Content may still be king, but relationships are definitely queen.
No one can vouch for this better than blogger, Ti Roberts who gained nearly 2,000 visits, 400+ Facebook likes, 117 Retweets and more shares in just 3 weeks of re-launching her blog.
I met Ti about a year ago when she reached out to me via social media. I would see tweets from her here and there, but one in particular got my attention. It read…
How I Got 1,325 Unique Visitors, 159 Facebook Likes, 70 Retweets, and 89 Sugars??
So I clicked the link to see what Ti was up to.
First of all, her posts are fun to read because they are enthusiastic, bubbly and even sprinkled with some humor here and there. Her posts draw you in and take you on a ride — especially the one about her SEO allergy.
So clearly, that’s the first thing she has going for her blog. But what I want to focus on is how Ti is really taking advantage of social media marketing.
And when I say taking advantage of social media, I don’t mean just setting your posts to go out on autopilot via HootSuite and re-tweeting a few links here and there. I’m talking about full-fledged engagement with actual people on networks like BizSugar, Scoop.it and others.
Ti’s Advice For You
So I asked Ti to share her three most important tips for someone who has not had much success with social media. She’s so chock-full of advice, she upped my offer and gave me five tips instead! 🙂
Here’s what she said….
1. Don’t Skimp on Quality
Your first focus has to be on creating epic content. It’s not required that you have pages and pages of content, but you do need to have at least some content on your website that’s of high quality before you begin driving social traffic.
You want to be able to give the visitors something of value to digest so you can at least peek and sustain their interest once they arrive. If you have truly epic content, it’ll naturally get shared and start building up some viral momentum.
I only had 2 posts on my blog when I began really focusing on driving traffic through social media. Even though I only had 2 posts, they were both high quality content that shared some extremely valuable traffic generation tips and strategies.
Those posts alone started taking on a life of their own and began building up some viral buzz. I got several comments on both of those posts, plus many of my visitors began linking back to them naturally.
It’s not about the quantity, it’s about the quality.
The time that I put into my posts definitely shows, and I always make sure that I infuse my personality into my writing. I used to damper my writing style for the purpose of SEO and because I thought it was more important to get a lot of posts published quickly.
However, I learned that it’s the time that I put into my posts and my unique personality that sets me apart. I’m no longer afraid to let my true personality show through in my writing. I regularly spend 8 to 12 hours on the post that I create (4x times longer than I used to).
There’s more leverage in just 2 high-quality post that really give value and shows your personality then 10 dry SEO’d to death posts.
2. Build Authentic Engagement
Find an active community within your niche and begin to really get involved with the culture. Authentically engage and interact with the community.
Don’t just do surface interaction because even though you’re sitting behind a computer, people can see right through it and know when you’re being fake.
Open yourself up to making true connections with the members by actually taking the time to read their content and leaving thoughtful/insightful feedback and comments.
In your comments, engage the writer and the existing community by sharing examples of how you can relate to the content through your personal experience.
I initially began to do this on BizSugar.com. I became very active within the community, doing the exact things I described above. I put myself on a set schedule and didn’t deviate from my routine.
Consistency and a high amount of quality interaction will allow you to stand out from the crowd and begin getting some recognition.
Through my activity on BizSugar, it only took me a week to get noticed and become a featured member, which naturally got me more exposure.
One thing you can count on is that you will catch the attention of the members in the community that you’re interacting with and gain their respect. This allows you to build relationships with a tribe of like-minded people who will naturally rally around you. And then you can begin to support and promote each other’s content.
3. Connect With Influencers
Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect with influencers within your niche. In my book, this is a mandatory part of gaining leverage and creditably in social media.
You can’t afford to get wrapped up in yourself or be paralyzed with intimidation when it comes to blogging and driving traffic through social media.
Connecting with influencers not only helps you rev up your traffic but it allows you to gain creditably 10x faster.
I began connecting initially by consistently leaving high quality comments on their blog posts and sharing their content with my social networks on Twitter and Facebook.
Then I started doing Top 7 or Top 10 list posts sharing things that I learned from them: i.e. Traffic tips, content creation tips, etc. Every time I did one of these posts, I’d always link back to them, either directly to their site or the specific blog post that I learned the tip from.
After I published my post, I always sent them a personal email as well, telling them how much I appreciate the content they shared on their blog and letting them know that I just included them and their blog in my latest post.
If the post you’ve written is any good, naturally they’ll share it with their social networks because you’ve included them. This is how you can begin getting on an influencers radar and start building connections with them.
4. Build Social Proof
Building social proof is actually simple to do. I used to think that this was the hardest thing to do in social media, but it’s really not, at least not the way that I decided to do it.
