Twitter is great for blog traffic. But bloggers sometimes get too enthusiastic with it. A common error is when, out of the blue, one replies to another tweep with a link to his blog.

Some tweeps do this to those who've just followed them back. They include a link to their home page or latest post. You can see it in their "tweets and replies". It's a bad look, it annoys people, and you shouldn't do it. It's a kind of spam, let's face it.


Context and relevance matter

That said, there is an effective, non-spammy way to share posts in replies. You just have to do it in context.

Let's say you've blogged about a specific topic and you've already tweeted the link out to your own followers. You can draw still more traffic to it by finding tweets (and ideally actual Twitter conversations) about the same subject.

Then you can add to the conversation, sharing the link. You could say something like, "I see your point. But here's another way of looking at it." Or maybe: "Good list of tips. Here are a couple more."

Doing this isn't spam because it's relevant, in context and adding to the conversation.

Be selective and don't overdo it

I wouldn't do this to people you don't already follow, however. And I would only use this tactic with other tweeps -- preferably influencers -- with whom you've engaged before. Make sure to make other link-free contributions as well.

Also, don't do it over and over again with the same people. That way they won't resent it and neither will their followers. If it's a good post, and relevant, they'll appreciate it. You never know, they might even retweet it. If an influencer does this it can bring a torrent of hits as well as new followers.

I have used this method from time to time, particularly with my political blogs, and I know it works. It's particularly good for topical posts. This is because they're very specific by definition. Tweeps who are intensely focused on some particular issue are much more likely to click on a post that deals with it. So if you "strike while the iron is hot" you can sometimes pick up a surprising number of extra clicks this way.

(Image courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.com.)

A lot of people who start blogging these days do so because they want to make money from it. There has long been a buzz about this method of income generation, after all. It's not as intense as it used to be. But there are still many people with this aim. 

And because this is their main goal, and they've been reading heaps about how to do this, they often create blogs about ... how to make money from blogging!

(Image courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.com.)


An increasingly saturated niche

I'm sure that way back in the early days this was a good approach. There was huge interest in this subject and not that many people doing it. So you didn't have to be a super-export in the field to get some momentum going with it. And you could therefore make it profitable. 

But these days there are just way too many people doing it. And the top dogs in this niche have built up so much expertise and authority that they just become the go-to bloggers. They are not just kings of their niches, they're almost like emperors now!

Another reason that this particular niche is that it's full of sellers and promoters. They do buy stuff form time to time, but by definition they are much more keen to make money than spend it.

Better to follow your passion

So, you shouldn't even start on this quest IMO. You'll never knock these guys off. It's best to choose a specific, unsaturated niche. One that you truly enjoy.

If you do that you'll "hit the ground running". You'll come up with lots of really good quality stuff with ease. Keep adding good quality posts being mindful of SEO and you'll gradually build up solid search engine traffic.

At the same time you should get cracking on social media. Again, you'll find it comparatively easy to build quality followings on Facebook, Twitter, etc because you have a passion for your subject, and you'll be enjoying all the interaction with others who share it.

And if you can find a niche that people follow primarily because of their own enthusiasm rather than a desire to earn income themselves that's another bonus. The means by which you start to make money from a blog like this may not be immediately apparent, but it will come to you eventually.

Build an audience first. Monetize later

Here's a personal example: I have a keen interest in politics and have been blogging about it for years now. I've built up quite a profile with one blog in particular. I've long been meaning to monetize it, but never got around to it until recently. The reason was that I just blogged for the love of it.

But lately I've been working out how best to earn cash form it. The most effective method Promoting specific books in posts.

The key is to put the affiliate links into the body of the post, and make sure that it is relevant. Also, I don't put one in every post. I want the readers to know that I'm not just writing posts to make money. I'm doing it because I love the subject. So they know it remains authentic.

I've found as long as I do this the sales trickle in. It's not much money, but it is consistent. And all I have to do is keep at it and my earnings from this method will continue to grow.

We all know that the key to success on social media, particularly Twitter, is activity. Engagement is the magic word. The more you engage, the more you benefit. Of course following good new tweeps, retweeting and mentioning others comes to mind here. Needless to say you should do this regularly. 

Conversations are key

But you should also go further when you can. And by that I mean don't just retweet someone a few times, or say "good point" in a mention. Actually try to start conversations that go on for a while.

You've got to sense when this is appropriate. Just as you can't force someone to chat with you in a real social situation such as a dinner party, it has to develop naturally on Twitter, too. So, you find that many attempts will not bear fruit. 

But some will. And they'll keep recurring with the same people. You'll really stand out in their feeds as "top drawer" tweeps. And they'll often be happy to help you with retweets, etc -- especially if you do the same for them. 

