Effective Strategies on How to Grow a Blog
May 31, 2022
Written by Casey Bjorkdahl
Now that you have your blog up and running, you may find yourself asking what's next? The short answer is growth. Now is the time when hard work, patience, and dedication really come into play because all three are necessary in order to grow your blog audience.
If you're ready to grow your blog but aren't ready to advertise yet, don't worry. There are a number of great and effective ways to promote and increase traffic to your blog without having to advertise. Ready to get started? If you want to know how to grow a successful blog, read on!
Before you can figure out how to grow blog traffic, identify your market
If you already have a core audience or readership, you're off to a fantastic start! However, don't think that exponential growth is something that always happens right away. A lot of people ask “how long does it take to grow a blog?” While there are ways to grow your blog fast, it takes time and quality content to build and sustain an audience of loyal readers. So, where to begin? How to promote a blog?
The best way to find success is to recognize your blog's unique assets and build on those. You will want to determine what sets your blog apart from the competition. Try not to cover too many topics, as it's easier to grow your blog traffic and maintain a niche readership.
For example, if your blog focuses on makeup and fashion, it likely makes sense to choose just one topic and focus on that. Of course, this doesn't mean that you can't throw in a quality fashion post. It simply means that you want to become the blog that people turn to keep up with makeup tips and trends.
Once you have identified which corner of the market your blog will exist in, it's much easier to promote it! You can position your site as a resource that is trustworthy, up-to-date, and worth returning to. Now that you've identified your niche and your ideal visitor, you can reach out to other sites. Guest posts remain one of the most effective ways to expand your audience.
Make sure that you have a good presence on social media and stick to a regular publishing schedule. One thing that many bloggers overlook is the importance of content across platforms. It's ineffective to simply post the same content on your site, on Twitter, and on TikTok, and Snapchat. Find a way to keep people watching your feeds for great content!
How to grow your blog and have it considered a resource
Positioning yourself as an expert is sometimes easier said than done. Like so much else in successful blogging, it all comes down to great content! Take the time to find and hone your voice. People like information that comes with an opinion. Not that they want to be told what to think, but just reading facts or repurposed content gets old fairly quickly.
We briefly touched on guest posting as a way to increase exposure and get people to know about your blog. This strategy works in other ways too. By asking respected folks already successful in your market niche to guest on your blog, you will increase the esteem of your site.
Only posting quality content is another requirement for becoming a resource. This is also the first step to make money blogging. Creating content that is fresh and new will stand out in our world of regurgitated and reworked content! Without great content, a trendy blog won't be in the spotlight for long. Another effective tool is the hyperlink. By creating both internal and external links within your posts, your search engine rankings will get a boost and more people are likely to read the post.
How to market a blog and grow your blog without an ad budget
A lot of people are brand new to blogging and are wondering how to grow a blog from scratch. Marketing your blog can be a challenge if you don’t have a budget and haven't done the legwork outlined above. However, if you've done the work and know exactly what segment of the market you want to conquer, achieving your growth goals will be much easier. One of the most effective marketing tips is to really drill down into great SEO. Your on-page SEO is worth your time and attention.
Accessing the most-searched keywords relevant to your content is worth the monthly cost most services provide. Free keyword data can get you started, but if you really want substantial growth, you'll need to pay for premium information. Maintaining a top spot across search engines can give your visitor count a huge boost! This is most easily and effectively achieved through providing relevant content with the right keywords. Yes, Search Engine Optimization is still a huge part of growing and maintaining a successful online presence.
Taking an active role on social media within your niche market is a great way to build your website's reputation. This will also help to build a strong network and create a sense of community around your content and website.
How to advertise your blog to attract the right visitors
Once you start realizing some growth and building a loyal readership, you can begin to focus more on creating content that attracts the right visitors. Having the right visitors is a key part of conversions and financial growth. Without visitors who take action on your offers, you may still have an amazing blog, but it won't be able to support you.
If your vision is to utilize your site to create income, you will need to find the readers who want and need what you are offering. Again, doing the legwork of establishing who and what your blog is all about will pay dividends in this area. As will creating personas that you refer to when creating content.
It takes a lot of time and effort to grow a successful blog, but it's definitely worth it! Keep putting in the work and you'll be reaching your growth goals before you know it!
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