What I do to build my social proof is simply track, document and celebrate any kind of success that I had. This is what I started to focus my weekly traffic case studies around.
All I did was make note of (take screenshots) and document any kind of interaction I got on the social networks, from how many people “liked” and retweeted my posts to any notable influencers that shared my post with their social networks.
Additionally, I began to keep track of my daily marketing activities: including any blog commenting and interaction I did with influencers on their posts, as well as any mentions/comments influencers made on my blog posts.
The point of building social proof is to build trust. Collecting and documenting all of this social interaction and then compiling them into weekly traffic case studies is a fantastic way to build proof and trust very quickly.
Don’t feel that your results aren’t good enough or aren’t worthy of being shared. Your results are your own and you should celebrate them. This is how you start building your story and begin attracting an audience who’s engaging and interacting with your content.
I love doing this and as I went along I really began to look at it like an adventure – documenting and chronicling some of my most exciting and notable business moments into my cyber scrap book that is my blog.
I’ve found that building my social proof in this way has quickly gained the loyalty and trust of my readers. It’s not because I’ve had the best results in the niche, it’s because I’ve proven that I know how to produce some level of results and I’ve been extremely transparent in sharing them with my audience.
One thing that I have noticed, especially with influencers in the blogosphere is that if they see that you’re really putting a sincere effort into creating great content and building up a true business and community, they will take note and begin helping you even more.
Opportunities for even more high leveraged social proof will begin to open up to you that you never saw coming, such as my being asked by Lisa to provide tips/strategies for this blog post.
5. Show Appreciation
With blogging and driving traffic through social media, I’ve learned that it’s vital that you show your appreciation to EVERYBODY.
Not just to the influencers that interact with your content, but everyone who has anything to do with helping you expand/grow your blog and knowledge.
This is the exact approach that I’ve been taking in my business. Every post that I’ve read since the re-launch of my blog has expanded my knowledge base and has enriched my blogging experience.
From the influencers to the up and coming bloggers, I’ve taken the time to comment and interact on their posts and let them know my appreciation for their content.
Don’t be afraid to share other people’s content as well. Share it freely and endorse it even. Let your social networks see what you genuinely learned from that person and their content.
I’ve even gone as far as featuring 10 bloggers I connected with through BizSugar and sharing specific things that I’ve learned from them as a result of reading their blog posts.
This shows true commitment and helps me to always remember to edify and uplift other bloggers and show my appreciation for all that they contribute to the blogosphere.
It’s important that you never take your audience for granted. Go above and beyond to respond to every single comment that you get. Give your commenters a shout out in your posts. Do everything that you can to show your appreciation and make them feel important.
I make this a constant part of my weekly traffic case studies. I always mention every commenter I get for the week and every voter I get from BizSugar.
This is helping me build a strong culture around my blog because I realize that they don’t have to interact with my content so I want to make sure they know that they’re valued.
This is how you build a true loyal community that will continue to rally around you and share your content with their social networks.
Share Your Strategy
So how are you using social media today? Are you an active user like Ti who consciously works to build relationships or are you a more passive user? Share your experience and strategies!
There are some really helpful tips here. And I agree with the last thing you said – if everyone share their experience it would be beneficial to all of us.
Hi Rodney,
I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post and found value in it. Thanks for leaving your feedback! 🙂
Ti
Hi,
You are perfect writer. I wanted to ask if you can give some free advices for my blog…. I am a bit lost fairly, so don’t really see the future direction of developing it… Can you drop me a message on email so we can have a chat?
Sure, Oleg. I’ll be happy to check your blog out. You can shot me a email at tiroberts1986@gmail.com
Ti
Hi Ti Roberts,
Great post and very nice work you have to done for getting good traffic and making online presence of your business, definitely after reading of your post I am going to apply this strategy to my website thanks for sharing this post.
Hi Alok,
Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you found this post helpful. Happy Holidays! 🙂
Ti
Thanks for sharing this post Lisa. Ti, I’m starting to see your content all over the place! Another excellent post and great tips. I can’t agree more with your first point of providing quality content. No one wants to read crap and if that’s the type of content a blog owner puts out, then their blog won’t survive.
Hey Kevin!
Great to see your comment! Lol, yes, I’m doing my best to get around the blogosphere. 🙂 Quality content is definitely one of the main ingredients to getting crazy traffic. Once you’ve got that down, half the battle is won. Great blog post by the way. You’ve shared some great blogs, many of which I currently follow. Thanks again for commenting and I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Ti
This is a really great post. I was a bit sceptical at first, I didn’t think you could survive without Google. Social (mainly facebook) is a different story, its has legs. Very nice to know that there is some type of alternative. Still wouldn’t leave out Google entirely though 😉
Thanks for the comment, Verlete. It’s definitely possible to survive, even thrive without Google. Even though I don’t directly focus on SEO to get traffic, currently Google is actually in my top 5 traffic referrers. Funny, huh? 😉
Ti
nice post , btw , i love your hair .
