Tuesday, January 24, 2012

25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic

When I first started the My Name Is Not Bob blog, I really didn't have any goals or objectives. I just wanted a place to make posts that didn't fit on my Poetic Asides blog for poets. As such, I didn't really have too much of an audience in the beginning (and I'm very thankful for my readers who have been here since the beginning). But that all changed around the end of 2010 when I started getting more serious about my blogging efforts.


Having a plan is one of the best ways to increase traffic.

I won't bore you with numbers, but I now consistently have as much traffic in one day on this blog as I used to receive in two months! It didn't all happen at once, and there were some ups and downs along the way, but I've found that the 25 steps below can help any blog increase traffic, whether it's brand new or been around a while.

Here are my 25 ways to increase blog traffic:
  1. Post consistently. When I first started blogging, I'd have months of 6 posts here and months of 2 posts there--with no rhyme or reason. The smart blogger will at least post once a week--usually on the same day of the week. The benefit to a consistent schedule is that readers know when to "tune in" to your blog.
  2. Encourage comments. Some bloggers recommend turning the comments off when the traffic is low, because conditions are favorable for zero comments. However, I think it's a smarter strategy to expect zero comments, but encourage them from the very beginning. The best blogs will get a conversation going, and that helps build traffic. I know it can feel lonely waiting for that conversation to start, but just keep plugging away.
  3. Tag content. Most blogging interfaces (like Blogger and WordPress) have ways to tag posts with keywords that you may use multiple times. For instance, I know this post will have a "blogging" tag at the very least, though there will probably be some others as well. And this enables readers to click on the tag to see all the content on your blog that is related to that topic. Plus, it helps with SEO (more on that below).
  4. Always put your best foot forward. Don't fall into the trap of pulling punches on your blog. That is, don't hold back your content. I've heard many writers talk about how they use their blogs as places to throw their scraps. Well, I don't know about you, but I have more than enough great content available to me online that I don't want to settle for the scraps. Always blog your best, and you'll be surprised how you'll come up with even better ideas as a result.
  5. Be sincere. Whether you're sincerely a jerk or sincerely a helpful person--or even sincerely confused, sincerity goes a long way in the blogging world. Don't try to change your blogging persona every week. Pick an identity and stick with it. That's one of the surest ways to connect with your audience.
  6. Create a niche. Most successful blogs have a niche, something that defines what it is. Over at Poetic Asides, that niche is poetry, especially related to poetry prompts and challenges. MNINB is not the best example, but it's niche is better writing and living. One of the main benefits of developing a niche is that readers know why they're coming to your blog and why others should go to your blog.
  7. Think readers first. If your blogging goal is to increase your audience, then you need to think about the needs of your readers first. Most of the tips on this list are designed to put the reader first, from being consistent and being sincere to including share buttons and paying attention to blog stats from time to time. If your blog is reader-centric, then the readers will come and bring their friends.
  8. Blog different. While it's good to use successful blogs as a model for your own blogging efforts, readers are looking for unique voices. If your blog is all about sports (for instance), maybe you can blog about a specific team or city or region. Or dedicate it to the players who aren't the "stars" of the sport, but who probably still have fans who are starved for information about their favorite players.
  9. Provide links. Link well and link often. Link to your own blog content. Link to the other sources of information across the Internet. Link, link, link. That said, make sure the links are relevant and helpful for your readers. If you link to bad information or information that's not relevant to your blog post, that will leave a sour taste in your readers' mouths.
  10. Think SEO. I know Google is building up the importance of social media in its searches, which may incite other search engines to follow suit, but that doesn't mean that SEO (or search engine optimization) suddently has no relevance for bloggers. What I expect to happen is that content with solid SEO and solid social media metrics will rise to the top of the search results. (Click here for some SEO tips.)
  11. Avoid ads (until you're popular). Just because Blogger and WordPress have tools to help you monetize your blog with ads, it doesn't mean you have to use them--at first. Ads are distracting and can slow down your blog. In fact, they may even harm your search result placement. Plus, if you don't have significant traffic, there's no money in hosting ads. Instead, focus on building your traffic first. Many blogs advise getting traffic up to at least 10,000-15,000 page views per month before worrying about monetizing. Even then, you may find that ads aren't a good fit for your blog.
  12. Have a social media strategy. A blogger without social media accounts is going to find it incredibly hard to build blog traffic. Bloggers should work to develop meaningful connections on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ at a minimum. But there are others as well, including Red Room, Goodreads, Tumblr, and more. When you publish a new blog post, be sure to link to it on your social media accounts. As mentioned above, the reach your content has on social media sites may significantly influence where you appear on Google searches.
  13. Comment on other sites. You have to give if you wish to receive (remember the golden rule?). In addition to responding to comments on your own blog, be sure to leave insightful comments on other blogs you admire. If you read a post that really hits home, let the blogger know. If you disagree with a point, share a thoughtful comment on why you have a different perspective (and be nice about it). Also, make sure your comments link back to your blog, in case other readers are interested in learning more about you.
