Professional bloggers know that to bring traffic to their site, they need to do more than just creating some blog posts.
A successful blogger must write content that strikes a chord with people and gets them to react.
Your website can be a source of great income, but you need to do more than simply create a large amounts of articles.
You must write content that provides your readers with valuable, useful and entertaining information.
In a few words, added value!
There are lots of great resources on the web to help you learn more about starting a blog and improving its traffic, but here are some tips you can use to keep readers on your website and bring in new visitors.
1. Invest in Content Quality
You must be able to create not just outstanding content, but something really useful for your audience.
They should be like: “Wow, what a great resource!”.
If you feel you can’t build awesome content, you can think about hiring someone to write for you, or edit your posts.
If you can’t devote enough time to posting with a constant frequency, you should think about accepting contributions.
No, guest blogging is not dead, and this is what you should be aware of if you are considering to accept guest posts:
If it’s true that bloggers that create content daily they are more likely to keep their site fresh and bring in an active readership, focusing on building articles with real value will help you even more.
2. Avoid the Same Topics Over and Over Again
Don’t try to write just about the most popular topics like internet marketing, blogging, or common posts like the “TOP 3 Twitter Tools You Should Use”.
Write about a subject that you care passionately about.
If you find that writing for your blog with passion becomes a chore, you might notice that your readership start to decline as well.
This doesn’t mean you can’t include a few keywords that work in your content with popular content readers search for, but you need to find your niche.
Billions of people have access to the Internet, if you can carve out even a small percent of the space on the Internet you can achieve enough traffic to keep yourself in business.
Leave the popularity contests to those with less originality and focus on building your own home on the web.
3. Build Relationships & Network with Other Bloggers
You can’t blog without desiring reader participation. Expect and encourage commenting. Go out, read and share your views on websites within your niche.
Get into social media and engage with bloggers, also sharing their posts.
Use Twitter, Facebook groups, Google+ communities.
Talk about your latest product, or discuss an opinion you have about something happening in the news.
Use new social media to help define your blog and bring in new followers.
Include share links on all of your blog posts and make it easy to share your content with the world.
Be a real person and respond to your readership.
People want to connect, even online, and you need to cultivate your readership if you want to improve the traffic to your blog.
Make Money Blogging: 19 Fascinating Bloggers to Follow
4. Don’t be Cheap With Your Design
Websites need great design, it’s a given. Your blog provides a very specific experience.
If you want to take blogging seriously, then you need to get a professional theme for your website.
I use Genesis Framework, a personalized Child Theme.
Think about usability for your readers and even about a mobile version of your blog.
The Internet has no shortage of great looking websites, but good design by itself won’t bring in readership.
So remember, a good looking website provides only the starting point.
5. Think About Search Engine Optimization
Matt Cutts knows a lot about optimizing your site to improve your readership.
As the head of the Webspam team at Google, when he talks about what you should and should not do to build a successful website, you need to listen.
Consistently, when you listen to Cutts speak, he talks about keyword planning and titles. You need a good title that actually tells readers what you plan on talking about.
For example, the title can make or break your site.
You have 60 characters or less to convince readers to keep reading, so you have to include keywords and create a catchy title.
So, what is a catchy title?
It doesn’t need to be cute or charming, but it does need to correspond to how readers think.
For example, Matt Cutts explained in a webinar about webspam not to use the title “Mount Everest Height” but “How High is Mount Everest.”
What are some myths about SEO?
The second option coincides with how people think and search for things on the Web.
The first won’t draw in readers simply because the keywords aren’t there.
6. Utilize the Keyword Planning Tool
Do yourself a favor.
Get a free account with Google Adwords and use the keyword planning tool.
You don’t even need to provide any financial information. Use the tool to plan the keywords for each article.
Once you learn to use the keyword planning tool, you can enter your website, the title of your article and find the most common search terms people look for based on your content.
Use these words sparingly throughout your article. You don’t need to include the keyword every ten words, but you do need to include it.
You can’t get the traffic your website deserves if you don’t use the right keywords to help people find your site.
By employing these tips in to your strategy you can begin to grow your blogs traffic and readership with just a little extra effort on your part.
For more tips about traffic, check out this article.
Do you have any other basic rules you follow as a blogger?
Please share your views in the comments below, thanks!
Kuldeep says
March 16, 2015 at 8:46 amNice Article. Blog design along with the high quality and well optimized content are important for any blogger to be in the list of good bloggers.
Thanks for sharing this post 🙂
Erik Emanuelli says
March 16, 2015 at 9:54 amLast time I checked, there were more than 1,2 billion of websites on the internet (data of February 2015).
So I guess that standing out from the crowd is the dream of every webmaster.
Hope these tips could help some new bloggers.
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Kuldeep.
