10 Killer Blog Tips to Increase Traffic and Stickiness
I was reading Mike’s post over at Twenty Steps entitled “How to get traffic to your website for free”.
In it he lists 5 great blog tips:
1. Subscribe to forums related to your subject. Include your website in your auto signature and don’t ever mention your site directly for fear of being branded a spammer;
2. Leave comments on related blogs;
3. Create a newsletter and send it to subscribers;
4. Trade links with other sites in your niche;
5. Write articles.
He ends his post with a call for more ideas for increasing traffic so I thought I would add to that list:
6. Write killer posts that will guarantee regular traffic to your site. I define a “killer post” as one that is designed for your targeted niche market and covers a topic that you know your readers are looking for. So even if you don’t write as often as you should, these posts will keep traffic coming in regularly to your blog.
7. Pack those posts with specific keywords that you know your targeted niche market is looking for on the search engines so they can find you. And don’t forget to put the most important keywords in your post title too.
8. Put your best posts prominently in your sidebar. That will increase ‘stickiness‘ to your site and showcase your best stuff to new readers who might not be familiar with your work.
9. Put a “similar reading” list at the bottom of your post pointing to other work that covers a similar topic. And now that I mention it, most bloggers often forget about the sorely neglected “post” page. (That is the permalink URL address where your post actually resides, separate from your home page - like this page). You can add more links to your template there such as RSS links, best posts, advertising, etc… the skies the limit. Most of your incoming traffic will land on your post page so get it working for you.
10. Write often and they will come.This one is an extension of #5. The more that you write, the more posts you are throwing out into the blogosphere, and the more chances you will have getting hit. The bottom line is you will catch more fish with more than one pole. It’s a numbers game so play it.
11. Whoops, did I say 10? Ok, I lied. Remember to add your posts to social bookmarks such as Del.icio.us and Furl. Make it easy for your readers to bookmark your post by providing links within your template including content aggregators such as Digg and StumbleUpon like I do at the bottom of my posts.
12. Trackback on the back of your competitor’s success. Search Google to find who is getting the top ten hits for your particular niche. Visit their post page and find the trackback link and ping it, or if they don’t have trackback leave a comment with a link back to yours. Or if they offer backlinks such as Blogger does, just link to their post and watch the traffic come in. Believe me when I say this tip alone will you bring tons of traffic.
Ok, now it’s your turn. Let’s turn this thread into a viral thing. What other ideas can you add to the list?
Filed under: instabloke, blog, blogging, computers and internet, social bookmarks, blog tips
Similar reading:
Bloke’s Tips for a Successful Blog Bloke’s Tips for a Successful Blog: Part 11 10 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Your Blog
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Great Tips! Another fantastic post from the Bloke. Thanks.
Thanks for the name check, BB
Re-reading my post I realised that I missed out a crucial word in #1 which would make the sentence read “Include your website in your auto signature and don’t ever mention your site DIRECTLY for fear of being branded a spammer”.
The post was aimed more at new websites rather than established sites. Those that may have fallen foul of the Google Sandbox and are looking to generate traffic without relying on the search engines. In a lot of ways once you have traffic coming to your site it’s easier to maintain and increase the traffic. However, when you’re starting out, it can be pretty tough.
Some great new ideas, by the way. I’m just scooting over to Twenty Steps to add a little bit more to the post as something of an update.
Good morning Bloke,
Another great post from you!
How about this one:
“Retaining your readers by answering their comments?” I know it’s impossible sometimes, but I always try to answer my readers one way or another. Otherwise it’s like selling cars, you spend lots of money to get them inside the showroom, but you let them out, leaving you empty-handed.
Looking forward to more “killer posts” from you, and thanks for the past and current honorable mentions. It helps new readers like myself a lot!
Have a nice weekend,
Hoctro
Hoctro - you are absolutely spot on with this. The whole thing about blogging is building a/being part of a community so answering posts is absolutely key.
Make the effort to respond to or acknowledge every single comment on your blog. It makes the reader feel like they’re a part of what you’re trying to do which is, of course, true but it also prompts them to come back if they know you always comment on comments
Oh..and another way to get people coming back to your blog is to quote them as the source for your article
Everyone digs (pardon the obvious pun) link love.
It would be nice if their links back to your site worked too but there you go. Ho hum….
Have a good weekend everyone
Mike
Hello Mike,
following your hint about leaving name w/o webpage, I get to know you as the author of the 10 killer ways!!! Great! I know another great blog to read over the weekend.
Cheers,
And speaking about acknowledging comments, thanks for dropping by mike and hoctro and contributing to this thread. Hopefully more people will also offer their opinions and turn this thread into the ultimate list of killer tips.
I can’t think of anything to add but I just wanted to say this blog is the best resource about blogging that i have ever seen. Keep up the fantastic work Bloke.
Thanks Bloke,
I have another one! I was going to post sth on my blog but I think this is a better place.