  14. Archive well. While tagging can help with SEO, it becomes even more effective when you use tags to help archive effectively. This means that you don't create a brand new tag every single time you post--unless it's necessary. Instead, try to think structurally of how your posts fit together. Some of my tags (actually called Labels in Blogger) on MNINB include "Life Changing Moments," "Tips for Writers," "Blogging," and "Speaking." Some of these tags have more content than others, but they all help group information to make it easy for my readers to find content about which they care.
  15. Include images in posts. There are a few reasons to include images in your posts. One, they make the blog and each post more attractive and help with design. Two, images help bring in traffic through search engines. Three, post-specific images help differentiate posts in your streams of information on Facebook, Google+ and other social networks. Click here to read even more on this topic.
  16. Keep an eye on your blog stats. I do not believe in quantifying everything, especially when it comes to content. However, a lot can be learned about what's working and not working on your blog by checking out your blog stats. If there's a feature that always seems to gain traffic, then you know it's a safe bet that those posts will continue to work in the future. If there are features that never (ever ever ever) gain traction, then you'll have to make a decision about whether you still think it's worth putting time into those posts. And yes, I think stats are something you look at over an established period of time. The Internet can be fickle, so a great post can go overlooked from time to time, and a horrible post can get amazing results every once in a while. The trick is figuring out what sticks for the long haul. (Here's an earlier post in which I looked at my statistics.)
  17. Give readers option for e-mail updates. As you can see in the upper right-hand corner of this blog, readers can sign up for free updates from my blog. I started this around the middle of last year, I believe, and it's really helped remind readers to check out the blog. Plus, they can check out updates on their smart phones without having to go online, which is something I do with quite a few blogs. It's a great way to check out a blog while I'm stuck in a waiting room or have a few minutes to kill.
  18. Provide social media share buttons. I'm still working on my button strategy, but I've noticed a bump in traffic during the short time I've used them. (Click here to learn how to get your own social media share buttons.) These buttons make it easy for your readers to share content that they think is great--without leaving your blog. And as has been mentioned a few times above, social media is a growing force in search engine results.
  19. Be prepared for high traffic days. The best way to be prepared is to make sure you don't get lazy with your posts by not including links to your other relevant content and that you include share buttons. You never know what is going to really catch on with readers, so treat every post like it could go viral--that way it's optimized to reach even further.
  20. Pick and choose posts to push hard. As you get a better handle on which posts appeal most to your audience, you should know which posts probably deserve a little extra promotional efforts. Hint: The better performing posts should get more promotion, because these are the ones that readers have shown appeal to them the most. You should link to everything at least once, but linking to every post multiple times is likely to scare potential readers and connections away. So pick your battles.
  21. Craft an editorial calendar. At the end of 2011, I started crafting an editorial calendar for MNINB for the first time, and it's really helped me focus my efforts. As a result, my traffic this January has already more than doubled last January's traffic. An editorial calendar makes following several of the steps above much easier.
  22. Invite guest bloggers. One of the things I wanted to start doing in 2012 on MNINB is make the blog more personal and inspirational about life events, in addition to the tips about writing, blogging, etc. So I started inviting people I know and respect to guest post the Life Changing Moments series that appears on Wednesdays (including Jane Friedman, Collin Kelley, and Nin Andrews). This benefits my blog by bringing in new readers who are connected to the guest bloggers, and it benefits the guest bloggers by exposing them to the MNINB crowd. It also benefits my readers, because they get to hear from people who are cooler than me. (Btw, click here if you're interested in a guest post on MNINB.)
  23. Provide testimonials. Actually, I don't do this all too well. I have testimonials in the comments, from e-mail messages, social media sites, etc., but I don't actually throw them up on my blog. But I've seen blogs that do it well by having a special page that collects them. It helps build excitement, especially for readers who are new to your blog and want to know more about you.
  24. Have a blog post promotion plan. Of course, way back on number 20, I talked about picking and choosing days to push harder. Well, for all posts, you should have a blog post promotion plan--a way to let people know about your latest posts. For me, I share blog posts on my Facebook profile, Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, Google+ profile, and Facebook fan page at a minimum. With tools like Hootsuite, Seismic, and others, it's possible to post to various social media accounts without logging into each, and in fact, you can even schedule tweets and other messages in advance.
  25. Build your brand. This is just the act of making sure that everything you do to increase your blog traffic works together and helps build you, the blogger/author/person, as a brand with whom people can identify. It may take a while for your brand to evolve after blogging for a while, but once you start to get an idea of what it is, work to build and communicate that message. This brings us full circle to being consistent, which is the surest way to build traffic over time.
*****

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

133 comments:

JeannetteLS said...

This post could not be more timely for me. I am working on a memoir, and I have read four books about building a platform and the changes in the world of reading and publishing. It's overwhelming, but I know I have to think differently about blogging and about my existing blog.

