Twitter has it’s rabid fans.

It also has it’s eye-rolling detractors. But whatever your take on Twitter might be, the truth is that – used correctly  – Twitter can be a great way to gain fans, open doors, and really drive traffic.

In fact, today I’m going to talk about using Twitter to drive traffic to your blog.  Here are nine quick, easy Twitter guidelines that can transform your casual Twitter followers into fully-engaged blog readers.

1. Persist.
   The first thing you need to do is to not judge Twitter by the response you do (or don’t get) after your first few posts. Twitter’s a long distance run, not a sprint.  You need to tweet subtly and constantly.  Don’t give up if you post once or twice and no one runs over to your blog. They will, just give it time.
2. Fill Out Your Profile
   No one cares about, or wants to engage with, a blank avatar and an empty profile. Take the time to add in your blog URL and a quick write-up on what you want your followers to know about you.
3. Brand Up Your Background
   Your Twitter profile is a free billboard.  Why would you leave it blank or cover it with photos of your favorite flower? Instead, make sure your logo and blog URL is prominent. Make sure your brand is instantly identifiable.
4. Tweet Your Photos
   A 140 character description of a sumptuous dessert might pique your followers’ interest, but a photo of that decadent cheesecake will make their mouth water.  You want that mouth-watering response. Use photos often. And here’s another great way to get free and legal photos to tweet, use on your blog, or your site.
5. Get Followed
   It’s like the New York Times Bestseller List. People are always curious what other people like.  So to attract followers, you need to have them. The best way to get followers is to follow others – most will follow you back!
6. Spam Not
   It’s okay to be proud of your company and what you do. It’s not okay to crow about it every other tweet.  People will visit your blog because they like what you tweet and want to read more on your blog. (They won’t visit just because you repeatedly tell them to. Again and again and again…)
7. Be Real
   Hand in hand with the no-spam rule is the no-lie guideline. If you’re not in Hawaii, don’t say you are, just because you think it sounds more interesting. If you’re new to the industry, don’t fake that it’s old hat to you. You’ll risk getting caught and your credibility will suffer.
8. Bigwigs and Their Big Audiences
   Like I said earlier, Twitter is fantastic for opening doors you might otherwise never have access to. So try to get the attention of your industry’s thought leaders via Twitter. Questions, suggestions and (sincere) thank you’s for what they do are all great ways to show up on their radar. Then, once you have their attention, eventually ask if they might tweet about one of your blog posts.  You’d be surprised how many do!
9. Get Trendy
   Pay attention to the top trending topics on Twitter. Then find a way to incorporate those hashtag phrases into your tweets.  Doing so can land you on some of the most viewed search pages on Twitter, worldwide! (Just make sure your tweets are really relevant to the discussion.)

What tips would you give to others about building blog traffic using Twitter? Share them by posting a comment below!

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