Traffic – The Life Blood of Blogging

When it comes to blogging; or any other website for that matter, the equation is simple …… drive traffic to your site and convert that traffic to sales. Once you make a commitment to post a blog, there are several components that are needed to insure its fiscal health.

Once posted, you need to insure that traffic is herded your way. While there is always an endless debate as how to achieve this desired result, one can take reasonable steps outside the continuing drone of the prognosticators. It’s a noisy world out there.

First: List the blog with the majors: Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. (For tools, tips, tricks, widgets and plugins see www.bloggingextreme.com). Do this manually, not with any type of submission software. (Most search engines will not except a software submission anyway). The powers-that-be say this is a waste of time; and, to some extent, this may very well be true. But I say “it can’t hurt” !

Second: Start listing with the web directories for blogs (www.blogs.botw.org) and the search engines for blogs (like Technorati). Check back here at bloggersmarket.com for an updated list ………………….. as soon as time allows !

Third: Start the social networking thing. This is perhaps the least effective way to promote your blog (especially for the long run). But once again, it can’t hurt ! Especially in the beginning. Twitter, Squidoo, HubPages and EzineArticles are all ways to promote your site. But to see true power in this method, you have to stick to it, or traffic dries up pretty fast.

Fourth: Online advertising ……………………. forget it !!! Unless you have a stand alone digital product that you are preparing to release, don’t go there, it’s just not cost effective.

Fifth: Don’t forget the all important “opt-in” list or your subscribers list as well as RSS Feeds. The possibilities are endless here, but remember to honor privacy and avoid any “blackhat” marketing techniques.

Approach your blog content with passion and discipline. Given time, you will be pleasantly surprised to see that your blog will succeed, beyond your expectations. And remember, it’s really a numbers game.

Follow Me on Twitter !