A few lessons from this program
Download the interview to learn directly from Brent. Here are some of my notes from the conversation.
What’s in it for you
Being a top story on Digg will send your site a wave of new readers, but for Brent, there’s a second goal that’s at least as attractive: links. Bloggers monitor the top social media sites for ideas on what to write about. Each article they produce generates another link back to your site.
Know the audience
Each community has its own likes and dislikes. Some social media marketers might put a postive or negative spin on a story based on what the community they’re submitting to will think about the article.
Write for scanners, not readers
Social media readers aren’t looking for long article. They information they could absorb quickly. Brent recommends avoiding overly clever headlines. Make your headline a summary of the article you’re publishing. Break up long paragraphs of text into smaller, more easily digestible chunks. And use images that catch readers eyes and explain your story.
Don’t be a stranger
It’s hard to get anyone to pay attention to you when you’re a stranger. If you want people to notice what you’re submitting to a social site, become an active user of the site, hire an active user or ask an active user to submit your article. (Though Brent gave us some warnings in the interview about how to ask.)
What else do we need to know about getting traffic from social media sites? Tell me by email or in the comments.
(Thank you Tony Adam the SEO maven for helping me get this interview!)
