10 ways to use social media to increase your blog traffic

ONE Use what you got? What does that mean? Well, you already have a Facebook page right? Great. Now look at it. Do not just create a page for the sake of creating it and then not do anything with it. Be a artist with your page. Pay attention to all the little details. Add a profile picture{a nice one} and fill out all the information. That goes for all your social media sites!

TWO Branch out? Learn new things. The minute you stop learning and improving your SEO will fizzle up with you. Do you have a Google+ account and Instagram for your business? If not stop reading this and go get them now! You are missing vital opportunities to reach out to new customers. Instagram has a new feature called Instagram direct. Check out more below in the Vimeo video.

THREE Write about what you know and do it well. Good photos. Useful information such as recipes, DIY projects, and tutorials. I do not want to hear about Mr. Whiskers....so stop.

FOUR Use Hashtags both generic and humorous. Just a handful will suffice. Use them in Instagram, Twitter, Google+, even Facebook. My posts from Facebook automatically get posted to twitter so I use them. Google+ hashtags are really important, because they help your content get found!

FIVE If you write about Chatam Tanning{for example} tag him. In Facebook posts, Twitter, and Instagram. You never know he may throw you a bone and a crazy life changing shout out to his 5 million followers. Take a chance.

SIX Check back to your social media pages to see if new features were implemented that might help you. While you are there update every detail of your profile. Keep yourself looking professional and on top of it. Nothing looking more shady than a profile with one sentence stating, "Come visit me". Gross...stalker much?

SEVEN Pinterest. Use it. Love it. Those boards send a direct link straight back to you. Do clean and change your boards out frequently. That being said, if a pin got pinned a hundred times DO keep that one. I found two new things: You can send a YouTube video to Pinterest. Just share to Pinterest from your YouTube video. Check out my video Pin here. You can also create a Pinterest board specific widget. This may be helpful if you are a niche blogger. For example, I do primarily giveaways OR for a foodie blogger to display their pinned recipes. Drive traffic to Pinterest and then back to your blog. Genius Social Media on full display.

EIGHT Host a giveaway! Check out my giveaway hosting tips for more information.

NINE Interact with your audience. Talk to them and they will talk back as well as inviting all their friends.

TEN Make it easy for folks to share! Test it out and use it yourself. If it is not super easy to share people WILL NOT share! Install a hovering Pinterest button. Here is a great hoovering Pinterest button tutorial to check out!

Have fun and take vital breaks. Increasing your traffic takes hard work, a spot of luck, and a bit of ingenuity. Good Luck my friends. XO