One of the major problems many people face is getting traffic to a blog, and the truth in the online world is that traffic is very essential to any online business you do; it is traffic that brings about people that buy.
This post will be talking about 5 ways you can significantly increase your website traffic.
1. Blog Commenting
I just began to realize the power of blog commenting. Blog commenting is a powerful way to get traffic to your website especially if done wisely and on a large scale.
One major thing about blog commenting is that it also helps you build a great brand when people begin to see your comments every here and there.
It is very important to make use of avatars when trying to get traffic to your blog through blog commenting because this will help people take note of you when they begin to see you everywhere every now and then. Being the first person to comment also helps a lot because most people are likely to visit the websites of a few of the first commenters and they rarely visit the rest.
When commenting to get traffic, quality is better than quantity because a lot of bloggers will delete your comment if you write generic comments and readers tend to click on valuable comments more than any other comments because they believe someone with this type of great comment will also have something similar on his blog.
2. Guest Posting
7 of the top ten referrers in my analytics data are from my guest posts and all of them sent me over 150 unique visitors. Guest posting is really effective and the power of a guest post should never be underestimated.
One thing I have come to notice with guest posts is that people prefer quality over quantity; if your guest post is a great one then you will get more visitors from it than just writing anything.
Many people tend to write just any guest post because they believe since the blog is not theirs then their best post should be on their blog, this is not supposed to be because of several reasons. One major advantage of submitting quality guest posts is that it helps you build a relationship with the blogger and his readers but if you just write anything there is a probability of the blogger declining your post, and if he doesn’t his readers will not visit your blog. The better your guest post, the better your result.
3. Blogging Communities
This is one underutilized traffic generation strategy many bloggers don’t use, many bloggers tend to give excuses that they are busy, If you are busy then you might want to be submitting your guest posts to blogging communities every weekend.
Some of the best blogging communities are MMO Social Network and Blog Engage; these two networks have sent me hundreds of visitors over time.
One major thing to consider when trying to get the best from blogging communities is that you have to have high quality posts and you also have to build relationship because people tend to vote up people they know and if you have an high quality post people will be more inclined to visit your blog.
4. Forum Marketing
There was a time I signed up to the warrior forums and with only 50 posts I had already gotten over 70 visitors to my blog, I didn’t post a link to my blog in my posts, it was in the signature.
You can get great results from forum marketing if it is done properly, one great thing to consider when trying to market your blog through forums is that it is very important to try as much as possible to help others and not just spam people for your benefit.
If your aim is to go to forums to go and spam then within a short period of time you will be banned but if you focus on helping as many people as possible the end result will be you lasting longer in the forum, having more friends and building more stronger relationship and you will also have more traffic and authority.
Some great forums to get started are the Warrior Forum and Digitalpoint Forum.
5. Mailing List
I wouldn’t have put this on this list but it is also a very effective way to get traffic to your blog. I was checking my overall stats today and I discovered that my mailing list has sent me hundreds of visitors, this is a good number because I only sent my posts to them a few times.
One of the major benefits of a mailing list is the instant result it provides, people tend to respond faster because they are closer to their email than any other thing.
I have also observed mails I sent and I discovered that your titles matter, I have had sent emails have as low as 15% open rate and I have also had emails have over 35% open rate but what matters most is the title. If you have a cool and attractive title then you will get more results than having generic titles.
Getting traffic to blogs used to be a difficult task and I started noticing a difference over time. It is the tips in this post that is helping me get thousands of visitors to my 3 months old blog every week, use them to your advantage and you will be amazed at how they work.
It is also important to know that getting traffic takes time and requires constant effort, if you are dedicated to making the effective use of the above tips then in no time you will be getting a lot of traffic on autopilot.
The Discussion
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Blog commenting and forum marketing are the best ways to get links and traffic to the site.It will help to increase the traffic as well as page rank. Thanks for the excellent post.It will guide many search engine marketing people.
Great Chris,
Yeah! Exactly.
Blog commenting really works cool, I also get a lot of referrals from warrior forums and DP.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
Commenting on blogs surely helps in promoting your posts by many ways. One of the most important contributions of comments to post promotion or blog web marketing is that a related comment can add content value to the post, especially when it contains related keywords.
Commenting for blog web marketing is extremely useful when trying to find new ideas to post about.
Great Post, thanks for sharing.
Same method again and again … thousands of people added this and now you too.
You should add list of top blogs to start blog commenting or more forum list for forum marketing. In such a way your post was really useful.
Hi, I am a new blogger. I also feel this is the best way to get traffic to the site. About increase page rank, I think it doesn’t help us to increase because most of these links are nofollow.
Guest posting is definitely by far the easiest way to increase traffic to any blog. I think writing for multiple blogs in the same niche as yours is the best strategy to aim for.
Exactly Tony,
Guest posting rocks! Its been the major source of my blog traffic.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
True talk Tony!
Great post. I am a newbie to blogging and definitely not getting your numbers ….yet! however, I have been asked to guest post in my own niche which I am amazed about as got the offer after only a few articles published. Haven’t taken up the offer yet, but after reading this think I need to get on with it.
