Top 10 Traffic Ideas for your Blog

“Write a blog post because you have something to say, not because it’s on your to-do list.” –John Morgan

I couldn’t post this without that quote! John Morgan, author of  Brand Against the Machine, tweeted that little gem yesterday and I loved it! Made me think (just like his book) and I knew today’s post wouldn’t be complete without it!

So, AFTER you have posted your amazing content (because you have something to say) how do you get people to find it? Read it? Be inspired, enlightened, and amazed by it? Traffic! Because what good is that content if no one is reading it? Here are ten ideas to bring in the traffic your blog needs to survive.

Of all the successful blogs on the Internet, hundreds more have failed. Running a blog is like running a business website. Unless you are willing to put the time in and treat it seriously, you won’t be blogging long.

That is not to say that the failed bloggers weren’t serious about blogging. Mostly, new bloggers aren’t prepared for the work that goes into creating a successful blog. Just building the blog doesn’t mean that people will necessarily come to you. You pursue the audience and give them a reason to see what you have to say.

Fresh Content

No one wants to visit a blog day after day and see the same posts. Update your blog content at least twice a week. This will be easier if you write several posts ahead of time and upload them at the appropriate times.

Article Marketing

The niche you’ve chosen for your blog is one that interests you. If it is interesting you will spend more time doing it. Create content not only for your blog but also to be submitted to article directories. Use the resource box to advertise your blog so people can find you.

Social Networking

These sites are everywhere. Join Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, Twitter or a dozen others and make connections. You can join groups of like-minded people who are also bloggers or entrepreneurs.

Viral Marketing

This is where you spread the word about your blog. Talk to friends, family, and even strangers. Give out business cards that have your blog address on them.

Use RSS Feeds

RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” Readers can subscribe to your feed and get email updates when new content is posted. It is an easy way for them to keep up with your blog without spending all day online.

Submit Blog to Search Engines

Doing this allows your blog to be ranked. Google and Yahoo! are two of the most popular search engines you want to crawl your blog pages. It doesn’t guarantee top ranking, though. You’ll have to do a little more work for that.

Joining Facebook Groups + Forums

As a blogger, you are a budding entrepreneur. Right now you are marketing yourself to find traffic and then profit. Become a member of Facebook groups in your niche, forums, and even Reddit topics to network and share ideas. You can add a link to your blog in the signature line (when allowed) so others can find you.

Visit other blogs

Show your appreciation to those who visit you by also posting comments on their blogs. It is a kindness that shows others you are not just out to advertise your blog alone. Add links to your blog in your comments.

SEO Marketing

Whatever you write, use relevant keywords. Keyword density between three and ten percent is good for getting higher page rankings in search engines. Base your keywords on the research you do to find the most popular words used in search engines for your niche.

Social Bookmarking

Submitting posts to social bookmarking sites allows others who are members of those sites to track you back to your blog.

Using any of these ideas will start the traffic moving in your direction. It takes time but you will build the readership you want.