Unlock The Twitter Traffic Tempest –
5 Traffic-Getting Tactics For
Your Money-Making Website
I recently created a Twitter account to match up with a money-making website I launched.
In my first month and two days, I gained 1,188 Twitter followers and became peer-recommended as an authority in the field where I'm building my money-making website (in very little time spent per day). In fact, 29% of my site traffic since its inception has come through Twitter.
I also created traffic spikes of over 100 visitors per day in the first month of my website's existence – and could do a lot more if I put more effort into it!
I'm sure you've heard of Twitter.
But what you may not be aware of is how effective it can be as a traffic-generating tool. Well, I've discovered some of the quickest, easiest (mostly autopilot) ways to generate traffic for my money-making websites from Twitter.
And I'd like to share my Twitter traffic tactics with you, gratis.
First, a very short crash course in Twitterology.
(If you're already familiar with Twitter, skip to the next subhead … if not, read this first!)
Since it started in 2006, Twitter has taken the Internet by storm. It's one of the top 50 sites on the Internet according to Alexa rankings; Compete.com cites it as the third most-used social networking site at six million unique users per month; and just earlier this year, they grew 1,382% in just one month according to Nielsen.com. [all cited at Wikipedia]
The basic premise behind Twitter is "microblogging." You get 140 characters at a time (called a "tweet") to share your life with the world – and it all shows up on your public-facing page. Others can follow your updates and you can follow theirs, and everybody gets to read everybody else's public messages.
You can also send messages directly to others, either publicly with an @ reply ("at reply"), or privately with a direct message.
That's the basics …
Now …
Here's how you create a flood of traffic with Twitter!
My tactics for getting traffic from Twitter accomplish one of two goals:
- Direct people to my website.
- Get people interested in my topic to follow me on Twitter, which makes it easier to accomplish goal #1 over and over again.
Each tactic below is designed to accomplish one or both of these goals. And put together and done regularly, they drive a lot of traffic. I've had hundreds of visitors come straight to my website from Twitter in the last couple months because of these techniques.
Tactic 1: Send welcome messages to all your new followers
This tactic uses a free tool called TweetLater to automatically send a direct message to everyone who follows you. Set up a TweetLater account, and under "Twitter Account Automation" you can write a message which will automatically be sent out when someone follows you (like an email autoresponder).
A couple of quick rules. First, it should look like an excited and informal personal message, not like an advertisement. Second, it should have a low-resistance call-to-action to go to your website and engage with you – this is how you get much of your traffic from Twitter. This is a fine line to walk, but it can be done.
You can model mine if you'd like: "Hey, thanks for the follow. Have you signed the KettlebellWall yet? If not … Just do it! And stay strong!"
Tactic 2: Follow people talking about your topic
Here's a quick way to get the attention of people who talk about the topics covered on your money-making website.
Search for keywords related to your website in Twitter users' tweets. Either use Twitter's web-based search or the free TweetDeck desktop software (an invaluable tool for regular Twitter users!) to stay on top of the current conversations.
And, as soon as someone uses your primary keywords in their tweet, you follow them. They get notified that you've begun following them, and they'll often follow you back (triggering the welcome message from Tactic 1).
One note: I ran into Twitter's limit of following 2,000 people pretty quickly using this, and am working on catching up with my total followers number (using the next tactic) so I can continue to add to the number of people who I follow.
Tactic 3: Get in on conversations about your topic
For this tactic, you'll want to use the search tools I told you about in Tactic 2 to find conversations people are having and questions they're asking around your topic.
Then, just reply to them. Begin having a conversation. To send them an @ reply, put an @ sign on the beginning of their username. (Example: AWAI’s username is AWAI_Online, so if you want to send them an @ reply just type @AWAI_Online at the beginning of your message.) Then type your message.
By having this conversation through @ replies, you're creating a public record of your knowledge on the subject. And it won't hurt to link to your website any time you have the answer to one of their questions already written (this creates a permanent link to your website as part of the conversation). And often the people you have a conversation with will follow you.
Tactic 4: Get noticed for talking about your topic
One way Twitter users have developed to indicate the main topic of their tweet are hash tags (#). If your keyword is kettlebells, and you put #kettlebells in your tweet, this tells other users that this is the topic of your tweet.
