How Twitter Helped Me Grow My Blog.

When Twitter first came out, waaaay before I started to blog, I was pretty dismissive of it. There was NO way it would ever become more popular than Facebook. *cough*. Even when I opened my blog, I still didn't fully understand the power of Twitter to the enjoyment of the community around me.
 

 That was until I saw there was a hop started for Twitter. Trying to grow my blog audience, I thought I'd join in. So I set up my account, joined in the hop and had my first few sign-ups. Despite being a limited number at this time, I was suddenly being given the opportunity to interact. People would ask for guest-posters, advice, link to their blog posts and let you know when giveaways were.

 

Yup, at this time, the 'giveaway' tweet was still considered exciting.

 

Through Twitter, I was able to arrange my first guest posts on other blogs, my first button swaps and more crucially, I managed to secure a spot co-hosting the Twitter hop. All of this was done without a lengthy introduction email....well, in exactly 140 characters. More than 100 new tweeps later, the opportunity to 'join-in' became more apparent.  What followed was a network that I could call upon to engage people in my new projects.

 

Now, I can't pretend that every time I go onto Twitter there are feeds of pure opportunity. There are days where I wonder if I can read another giveaway tweet before bashing my own head in. But sometimes, there are those golden moments when there is something engage in. For a newbie blogger, this is so vital for building your blogging network, but also making friends.

 

I also think Twitter is great for asking questions. Granted, depending on the time of day, you can reach out into the Twittosphere and see nothing but tumbleweed and tweets about giveaways. Grab the right time (when your Twitter feed updates by 80 or so tweets fairly regularly), and you can glean some excellent advice or ideas from each other. I remember a great debate about the 'let's keep it real' debate that swept around blog land a few months ago, where the tweets were flying back and forth over a few hours......well, in between the tweets about giveaways.

 

So to engage in Twitter has been great for Craftbotic, and it can be great for you. Incidentally, unless you have no profile picture, millions of followers with no tweets, or aren't a fellow blogger, then I ALWAYS follow back. After all, I'm about growing a network, not picking a team in High School.
 

 One way you can increase your tweeps today, is to join in 'The Not Quite There Yet', blog hop happening at Pointing Up today. I join in most weeks, as a non-married, non mother blogger and if you fit one or both of these criteria, I'd encourage you to go and join in.

 This may or may not be because Dalayna featured me as the link-up of the week. You'll have to see for yourself. All I ask is that you pop over and visit me on Twitter and say hello. Let's be Tweeps!