Having these tips to refer to will help as I begin the process of taking my blog seriously as a marketing tool, and deciding whether I want to start a new blog that will link as well to the current one, or build directly from my existing blog.

My point? Just that I appreciate your blog and have found it both inspiring AND practical. What more could we ask? Thanks.

Robert Lee Brewer said...

Thank you for the kind comment, Jeannette!

Yes, I've come to this point after trial and error--and from not taking my blog seriously to investing some time and energy into it.

Here's to rolling up our sleeves and getting things done. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Hey there Robert! Your blog is always so refreshing. You really have a calm and steady way of inviting other writers and bloggers to connect and improve, without squishing confidence. I enjoy your posts and look forward to them. Thanks so much. Cat

Andrea (Andee) Beltran said...

I'm with Cat! Learned something new today. Thanks, Robert!

Nicole Pyles said...

Great suggestions! I am getting better as I go - I have recently completely changed how to write my blog posts and geared each post to the question I asked myself, "How can MY blog actually HELP writers?" And when I figured out ways I can answer that question, I figured out a way that my blog can be more than just "another blog." I am trying to get better with blog promotion, I am not as good about as I used to be, these past few weeks have been hectic for me, but I'm trying to get better.

I agree 100% with not monetizing - I did for a while and it was NOT worth it at all. Definitely not. I won't until I see a LOT of growth on my blog - right now, just not worth it.

Thank you for the info!!

Marjorie Quinn said...

I didn't turn off the comment section on my blog but I did set it so an administrator must always approve the comment.
I did this because I was getting a lot of spam, pingbacks, and trackbacks. I felt it made my blog look cheap. Also, I was tired of deleting tons of spam.
Do you think approval by an administrator could hurt my traffic?

AR said...

Thank you for another helpful blog post.

K. Clark said...

Good suggestions. But would you suggest paying a blog directory site like BlogCatalog to help promote a blog?

Like you, I didn't take my blog seriously at first but have gotten serious and have tried to promote it better (i.e. Twitter, Google+, Linked-In etc.). Although I have seen some increase in traffic, it seems that my most popular posts are ones that feature pictures of hot male celebs (it's a LGBT-centric blog:).

While I don't mind doing those types of posts, my blog covers lgbt rights, politics, pop culture and my own personal stuff/musings, but the eye candy-type posts still seem to garner the most views. Any tips?

Sara Marie said...

I love your new blogging schedule; I enjoy your advice lists and poetry, especially. As a new follower of your blog this fall, I also appreciate the links you add. I've gone back and found some posts that were helpful and insightful--I never would have known about them otherwise.

Great ideas, great tips. I'm learning by your example as much as I am from your lists. Thanks and keep it coming.

Robert Lee Brewer said...

Thank you so much, Cat and Andrea! That means a lot to me.

Nicole, the number one step in monetizing a blog is generating traffic first. So that's definitely the place to start.

I think it depends on how fast you approve comments, Marjorie. If you're relatively quick about it, you're probably fine. However, one thing to keep in mind is that comments beget comments. So the easier you make it, the more you'll receive.

Thank you, Van!

K., that's a good question, and I'll have to start digging into that topic, but my guess is that blog directory sites are more gimmick than something that will substantially improve your traffic. As far as the content, it does not surprise me at all that certain images drive traffic more than others. One thing to keep in mind though is that those posts may still bring in people who wouldn't normally visit, and your other more regular content may keep them coming back.

Thank you, Sara Marie! The schedule has been a great benefit for me, and I'm glad it's working for you as well. :)

Amanda said...

Thank you! This blog was so informative and helpful.

Marjorie Quinn said...

Thank You! This blog was a very helpful post. Also, your answer to my question was very helpful. I'll keep all your tips in mind.

seanhtaylor said...

Excellent list. I'm going to link this over at my own writing blog, Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action.

Thanks for sharing.

Take care,
Sean

Raychelle Muhammad said...

These are excellent tips. I have two blogs and the newest one is doing better than the other because I have employed many of these strategies. Permission to re-post?

Truedessa said...

Good Morning,

This post is very informative and I must say helpful tips are always a welcomed relief. So, nice to get a refreshing view of how to make it all come together. I will have to check out your other poetry site. To get that first comment will be a thrill. Please continue to blog away and thanks for the tips!

Unknown said...

Thank you for this article. I feel it is very helpful!

I was just curious, in your opinion which blogging site do you feel is the best to work with and why?

I have worked with both Tumblr and blogspot and I am unsure if I should keep both blogs or just continue to update on one of them?

David Fernandez said...

Thank you for the great tips! With my blogging still very much at its fledgling stages, this post was incredibly informative.

Dominique said...

You're so right about blogging consistently. One of the things that I determined when starting Midwest Guest 3-plus years ago was that my core schedule would consist of posting every Tuesday and Thursday. I occasionally post other days of the week, but Tuesdays and Thursdays are constants.

