1. Write Well and Write Often
Frequently updating your blog with useful content is the first
step to building your blog's audience. The content you write
is what will keep readers coming back for more. Make sure
you have something meaningful to say to them and say it
often to maintain their interest and keep them loyal.
Furthermore, post frequently to increase the number of
chances you have for your blog's content to be noticed by
search engines such as Google or Technorati.
2. Submit Your Blog to Search Engines
Get on the radar screen for the popular search engines such
as Google and Yahoo! by submitting your blog's URL to
them. Most search engines provide a 'Submit' link (or
something similar) to notify the search engine of your new
blog, so those search engines will crawl it and include your
pages in their results.
It's important to understand that simply submitting your blog
to search engines doesn't mean your pages will appear at the
top of a Google search results screen, but at least your blog
will be included and will have the chance of being picked up
by a search engine.
3. Use and Update Your Blogroll
By adding links to sites you like in your blogroll, the owners
of those blogs will find your blog and will be likely to add a
reciprocal link in their blogrolls. It's an easy way to get the
link to your blog in front of many readers on other blogs. The
hope is that some of those readers will click on the link to
your blog on the other blogs' blogrolls and find your content
interesting and enjoyable turning them into loyal readers.
4. Harness the Power of Comments
Commenting is a simple and essential tool to increase your
blog's traffic. First, respond to comments left on your blog to
show your readers that you value their opinions and draw
them into a two-way conversation. This will increase reader
loyalty.
Second, leave comments on other blogs to drive new traffic.
Make sure you leave your blog's URL in your comment, so
you create a link back to your own blog. Many people will
read the comments left on a blog post. If they read a
particularly interesting comment, they are highly likely to click
on the link to visit the commentor's website. It's important to
make sure you leave meaningful comments that are likely to
invite people to click on your link to read more.
5. Syndicate Your Blog's Content with an RSS Feed
Setting up an RSS feed button on your blog makes it easy for
your loyal readers to not just read your blog but also know
when you publish new content.
6. Use Links and Trackbacks
Links are one of the most powerful parts of your blog. Not
only are links noticed by search engines, but they also act as
a tap on the shoulder to other bloggers who can easily
identify who is linking to their sites. Linking helps to get you
noticed by other bloggers who are likely to investigate the
sites that are linking to them. This may lead them to become
new readers of your blog or to add links to your blog from
theirs.
You can take links to other blogs a step further by leaving a
trackback on the other blog to let them know you've linked to
them. Blogs that allow trackbacks will include a link back to
your blog in the comments section of the post that you
originally linked to. People do click on trackback links!
7. Tag Your Posts
It takes a few extra seconds to add tags to each of your blog
posts, but it's worth the time in terms of the additional traffic
tags can drive to your blog. Tags (like links) are easily
noticed by search engines. They're also key to helping
readers find your blog when they perform searches on
popular blog search engines such as Technorati.
8. Submit Your Posts to Social Bookmarking Sites
Taking the time to submit your best posts to social
bookmarking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon , Reddit and
more can be a simple way to quickly boost traffic to your
blog.
9. Remember Search Engine Optimization
When you write your blog posts and pages, remember to
optimize your pages for search engines to find them. Include
relevant keywords and links but don't overload your posts
with too many relevant keywords or completely irrelevant
keywords. Doing so can be considered spamming and could
have negative results such as your blog being removed from
Google's search entirely.
10. Don't Forget Images
Images don't just make your blog look pretty, they also help
people find you in search engine listings. People often use
the image search options offered by Google, Yahoo! and other
search engines, and naming your images with search engine
optimization in mind can easily boost your traffic.
11. Consider Guest Blogging
Guest blogging can be done when you write a guest post on
another blogger's blog or when another blogger writes a
guest post on your blog. Both methods are likely to increase
traffic as your blog will be exposed to the other blogger's
audience. Many of the other blogger's readers will visit your
blog to see what you have to say.
12. Join Forums, Web Rings or Online Groups
Find online forums, web rings, groups or social networking
sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn where you can share
ideas and ask questions of like-minded individuals. Add a
link to your blog in your signature line or profile, so each
time you post on a forum or participate in another online
network, you're indirectly promoting your blog. Chances are
many people will click on that link to learn more about you.
13. Promote Outside Your Blog
Promoting your blog shouldn't stop when you step outside
the blogosphere. Add your blog's URL to your email
signature and business cards. Talk about it in offline
conversations. It's important to get your name and your
blog's URL noticed offline, too.
14. Nominate Yourself and Other Blogs for Blog Awards
There are a number of blog awards given out throughout the
year. Nominating yourself and other blogs and bloggers can
draw attention to your blog and drive traffic to it.
15. Don't Be Shy
The most important part of the blogosphere is its community
and much of your success as a blogger will be tied to your
willingness to network with that community. Don't be afraid
to ask questions, join conversations or just say hi and
introduce yourself. Don't sit back and hope the online world
will find you. Speak out and get yourself noticed. Let the
blogosphere know you've arrived and have something to say!
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