I can't think of one business that has a presence on the web, that doesn't need a bigger mailing list. Big list, more business. Sounds obvious, I know. And while you can do well with a small, dedicated and very loyal following, generally, the more people who opt in to get your content, the more opportunities you have to demonstrate your expertise and win over some of your prospects — turning them into clients. Three things need to happen though:
- To build your list, you need people to see your opt in offer.
- For people to see your offer, you need traffic.
- To get traffic, you need to have a visible presence on the web.
You've got to be found and seen by the people who make up your ideal audience and this is the point where so many clients I work with are frustrated. They know they have to produce great content on a consistent basis, but how to get more eyeballs on that fabulous message they're sharing? Maybe you've experienced this frustration too.
I've been experimenting on a new site that has a lot of potential to help solve this problem. I am seeing an increase in traffic and conversions to my email list and it may work for you too.
A couple weeks ago I signed up for a trial membership of the Social Buzz Club, a new membership club designed to help you get more visibility for your content. In a nutshell, as a member, you commit to sharing five pieces of content and then you can submit a link to one of your own (or a client's) articles to be shared and buzzed by other members. The more you share, the more your content will be shared. This is a great model for collaboration and the 5/1 ratio ensures no one is spamming the members…you've got to give to get.
This does two things:
1. You establish yourself as a trusted resource and a filter for the best information on the Web in your niche because you pick the content that's relevant for your audience and share it on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Digg and/or StumbleUpon.
2. Your content is shared by a very fast growing group of social media savvy professionals. You extend your reach to their networks and get more traffic and readers on your site.
There's been a noticeable increase in traffic and social sharing on my blog posts in the last two weeks. I read every article before I share it. I find there are 1-2 articles almost every day that I will share, usually on twitter. That means every couple of days I can submit one of my own articles and extend the life of that post.
Here's what else happens…
When new readers land on my blog, some of them share it with their networks (more visibility), some subscribe to get blog updates, and some sign up for my free eCourse (join my list). It's a simple path for the visitor and if your site is optimized with appropriate calls to action, your email list will grow.
OK, I mentioned this is a membership site which means you have to pay to play. However, you can get a free 60 day trial membership without having to give up your credit card number. This means there is no auto charge when the 60 days are up. So you can join and test the process before you make a financial commitment.
Here's what the founders say about Social Buzz Club:
The Social Buzz Club is a content syndication network based on reciprocity. We allow members to not only share their own content, but that of their clients as well. This allows members, and member clients to reach audiences otherwise limited by their own social networks. Members get good content to share that can be targeted geographically or by specific categories.
Check it out and you decide. Seriously, you have nothing to lose and if you give it a fair shot, you will gain traffic, visitors and build your list. Once you join, let me know in the comment box below so I can keep an eye out for your posts and give you some SOCIAL BUZZ!
Audrey Johnson
This is a very good suggestion. Thank you Denise!
Tea Silvestre
Sounded like a great idea and I clicked over to join…but they require you to have 1000 Twitter followers…