Great Headlines Drive Traffic – guest post

Lorraine Ball of RoundPeg and I are exchanging guest blog posts. RoundPeg is devoted to “helping small businesses become big businesses”. I asked Lorrain to blog about her approach to Twitter…..

http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/08/internet-mistake/

http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/03/discount-tire-gets-my-vote/

http://www.roundpeg.biz/2009/05/twitter-is-not-broccoli/

I have been actively using Twitter as my primary Social Media connection for almost a year, and I can’t imagine my daily routine without it. I have learned how to be funny, sarcastic and somewhat smart in 140 characters or less. I have made friends around the globe, and feel more connected to a number of local folks as well.
 
As I explored Twitter I expected those things would occur, but I have discovered an interesting side benefit. I am becoming a better writer overall. The restrictions of the 140 character limit have trained me to look at every word and consider the value each word adds to a sentence.  This new habit has drifted over to my blog and business writing as well.
 
I am even looking at headlines differently.  While content rich headlines work well for Google search they don’t work when I try to promote a new post on Twitter.  Commenting on this dilemma, it was clear Louis Gray  wasn’t sure which strategy was a better choice when he said:
 
“As Twitter’s impact on immediate traffic expands, it should be interesting to see how many blogs change their approach to headlines and to see if they are in any way reducing longer-term traffic benefits from SEO for instant returns.”

For me, the small business marketing space in Google is very crowded. It is hard to get noticed or rise to the top. I have had more success promoting my blog through Twitter, so I am likely to continue to down that path, working to make my headlines more Twitter-friendly.
 
I use Twitter feed to send my new posts to twitter.  The shorter headlines have helped catch the attention of friends and followers who visit, read, and ReTweet. Some of my most well trafficked posts have catchy titles which are short enough to Tweet, ReTweet and even Re, ReTweet. For example:
 
Mistakes are like Sandcastles
Discount Tire Gets My Vote
Twitter is Not Broccoli
 
In some ways this is simply a return to better writing.  Advertising copy writers and journalists have for years relied on catchy titles to entice the reader.  For awhile Google, and SEO strategies  in general distracted us. Today Twitter and other social media which focus on the human interaction are challenging us to become better writers once again.
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