7 years ago when I joined Twitter at the same time that I created my blog, I had NO IDEA how bloggers gained a following – on either of them. Growing my blog following was an absolute anomaly and how bloggers had tens of thousands of Twitter followers was beyond me as well! But that was almost a decade ago and there’s LOTS more advice for you new bloggers these days on how to grow your Twitter followers!
Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash
Having written a whole eBook on how to grow your blog following, building up a readership on both my blog and on Twitter is something I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to do. Twitter growth certainly fluctuates – as most people will concede to – but it’s definitely possible to build up a great Twitter following to support your blog and your blog growth! So learning how to promote your blog on social media is super important too.
Related: How You’re Doing Twitter Promotion Wrong – & How To Fix It
Building up a Twitter following can be a long game. Like I said, Twitter growth fluctuates due to a variety of different factors. It’s important to not compare yourself to others and focus on your own growth and realise that it’s not going to happen overnight, even if you incorporate ALL these tips in one day!
Let’s get into some tips on how to grow your Twitter followers:
Reply to tweets: Be active and social. It’s a great way to make new friends and make people want to follow you, so they know you’re not just a robot who tweets blog links and that’s it.
Tweet photos: I think it’s proven that a photo will gain more interaction than a tweet – because it stands out and people like photos and something aesthetically pleasing! So search those GIFs and share your damn photos!
Include hash tags: Relevant hash tags, of course, don’t go hash tagging #foodbloggers if you’re talking about books. But this gets your tweets in the appropriate place on Twitter for people to search for and find.
Retweet other people: It’s a nice thing to do, especially if it’s a post you really enjoyed but it can also be a good way for others to see that you’re interested in that topic too.
Tag retweet accounts: They don’t always retweet – heck some of them get thousands of tweets every day but it’s always worth a try! Some I use are: @LovingBlog, @blogginggals, @BloggerBees and @TheGirlGangHQ.
Talk to people: Similar to point 1, interacting with people and fellow bloggers is such an important part of the whole blogging experience. I don’t think any (genuine) blogger wants to follow a mere robot who never chats with anyone and just posts link after link after link. Personality is key! Make yours shine!
Run giveaways: Giveaways are a great way how to grow your Twitter followers but only if they’re genuine giveaways and you’re not doing them ONLY for that reason! Working with brands and hosting a giveaway together is a great option for this.
Take part in comment swaps: I bloody love a comment swap and they’re pretty good for growing both your Twitter and your blog. Check out @teacupclub_ on Monday and Thursday at 5pm, that’s a good one to start with!
Schedule your tweets: Being active on social media is a must for how to grow your Twitter followers but I’m also aware of how much work it can be. This is where scheduling your tweets in advance can come in SO HANDY because consistency is key.
Any other tips you’d give on how to grow your blog followers for beginners? What are your best strategies for growing your Twitter following? Let me know in the comments!