John Maduka says
March 16, 2015 at 9:28 amHmm. . you just made it happen .
I couldn’t believe what my eyes are seeing – Good to be here , anyway!
What I love the most is the Blog Design ideas. I’m a frek of it .
Sooner or later , I’m gonna improve for good .
Nice to land on your blog this beautiful morning .
Funny enough this is my first comment on your blog but I hope to get more unique articles in here .
Cheer! John
Erik Emanuelli says
March 16, 2015 at 9:56 amHi John,
thanks for the kind words.
Keep reading and following!
Atish Ranjan says
March 16, 2015 at 10:55 amGreatly described these rules!
As you said these are very important aspects which every good blogger must know and implement. The most important rule is to invest your quality time on content creation then promotion,
You always amaze me with your topic ideas Erik.
Keep it up Mate.
Erik Emanuelli says
March 16, 2015 at 12:01 pmHello Atish, my friend,
good to see you! 🙂
Glad you liked the post and the topic,
have a great beginning of this week.
Nirmala says
March 16, 2015 at 12:15 pmThese are very essential rules to be followed by every blogger Erik sir.
Crafting unique and quality content and taking care of SEO plays a vital role in blogging. I’d say that there is no shortcuts to get succeed in blogging.
Nice post for the bloggers, have a great week ahead.
Erik Emanuelli says
March 16, 2015 at 1:40 pmHi Nirmala,
good to see you.
As we already know, blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
So these rules need to be applied during the path and success will arrive (sooner or later).
Thanks for visiting and commenting,
have a great week! 🙂
Md Hamim Mondal says
March 16, 2015 at 3:25 pmGreat Post Erik Sir.
All of these 6 points are essential for blogger.
Content quality and blog design matter a lot. BTW building relationship with other blog is also important.
Thanks for sharing this detailed post with us.
-Hamim
Erik Emanuelli says
March 17, 2015 at 10:24 amHello Hamim,
both things you mentioned are really important for a blogger success.
Creating awesome content AND building relationships within your niche.
Thanks for commenting and for sharing.
Beijing Rodgers says
March 16, 2015 at 4:22 pmHi Erik,
These are some valuable tips to turn yourself into a successful blogger. Building relationships is the key to getting more traffic. Even if you can produce quality content, if you don’t connect and network with bloggers, no one will be there to read your content.
SEO is another important factor for getting more traffic to your blog. The more you optimize the more your rankings go up.
Thanks for sharing these tips.
Erik Emanuelli says
March 17, 2015 at 10:31 amHello Beijing Rodgers,
I see you hit the point.
I rather prefer to have a lot of great connections then the same amount of organic traffic.
First, because you can lose the visits from search engines right away in a matter of an algo update,
second, because having good relationships do not bring just traffic and comments, but also help you get more knowledge within your niche.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment,
talk to you soon!
Chris says
March 16, 2015 at 5:58 pmGreat post! Blog design matters a lot. I think a lot of people think it is only the content, but this only works if you already have a great following. A great design will help turn casual readers into fans!
Chris
Erik Emanuelli says
March 17, 2015 at 10:38 amThanks for digging that point, Chris.
I do think the same.
As I said, you will never a second chance to make a good first impression! 🙂
Thanks for visiting and commenting,
have a great week.
Don Purdum says
March 16, 2015 at 7:35 pmHi Erik,
You are offering some great advice in this article! I have to tell you that if I had not connected with some amazing bloggers like yourself last summer and fall I would not be where I’m at today.
My business is growing and thriving and the opportunities are huge!!!!
Without my community SEMrush would have never reached out to me and now I’m developing an incredible relationship with them after two published articles and a webinar where in all instances my community was amazing there for me.
Just wanted to share the power of having influential friends to call upon when needed is a massive blessing!!!
Have a great week Erik!
~ Don Purdum
Erik Emanuelli says
March 17, 2015 at 10:41 amHi Don,
it’s my pleasure to have you in my circles, and you know how important are the connections, both online and offline, as in life and in business.
Congratulations for your contributions at SEMrush blog, you are doing an awesome job.
Appreciate your visit and comment here,
have a productive week, my friend! 🙂
rahul says
March 17, 2015 at 12:18 pmhey,
Significantly portrayed these standards!
As you said these are critical perspectives which each great blogger must know and actualize. The most vital guideline is to contribute your quality time on substance creation then advancement.
Erik Emanuelli says
March 17, 2015 at 1:30 pmHello Rahul,
glad you liked the post.
Thanks for commenting.
Nellie Brown says
March 18, 2015 at 5:51 amYes Erik.I agreed with all of you points.For any blog content is the king,the blogger should give more priority to the content.If the blog has the quality content updated frequently ,people tend to visit the blog often and it brings the increased traffic and success to the blog.
