Have you jumped into the world of content marketing or blogging? Small business owners who have been hanging around us for awhile have likely heard about the benefits of posting new content regularly on their websites, with blogging being one way to accomplish this. Last year, we published an introduction to content marketing and its importance for small businesses as well as follow up posts on strategy and tips for busy business owners.
If you’re publishing regular content on your site, then you want to get as much mileage as possible from that content. (We know the time and effort it takes!) We recently found a KISSmetrics post that addresses this subject, providing advice on using social media to do just that, and we dedicate this post to sharing their insights.
Here’s the bottom line from the experts at KISSmetrics:
You can double traffic to your website by sharing your content on social media more than once.
How do you accomplish that without “spamming” your social media friends and followers? Keep in mind that each of your social media contacts will not see every link you share. Then, follow these guidelines:
- Start with valuable content. As we discussed in our introductory content marketing post, the goal of your content is to provide valuable, relevant information for your readers. With this in mind, then repetitive sharing increases the value you offer your contacts. The Kissmetrics author writes: “The more often you share, the more likely you are to get clicks.” Sharing content more than once increases the likelihood that more of your contacts will see the link, click on it, go to your site to view/read the post, and possible even share it with their friends.
- Be considerate of your readers and what you, as a social media consumer, consider “too much” posting. Your posts – and shares – are for the benefit of others. Don’t cross a line that you would consider annoying on social media.
- Develop a sharing schedule. Be strategic about what, where and when you share. Consider what time of day and what content format works best for each social media platform (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.), and plan your “shares” accordingly.
- Vary the “hook” each time you share a link by using interesting facts, catchy quotes and engaging questions.
- Monitor your results. Watch for changes in post activity (clicks, shares, etc.) – both increases and decreases. Consider adjusting your frequency if you see a drop in activity or receive negative feedback. Use metrics and comments to evaluate which shares are garnering the most positive attention from your social contacts, then adjust your schedule accordingly.
Sharing posts on social media more than once – strategically and within reason – can be an acceptable method of providing valuable content and building interest in your business. Your post may or may not “go viral,” but you are more likely to increase the number of contacts who visit your site, read your blog and connect with you — which can pay dividends for your business.
Have questions or comments about sharing content on social media? Post a comment below or contact us at Page Progressive. We look forward to connecting with you!
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