Unknown said...

As a regular writer, I was also looking for some of the best tips to blog good content. Your content is really good and very interesting. I will surely follow.

Thank you.

Dex said...

Very helpful post, thank you! I've been blogging since July '11 and have my core followers and am always looking for ways to get more people to my door.

I don't know if other communities do anything similar but every year there is a Countdown to Halloween blog-a-thon that anyone can join. They post something Halloween related every day in October and it's a great way to meet like mind bloggers and find new readers.

And just this December we started another one called Countdown to Creepmas where we Halloween lovers take a bit of December back in return for Christmas pushing Halloween off the shelves in late October. It's all in good fun and got a great response.

José said...

I found your tips useful, specially because of your insights. I hate those cliche lists which repeat the same things without adding useful insights. Great work!

kjmckendry said...

Great post! Thanks for all the fab tips! This year I've been focusing more on driving traffic.

Scribbler said...

Your article was extremely helpful. I have had blogs for nearly four years, but I have never really gotten the traffic I had hoped for. I am saving your post to review and see if I can make some changes which will improve that.

One question I do have concerns spam bloggers. These are not spam comments, but rather repeated "hits" by certain spam blog sites which really skew the stats. I am somewhat concerned that they may be trying to "bug" my blog in some way. What do you know about this? Blogger advises just to ignore it.

Jody Rein said...

What a fabulous, generous blog! Thank you! I'm recommending to clients and friends, and will take the advice to heart for my own efforts as well. (Guest post ideas to follow!)

Smadar said...

Very helpful post especially for a new blogger like me. Your points are so clear and precise! Thanks for gifting forward!

The Equestrian Vagabond said...

What an excellent post. You just help me set some new goals - thank you!
- The Equestrian Vagabond

Fex said...

Way 26 - Read NyQuil Sandwich, a preview of an upcoming memoir, that I just sold to Epiphany Magazine.

http://fexsfunnies.blogspot.com/

Michelle said...

Great article! I am going to try to get more organized with an editorial calendar as you mentioned and would definitely benefit from keeping my articles more consistent in terms of when they post.

http://eatandsipinthecity.wordpress.com/

PaPa Morty said...

Hi Robert,

Hey this is one of the best, most common-sense guides to blogging I've seen.

I've somewhat understood the blog as a way to market oneself and become a resource for others, but for the life of me could not put the pieces together to make it work!

This is a solid post on a subject that has been blown WAAAY out of proportion! Well done, I say.

Bless You.....

Aimee said...

I found you on Twitter and I love the blog. This post is just what I need right now to try to build my own blog. Thanks for the insight!

none said...

Hi Robert, I really liked the "25 ways..." and copied them to a Word doc so I can refer to them often. I think having a "catchy" name for a blog is also of some benefit.

Sassy Short said...

Very great advice! I just did my first blog and was really needing advice! NOW...I am going to start my sharing with YOU! http://shortnsassy1967.blogspot.com/
Feel free to critique my writing, that is why I am doing this. I want to write a book when I grow up! LOL!

Peri's Spice Ladle said...

Ran into this article in the writers market newsletter. Such timely advice since I just started my blog last week.

The testimonials page...that's a brilliant idea, people are always saying nice things, I just need to start collecting them in one place.

Thanks!

joycedade.photography.blogspot.com said...

One pops around here and there, to this blogspot and the other but, I have to save, visiting your blogspot was highly informative and a real pleasure. I like what you had to say and how you went about saying it. I'm grateful for all the wonderful advice and wanted to thank you for providing it. I hope the New Year will bring you, your family and circle of friends all those things that are wonderful and that you wish for. Thank you! Let's stay in touch. http://www.joycedade-photography.blogspot.com

Robert Lee Brewer said...

Raychelle, yes, please.

As far as Tumblr or Blogspot, Justadreamer, I don't think it matters too much (and don't forget WordPress, which many adore). Tumblr has been growing like crazy recently, but Blogger has an "in" with Google, so...yeah. Also, I would recommend focusing on one blog at a time to build an audience. I have two, but I didn't start MNINB until years after PA was successful, and even then, it took me a while to take MNINB seriously.

Aruna, that sounds like a great future blog post! I'm sketching out ideas as I type.

That Halloween-related stuff sounds great, Dex! My whole family loves Halloween.

Scribbler, I have had no problem with spam bloggers to this point (knock on wood). If it's a consistent problem, I wonder if it has anything to do with the content on your blog. Weird.

Jody, I'll be looking for them!

I'm not sure if a catchy blog name helps too much in the great scheme of things, Doug. Sure, it's a conversation starter, but a blog title that aligns with your content is probably better. Of course, if you can have both catchy and relevant, then you have a win-win, right?

And a big THANK YOU to Amanda, Sean, Truedessa, David, Dominique, Jose, kmckendry, Smadar, Merri, Michelle, Morty, Aimee, and Sassy Short! Hope I didn't miss anyone.