Thanks, Sonia.
Hi Lisa,
This is the second article I read here in your site and you have no idea how you impressed me. Aside from the fact that your writing style is superb, I really like your posts because they are so helpful. This article is very informative. Content like this is what I am looking for, and I believe that this is not only helpful for us sites’ owners but for beginners as well who want to put up a site. Please continue making posts like this because they are really helpful for us. Thank you so much.
I’m glad you enjoyed this article, Adrian. I feel the exact same way as you; quality content is actually pretty sparse in the IM niche so it’s great to have bloggers like Lisa around to give it to us straight. She’s definitely one of my biggest blogging role models. Awesome website by the way. Who doesn’t love action figures?! 🙂
Ti
Really great post Lisa. I love your blog. It gives me alot of courage in this blogging biz
Glad you enjoyed the post, Otobong. I wish you much success! 🙂
Ti
I really appreciate the tips! It is certainly useful in getting more targeted traffic! Really awesome! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Kent! I’m glad you found value in this post. 🙂
Ti
Hey Ti, I have tried submitting two stories to Bizsugar but they did not published, what could be the problem.
Hmmm, I’m not sure what the issue might be. There could be a variety of things. Shoot me an email with your blog links and I’ll check them out and tell you if I see any issues: tiroberts1986@gmail.com
Ti
Building social proof is so important! I find people are finding me through social media more and more and those who find my webpage are definitely looking at my pages. When I started I didn’t want to have very low followers and likes so I used empire avenue to make some connections first and it helped me a great deal with likes and followers!
Awesome post! Thanks
Hi Julianne,
I’m so glad to hear that social media is working for you! It’s so exciting to see when your efforts are beginning to truly pay off :). Thanks for commenting and I wish you much success!
Ti
Hi Lisa,
I liked your article here. But there’s one thing I’d like to point out. Sharing content is definitely good. However, it is upsetting when people try to steal your content and paste it on their websites. I have seen so many times that my original articles are getting republished at various other sites. This is seen as duplicate content from search engines point of view and the genuine website gets penalized. How much can you really dig up and send request to search engines to remove your content copies from the Internet? I wish there’s a way out for that.
Hi Manishak,
I’ve heard of duplicate content and content theft lately. I agree, it can be annoying, frustrating and upsetting when your content get’s stolen. I haven’t seen where my content has gotten stolen, as of yet. My issue with that wouldn’t necessarily be with duplicate content and penalty from Google, seeing as I don’t focus on getting traffic from Google anyway. My problem would more so be the integrity of the content swipper – claiming something as their own when it’s not. I’ve no problem with others sharing my content with their audience, but as with all business, you’re suppose to give credit where it’s due by either mentioning the original author or pointing a link back to the original post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your comment. I wish you much success.
Ti
Thank you Lisa for writing this article. I will spend some time reviewing it again to apply the valuable information Ti has shared with you and your readers.
Hi Sharron,
I’m glad you found value in this post. I’d love to hear how these tips work for you so please keep us posted. Thanks for commenting.
Ti
Very interesting article Lisa. I like the advices given – what additionally works for me is what I call “Give them a Candy” – free bonus/report/tool to give to the potential audience in order to keep receiving referral and search engines traffic in order to keep your audience ever-growing.
Thanks a million for your post!
Hi Michael,
Yes, offering a free offer of some sort is a fantastic way to capture the traffic you get to your blog. It’s important that you’re building your list. Having your own list is like having your own instant traffic machine on tap. Thanks for commenting and I wish you much success!
Ti
i agreed with you. when my blog is penalized by penguins, suddenly my stats fall. then mostly visit on my blog by facebook, skyrocket, bloggers and more.
Hi Jagat,
I’m glad you’re noticing a positive correlation in your traffic stats from social media. I hope this post will be able to further help you increase your social traffic. Thanks for commenting.
