Using Facebook and Twitter to Support Your Blog

This post is written by contributing author Genevieve Brazelton. 

Two weeks ago I made a, hopefully compelling, case for starting a business blog (link to first article please) if you don’t have one already. If you bought in to my argument or you said yes to the blog long ago, then I’d like to share some tips on using Twitter and Facebook to get more readers and engagement.

The typical use for Twitter and Facebook in conjunction with blogging is to share a link whenever you publish a new article. While you should definitely be doing this, there are many more ways to engage your readers and keep them coming back. 

Photo courtesy of Portraits to The People

Ask For Input

Post a request for topic suggestions, maybe there’s a part of your process they can’t wait to hear about. You could open yourself up to questions and answer them on a specific day of the week on your blog. What about asking for personal stories, how have they used or worn your product? Not only does this help your writing process, it also gives your readers more connection to your writing.

Give Just A Taste

Another approach is to share your writing or work process, this can be especially engaging if you’re working on a longer article or big launch. Post links to the articles you’re reading as research or find inspiring, a great image you stumbled across that sparked your newest creation, sneak peek photos or clips of what you’re working on, or even random insights or facts that come up along the way. Use these kinds of posts to build up to and create suspense for the final post, product or launch. Think of it as a behind the scenes pass that only folks who follow you on Facebook or Twitter get.

Make A Game Of It

You can also use contests and events to get your followers involved. Maybe you’re participating in a show that you have tickets to give away, ask trivia questions they would only know by visiting your website or reading your blog, the first correct answer wins the tickets. Or maybe you’ve been working on a long series of linked articles, hold a question and answer session after the last post via Twitter or Facebook. Both platforms are similar to cocktail parties, come up with your own party game.

Be creative. Twitter and Facebook are social platforms, people use them to feel connected and engaged with others, use that to your advantage. Get your followers, readers and fans to interact with you. Give them a reason to check in with you over all the platforms you use by giving them different streams of content.

What are your favorite ways to engage with fans Twitter and Facebook?

Genevieve Brazelton endlessly researches the newest ideas in creative and social media marketing so you don’t have to. Genevieve’s strength is her keen outside perspective and sometimes infuriating logic that puts structure to dreams and lays out paths to goals. She is also the business side of Lightbox SF. Read more about her here.
Connect to Genevieve via twitter or facebook.