Padmini Sankar said...

Thanks for the tips. I'm pretty new to blogging, and was wondering how to get more people to read my blog, so your post really came in useful! I'm writing a family history, so know how important it is to "build a platform" through my online presence. Thanks!

Susan Scott said...

Thank you very much Robert! I am completely new to blogging and am preparing myself with a huge amount of trepidation. Your insights are extremely valuable and will I am sure go a long way in giving me confidence to go forward. Best wishes, Susan (Johannesburg South Africa)

Unknown said...

This Blog was very helpfull Thanks !

Paul Keene said...

Thank you Robert for the great tips! I'm new to your blog, and grateful I discovered it.

Stories by Julie said...

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I am working on being a better blogger in order to promote my forthcomng book - Old China throught eh Eyes of a Storyteller. I have taken a workshop and will be taking another in March. All this information is helping me with my writing.

Renee LaTulippe said...

Hi Bob, so glad I found you today. I started blogging January 6 and absolutely love it - who knew? While I've got a good handle on SM promotion, some of these other tips have set the wheels turning...so much to do yet! I've subscribed and tweeted this post and will be back.

I don't see your Twitter handle on the blog - would love to follow if you let me know (or follow me @ReneeMLaTulippe). On another note - do you write any children's poetry?

Gail Kushner said...

Hi! I just used your tips and posted the social media buttons on my website home page and blog. Wow! I'm not a techie and I was able to do it!

Thanks so much!

Gail Kushner
www.MyPsychicSearch.com
blog: www.MyPsychicSearch.com/id72.html.

Cheryl Velasquez said...

All I can say, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU !

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this list! It's a reminder to me that I can't do most of these things if I don't BLOG MORE! I think I have too many distractions.

Dave Thome said...

I found that including words like "sex" or related words in the headline helps immensely. I suppose it's no fair to some people because that's what I blog about in Man Writing a Romance, but if you can do it, you'll get more traffic. And some interesting search strings as sources. http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Lane-ebook/dp/B006BF06FC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327604716&sr=1-1

Alison K Hertz said...

Thanks for the list. I am on blogger, too. How did you get the follow by email tag on your blog? I would love to add that.

I am in GA, too. See you at Springmingle?

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

I've read a lot on blogging and increasing traffic, but I found several things that I didn't know about that seem very useful. Thanks!

allison randall said...

I love lists. It makes it easier to make this blogging thing easier... and more efficient. I think the picture/image bit is so vital, as well as the consistency-- though admittedly, this is the hardest part for me. Thanks for the help!

. said...

Thanks so much for sharing your tips with us. I've had such a hard time trying to get traffic to my 2 blogs. I've literally spent hours a day posting to other blogs to get readers but they never stuck.

. said...

When you can can you please check my 2 blogs and let me know what I'm doing wrong?

Fiction blog: http://sophiadesk.blogspot.com/


My Online Diary: http://reviewer11.bravediary.com/

Michele Brenton aka banana_the_poet said...

Here's another tip - tweet your blog post and use twitter hashtags when you do. I just tweeted this blog post, used a hash tag and this blog post ended up the top story in somebody's paper.li - here http://paper.li/MJCoene/1312569963

Unknown said...

I just wanted to let you know I found this post extremely helpful. My blog is still in the early stages (I've only made one post so far), and all of the information here will certainly help me to stay focused.

Cheryl,

southerngeekery.blogspot.com

Ms Scripter said...

This was a post I needed to read! I've been blogging for a year, I have had my ups and downs as far as traffic goes, but like you stated you must have a consistent schedule. I'm gaining my confidence back and crafted some new ideas to drive in more traffic. Blogging success does not happen overnight, but giving up should never be an option. Thanks for this great post.

Unknown said...

Excellent post packed with useful advice

Thanks for sharing

helen colella said...

Thanks for the great ideas...they've sparked my interest and appetite for trying blogging again.

Christine L.Henderson said...

I linked to this post through Writer's digest - which is probably a great push for increasing your blog traffic. I've been slowly building my traffic as I evolve my blog and will add some of your ideas that I don't already do.

I do weekly interviews every Tuesday with authors who give tips of what they've learned in the writing process to help others -- and of course I promote their books as well. Drop by for a quick read at http://TheWriteChris.blogspot. com

ElyseJulianne said...

Thank you. So much of what motivates me is other bloggers like you.

Writer Shona said...

Terrific info - all nicely consolidated. I am tweeting this. Many thanks!

READOSAURUS TEXT said...

This was very informative! I especially appreciated the link to the post about adding sharing buttons. Many thanks, not Bob!

Anonymous said...

follow me http://dotmu.blogspot.com/

Avah LaReaux said...

Thanks for sharing. This is excellent information. I plan to share this with the authors I work and socialize with. Very helpful and necessary.

Unknown said...