Ti
There is always something new to learn from your blog Lisa. Couple of days back I left a comment on your facebook page thanking you for the insightful information till date. My 4 months old blog just got ranked PR2 and my traffic is increasing gradually. I will certainly try out some of the suggestions here. Thanks Lisa 🙂
Hi Franklin,
Congrats on your PR2 rank! That’s is definitely something worth celebrating! I wish you much success and I hope that these traffic tips further help you in your endeavors. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Ti
I am just getting out of the social media quadrangle (FB, TW, LI, Pint) not because I don’t like them but because there are plenty of places where others congregate. I admit that it’s tough to find the time to engage but I’m doing it with commenting, guest blogs, article writing. I do have accounts with reddit, del.ic.ious, quora, stumbleupon but I’d never heard of BizSugar. For me, it’s about assessing relevance and not getting overwhelmed. There is SO MUCH out there…it’s good to focus on the few that matter to you than the long list that could. I’m learning I can engage better by being focused not broad so that’s what I’m working on these days
Hi D.,
So glad to see your comment. And, I’m ecstatic to see you as an active member in the BizSugar community. You’ve been amazing and your activity is definitely being noticed. Thanks again for commenting and I wish you much success!
Ti
Two great minds think alike – I was just talking about Ti on my FB page! She really has what it takes to go far, doesn’t she, Lisa?
Hi Ana!
So glad to see your comment. And, thanks so much for all that you’ve done to help me as well. Both you and Lisa are wonderful bloggers and are two of my biggest inspirations! I strive to one day be as successful and influential as you both are and I actually think that I have what it takes now, where as before I didn’t. I’m really excited! I appreciate all that you do. Thanks again!
Ti
hi there, it just makes me interest of you. maybe this the best part to learn more about blog….thx
Hi Dodo,
You’re quite welcome. Glad you found this post helpful. Thanks for commenting.
Ti
Wow, what an inspirational lady! I’ve been absent from the blogosphere for a while now and it’s nice to come back and read about people like you Ti. No surprise that Lisa is providing the drive and inspiration for others to succeed (nothing new there)
Congrats on your growing and well earned success Ti…. So Ti stands for Traffic Instigator. Now we know 😉
Hi Alex,
Thanks so much for the comment and compliments! I really appreciate it! Welcome back to the blogosphere. I hope this post gave you some things to put into action to help with your return. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to further help you.
Ti
Hi,
I am a nubee. I have to say I am glad I found you. There is a lot of crap out there. But not you. You are the real deal. You are the example of what on line business should be. I will be starting up a vlog after I learn more from you. YOUR THE BEST!!
Hi Steve,
Wow, thanks so much for your comment! I’m glad you feel like this is some solid content that you can put into action. You’re enthusiasm is contagious! Let me know how everything works out for you. 🙂
Ti
Thanks for sharing Ti. I did not even know there was Bizsugar.com. I went there and found really useful and interesting content. Thanks again for sharing this information,keep it up and good luck with the future.
Hi Nathaniel,
You’re welcome! Glad you found value in my post. BizSugar is definitely a great place to get your start. I hope to see you around there! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Ti
I have just started my first blog and it looks like iv’e got a lot to learn, i expect to make many mistakes along the way but with people like you and Ti giving out tips its going to make my life a lot easier. I would be happy with one visit and maybe a comment in my first 3 weeks!!
Hi Phil,
Congrats on staring your first blog! Isn’t it an exciting feeling? I hope you found this post informative and simple to implement. I’d love to hear how these tips work for you, so please do drop back by and let me know. And, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! 🙂
Ti
Hi Lisa,
I have been following your advice for a while now and only been blogging for a couple of months. I was disheartened at first with no results but still stuck to your video and site info. Everything is now starting to take off, and recently hit with a PR2, so thanks for that. Also i’m taking your advice in not rushing with Adsense (we will see if i get approval ) My aims now focus on social media so thanks for this post 🙂 I find things difficult because i have no Niche’ but it doesn’t stop me spreading the word.
Thanks again ,, Jimi.
Hi Jimi,
Congratulations on hitting a PR2! That’s a great accomplishment and I know that there’s many more successes down the road for you. Thanks for your comment and I wish you the best of luck! 🙂
Ti
Thanks you so much, I say taking advantage of social media I think that the whole social network thing a nice try. I great expert in social network marketing and others subject off page or on page seo for business.
You’re welcome and I’m glad you found this post helpful. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Ti
I love Ti’s site, it has some good information and she is taking her time to do it right. I like that. I love how she is taking the focus off SEO.
Hi Michael,
I’m glad you like my blog! I truly am having a blast building up my site and I’m happy to hear that there’s others enjoying the ride along with me. Thanks for commenting.
Ti
Hi Lisa,
I totally agree with these tips, but the one that has really caught my attention was about connecting with the experts in our niche. Although it might seem an easy strategy, it is quite hard to be the new player in the niche, as we have to gain the trust of the influencers. But one that happens, we will benefit a lot from the connection, either we speak of a retweet, a share or a whole article. This will make our site an authority in the niche, which is great if we have a long-term project.