I’m enjoying learning from all the bloggers who comment on this site.
Patricia Perth Australia
http://www.lavenderuses.com
all things lavender
Hi Onibalusi,
Great tips. All the 5 traffic methods are proven to work.
“getting traffic takes time and requires constant effort” This is absolutely right. If you are consistent in your methods, then you will be seeing great results!
Kindest,
Nabeel
Exactly Nabeel,
The truth of the game is the time, if you could work hard and then wait for the time, your result is guaranteed.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
Blog commenting for me, and promoting on Twitter & Facebook, has spiked my traffic to almost double.
Yeah Dean,
Twitter also sends some cool traffic to my blog.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
Hey Onibalusi,
Great Post. Some awesome Tips there.
My Favorites are – Guest Posting and Blog commenting.
I’ve done 4-5 guest posts so far and i’m really with the results.
Thanks for sharing this great Post.
~Dev
Great Dev,
Those two are also my favorite cos they work.
Thanks so much for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
Great list you have here. I’ve been really trying to comment more often and guest post on other blogs I follow, but I definitely need to work at email marketing and using forums. Nice mention of the Warrior Forum, by the way. I haven’t been there in a while, thanks for reminding me!
Great Steve,
That will really be great!
Forum marketing is also very effective and you might want to give it a trial.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
Great list. It took me a while to jump on board with email lists but it is hard to deny the results they can bring. You are so right about the titles. It is all in the name!
Exactly Marc,
My mailing list works wonder and it converts better than other traffic sources.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
I think we can too make some good traffic impact on our blogs through social networking sites and it works great when ever i have worked on these sites, and the other things we can work on its internal site structure which are very important these days.and major points you have already mentioned in the post. keep up the good work going
Exactly,
Social bookmarking sites also send some traffic if properly used.
Hey Onibalusi
I guess i would add “article marketing” to high PR article submission sites would really help too.
Not a new blogging tip, but i really appreciate the post!
Exactly Kimi,
Article marketing works great and it can compliment guest blogging.
Hey Onibalusi,
This is a great ways to generate traffic. Blog commenting, blogging communities, forum posting and some social media promotion are working quite nicely for me at the moment. I am yet to use the other other two that you have mentioned in your list.
Oh yes. I think social media promotion can also bring a good amount of traffic.
Yeah Sourav,
Making effective use of social bookmarking sites can also bring some great results.
I am big on the guest posting one. Some of these blogs get massive amounts of traffic and your on the spotlight. So they see you as a creditable source on that topic and the article may generate a lot of buzz if you provide an amazing post.
They the article itself may rank high and get lots of viewers in the future as well and all you have to do is spend a little time writing it.
Exactly Eric,
Guest posting is like tapping into another persons traffic easily, it works wonders.
Blog commenting is prob the most effective technique, IMO.
Guest posting and forum posting are harder.
Regards
If properly done, it works wonders but if not it is next to useless.
Building blog traffic is difficult at best especially if you come to it without credentials, i.e., you’re not famous. These are very good ideas on how to build a traffic lane to your blog.
Yeah! It is difficult and not difficult.
It is first about you getting started and waiting for time to bring results.
I think i would prefer Blog Commenting! Though am new Blogging and trying to cope with the aspect of Blog Commenting… Its fun and more effective if i must say! I have been trying it out for sometime now and found out that its also a good way to Skyrocket/Boost any Blog Traffic.
Note: You still have to work for IT!
Yeah Precious,
Blog commenting rocks and I have also been getting some decent traffic from it nowadays.
I agree with all of your points. One of the things I’d really like to do is get some good guest posts out there. The only problem is im too busy trying to run my blog to actually get a chance to writing any!
Great Robert,
It is better to start now and I am sure you will get great results from guest posting.
Another worthy addition to this list is the use of physical items to promote your blog or site. I’ve realized that business cards and brochures still bring a decent amount of traffic.
Exactly Julius,
You are absolutely right.
Offline promotion also works wonder.
Question about the Mailing List.
Are you talking about when you send out a newsletter you get great results? Or your posts that are automatically sent out to people on your mailing list?
thx, dee
P.S. I’m supposed to have an Avatar.. We’ll see if it works with this comment!
Yeah Dee,
I mean when I send my posts to my newsletter.
My newsletter is not for my posts but I sometimes send my posts to it and I get great results.
It’s absolutely important to skyrocketing your blog traffic because there is no reason why you can get traffic just by publishing posts except you got something really good and useful there.
I love using BlogCatalog where I can meet a lot of nice bloggers and build relationship thus creating a way to skyrocket my blog traffic!
Exactly Nasrul,
Blogcatalog is another great blogging community with results.
Thanks bro! Well i prefer blog commenting, forum also twitter! Nice post with great ideas!
Exactly Bro,
Those methods work wonders.
Thanks a lot for commenting,
-Onibalusi
Great post Onibalusi. I would say the first 2 methods work pretty well, blog commenting and guest posting. Both of the methods take you longer times, but they work pretty well. Both methods not only bring you traffic, they build your reputation as well. If you leave genuine & constructive comment and brilliant guest post, you can build a strong brand around your niche.
