We all want to increase blog traffic. But as content marketers know, this is easier said than done. So what’s the secret behind boosting traffic to your blog?
There are a ton techniques you can use. Some are quick. Others require time and effort. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Publish Content Consistently
Blogging is about striking a balance between fresh vs. cornerstone content. But what’s the difference?
Cornerstone content is a post encompassing your business. And when you create cornerstone content, you’re not thinking about timeliness.
But fresh content is about time. It’s about publishing content that readers are looking for now. And this doesn’t have to be the latest breaking news story. It’s about fresh topics you see trending in your industry.
So use these topics to publish content consistently. If you can publish new posts weekly, you’re on the right to increase blog traffic fast.
Target Rising Keywords
When it comes to keyword targeting, your goal is to find rising stars. But not only that. You also want keywords that have yet to blow up.
Why walk this fine line?
Because keywords that are gaining steam means traffic to your blog. And low competition on these keywords gives you the best chance to rank in search engines. Here’s what you’re looking for:
These keywords are gold mines for blog traffic. But now, back to the idea of cornerstone content.
Update Cornerstone Blog Posts
Cornerstone content is your highly coveted posts. This is because they reflect the value of your business. They also bring in the lion’s share of traffic. So you have to give these posts love.
Update these posts every three months. And no need to reinvent the wheel when you do. Updating posts are as simple as:
- Revamping or adding images.
- Including a new tip.
- Optimizing your blog headings.
- Optimizing your page title and description.
- Including a call-to-action.
All of these examples count towards an update. And when your updating, make sure you change the publish date.
Here’s why:
The blog URL is going to maintain all the link juice it already has. Even with a new publish date. As long as your URL stays the same, you’re in the clear.
Optimize Posts for Search Engines
This technique is important. Because when done right, SEO traffic can bring in loads of visitors.
Blog SEO requires you to walk the fine line between keyword targeting and writing for humans. Because too much on one side doesn’t increase your blog traffic.
Not enough SEO, and know one will find your blog. Too much, and you may get dinged by search engines for spammy content.
But here’s what to do:
After honing in on a rising keyword, make sure it’s mentioned in your on-page SEO elements. Then use the SEO grader to see if you’re optimizing your content well.
You’ll want to aim for SEO scores of 80 percent plus. Also, test keyword variations. Maybe your post is better optimized for a keyword string you didn’t initially target.
Republish Content on Publishing Platforms
Online publishing platforms open your content to a wider audience. You’re able to publish your posts on these platforms and include a link back to your blog.
This technique works if you’re writing quality content. Because if readers like what they see, they’ll visit your blog for more.
Here are a few publishing platforms you can use:
Share Posts on Social Networks
You knew this one was coming. But the secret is how to actually generate blog traffic out of social promotion.
For starters, you have to publish content to platforms that give you best bang for your buck. If you’re a B2B software company, LinkedIn is where your audience is. If you’re a marketing agency, your audience is on Twitter, so you should be tweeting content daily. For local businesses, Facebook works best.
Also, make your posts engaging. Have a look at these top weekly tweets from Pagezii:
Notice any similarities? Here are a few reasons why these two tweets received 19 social engagements:
- Both use a prominent #hashtags that our readers track.
- For both posts, I use an OG image. Which means whenever someone shares this content, those images will be there.
- Both mention @handles. When you do this, you send a poke to those accounts. And if there active on social media, they’ll engage.
- Both use a specific number figure. This leaves users scanning their feeds curious – “How did they do that? I have to find out.”
Use this combo technique when posting on social media. Find the right platform and post a message that users can’t resist.
Measure Blog Post Performance
To increase blog traffic fast, you’re going to need to measure your performance. Otherwise, you’ll have no clue how to improve.
So use the learn – build – measure framework. As you develop your blog, make sure you’re keeping tabs on your blog metrics. Blog metrics show how visitors found your content, what content they engage with, and what content is popular.
Measurement will provide insights. This is the learning stage of the framework. Now it’s time to apply your knowledge to new blog posts.
Analyzing content matters if you’re following the consistent blogging technique. Consistent blogging means you’re spending time and resources on your writing. So make sure you’re guiding your efforts.
Use Industry Case Studies In Posts
One way you can get your industry’s attention is to feature their content in your blog. Here’s an example of this technique in action.
I recently updated a post on “Blog UX Best Practices“. In the post, I wanted to show examples of great blog UX using other digital marketing blogs. Here’s what the example looks like in action. I’ve highlighted the featured blog in orange.
This increases blog traffic because it’s an opportunity to reach out. Once I publish posts featuring these case studies, I tweet to the blog. It usually results in social engagement, and if I’m lucky, a backlink.
Ask Industry Experts to Contribute
When you ask experts to contribute to your blog, you can bet on more blog traffic.
Here’s why:
If you’re featuring experts on your blog, they’ll share your content with their network. And the payoff is potentially massive. It all depends on finding industry experts who can spread your content. There are a few ways to do this:
- Reach out to them directly. You can do this via email or a direct message over a social network. Introduce your idea, be specific on what you need, and mention the benefits to contributing.
- Use HARO. HARO is a platform that lets you submit queries and get responses from the community.
- Post your queries to your social channels. This tactic works if you have a large following. If you do, you can bank on a few followers replying and sharing your request.
Use Images To Increase Blog Traffic
Using images in your blog is a no brainer. They break up content and look appealing. But how do they drive traffic?
When I’m looking for something new, like a checklist or quick points, I like to stop by Google images. And I’ve been doing this for years without thinking about it.
To give you an idea:
When I first started in marketing, I wanted to learn about SEO. After reading a few blogs, I typed in “what is SEO” in a google image search. I got exactly what I was looking for. A ton of easy-to-digest images showing simple points on SEO.
Now whenever I write a blog, I try to tap into this magic. You can see this technique at work in this blog.
So:
Yes, images break up your content and make your blog look fantastic. But they can also increase blog traffic when they’re useful and optimized for search engines.
Increase Blog Traffic Fast with These Simple Techniques
So now you have the tips to skyrocket blog traffic. Make sure you’re staying on top of these techniques moving forward with your content.
This isn’t the end of the list. There are a ton more techniques to increase blog traffic. Help us grow the ultimate list by leaving your techniques in the comments below.