Hi Julian,
Glad you found this post helpful. I agree that it can sometimes be hard to get on an influeners radar. But if you’re diligent and consistent with your efforts, it will definitely pay off. I would also suggest that you think outside of the box when trying to connect with leaders in your niche. How about recording them a personal YouTube video and sending it to them? 9 times out of 10 this will undoubtedly work, trust me ;). Thanks for commenting.
Ti
Hi Lisa, really we all have to agree that traffic is the lifeblood of any web business. Great tips shared on how to be sociable on the web. Also should I mention that Pinterest has also created a huge social media buzz besides G+, facebook and Twitter. Thank you for such an informative post.
Hi Chris,
Agreed, consistent traffic is certainly the foundation to any successful online business. And, yes, Pintrest has proven to be a huge traffic source as well. I haven’t personally given it a try yet (although I do have a profile set up). But I’ve read several case studies about it’s traffic driving power. Thanks for your comment.
Ti
Hi Lisa
I just met Ti Roberts a couple of week ago over at Ileane’s blog Basic Blogtips. I visit her blog and started to connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Now I come to your blog and recognize her face and name and this only make this post even more interesting because I already know a little about her. What I am trying to say is that Social Media really works and in about 30 sec. I am going to share this post on twitter.
PS. I think I will have to check out BizSugar. Who doesn’t want a little Sugar 😉
Hi Thomas,
So glad to see your comment! This just goes to prove how powerful social media and building relationships are. Social media does INDEED work and is and can’t be ignored. Thanks for commenting and I’d love to see you over at BizSugar! 🙂
Ti
I couldn’t agree more on all counts. “No blog is an island..” isn’t that the saying? 😉 It is true in so many aspects of life, perhaps all of them, that building positive and mutually rewarding relationships is fundamental. Thank you both!
Hey Elena
So true!
Hi Elena,
You so right! No one can achieve anything in this world without some form of help from other people. It’s impossible! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Ti
Great to hear someone not beating Google strategies over the head. The real goal is to increase views from people who could be turned into customers, so why spend time increasing visibility for spambots?
Hi Robert,
I absolutely 100% agree with your comment! Marketing, whether offline or online is all about reaching out, connecting with, and communicating a compelling message to PEOPLE. And, if you can get your message directly in front of those people without all the headache of manipulating Google’s spiders, you’re much better off. Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it!
Ti
I ran into Ti here a few weeks ago and totally loved her for the same reasons you list. My beginnings were similar and there is nothing better than engaging with your peers, connecting with those more experienced and just being everywhere all the time (or creating the image that you are ;). Great post, both of you ladies 🙂
Hi Brankica!
Thanks so much for the comment and the compliments! I definitely agree, I wish I’d began engaging with my fellow bloggers much sooner. But I’m glad that I finally did and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! 🙂
Yes, one the best benefits of doing a high amount of engagement is that it does seem like you’re EVERY where at the same time. People will always see you and can’t help but notice you, lol.
It’s been a pleasure connecting with you Brankica, and I look forward to connecting with you even further. Thanks again for commenting!
Ti
Wow – great post you two. I’ve recently connected with Ti via Bizsugar and have found her energy and enthusiasm amazing. I’m also honoured to say I was one of the 10 bloggers she mentioned too. Thanks so much Ti and also thanks for sharing this on Bizsugar.com
Hi Sian,
So glad to see your comment! Thanks so much for the compliments. BizSugar has been so instrumental in helping me break into social media. Not to mention the amazing people I’ve connected with there, like yourself. Thanks again for all that you do. I appreciate it! 🙂
Ti
Great article 10x for the advices I’ve been struggling with two blogs and so far things are going very slow 🙂 hope that they will pick up 🙂 Thank you once again for the info I will try to implement as much as possible 🙂
Hi Yosif,
I’m glad to hear that you found value in this post. Hang in there with your sites and apply what you can. Even if you implement only a couple of these methods, I’m sure you’ll see a significant jump in your traffic stats. Please do keep us posted. Good luck! 🙂
Ti
Well, everything that you wrote is true. But not everyone is truly gifted like you. I wish I can write better and post more quality contents to my blog. Maybe I just need to work harder – No pain no gain…
Hi Ismail,
Everyone has their own niche, strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about finding what works best for you and running with it. Find that ONE thing that you do well and master it and the pay off will be well worth it in the end. Also, if you need help with your writing and English, there’s plenty of people who offer proof reading services on http://www.Fivver.com. Thanks for commenting and I wish you the best of luck!
Ti
Hi Ti & Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your ideas. It helps lot of new webmasters. I am following your great advice and waiting for the results.
