Longterm Traffic Building Tips For New Blogs
Filed Under Content, Guest Writer, Marketing, Survival Kit, Tips | 1 Comment
From: D. Keith Robinson
Many new bloggers, especially the professional or business kind, find it difficult, and ultimately a bit frustrating, getting people to come read their blog, especially via search engines like google.
I”ve been asked many times if I know why a site doesn”t show up in Google results after a reasonable about out time and what can be done to help move things along. Now, I’m not 100% sure of all the details, I mean, Google is in large part a mystery even to someone like me who thinks he knows quite a bit about how it all works, but I do think it takes time to build worthwhile traffic and the best way to do it is to keep at it.
A Successful Blog Takes Time
Don’t get discouraged if your site doesn’t take off right away. Most don’t and the best way to give your blog the chance to develop the way you’ve laid out in your goals is to keep writing and to spend some time, while you’ve got time, to lay the foundation for future success.
I’m all for diving right in and if there is one thing I can say is certain, it’s that success, no matter how you define it, usually brings with it a lack of time. It’s smart to do some planning and take care of some small details early on that will help you down the road.
Some Specific Tips for New Blogs
- Look at your first few months as a time to work out the kinks. Keep adding fresh content to your site and work on your writing. Google always rewards content and (IMHO) good content is the best way to optimize your site for search and drive traffic.
- Submit your site to the various Internet directories, particularly The Open Directory Project, or DMOZ. This can help. Here is a nice list of free directories and some tips.
- I’m not a fan of link exchange programs, but if you were to do that, earlier on is the best time to do it. If you take a less shady (and more appropriate) approach to building your network of links; link to sites with similar audiences and topics. Take the time to comment on other’s sites and let them know you’re out there. Hopefully they’ll link back to you and you’ll be in a good spot with a better page rank down the road.
- Work on other promotional ideas while you are still working your way into Google. Try some offline techniques and take time to do some networking. This will help lay the foundation for future successes.
