Okay, I have seen this happen about eight times this past week. Something may have changed but it is a good reminder for every small business owner to review their own website and blog on a regular basis and CHECK IT OUT!
Today’s tip to check out are the options for social media sharing – specifically the Twitter Retweet options on your blog. If it is not configured properly, then you are missing out on several options for social sharing and reach of your blog posts online.
Steps to see if you are set up properly:
- Go to your website and go to your last blog post.
- Click the Twitter retweet button you have on your blog (If you don’t have this then be prepared for a lecture on the reason you need to make your blog and website social – and read this blog post on getting your website ready for social sharing! Give website visitors the opportunity to share your info.)
- Click to Retweet your blog post.
- Review what comes up for the auto post to Twitter.
- You want to see the following in it:a. Your twitter ID either as RT @YOU or via @YOU.
b. A little description of some sort (Generally it will pull up the SEO title you entered for the Blog post.)
c. The link for the blog post.
Generally what I have found that gets missed the most is your twitter username. You can update this in the settings for the plugin you are using – no matter what type, and if that plugin does not have that option, find one that does.
Why?
The point of the retweet button is so visitors can share your blog post with their twitter followers. If it has no twitter ID for you, the author, then you actually lose out on opportunities for other people o follow you – the people who see this retweet and want to know who wrote the article.
Yes the argument can be made that when they visit the site they can follow me – but if they don’t then they may simply choose to follow from the tweet. Not having your username in the configuration, means you miss these opportunities to connect with other people.
Also when you notice the retweet with your name (Because you are paying attention to that information, right???) it gives you an opportunity to say thanks to someone who was on your website and read your info. If they were interested they are a lead – potentially, not everyone is but it is a better chance they are a lead because they were interested, read and shared the content.
So, homework! GO check your blog setup, test a retweet and fix it up if it is not setup this way.