My recent post http://online-quick-guide.blogspot.com/2012/11/microsoft-outlook.html
Hi Anant,
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that this post has helped you and I’d love to hear how these tips work out for you, so please do drop back by and let us know. I wish you much success!
Ti
Sorry, I meant to say people don’t easily click on the facebook “like” or “tweet” button…
It’s all about providing great and valuable content or giving them an incentive to do so 🙂
Great advice you have here, Ti. However, from my own experienceI can tell that building true connection on social networks is not so easy as it sounds.I’ve given the whole social network thing a nice try, but it hasn’t worked that much for me. I get the feeling that don’t easily click that facebook “like” button or the “tweet” button. But all in all, everything you’ve said here is completely true, and can produce great benefits if one manages to key in.
Hi Eke,
I can understand your take on social networks. As I’ve mentioned in this post, I used to believe the exact same thing as you. If you really want to make driving traffic through social networks work for you, as you said, it’s all about thoroughly applying, implementing the strategy, and committing to produce some sort of result. Thanks for commenting and I wish you much success.
Ti
I still think building social proof is the hardest thing to do 🙁 I’ll follow your advice and see what’s happening. Thanks for sharing. I thank Ti, too.
Hi Cristian,
I appreciate your comment. Like I mentioned in my post, I used to believe the exact same thing. However, I realized that building social proof is really just riding off the credibility of others. If you go and read the first traffic case study I wrote, all I did was make note (through screenshots) of any influencers I interacted with, compiled them into a case study blog post and I gained creditably by association. Really simple.
What market are you in? I’ve check your link and if seems that you’re doing Adsense and affiliate products review/promotions? You might want to try and do product review interviews with local people in your area that actually use those products. You could also turn those interviews into weekly podcasts and share them across your social networks. This can be a great way to gain creditably and build social proof because people would start to see you as an authority and look to you and your product review interviews as a resource before they make a purchase. Of course, to monetize at the end of your interviews you want to do a call to action for them to purchase through your link.
Let me know if pegged your market correctly and what you think of this idea.
Thanks for commenting!
Ti
Hi, Ti! Thanks for replying. The link you’ve checked is just one of my many projects. I would like to reassure you that I’ve understood the “substance” of your explanation. Like I said, I’ll try your tips. Have a nice day!
Lisa/Ti,
Thanks for a great post! I have a new blog and need to do a few more posts and then I’m going to launch into exactly what you have described – I’ve printed your post off as a checklist 🙂
I’ve done the whole SEO Google thing for years and after the penguin/panda’s I’ve had enough of seo and am focusing on social media (which I have avoided up to now). But now I’m ready for it and I think I will enjoy interacting with others and not worry about backlinking etc…
Thanks,
Claire
Hi Claire,
I’m SO stoked to hear that you’re really going to dig into this blueprint! Now that’s is true commitment and I LOVE that you’ve decided to take action! 🙂
That’s the most important thing about marketing and driving traffic through social media. You MUST take action – and lots of it. I can tell that you’re really serious – especially since you’ve printed this post. 🙂
I can’t say enough how much I’ve enjoyed interacting with my fellow bloggers. It’s been one of the best experiences of my life. Getting a blog post feature on such a high profile blog such as Lisa’s has been a wonderful experience and it’ll definitely be one of my most memorable blogging moments.
Blogging and internet/affiliate marketing wasn’t mean to be an isolated drab profession. Isn’t our “hook” to make money and have FUN doing it? I think a lot of people get lost in the mechanics of SEO and it sucks all the fun out of running a blog/online business. It becomes more of a headache and burden more than anything – at least for me it did.
I’m SO EXCITED for you Claire because I know that if you really stick by this blueprint and focus on connecting with people, you WILL make it.
I’d love for you to keep me posted on your progress and don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
Oh and by the way, I love you blog – I’ll definitely have to read your latest blog post. It sounds rather interesting.
Thanks for commenting!
Ti
Thanks for your response!
I cannot tell you how much your own experience echoes along side my own experience. I ended up hating building websites purely because of the SEO headaches which ended up getting me nowhere and making no money!
This time is different and I have taken exactly the same stance as you. I sold my two SBI websites in May to start this blog (in October) all with a fresh, new outlook and with no thoughts of Google in the process 🙂
I’ve subscribed to your blog and will keep you posted of my ‘success’…
Hey Ti,
It’s amazing how liberating it is to not have to depend on Google to get traffic. Too many people think of SEO as a business model when in reality it’s only another traffic generation technique. Also once you stop trying to get traffic from Google and focus on other strategies that’s when Google rewards you since things start happening organically and you are not trying to game the system.
Hi Joshua!