Influencers can help you greatly

If these people are influencers then the benefits are obvious. But even if they're not, they may well become influencers in time. And you can build your folllowings at the same rate and help each other out. It's these people who will be "the gift that keeps on giving". 

This is why it's so important to have a real, genuine interest in what you are tweeting about. You should also genuinely want to discuss it with others. And make sure that the people you try and engage in this way look like they will. That's why constant use of the site is important.

It's like when you are at a social event in the real world. You don't just talk to anybody. You mingle with the people who look attractive to you, who you know already, or who have heard about from others you know and trust. 

Always be sincere

If you just go into it because you've heard that you should engage with others, but you don't have any real desire to, then it's pretty clear to others.

I know from experience. Often I'll get a tweet asking how my day was or something like that. Then I'll go to their stream and see they've been saying exactly the same thing to numerous others. It just rings hollow in my opinion. 

I know others might not feel this way. But I do think it's better to only mention someone when you really feel like it. That way, the odds of a quality conversation -- eventually leading to a lasting connection -- go right up. 

(Image courtesy of jscreationzs at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

It's well established that a reliable way to build your following on Twitter is to follow good people who are in your niche. Some will follow you back, no doubt. 

Of course you don't want to overdo this. But used in moderation it's not unethical. And it's certainly effective. 

The challenge can be to find good new people to follow, though. Of course you can look through various lists, and that works. But you can often end up following people who are comparatively inactive. 


Focus on influencers 

With this downside in mind I think it's worth focusing on a different method. Instead of looking through follower and following lists, look at the individual tweets of your favourite influencers. You'll see that many of these have huge engagement, with lots of replies, retweets and favourites.

The retweets in particular are worth looking at closely. The retweeters are listed under the tweet itself. You'll find that many of these people are worth following. That's because they'll share your interest, since they are following the same influencer as you. Also, you know they're active, and engaged. They're also not stingy with the retweets. 

When looking at one of these as a potential tweep to follow, check his follower to following ratio first. If it's close to 1:1 then there's a reasonable chance he'll follow you back. 

I've been using this method lately and it is the most focused one I've found so far. 

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to promote affiliate products is by using a niche blog. Write quality content about a subject you know and love, build up targeted search engine and social media traffic to it, then include links to relevant products within posts and commissions will surely follow. Needless to say, this approach takes a lot of work, and quite along time to take effect.


Use Twitter to share affiliate links 

But there's a more immediate way of getting some affiliate cash, and that's by tweeting your links to Twitter followers. You can use this method for most programs, but I think that Amazon Associates is by far the best suited. This is because no matter what your interest you will find countless excellent books, videos and other products that your followers will find relevant and interesting.

And Amazon makes this really easy to do. When you log into your Associates account there's a little button that creates a link with your ID included. It displays a summary that will show the product image and description. 

Books are popular and well suited to this method

Books are particularly good for this method. That's because the product pages are interesting reading in themselves. The titles automatically become your tweets, and these often contain keywords that people search for often on Twitter either on their own or as hashtags. The cover images displayed in the summaries are often striking, and give life to your Twitter stream. 

When choosing products to promote relevance is key. No point in tweeting links to computer peripherals to tweeps who are into opera.

Location is important

Subject matter isn't the only criteria, however. If you have a lot of followers from your own country, as many Twitter users do, then you're sure to get some clicks and the odd sale if you tweet geo-specific titles with general appeal. For example true crime, sport, and fiction books can all be popular if they relate strongly to your country, or even city.

Trending topics can help

Keep an eye out for trending topics, particularly those with their own hashtags. You can often get a higher rate of clicks to products that relate somehow to a story currently generating a lot of interest. Obviously this approach can get a bit mercenary -- even ghoulish -- in some cases. So you want to be mindful of this. (You might want to avoid using mass murders, celebrity deaths, and similar events to generate income -- although I suppose that's what the mainstream media is doing anyway.)

Moderation is key

And you don't want to overdo it. If you constantly tweet product links your followers will start to get annoyed and some will unfollow you. So I would say that one in ten on average is fair for most categories. 

I think you can make this a higher proportion when it comes to books, though -- especially if your niche is followed by avid readers. Twitter accounts related to current events and politics certainly apply here.

Reviews matter

And no matter what niche you are promoting, always look for products that have some good reviews -- preferably from verified purchasers. You can be sure that you're recommending good products to your followers then. That helps build your reputation, which in turn makes it more likely that people will purchase after clicking on your links. So, don't just tweet a link to something just because it costs a lot and will therefore deliver a chunky commission. Make sure it's really good quality.

Kindle versions sell well

And on the subject of cost: Needless to say people are more likely to buy something on impulse if it's only a few bucks. This is why Kindle titles are idea for Twitter sharing. Sure, the commissions are small. But they come in more frequently than ones from, say, hardbacks and they certainly add up over time.