“Put your key words in the title of your post”, as Google really put weights on it. The title should be a super-short summary of the post. And here’s why.
I sometimes wonders how my readers get to my site, especially through Google Search. One of the search got my blog as first choice, and even beat Buzz itself.
Please check this search out: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=api+blogger+beta
I also put a description of my blog in a meta tag, and it shows too: “Providing mods to enhance your Blogger in Beta homepage.”
Cheers,
Oops! You already got it down as #7!!! So please view my last comment as another proof to it
I guess I was so excited about being first in the search, I forgot what I read yesterday about your killer ways 
Cheers,
At least we have proof now.
Great ways on increasing traffic are through Email Marketing and Press Release. They help get your website hihg in search engines and increase traffic..
Good one. Have to work on some of those ideas.
Beehacker
Wow good concentration of blogging news, would like to see more videos or audios on blogs. Thank you for sharing the information, look forward to your newsletters
Welcome aboard!
Keep track of where you are commenting and take a trip back from time to time, if you left a comment once, there was something that got your attention..This helps you become a part of the blog world, your comments can draw the attention of others who are commenting and most blog owners will visit your site and comment…Wow that seemed worthy..Blog Blond told me about this post..I always follow advice from Blondes
I too came here from Blog Blond and I’m glad I did. Very insightful post. Unfortunately, I don’t have suggestions to offer. I’m just here to learn.
Thanks for the input Tom, and Blog-Blond is my fav bombshell too
Hey there Edward. Thanks for dropping by. Please feel free to leave a comment or ask a question anytime. That’s what I’m here for.
Hey there, came over from Blog-Blond cheers!
Thought-provoking and helpful post.
Many tend to forget that if no one knows you exist (unless of course that’s the way you want it to be) well you’re not going very far and so I dedicate some 70% of my time to social networking and only about 30% to my own blog.
Of course mine is a personal blog and it started out just as a way to get things off my chest but I do believe this principle applies to any effort we make.
Take care
Tisha
Networking is important but don’t neglect your blog either. I would reverse that ratio and make posting to your blog more important.
I’ve written extensively on networking and you can click on the “networking” category in the sidebar to read more.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing Tisha.
Thanks for these great tips
You’re welcome Av Da.
BB, in your articles you state: “Trackback on the back of your competitor’s success. Search Google to find who is getting the top ten hits for your particular niche. Visit their post page and find the trackback link and ping it, or if they don’t have trackback leave a comment with a link back to yours. Or if they offer backlinks such as Blogger does, just link to their post and watch the traffic come in. Believe me when I say this tip alone will you bring tons of traffic.”
Huh? Okay, I’m kidding (sort of), but I can’t find another article that explains these particular strategies in more detail.
I don’t mean to sound stupid…really.
Dennis, that would require another post. I recommend starting to read here. If you need more then let me know and I will consider writing something.
Thanks, BB. This is a big help. I’ll keep reading the informative content on your site, and stay in touch regarding my progress.
Peace,
- Dennis
www.donttipthewaiter.blogspot.com
Thanks for these useful tips, but is there anyway we can all these above step in one step. Or shall we finish doing one task then step into another? but this way gaining traffic to our site will take very long time… give tips on this how to organise ourself with these available tools.
murtaza i habib’s last blog post..Get Traffic From Your Blog - Start Blogging And Grab Tons Of Traffic To Your Website
Hi there. Unfortunately marketing your blog does take time. There’s no getting around that and you have to make the effort. However, if there is a specific topic that you would like me to expand on please let me know and I will consider writing another post. Thanks.
Blog Bloke reply on June 13th, 2008 12:21 pm:
Be careful with the word “pack” in relation to KW’s. Ya don’t want Google to bite for keyword stuffing (spamming)…or does this only apply to tags and not within a post?
All in all though it looks like I’m definitely on the right track. I am doing just about the whole list and then some…I just need to be more consistent
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..10 General, Useful Tips To Add To Your Bottom Line
True, like anything else don’t go to extremes, and especially do not repeat the same keyword in post titles if you can help it.
Blog Bloke reply on June 15th, 2008 1:08 pm:
Nice thought provoking post.
With regard to your point 4, there’s many tools available that checks how many external links a website has. These are usually a good indication about how popular a site is and they are free. See here:
http://www.info-express.org/website-popularity-checker
http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/link-popularity
I’d say thats a very good write up of the do’s and don’ts
Gavin Smith’s last blog post..Finnan welcomes the opposition
Thanks Gavin and welcome to the community
Why thank you BB
Gavin Smith’s last blog post..Top 20 football misses of all time
Gavin Smith reply on June 26th, 2008 2:49 pm:
Blog Bloke reply on June 26th, 2008 12:13 pm:
Great ideas, I think the number one thing is always going to be content, if you’ve got it people will return. Site navigation is also an important thing to get right, after all people have to be able to find what you’re offering them.
Aug 24th, 2008 at 3:37 am
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