So happy to see your comment :). Yes, finally being free of Google’s imprisonment is one of the most liberating feelings. There’s so many die hard SEO “gurus” who swear by it and will literally argue with you to the cyber death, but it’s not really worth it.
I would never have one of my clients solely build their business model around SEO, even if their target audience is local. There’s SO much more opportunities that come along with marketing through social media. Even if you do own a company that’s a local offline business, social media gives you the opportunity to expand your brand globally, which’ll dramatically increase your revenue.
Funny, I actually get much more search engine traffic from Google than I thought I would, lol. Guess they’ve decided to pay me divorce alimony after all. 😉
Thanks for dropping by and commenting Josh. I really appreciate it!
Ti
In business circles, I’d call this networking. I reckon that working outside of the Search Engines and gaining traffic that way is probably the hardest traffic generation technique out there. However, it’s also the way that Google wants you to build your website. In effect, these readers should grow your web presence by linking to and tweeting/ liking your site. The other way around (building backlinks) isn’t the right way to do it. At the moment, I’m trying the same tactic on my main blog and like Ti, it’s working. I’m currently getting 100 unique visits per day, just through social media and engaging with visitors.
Hi Stephen,
It’s great to hear that social media is working for you! It is exactly like networking offline. Ya’ know, I actually think that driving traffic through social media and building relationships is actually easier than doing SEO – not to mention how much more fun it is :).
Yes, they both require effort, but in the long-term the relationships that you build through social media are far more valuable than any amount of SEO. It didn’t take me long at all to get noticed. Of course I did have a pre-existing relationship with Lisa, but what I did to get on her radar is something that literally ANYONE can do. And, if you follow the steps specifically in #4, you can get on a lot of influencers radars rather quickly.
I wish you much success Stephen, and thanks for commenting!
Ti
Excellent article! I especially like the suggestion of getting involved with a community online that fits with your niche.
To be honest, I’ve had difficulty connecting with people in the social media arena. Even my closest friends on Facebook don’t really take a tremendous amount of interest in my posts. When I look at my Google analytics reports, places like Facebook and Twitter bring very little traffic. I have to say that Youtube is the best provider of traffic outside of Googel, Yahoo and Bing.
Hi Jordy,
So glad you commented. I think the best way to get involved and break into social media is to start small and work your way up. That’s exactly what I did starting on the BizSugar platform. These are great communities where you can start building your foundation and get a small group of people to being rallying around you. Plus, it’s much easier to get noticed there first.
I take it that you’ve merged your personal and business social media profiles. I used to have that same problem but I decided that it wasn’t a good idea. Like Lisa’s mentioned in some of her posts before, a lot of our family and friends don’t get or understand what it is that we do. Because of that, I decided to separate my personal profiles from my business profiles.
We can’t force our family and friends to take interest in what we do and want to jump on the bandwagon with us. I found it much easier to socialize and connect with people who are already in our field and already “speak our language” – or are at the beginning stages of it. A lot of my family and friends don’t even know what I do for a living, and when they ask I just brush off the question because it takes way too much energy to try to explain it to them, lol.
So I would suggest that you start separate profiles solely for building up your business and brand and let your personal profiles be just that – for your own personal pleasure.
I hope these suggestions help and I’d love to hear how it’s going for you, so keep me posted.
Ti
Ti, thanks for taking the time to encourage me in building more of a social media presence. I have a question for you though. I opened a separate account on Facebook solely for the purpose of keeping my Internet niche separate. I am having trouble getting “friends” because people have no idea who I am.
How can I build a community on Facebook around my Internet money making niche?
Wow! Great advise Lisa. I have always avoided the “social media” aspect because I never felt I could share anything of interest. Just last night though, I finally signed ou for a Twitter account (that’s how I found this post).
Not sure what to do with Twitter yet but I am following a few people in the ExpressionEngion niche and hope to become recognized there.
Great post, see you on WB! 🙂
Please excuse the site.
It isn’t ready to view yet, but will be soon
I have the same problem with my Face Book account.
For instance, an email comes saying I have a new “mention”.
I’ve tried to reply, but don’t even know if the reply was received.
Social networking “growing pains” would make a nice topic on the site/blog perhaps.
Once I figure out the tech stuff. Good luck with Twitter!
No problem, Arth. And, right on about the blog topic! That would be a good one 😉
Ti
Hi Scott,
I’m so glad to hear that you found my post and got value from it. I used to avoid social media for the same reasons you did. I thought that what I had to share was boring and no one would be interested in what I had to say. And, the truth was – what I was saying and doing was INDEED extremely boring – at least to me it was. How was I suppose to get excited and share what I was doing if I didn’t like it myself?
