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The Problem

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A lot of articles lately have been writing about how social media traffic from sites like Digg and Stumble is worthless. I guess I can’t whole-heartedly disagree, but I want to know why! I have the answer - social media users have A.D.D!
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The reason social media traffic gets such a bad reputation is because of the large amount of stop-and-go visitors. People are seeing your site, viewing one page for a couple seconds, and leaving. That’s not to say that a lot of those visitors don’t stick around to read the article, but most of the time, especially stumblers, they will leave in a matter of seconds. So why do these people come and go so fast? I am going to make up a term and call it “information A.D.D.”
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People who use social media sites like Digg and Stumble are mainly using them to get access to the latest and greatest on the web. They want to stay up to date on the latest headlines, tech news, photoshop freebies, political updates, etc. These people have a never ending thirst for knowledge and information. That is why Digg and Stumble have been so hugely popular. They eliminate the need for users to actually “search” the internet. Instead they bring the information to the people! This is the direct cause of Information A.D.D.
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I’m not a psychologist, but there must be something in the human mind that tells people that they never have enough. I’ll use myself as an example: I am a regular Stumbler. I could sit here and stumble through hundreds, thousands of pages and read about everything I want. I could learn about blogging, web design, Photoshop, freelancing…the list goes on. Here’s the catch: it is too easy to keep going. Most people are the same way - they will read everything they want to know today. Come tomorrow, they’ll sit down and do it all over.
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The point I’m making is that people are information hungry. They may have just read the best article or blog post in the world, but they just keep looking for more. They may read your best post on your blog, but they just hit that “stumble!” button and off they go.
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The Solution

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It can be quite discouraging for bloggers to see a massive spike of traffic one day only to find that the next day is back to normal. People like to see growth, and social media visitors definitely aren’t anything but illusions - here one second, gone the next. So, how can you fix that? Keep them focused!
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Naturally, this is easier said than done. Remember, I can give you as many tips but it is up to you to follow them and try to improve yourself and your blog. So here is how you can effectively use your blog to help stop Information A.D.D.
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1. Content -
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   This one is pretty obvious. The better your articles and posts, the more likely people are to check out what else you have to say. However, a nicely written article won’t do everything for you. Some steps I take in my writing are to try and incorporate questions for readers to answer. If I can get someone to drop a comment, they will most likely check back later to see a response. Another step is to link to other of my articles within my writing. For example, I have some really excellent photoshop freebies. I hope you check them out and find them useful. Now was that so hard?
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2. Utilize Your Sidebar -
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   Try and utilize your sidebar to keep readers and visitors engaged. If you can link to more of your articles, people are more likely to check them out. Some really nice plugins are Recent Posts and Top Posts. This lets your readers know that you are still writing more articles and it gives them a direct link to your most popular posts. I usually find myself clicking on top posts on other people’s blogs which proves that these plugins are effective.

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3. Place Your RSS -
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   I’ve already written about the importance of RSS placement before, so be sure to read that first. The point is that a well placed RSS icon before and after your post is a great way to utilize your space and attract more subscribers. We all know that subscribers are some of the best kinds of visitors to have, the more you can get, the better off you will be.
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4. Be Memorable -
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   Looking back at history, a lot of people are remembered by what they said. The same is true on the internet. If you write something memorable your readers and visitors from social media sites will most likely remember it. If you can write something clever and meaningful, you are not only more likely to get a comment, but also to get a link back from another blog. For all you “non-historians” out there, think of it like this: What do you remember people for? Martin Luther King Jr? “I have a dream…” Ghandi? “An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind…” See what I mean? Try and write something memorable and meaningful. If you can pull it off, you will be remembered by anyone who reads your page.
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5. Be Funny -
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   Comedy has become such a huge part of the world’s society. Why? Because people like to laugh. If you can make your readers laugh, you will have a lifelong reader. This is probably one of the most challenging tasks you will ever face in your blogging career - being funny online. Not only is it hard to convey emotion through text, but it can also be hard to show your readers emphasis and exaggeration. For some writers, it can be easy to make people laugh through writing. For others like myself, it can be quite challenging. So try your best, but don’t overdo it.
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6. Timeless Title -
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   I put this tip last for two reasons. First, it is the most important and I want you to always remember this rule. Second, I wanted you to read all the other tips before this one. A timeless title is what will always draw the reader in. When dealing with social media traffic, nothing is more important. When you are stumbling, what is the first thing you look at before you decide to stay or leave? Most often, the title. Make sure your title is relevant to your article, is attractive, and is easy to understand. The best titles are short titles. The less words you use, the easier it will be for people to glance and decide they want to read. Another great reason to remember to have a great title is for sites like Blogging Zoom and Digg. People click on the articles that they want to read. How do they know they want to read it? By a catchy and relevant title..

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I’m just going to let you know that you shouldn’t expect to have every visitor from Digg and Stumble subscribe to your feed, leave a comment, or become repeat readers. However, if you follow those 5 steps to the best of your ability, you will maximize your traffic. What are you waiting for? Start today and start seeing the effects immediately!

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