I am extremely grateful for this information! I am a new blogger myself, and I can use all the help I can get. I have considered blogging in the past but didn't really understand it nor did I see the point. I now have educated myself further and had talks with successful bloggers. I have a new mindset when it comes to blogging, and I am enjoying getting things going on my own blog site. Thank you again for this information.

Lori Lipsky said...

Practical, helpful post. Thank you, Robert.

Todd Behrend said...

Robert, thank you for the great information. Our podcast American MANSY has been live in iTunes & Android since July 2011, we're only in our tenth week blogging. We post every Monday and Tuesday and I think you're absolutely right on about the importance of consistency and having good material. If you're interested, check us out at http://www.americanmansy.com.

Thank you!

All the best,
Todd

Kristen said...

Thank you for the helpful tips!

grees smith said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Robert Lee Brewer said...

Renee, my Twitter handle is @robertleebrewer.

Some people have all the luck with their content, Dave. :)

Alison, good question. I need to re-trace my steps, and maybe that'll become a blog post in itself.

Yes, hashtags are valuable on Twitter for a variety of reasons, Michele, including those newspapers.

To everyone else, thank you so much for commenting!

Sandra Hall said...

As a brand-new blogger, this is the most thorough information I have received. I'm proud to say that I am already doing some of your suggestions, but the prospect of implementing the other suggestion excites me! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And here's wishing you continued success!

Pete Abela said...

Hi Robert,

A very nice post with some great tips for those of us trying to build our own blogs. I'll definitely be taking them on board. Thanks for sharing.

Pete
http://blog.peteabela.com

Lindy said...

I think you are spot on with your strategy. You have a very authentic voice that attracts readers. Keep up the good work!

Lindy

Collin Kelley said...

All very good suggestions. I need to reinvest in my blogging efforts.

Vladimir said...

I am doing a research on this topic for increasing blog's traffic and your article is definitely a good find :) Thank you.

Unknown said...

These are awesome, thank you!

Buttaflibabee said...

I'm so happy I've found your blog. I'm a new writer and for me this whole world is exciting, overwhelming, and scary as hell! I love writing and due to this post I can see I've been doing a lot of things suprisingly right! The reality of the whole thing is that I still have tons to learn... so bravo for this post & thank you for your accessibility. - Myskeshia "Buttaflibabee" Leon

TammyEvrard said...

Thank you so much for your helpful tips. I am taking the first steps in creating a Blog and your steps definitely give me the inspiration to move forward. I'll be looking forward to following your future posts.

Carla said...

I must say a big hearty "thank you!" for all the great tips in this post. I am about to start a blog and the info I've read here will likely help me avoid early pitfalls. I enjoy your writing style and the way the information was presented. Thanks again!

Khaalidah said...

I've recently redesigned my website and consolidated it with my blog. I am desperate to make it better than it was before and this article helps tons. Thanks for this one.

Unknown said...

Great tips! I am glad I found your blog because I'm new to blogging and finding my niche and using social media are so challenging. Thanks again.

Sarah Butland said...

I appreciate all of these tips and specifics within them as they'll help a lot of bloggers. Although I've been using a lot of the tips the reasoning was explained and the ones I didn't think of I'll be working on a-stat.

You put a lot of effort into this post and detailing all of this tips and for that I thank you.

And as always... thanks for reading,

Sarah Butland
www.SarahButland.com

PS: I wonder why no one is including their direct website address in their comments :) I realize it's accessible through their name with blogger but the website address helps me determine suitability to me.

Also on a personal note: I love the name of the site as I have a son named William - not Bill, Billy or Willy but Will or William is approved.

Leann Zarah said...

Your advice is such a great help to amateur bloggers like me.

Thank you for sharing these tips.

Shelley said...

There are times where I realize I can no longer find the surface of my desk as it--and any bare stretch of open wall or window--is covered in a rainbow array of sticky Post-Its.

An editorial calendar makes so much sense. Just like practicing acts of kindness, sticking with your writing goals, and having chocolate for breakfast.

It be great if there were an app for an editorial calendar. I'd give my left lung for that.

Donna said...

Robert,
I loved your post..and like every person here learned so much! Thank you for taking the time to post! My question is about the email reminders...how did you get that on blogspot? Is it something generated from another location? I haven't been able to find anything about it on blogspot. Thanks again!
Donna
fullmeasureofjoy.blogspot.com

Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux said...

Thank you--this is a topic I was not at all excited to research. I'm so happy to have come across this post. Thanks for modeling your techniques so well and being both conversational and concise. This was my first stop at your blog and I look forward to reading more.
If you'd like a taste of mothering a toddler in India (at the 6-month culture shock stage currently), come say hello.
www.arrowsmithdecoux.blogspot.com

diane boyd said...

Thanks for sharing your ideas on this subject. I have lots of work to do!!!

Mina Lobo said...

Just wanted to chime in with my own thanks for all of the helpful tips you give in your blog posts. You've been a wonderful (and free!) resource for me before, and I look forward to reading more.