I think in order to really have a voice in social media that people will listen to and take notice of, you have to FIRST be excited about what you’re doing. People feed off of your energy and they take their cue from you.
I’ve realized that people are the the true joy and leverage of the IM industry, they’re who make it fun – not tedious backlinking, article spinning and such. Traffic is all around you, it’s not something that you have to create or FORCE to come your way. When I finally let go and begin to open myself up to the PEOPLE around me, that’s when my traffic started to take off.
I wish you much success Scott in your future endeavors. And, I”d love to hear how it’s going for you so please do drop back by and let me know. 🙂
Ti
I must say that since I have gotten to know Ti Roberts, it has been really great chatting and connecting with her.
Her blog posts are really awesome and very very educational for all bloggers.
It just goes to show that building relationships online through social networking and social media is one of the best and most effective ways of driving traffic to your blog.
I AM going to take a page out of Ti’s book, maybe the whole book, and copy what she does so that I can generate some new traffic to my blog as well.
Great post, Lisa and congrats to Ti for getting featured by a pro 🙂
Kharim!
It’s truly been a pleasure getting to know you too my friend :). I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying reaching out and connecting with my fellow bloggers. It’s truly been a thrill! Lol. I appreciate the compliments as well; they mean a lot coming from such an esteemed blogger like yourself.
In Lisa’s last contest post, she asked us to share one thing you’d do differently if you could start your blog over today. The one thing that I shared was that I wish I knew the exact niche that I wanted to target and stuck with it. But, the other thing that I would have done differently is reached out to my fellow bloggers and started building relationships MUCH sooner than I did. In fact, I think that would’ve had a bigger impact on my business/blog regardless of the niche that I picked.
It’s really been a blast getting to know you all and the relaunch of my blog has been an awesome roller coaster ride and I’m excited to see what’s coming up around the bend.
Thanks for commenting and being such an awesome contributor to the blogosphere. I appreciate you!
Ti
Hi Ti, this is great information for all bloggers. Help others authentically and you’ll be rewarded.
One thing that I have found to work well is to use the first names of everyone you converse with. It helps make the conversation a little more personal, and people remember it.
This is a good article to share! Thanks Ti!
Hi Glen,
I absolutely agree with you about using first names. That’s very important to me. Networking online is the same as building connections offline. You’re more than just a username, Twitter follower, or FB friend – you’re a REAL person and using first names helps to further acknowledge that. Thanks for commenting and sharing your input. I appreciate it!
Ti
It was a great post. I will try it for my website. Thanks for sharing 🙂
No problem, Sazirul. I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I’d love to hear how these tips work out for you, so please do stop back by and let us know 🙂
Ti
Hi there, good article! Really nice point of view and basically all true 🙂 Personally me, I’m using http://www.TrafficAndLikes.com where I’m picking up free traffic and fb likes. It’s not a big boom in there, but suits for me 🙂 Anybody else using them?
Hi Darius,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It’s good to hear that you’ve found a site that’s working out well for you also. It’s all about starting in one place and branching out from there. I wish you much success!
Ti
Lisa,
Thank you so much for sharing this post with your audience! I truly hope that this post will simplify the process of social media marketing and put it into perspective. This is definitely evidence within itself that RELATIONSHIPS are truly the key to long-term success online. Thank God I realized that before I decided to call a quits! Lol. Ever since I met you Lisa you’ve been a source of inspiration to me, and you continue to be.
Thanks again for everything you do. I appreciate you!
Ti
And thank YOU for taking the time to write such a thorough, informative piece.
Hey Lisa, I think your tagline should be “Lisa Irby, Inspiring All” I saw one guy thanking you on a video on Youtube this past weekend. Keep it up Lisa.
great advice Ti and Lisa. the important take away here is the work needed to “make things work” for you, which cannot be escaped, and rightfully so 🙂
there are many ways to reach a goal, in this case time was invested building those key relationships, which take a lot of time and effort. some decide to spend the same amount of time on SEO/link building, while others on guest posting, and yet others on one of several other alternatives available to us.
Thanks, Sunil. I agree, it does take a lot of hard work to build up your traffic whether you decide to use SEO, social media or other alternative sources. It’s important that people realize that sincere effort is required to really build up a sustainable online business. You can’t afford to be lazy, especially if you want to build a well known brand. It took me while to come to terms with that, but once I did awesome things began to happen.
Thanks for your comment and input, Sunil. I appreciate it. 🙂
Ti
I like your choice of words like “You can’t afford to be lazy, especially if you want to build a well known brand.” You are a very inspiring person.
Thanks, Nathaniel! I appreciate the kind words. 🙂
Ti