Erik Emanuelli says
March 18, 2015 at 3:30 pmHi Nellie,
understanding your audience and providing value, solving problems or needs.
That’s the first priority for a good blogger.
Thanks for reading and commenting,
have a good one!
Rakesh says
March 18, 2015 at 12:48 pmHi,
I’m also a new blogger. Thanks for this post, I’ll also make some changes..!
Thanks
Erik Emanuelli says
March 18, 2015 at 3:30 pmGlad you liked Rakesh.
Keep following!
Swadhin Agrawal says
March 18, 2015 at 7:35 pmHi Erik,
This was a good post ideal for anyone wanting to do a selfaccessment. I personally think if you don’t have quality content then don’t blog!
as you said, quality content is a must.
Keyword planning tool is also very important factor not only for SEO but also for knowing what your target audience is searching for. 🙂
Thaks and have a great week ahead. 🙂
Erik Emanuelli says
March 19, 2015 at 10:41 amHi Swadhin,
glad you enjoyed the content here.
Awalys try to add a tip, or at least a useful resource in each of the blog post you write.
Thanks for commenting!
Lisa Sicard says
March 18, 2015 at 9:18 pmHi Erik, I find #2 to be hard at times as I imagine it varies from niche to niche. I was thinking of narrowing mine more but finding different things for one vs. three would be harder.
I will admit I don’t always do #6 but this is a good reminder for me.
Thanks for sharing these tips Erik and have a great day!
Erik Emanuelli says
March 19, 2015 at 10:43 amHi Lisa,
good to see you! 🙂
And I hope you are recovering well.
You’re right.
It’s hard sometimes finding “new topics” to write about in “blogging” or “internet marketing” niche.
At least, you should say what you think, about a common subject.
But it’s not enough.
Thanks for visiting and commenting,
take care Lisa! 🙂
Nanda Rahmanius says
March 19, 2015 at 4:09 pmHi Erik,
Insightful post!
I think you also apply how to set a good title. I was caught by your title though. 🙂
Quality content is very important. I personally spent two days to write a post and publish it. And sometimes it still has a flaw here and there. Yes, it is because English is not my native language, so I had to work extra hard for it. lol
Besides joining the community, I also do blog commenting. It was fun doing it. Because when I read the post, I learned many things. It seems like every time I learn as I read your post. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Erik.
It’s great one!
~Nanda
Erik Emanuelli says
March 20, 2015 at 9:02 amHi Nanda,
everything is part of the “blogging game”.
A catchy title, great content, a nice image, etc
With time, we can improve our skills!
Appreciate your comment,
thanks for the visit!
Mi Muba says
March 21, 2015 at 6:03 pmHi Erik
First point needs big attention as now this is the time of putting value to create value so investment is must. Free options are good up to a limit but to compete in mainstream blogging it is must to for premium promotion as well.
You are right repeating the same topics with a little twisting sometimes creates boredom so a blogger should keep searching new and unique ideas to create something note-worthy.
Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful post of high value.
Have a great weekend
Erik Emanuelli says
March 22, 2015 at 11:05 amHi Mi Muba,
good to have your presence here.
I always appreciate your support.
You’re right.
At first, we need to give value within the content we offer to our readers.
Thanks for the kind feedback,
have a great sunday! 🙂
Dennis Seymour says
March 22, 2015 at 12:10 amevergreen list Erik
Always going to be relevant and definitely a resource new bloggers should always see. 🙂
Erik Emanuelli says
March 22, 2015 at 11:02 amHi Dennis,
good to have your presence here.
Thanks for the kind feedback,
have a great sunday! 🙂
Craig says
March 28, 2015 at 4:19 amHey Erik – First time commenting on your blog!
I’ll second the point about networking and building relationships. I’ve seen first hand what that can do to the engagement on your blog.
When I first started, I really didn’t understand all of this networking stuff. I thought to myself, why do I need some help from another blogger, I can just do it myself. No wonder I wasn’t getting any engagement. Once I started my networking efforts, things really changed.
So I’m a firm believer in networking, and it’s the one basic rule I wish more bloggers would mention when they write a post about starting a blog.
Great post, and thanks for sharing.
Craig
Erik Emanuelli says
March 28, 2015 at 10:27 amHello Craig,
good to see you at my blog for the first time!
Godo to hear you confirm my point about building connections.
I believe you know how important it is.
The more time you stay online,
better you understand how you can get huge benefits from creating relationships within your niche.
Thanks for visiting and commenting here today,
have a great weekend.
Preeti says
June 15, 2015 at 9:48 amHey Erik
I’ll second the point about networking and building relationships. I’ve seen first hand what that can do to the engagement on your blog.
Erik Emanuelli says
June 15, 2015 at 10:05 amYeah, Preeti,
connections are everything!
Thanks for the kind words.