How to use social media engagement threads to boost website traffic

Every web-based business owner wants to increase traffic to their site. One of the ways to do so is by having a blog that shares relevant and useful information for your target audience.

But how do you ensure your blog posts are visible? And how are they going to drive traffic to your site and drive sales and revenue?

SEO is a great long-term strategy. However, results can be slow in the beginning stages of your blog. Social media engagement threads (threadwork), can boost traffic and visibility quickly by exposing your blog to new, relevant audiences and driving them to your website.

What is a thread?
A thread is a post in a social media group (usually Facebook based) that requests sharing, commenting or liking other bloggers links in the comments of the original post.

So, how do threads work exactly?
Within Facebook, there are groups. We’ve all seen yard sale groups or workout groups for our local area. There are also niche groups for many types of industries, services and products. Search for and join groups in your particular niche or more general groups. For example, if you’re a food blogger, search for food blogging groups, or, if you’re an automotive repair business, search for cars and driver groups, or DIYers.. An example of more general searches would be “bloggers helping bloggers.”

Once you have identified several groups, ensure that the groups are active and relevant. They have either daily or weekly threads where you can “drop links.”
Dropping links is when you leave a link to your relevant page in the post comments. Others will do the same. The initial post will list requirements for participation in the thread. Maybe it specifies to share ten other posts across your social media channels. Perhaps it says leave comments on the linked pages. Be sure to reciprocate and follow the rules of the thread. Without reciprocation, this strategy does not work.

How are you benefiting by participating in a social media thread?
Dropping a link to your blog post exposes new audiences to your content and drives them to your website. And once they are on your website, you can engage your sales funnel and increase your revenue. With quality, engaging content and an effective website, you can have new interest from followers and gain traction very quickly utilizing threads.

How do you know when to work threads for maximum effectiveness?
A bit of trial and error, as well as perseverance, is your best indicator. Each niche will be a bit different, and the time of year can play a part. A food blogger’s prime hits during the holidays, while a travel blogger can peak during the summer. Use your own business insights to help guide you.

Employ the tactic of social media threads more during your business’ slower months to increase traffic. Do not focus too much time and energy on the treads during your busiest times of the year because they can take a lot of time.

As far as time of day, dropping links early in the morning seems to lend a higher engagement rate. Most threads are highly active first thing in the morning, and slow down throughout the day.

Which threads should you participate in?
Choose which threads within the group to participate in for maximum effectiveness. The best strategy will be niche specific again.
First, determine where your target audience is on social media. Check out where your competitors are, too. From there, determine which channel suits your needs the most from the information below:

Twitter

• A tweet has a lifespan of about 15 minutes
• Not great for selling products
• Great for advertising events

Facebook

• Has a high engagement rate
• Has its own metrics data
• Has ads that can allow you to distinguish what is working
• Best for B2C marketing

Instagram

• Great for selling a product due to the visual nature of the channel
• The utilization of hashtags allows for pinpointing the target audience

YouTube

• Great for posts that include video and product links

Pinterest

• Great for selling products due to the visual nature of the channel
• Lower engagement rate
• A pin has a lifespan of about four months

Begin focusing on threads that will increase your visibility to your target audience. This process can be time-consuming, so if something isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to try something new.

When should you implement this strategy?
It is essential to have your sales strategy in place before implementing the thread strategy. This includes having a sales funnel and having specific links to your products within the blog post.

With dedication, attention to detail, and best practices, a social media thread strategy can boost your site metrics and visibility more quickly than long-term strategies like backlinks and SEO. Threadwork is a short-term strategy for new content but can be used to revitalize older as well as relevant posts. Working threads also supports long-term plans by increasing your reach, engagement, and retainment of new followers and customers. Consider adding social media threads to your digital strategy as a tactic to gain engagement with new audiences in the short-term.