Unknown said...

I was just referred to your blog today by the instructor from my new writing class. I don't want to stop reading - and I need to take care of my children! I have a lot of catching up to do.

I like your idea for the editorial calendar. In my blog, I volunteer somewhere once a week and then write about the experience. Sometimes I add more, usually random thoughts I have throughout the week, but I appreciate the organization of a planned schedule.

Thanks for this "guide" for new bloggers!
www.natureofaservant.com

Janet Johnson said...

Great list! I did not know what an SEO was until now. :)

Lindsay Bowley said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I am trying to start a teaching blog (mrsbowley.wordpress.com), and I've been trying to learn the ins and outs of promoting my thoughts and ideas. This is VERY helpful!

I am about to follow you on twitter so that I can continue reading more.... :)

Nela Bligh said...

This was very useful, mostly because you confirmed my feeling that I cannot yet consider advertising ... I do not yet get enough traffic so I will reread the list and see if I can retify this
Also I am a wannabe poet so I will look at you 'other' blog Thanks Helen

Brent said...

I found your blog through the Writer's Digest twitter feed, and boy am I glad I did! I am starting a blog and this information in invaluable. I am definitely a follower.

AMelodyPearson said...

Hi Robert,

I've been silently reading you for a few months now. I'm not sure where I first came across My Name is...., but I keep getting pulled back by links on Writer's Digest and LinkedIn, so it was probably one of them. I have enjoyed reading all your stuff and I decided it is time to speak up because this post really hit home.

I started blogging a couple of years ago with a family website. I kind of got discouraged when the family wasn't that interested and let it slide. This past year, my brother and I converted our Web Design website into a blog and added a road trip blog. Then I decided to start a personal blog for my writing attempts. So, I now have four blogs I should be working on regularly and I simply haven't been efficient at it.

I've saved your 25 points to my OneNote and I am sure it is going to help me get myself going on the "right track."

Sharon said...

Great suggestions. I love to write and do it all over the place, meaning finding the right niche is my bump in the road. This is another great reminder to focus, focus, focus... and then get creative.

Olivia Lovejoy said...

I've just become interested in professional blogging. This post answered so many of my questions, calmed my anxieties, and excited me about blogging. Thank you for all this great advice!

Anonymous said...

Being a writer who just graduated college and not knowing what to do with my 40 thousand dollars of knowledge-free debt, I found your work on Blogging quite helpful. Thank you for offering hope to the nearly hopeless literate.

www.anna-erishkigal.com said...

Wow!

I think I just got more out of this blog post than out of the last five social media 101 books and last three social media writers classes I've taken.

Thank you!

J. Niffer said...

Thank you Robert. This post is more succinct and helpful than any other article I've read on this topic. I look forward to reading not only your upcoming posts, but also spending time reading back through your archives.

I'm just getting started with my own project on Red Room, and planning to rehab a student blog, nifspeak.com, that I began when I enrolled in UCLA Extension Writer's Program. Your twenty-five points are going to come in very handy. I'm off now to read the post you mentioned on SEO.
Jennifer Pierce

jaket kulit said...

Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.

booker said...

done!

Sharon Stanley said...

Great post of blogging! My blog is www.sharonstanleywrites.blogspot.com and I hope you can visit it sometimes!

Umar Khaleeq said...

Great. I have the blog named top class fun since last 2 years . I want to increase traffic, how can I start free advertising on google. My blog contains LIVE channels, Movies, Songs, Wallpapers, Articles, Surveys, Books etc.
Reply

Everybody please visit and join
sincerely umar khaleeq
http://www.tcfun.blogspot.com/

Tung Seng said...

Yes !! I agree with your All Points.You should try a lot of different things, from free blogs, free sites, link exchanges, forum posting, yahoo groups, and well you name it and I have done it.please visit at Jasico Website.

Tung Seng said...

tried a lot of different things, from free blogs, free sites, link exchanges, forum posting, yahoo groups, and well you name it and I have done it.please visit at Jasico Website.

Anonymous said...

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Suzy said...

Hello Not Bob!

Love this. I have read so many posts from around the place about increasing traffic, and this is the first traffic increasing post (and blog) to inspire me to a) comment b) join up.

And although understandably not recommended, I do have one advert on my very new, back-street blog and yesterday I got probably a little too excited when I earnt my first 2 cents.

Good thing this isn't about money, I just want to feel like I am writing for people other than my mother. Here's hoping with your tips, I can achieve that.

Thanks again!

Suzy

Marcia Applegate said...

Loved this post, very germane to what I'm doing in starting blogging. I'm of course following your advice right here, by adding a comment.
Sad to say, although I'm a real person, I generally cannot make out the scrambled lettering, so this may not go through. If it does, do let me know.

Karin said...

