There’s no magic solution that works for everyone to increase website traffic, so you have to start with a foundation of regular, fresh, high quality content and try different things.
Many digital publishers have found they can increase website traffic by using topical posts on social media. This works better for some types of websites rather than others, but since the social media universe is so big, everyone can make use of topical content sooner or later. Using topical content skillfully on social media can help you with traffic development, and can help draw back visitors who haven’t been back in a while. Here’s what you need to know on using social media posts to increase website traffic.
Why Topical Content is Important
Social media profiles now show up in search engine listings. All the major search engines are placing increased emphasis on social media profiles because they tend to have regularly updated content, and often provide relevant search engine results. Search engines look for information that is topical, relevant, and useful to users, and many social media posts fit the bill perfectly.
Should You Make a Topical Post?
Topical social media content can be beneficial, but it can also come across as tone deaf, particularly when it’s posted in conjunction with a disaster or tragedy. Before deciding whether to make a topical post on social media, ask yourself if your relevant story needs to be told, and whether someone else has already told it. If someone has already posted something similar, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make a topical post, but you have to ask yourself if you’re bringing something new to the table. Not all trending stories need to be answered with topical social media posts, but you can rest assured that even if you sit some of them out, other opportunities will come along.
Topical Posts On Facebook
In late August, Facebook started testing a trending topics section on some users’ homepage news feed. It’s similar to Twitter’s trend box and showcases hashtags and topics that are popular at that moment. Right now, this is only available to a small number of users in the US, and still has a ways to go before going mainstream. Facebook hasn’t said whether it will release this feature universally, so it would be premature to count on this Facebook feature right now. Meanwhile you can use information you glean from Twitter and other sites about trending topics.
Topical Posts on Twitter
Finding trending topics on Twitter is easy. On the left side of the Home, Discover, and Search pages is a list of trends. Trends are also displayed on official Twitter mobile apps. Twitter has a proprietary algorithm that determines trends tailored for each user based on geographic location and who that user follows. It chooses topics that are popular immediately rather than topics that are perennially popular, or that have been popular for a while. The goal is to help users know which topics are the hottest at a particular moment.
Google+
Google+ has its own ”What’s Hot” section. Find it at https://plus.google.com/explore. You’ll see a box with a list of trending topics along with hashtags. Here is a screen shot so you can see what it looks like:
Pinterest now offers free analytics that give information on trending topics and pins. To use it, you have to set up your Pinterest account as a business account at business.pinterest.com. There’s also a Trending Topics Pinterest, a Pinterest board that shows what’s popular on the site whether or not you’re signed up for analytics.
Buzzfeed
Sure, Buzzfeed is the fluffy baby animal picture mecca of the internet, but it also has a trend section that shows what’s popular on the site at any given
time. This can be especially valuable if you have a pop culture website and want to increase website traffic. You will also see some hard news topics showing up on this page as well, so it’s worth checking out regardless of your site’s niche.
Making topical posts on social media can increase website traffic and recapture stale interest from your site’s regular visitors. Choose your topics wisely, and most importantly, avoid even the appearance that you’re trying to cash in on a disaster or tragic event. Knowing your website’s audience helps you learn which trending topics will appeal to them, and the social media sites themselves help you identify trending topics as well. Don’t look at topical posts as a magical solution to traffic development, but as an adjunct to your basic social media strategy and underlying commitment to sharing valuable, high quality content.
RealMatch offers recruitment advertising for digital publishers and media companies with an exciting revenue development plan that also helps you build and maintain healthy traffic to your site. If you currently manage a job board – stand-alone, or on your website – social media is also vital to leverage for engagement with job seekers and employers. Share job openings currently listed on your site, and be sure to spread the word about multiple-listing packages available on your site. Whether for your overall site traffic or to increase engagement, social media is definitely a key you need to carry.
Photo Credits: Kittisak / freedigitalphotos.net, Master isolated images / freedigitalphotos.net