun
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I hope you see an increase in new blog readers. Glad to hear you found the post helpful xx
Thank you for such a useful post! Thoroughly enjoyed and really informative #KCACOLS
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Glad you enjoyed it xx
great tips – you can write the best blog in the world but no one is going to find it by accident! #kcacols
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Spot on. It is all about getting people to come to you, it would be a lot easier if people just accidentally found your posts though, imagine all the time you would save if you didn’t have to promote all the time xx
Great tips here, you always need to give people a reason to click through don’t you.
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Yes, definitely. There is so much going on on Twitter you really need to make your tweets stand out and make people want to click your link xx
Great tips! I will definitely be employing all of them. I will be sharing too so you got me! Lol #KCACOLS
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Thanks! I hope you see some good results from doing all these things xx
Hi Wendy, Debbie has shared some wise tips. Twitter can be a brilliant place to gain new readers if you work it right.
#ablogginggoodtime
Debbie recently posted…Through My Lens #1 – Zakynthos
Author
Yea she has hasn’t she, Debbie clearly knows how to unlock the power of Twitter! I am starting to use some of her suggestions to see if it helps me boost my readership xx
These are great tips from Debbie, and they really make sense. I’m going to (try to!) include them in my tweets in future. Thanks for sharing. #TheList
Great tips. I will definitely be putting those into practice.
#KCACOLS
These are some brilliant, easy to action tips. Thank you
#KCACOLS
Kirsty – Winnettes recently posted…The Night Before Christmas by Rose Collins: A Review
Great tips, thanks for sharing, I’m trying to get used to twitter, it moves way too fast! #KCACOLS
Louise recently posted…An Autumnal walk around RHS Wisley
I always think images really enhance a tweet – plus you can use images to say a thousand words that won’t fit in the tweet #thelist
Crummy Mummy recently posted…Things to do in London in half term
Great tips, I really need to sit and schedule my posts to tweet out. I will definitely be thinking about how I word it now. Thanks for linking to #PickNMix
Eilidh x
Mummy and Monkeys recently posted…A letter to my baby girl on her second Birthday
Very helpful. I am completely awful at social media and just trying to get a grip of most basic blog things. x #KCACOLS
Poppy Reflects recently posted…Baby Number Two: 34 Week Pregnancy Update