Hi Robert!
I really appreciate these ideas.
I run a poetry blog site. Some of these idea I already do--like linking to different media sites and keeping an eye on the traffic. I have trouble getting a lot of people to visit--but once in a while it will spike and surprise me. Now I am more faithful about posting and started putting pictures with my poems as well (it adds a nice touch).

Karin said...

Hi Robert! Your site and this post are very helpful.
I run a poetry blog site featuring my own poetry, and I always had trouble getting views to my page. I had started to become more faithful to posting and even putting images with my poems (it adds some effect, I believe).
If you have any other suggestions, that would be great.

Jennifer said...

You really dove in to this better than other articles I've read. Thank you for taking the time to come up with 25 ways, rather than the classic 5 or 10 AND going in to a bit of detail. I really love the idea of getting guest bloggers and hope to do something like that in the future.

Thanks for the advice. Can't wait to use some of it.

Jess said...

I've read this post several times...and each time I come back, I get more from it. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this fantastic article. It contains whole lot data which I need. I am bookmark your site by my next visit.

Wrabbit007 said...

I have been working on my travel blog for three years now, and slowly, slowly, slowly, my readership is increasing. I am nowhere near 10,000 hits a month though! I have tried a lot of your strategies here - but I do like the tip to post on a regular day each week. I don't travel non-stop, so sometimes it is hard to find content in order to post once a week. But I will try my hardest. As well, I like the idea of guest bloggers. There are a lot of fabulous travel writers out there that could add valuable content to my blog.. thanks for the tips!

Feel free to read my blog if you like, and give some sage advice! ;)

Radine Trees Nehring said...

Great information! I have, at least, become consistent, blogging Fridays each week (or, on occasion, Sat. morning) and following other ideas you have shared. But there were additional good tips in the list of 25. Thank you. Radine
http://radine.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

please check out my blog:
www.football4you.blogspot.co.uk

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much.
I started blogging just recently and this post helps me a lot. :)
God bless and keep up the good work.

Lisa M. Cronkhite said...

This was so helpful. Glad I found it!

Willi said...

Love love love love this post. I already have a personal blog through Blogger (see link), but I'm trying to come up with something for my virtual business. These tips will be really useful. Thanks!

Unmasked Recruiter said...

Hello, thanks for this great article. I have been blogging for 3 months now, so I'm a bit of a newbie (my blog is on tumblr and is a somewhat sarcastic and hopefully humorous look at recruitment issues with some relevant and useful career advice stuff mixed in. I'll certainly try the ideas you've included.

AASHo said...

very amazing log and this article is awesome

Muhammad Shoaib said...

great article about increase blog traffic

Unknown said...

Thanks for this wonderful advice. As a complete novice at blogging it will be a great help. There is so much to take in in this article, I will have to read it several times. I am trying to write a novel but am hoping to publish something a little less ambitious first- a book on how to give a talk to a group of people, as I have been to some dreadful talks. I have spoken on a variety of subjects for years and have got a lot of helpful hints to improve presentations. I thought a little book of hints on public speaking might go down well. This is something I have started as a blog at http://chickerellchirper.wordpress.com/

Thanks again for a great blog.

Steve said...

This is great, i have to try this, i need more traffic for my site, i hope this will works for me, thanks a lot, wish me luck.

Jeff Lee said...

Thanks for the info. I was trawling the Net until I came upon your blog, and then I immediately printed it for future reference. Your words are both practical and inspirational for a newbie like me.

Jual Blazer Pria said...

Wow, thank you my friend for the great article!

Unknown said...

Thanks for these amazing tips... some I was doing already but most I will incorporate into my own blog. I love coming by and seeing what you have been up to. I am learning oodles from you!

lowongan kerja 2013 said...

Just that I appreciate your blog and have found it both inspiring AND practical.

Unknown said...

Happy to see a blog powered by Blogger talking about how to start. I also have a blog and there is a big amount of struggle especially in the beginning. Great post BTW - you gave me some motivation!

nosheen said...

Hello dear, I really appreciate your article with great tips on traffic. I will visit back your site and thank you so much for sharing your valuable tips.

SHIJU said...

thank you,it was really useful as i just had started blogging.

The Thinking Man said...

Thanks dude, this is my first time blogging and this is the kind of tips i need.

it's kind of hard though if your blog only target certain audiences.

A Laramey said...

Just found this through your post on blogs writers should read for 2013. I'm so glad you linked to it -- and look at that, linking to your own content is one of your rules ;)

Thank you for this. I've been blogging for my own personal interest for years, and have seen a lot of these kinds of posts, and this is one of the more useful ones out there!

John Davis said...

Thanks for a post on this topic that's useful and not spammy. :)

I think the key is to not expect pageviews to multiply overnight. You just have to keep building.

Ririn said...

Your tips are so completed brother. I will try to apply your tips to increase my blog traffic. I can only say that thanks you very much because your tips is so useful for me :)

Barbara Davis-Pyles said...

So glad I found you! I've been blogging for about 18 months without a plan (Yikes!)-- thanks for getting me on track.