Starting a blog is easy. Lots of people do it every day. But getting people to actually read your blog can be a lot harder. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve had a blog for a while and your readership has plateaued, there are plenty of things you can do to drive more traffic to your site. In this post, we’ll cover all different sources for traffic, so you can find the ones that make the most sense for your blog and start building your audience.
- Social media
- Guest blogging
- Email marketing
- SEO
- Commenting
- Forums
- Podcasts
- YouTube
- Influence outreach
- Guest interviews
- Contests and giveaways
- Paid advertising
- Quora
- Instagram stories
- Medium
- Slideshare
- Content curation
- Social media
Social media is an obvious choice for driving traffic to your blog. Share your posts on the platforms where your audience spends their time, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Don’t just share your post once and forget about it, though. Keep promoting it over time, using different captions and images to see what resonates with your followers.
- Guest blogging
Writing guest posts for other blogs is a great way to get in front of a new audience. Look for blogs in your niche that accept guest posts, and be sure to link back to your own blog in your bio or author byline.
- Email marketing
Building an email list allows you to promote your blog to a captive audience. Encourage readers to sign up for your newsletter by offering exclusive content or freebies, and then use your email campaigns to share your latest posts.
- SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) involves optimizing your blog content to rank higher in Google search results. This can be done through techniques like using keywords in your post titles and meta descriptions, creating internal links between your posts, and building backlinks from other sites.
- Commenting
Commenting on other blogs in your niche can help build relationships with other bloggers and drive traffic back to your own site. Be sure to leave valuable comments that add to the conversation, not just generic “nice post” messages.
- Forums
Like commenting, participating in forums related to your niche can help you establish yourself as an expert and draw traffic back to your own blog. Again, be sure to contribute value and not just spam links to your own blog.
- Podcasts
Starting your own podcast can be a great way to increase your visibility in your niche and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to mention your blog in your episodes and include links in your show notes.
- YouTube
Like podcasts, creating videos on YouTube can help expand your reach and bring new visitors to your blog. Be sure to include links to your blog in your video descriptions and use keywords in your titles and tags to improve your search engine rankings.
- Influencer outreach
Connecting with influence’s in your niche can help expand your reach and drive traffic to your blog. Look for influencers on social media or use tools like BuzzSumo to find popular bloggers and reach out to them for collaborations or guest post opportunities.
- Guest interviews
Being interviewed as a guest on a podcast or YouTube channel can help you gain exposure and drive traffic back to your blog. Look for podcasts and channels in your niche and reach out to the hosts to pitch yourself as a guest.
- Contests and giveaways
Hosting contests and giveaways can help stimulate engagement and drive traffic to your blog. Be sure to offer a prize that your audience will find valuable and promote your contest heavily on social media and through your email list.
- Paid advertising
Platforms like Facebook and Google AdWords offer targeted advertising options that can help you reach a larger audience and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to have a clear call to action on your ads and track your results to optimize your ROI.
- Quora
Participating in Quora can help you establish yourself as an expert in your niche and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to provide valuable answers and link back to your blog when appropriate.
- Instagram stories
Using Instagram stories to promote your blog posts can help you reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your site. Be sure to use hashtags and location tags to increase your reach.
If you’re in a B2B niche, LinkedIn can be a great platform for driving traffic to your blog. Be sure to share your posts in relevant LinkedIn groups and in your own profile updates.
- Medium
Republishing your blog posts on platforms like Medium can help you reach a new audience and drive traffic back to your own site. Be sure to include a link back to your original post and a call to action encouraging readers to visit your blog.
Participating in relevant subreddits can help you establish yourself as an expert and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to follow subreddit rules and participate in the conversation in a meaningful way.
Using Pinterest to promote your blog can be especially effective if your niche is visual in nature. Be sure to create beautiful, pinnable images and use relevant hashtags to increase your reach.
- Slideshare
Re purposing your blog content into slideshows and publishing them on Slideshare can help you reach a new audience and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to include your blog URL in your slides and a call to action encouraging readers to visit your site.
- Content curation
Curating content related to your niche can help establish you as a valuable resource and drive traffic back to your blog. Be sure to provide commentary or insight with each curated piece and include links back to your own content.
Conclusion:
There are countless ways to drive traffic to your blog, and the 21 sources we’ve covered here are just the tip of the iceberg. The key to success is to experiment and find the sources that work best for you. By using a combination of these strategies and tracking your results, you can build a loyal audience for your blog and achieve the success you’ve been dreaming for future.
