How often should you promote a blog post?
When I write a blog post, I want people to see it. Of course the main way they will find it, if I have done a good job at optimization, is from their search engine.
But I also try to give my posts a boost using social media, specifically Twitter and LinkedIn, not just once but repeatedly because you will catch different peoples’ attention at different times with the same message. The question is, how much promotion is the right amount?
Here are two different strategies.
#1 Similar & Steady
Every time I write a blog post, for my own blog or for a Microsoft Dynamics partner, right away I make it a point to write and schedule a minimum of 6 different Tweets and 6 LinkedIn Updates to promote that article. Sometimes up to 10 of each per article.
- I post one Tweet and LinkedIn update as soon as it is posted.
- I post another set within one week while content is still very fresh.
- The rest I schedule once per month for the next 4-5 months.
- If it is great content that won’t “expire” I might even sprinkle a few tweets for 6+ months later.
I schedule all my tweets and LinkedIn updates using Hootsuite. (Some people also use Buffer for this type of scheduling.) In Hootsuite I can look at a calendar, see when I have tweets scheduled and space them out evenly.
- I always use hashtags so people can find my tweets.
- I almost always use images to make my tweets and updates more appealing.
- I never post the same exact update at the same time on both social media channels.
- I never post the same update over and over again. (Although, according to Jim maybe I should….)
#2 Magical Tweet Recycling
As I was writing this tip, I learned a different strategy from another Dynamics marketing expert, Jim Townsend from Infostrat. (Follow @JamesTownsend)
Jim uses this analogy: “Twitter is like the Radio. NPR plays the same program in the morning and in the afternoon so more people will hear it. On Twitter if I post something at 2pm, someone who checks at 10am won’t see it. It gets lost in the stream. So I need to play it for them again.”
Every time Jim posts a blog article he writes one strong tweet to promote that article and puts it in a tool called TweetJukeBox. (Their description says it is "a magical tweet recycler". I love that). Currently in his “Blog Posts” folder he has 65 tweets promoting his top 65 blog posts. This is set to automatically post one tweet every 28 minutes, rotating through those 65 choices.
He also has a folder called “Current News” which he refreshes every weekend with at least 60 new news articles. And a folder for “Wisdom” where he shares some personal thoughts and tweets. Then he adds more Tweets by using the Microsoft Social Ambassadors tool. (If you don’t know about this yet you should…)
I think Jim’s strategy of repeating tweets works for him because of percentages. He is tweeting at least 5 times per hour. So if someone scrolls through his feed they are constantly seeing new content, even though actually it has all been used before. In this way he is reaching a much larger audience.
This strategy is completely new for me. But based on his statistics, it is really working for him. He averages about 17 new Twitter followers a day and his personal company blog site gets 12,000 visitors a month. That is just tremendous.
It is always great to compare ideas, and learn about new tools. Even though I am the one writing the “tips” I love getting tips from other people.
So what is your social media strategy? Can you add something new for Jim and me to consider?
By Anya Ciecierski, Collaboration Works Marketing
Follow me at @AnyaCWMKTG