Get Your Followers to Click Your Links

If you’ve been on Twitter for more than 5 minutes, you’ve undoubtedly seen people dropping links in their Tweets. Do you click on them? If not, why don’t you? Better yet, are people clicking on the links you Tweet out?

Here are some tips for getting those links a little more attention.

•  Don’t be a Spammer- Try your best to be altruistic with your links. In other words, make sure they add value to the user experience of those following you. This means every link you drop shouldn’t be back to your website. Sure, you can link to your own content, but do so sparingly lest everyone think you’re a spammer. 
• Don’t Link without a Title- This should be common sense, but based on what I’ve seen, it’s not. Don’t just Tweet out links without including a title or brief description of the link. There is absolutely zero chance of me clicking on a random link.  
• Start a Discussion- One of the best things about Twitter is the ability to engage in live discussions with your friends. So, instead of just dropping a link and running, try to start a conversation around it. Give your opinion on the content you’re linking to; ask your followers for their thoughts; or if it’s controversial, stir up a little excitement. Remember, interactivity is one of the keys to social media success. 
• Look at the Trends- Relevance is another key to being successful on Twitter. That’s why I recommend using Twist or any other tool that allows you to see the latest trends on Twitter. By being in tune with the latest buzz, you can leverage your links at just the right time. Stay with the times; or get left behind. 
• Tweet when People are There- On Twitter, timing is everything. Obviously, you don’t want to Tweet when your followers are sleeping. Of course, you also don’t want your Tweets to get lost in the peak hours shuffle. So, what should you do? The best thing you can do is keep an eye on your Twitter feed to see when there are gaps in the conversation for you to jump in. Obviously, business hours are best because that’s when most people are around. So, keep your eyes peeled for openings, and be ready to take advantage. 
• Help Others Out- It’s a tired but true adage; you have to give if you want to receive. Help others out by re-tweeting their posts and by linking out to their content. It sounds silly, but people really do take notice and remember when you help them out online. It strengthens your relationship, and it will pay off when they click and re-tweet your links. 
• Get More Followers- We end this list with the most obvious tip: if you want more clicks on your Tweets, get more followers! It only makes sense that you improve the chances of people clicking on your links with the more followers you have.