Many people will search for hash tags instead of searching on just a keyword for people to talk to. By adding a hash tag to your keywords you'll get maximum attention, followers, and ultimately website traffic around keywords describing the content of your money-making website.
Tactic 5: Automatically share your website updates on Twitter
This is a "set it and forget it" Twitter traffic tool.
If you use popular Content Management System or blogging software, it's likely there's a plug-in for it that automatically publishes your website updates on Twitter, with a link back to that page on your website. I use TweetSuite with WordPress, and it works wonderfully.
Every time I publish a new blog post or new page on my website, it is automatically tweeted for me. My Twitter followers frequently visit my site as a result of these tweets. Plus, if they like what they find, they'll re-tweet my announcement, sharing it with their followers. This way my content gets passed around well beyond even my reach.
The hidden power of using these tactics together
What you've just learned are my top 5 tactics for getting traffic from Twitter. Used individually, each one is powerful. But what may surprise you is how much more effective they all are used together.
Within a few short weeks of using these tactics together, I became a recognized authority on Twitter for kettlebells, the focus of my money-making website. My followers now recommend me to others as a source of good information on kettlebells. My site has been mentioned on the blogs of people I'm only connected with through Twitter. A new benefit of building my Twitter empire seems to appear every day.
And let's not forget the important part … money! We are talking about money-making websites after all. In the first 2 1/2 months of having this website up, I've generated over $2,000 in revenue for the merchant I'm an affiliate of and over $215 in commissions for myself. Not a bad start!
What to do next!
The first step to maximizing and making money off Twitter using these tactics is to set up your money-making website.
And, if you want the complete step-by-step, no fail directions, you can check them out, use them, and begin making an income from them for the next year at no risk.
They're all in Nick Usborne's How to Write Your Own Money-Making Websites, available exclusively from AWAI.
3 Responses to “Unlock The Twitter Traffic Tempest – 5 Traffic-Getting Tactics For Your Money-Making Website”
Leave a Reply
Please login to myAWAI or register to post a comment.
“While no job anywhere is secure these days, Michigan, where I live, has been particularly hard-hit. My copywriting income has definitely increased our peace of mind in a very uncertain economy.”
If yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to be.
Get Nick Usborne’s step-by-step system for creating money-making information websites.
In just 6 hours and 35 minutes, you can be in business earning $60 – $150 an hour writing simple resumes.
Learn the secrets behind succeeding in this in-demand career.
The work is plentiful … the pay scales are generous and the competition is scarce!
Get the answers to the hundreds of questions and concerns commonly asked in specific, step-by-step details.
Use this eight-step plan to make the leap from aspiring copywriter to professional copywriter this year.
Let your fellow AWAI members show you firsthand the easiest, most powerful way to land your first client … BEFORE you finish the program.
Writing for the web is a huge opportunity for copywriters. Let web expert Nick Usborne shows you how to write blockbuster web copy in record time … even if you're a complete internet “rookie”!
It’s an opportunity to make $50,000, $75,000, $100,000 a year or more … working just a few hours a day.
A once complicated profession is now something you can do on a standard computer – even if you have little or no “artistic” ability.
It’s one thing to have a website. But if your website can’t be found by the search engines, it may as well not exist.
The Internet creates new income possibilities every day. The biggest among them: online video marketing.
Get the very techniques top-performing copywriters use to rattle off one groundbreaking control after another.
In his new book, Michael Masterson teaches you his very own formula for powerful persuasion and how to apply it to direct mail sales letters as well as online promotions.
Sheesh. Good stuff,but this old duffer will have to study up to catch up---BUT I WILL. Thanks.... Jim
Clem – August 15, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Another practical article. The only problem I'm having is with:
"under "Twitter Account Automation" you can write a message which will automatically be sent out when someone follows you (like an email autoresponder)."
I can't seem to find the Twitter Account Automation area to create my message.
Karen Cioffi
KarenCV – August 16, 2009 at 11:01 am
Jim, Karen, thanks for the feedback. I'm glad this article is helpful!
Karen, regarding the Twitter Account Automation area, I probably should have made that clearer.
Here's a couple tutorials on how to do this:
THE OFFICIAL TUTORIAL:
http://www.tweetlaterblog.com/tutorials/
A GOOD VIDEO TUTORIAL ON YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EleOEpJIKmo
You can also Google "TweetLater Tutorial" for more help.
Roy
Roy Furr – August 18, 2009 at 10:15 am