16 Twitter Tips for Bloggers

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You’ve got your blog going.

You’ve implemented the 20 blogging tips I shared a few weeks ago.

Now you want to tackle Twitter, don’t you?

Twitter is one of the best social media outlets for connecting with other bloggers as well as brands and companies. While Twitter is not my top referring social media outlet, it has certainly allowed me to build some amazing relationships and connections which have brought me some great opportunities.

I want to help you figure Twitter out and I know it can be very overwhelming.

Top 16 Tips for Using Twitter as a Blogger

1. Have a Twitter user name that is relevant to your site name. If you are Crystalandcomp on Twitter and the name of your site is Mom to 5 Boys.com, people may not realize you are the same person. Make it easy for people (companies, readers, fellow bloggers) to mentally associate your tweets to your blog.
2. Have a Twitter follow icon on your site, preferably above the fold, where your readers can click to follow you on Twitter. Do not make your readers or brands work to follow you. Make it easy, with the click of a button. Evaluate some of the top blogs/sites that you follow. Where are their social networking buttons placed in their site? I am willing to bet they are above the fold.
3. Wanting to know how to use Twitter effectively?  Here is an excellent article about Twitter Best Practices, written by Gail over at GrowMap.
4. Wondering who is following you back and who is not? Wonder how many Twitter followers you may have lost recently? Who Unfollowed Me is an excellent site for tracking this information. They have a free version and a very affordable paid version.
5. Twitter only allows 140 characters on each update. Use Bit.ly to shorten a link when sharing a post from your blog, for example. Side note, Bit.ly is also trackable so you can see how many people click-through on your link as well. Here is an example of how I used Bit.ly to keep a Twitter update under 140 characters while including a URL: RT @crystalandcomp is giving away a #free copy of #TotallyTogether by  @stephanieodea. Mange your household with ease! http://bit.ly/pn1csc
6. Use hashtags. Hashtags are a way for people to search for tweets by topic. So, if you are offering a giveaway, for example, use hashtags like #win, #free, #giveaway in a tweet that is promoting this giveaway. This way, people who like to win free stuff can do a search for those hashtags and your tweet will show up in the results even if they do not follow you on Twitter. It is all about exposure, baby!
7. Use TweetReach! I just learned about this service last month. The brilliant Holly Homer of June Cleaver Nirvana and Business2Blogger  shared this tool with me. There is a paid version and a free version, but basically this is a tool that allows you to track the exposure and reach of your tweets. Excellent for providing metrics to brands you are promoting them on Twitter.
8. Watch this video from Holly Homer where she goes into 8 minutes of detail telling us How Twitter Can Help Us Work With Brands. Did I mention she is brilliant?
9. Start a Twitter Networking Group. How? Find friends on Twitter that are in your niche. Maybe they blog about crafts like you do. Maybe they are a mom, like you are. Maybe they are a foodie, like you. Follow them. Do some tweeting back and forth. Work it, baby, work it. Repeat with others in your niche. Then ask 5-10 of them to join a Twitter RT Group with you. Basically everyone submits a couple of tweets each day and each person in the group retweets each others tweets. It is like the cherry on top of  the cherry on top, and networking. My friend Kelli did this and it has worked beautifully!
10. Are you on WordPress? Install the plugin TweetMeme. Once installed, it will display a button on each blog post.   Now, your readers can easily tweet your posts. Their followers now see your post. They come over. They read. Another cherry on top.
11. Hop over to Tip Junkie and read this awesome post about How Twitter Works, ’cause I know you’re wondering.
12. Use Twaitter to schedule tweets. It is free. Say you are working with a brand and you want to give them lots of  Twitter exposure. Schedule 2-3 tweets a day for a week about their products. They will notice.
13. Check to see who is mentioning you. Use the @mentions button on the home screen when logged into your Twitter account.   Then, respond to them or tell them thanks for the mention. This will build relationships.
14. Consider having your Twitter background designed to match or coordinate with your blog design. Branding, baby. When people think of your site, you want your brand to stick with them. Be it a logo, your face, the colors used on your site, be as consistent as possible.
15. I am told Twitter is most active Tuesday and Thursday from 10a – 2p. Try to be as active during this time frame as possible. And if you are unavailable during that time frame on those days, schedule tweets for that time frame.
16. RT anything you see that will be of value to your readers. The person you RT’ed will likely stop by and RT something of yours. Or at least mention you and say thank you, which gives you exposure.

Have questions? I will try my hardest to answer them. Share them in the comments below so everyone can learn!

I am sharing this blogging tip on these resourceful sites:  i heart naptime,  the girl creative,  C.R.A.F.T. craftomatic,  crafts keep me sane,   skip to my lou,  making the world cuter, sumos sweet stuff,  mad in crafts, tip junkie,  craft edition,  hope studios, todays creative blog, sew much ado,  someday crafts,  we are that family,  blue cricket designs,  somewhat simple,  paisley passions, house of hepworths,  fun to craft,  fingerprints on the fridge, tidy mom,  a few of my favorite things and  it’s a hodge podge life.   Looking for a more copious list? Here are over 50 sites to search for and share projects  and tutorials.