Regards,
Lee
Exactly Lee,
They all take time and they also gives you great reputation, which is what matters most.
Blog commenting is the most commonest way to get more direct traffic from other sites.
Exactly Paul,
Blog commenting is a great way to get more traffic to your blog if done properly. One thing that brings better results is if you are one of the first people to comment.
I’m sure its been proven a number of times that Forums and Comments have the highest CTR compared to other methods. I think the huge problem for people with this though is that they either can’t be bothered to or forget to keep on the ball and things like forum posts tail off, subsequently killing any new traffic from that site
Great Keiran,
You are absolutely right!
Getting the traffic is one thing, it is another thing entirely to keep it going.
Hi Onibalusi,
Thanks for sharing your tips on how to drive trafic to our site. Blog commenting(like what I’m doing now) and forum marketing can be a good help in driving raffic, but I would also love to add the “Article marketing”.
I’ve been meaning to get back into forums lately – thanks for keeping it on my mind Oni!
What’s great about forums is how you can not only use them for links and traffic but since you’ll be talking to others, you can network with them for future project. Additionally, you can find questions people ask and turn them into blog posts.
Yeah Murlu,
Forums also bring about a great deal of traffic if properly used.
It also brings added advantage of getting in touch with more people!
Plus one vote for blog commenting
. I have recently started to use this method for link building and I must say that it is very powerful. And also you are right that people start to recognize familiar faces. I have seen some bloggers to comment on a lot of blogs.
Blog commenting is even more powerful if the blog has the KeywordLuv plugin. I would recommend to this site to install it. You do not actually lose anything. It is just that the name is not the link, it is a keyword. For example if someone writes for a name: “Paul@SEO” the blog will output: “Paul from SEO” and SEO will be link.
Sure Paul,
Blog commenting is really great and it works like charm.
One important thing is to try to be the first to comment.
nice after this ill try especially Blog commenting ,,,thanks for sharing hopefully will skyrocket my blog
Great Rayban,
Reading is one thing, implementing is another.
I am very happy you are willing to take this one step ahead.
Thanks a lot for the nice comment,
-Onibalusi
The mailing list method can be very costly if you are just starting out and have not built your own list. You can find optin and double-optin lists for rent or sale. If you go that route, it is best to have the mailing campaign handled for you rather than running your own mailing. That way you can avoid spam reports to your hosting company. When you have your own built list, you at least have a defense against any potential reports because they opted in right on your own blog.
I agree with all, but I do not use the mailing list. Maybe it’s just me, but I tend to get concentrated on the first 4. That brings organic traffic in too – mails do not really do that.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
There’s no question that generating blog traffic is the most common obstacle bloggers face. Generating momentum and getting over the initial hurdle is a very difficult task.
Forum traffic can be great depending on the niche of your blog. It’s certainly one of the fastest ways to generate traffic on a new domain if done properly.
I’ve just recently tried writing a few guest blog posts. Again, for my niche, it’s more for link building than getting a huge wave of traffic. If I could find a high traffic blog in my niche, that would be far better though.
Communities are a great way to meet other bloggers. I’ve joined BloggerLuv which is a new blogging community and met some really cool people.
I’ve never tried MMO or Blog Engage, but I’m going to check it out right now, thnx.
While not all good for link building as some think, they are all definitely good traffic builders, which is what counts in the end.
Excellent list.
All these tactics are great and proven to work well when done properly. My opinion is that “guest blogging” is probably the best combination between getting traffic and quality inbound links. Best of both worlds.
Of these ideas, the mailing list is the only one I haven’t successfully actioned. How do you go about it? I have a form one of my sites, but I don’t tend to get anyone signing up. How do you build up a substantial list?
I would agree with all of your tips, except possible the last one. Mailing lists are ok, but it is very easy to become spammy, and that can destroy your reputation.
I like all your ideas particularly the mailing list. My blog is relatively new and still driving people to it. In my previous online businesses (which I run nearly passively now) I have a mailing list of over 64,000 people.
The secret with mailing lists I find is that you want to be the opposite of what some peoples worries are. Of course I will send out some good affiliate offers to people occasionally. ONes I think they can use and of course will make me a little money.
BUT MAINLY I try to send out updates with nothing but solid information thT I think people can use. Like a blog post going only to my subscribers. I try for a ratio of at least 3 to 1 in purely information posts to affiliate offers.
The question of how to get people on that list to being with that somebody asked is pretty simple also and the same answer. Give them free stuff.
I just wrote an ebook on niches for instance. It is over 10k words, not a single affiliate link in it and I am using that to try to build my new list.
Anyhow, not saying that to try to push people there, just hoping to provide some more insight to people who do not like your “mailing list” idea.
Personally I took the forum marketing section to heart, as this is one I have really been slacking on…
thanks for a great post
Steve
So I’m on right way to traffic.
Guest Posting and Blog commenting is a great way to increase traffic. But until now I just try to blog commenting only and forums signatures.
Blogging good articles about your website niche like this post is one of the best modern ways of web marketing allowing you to connect with your visitors through your posts and allowing the use of viral social networks interaction.
The Best SEO Services always recommend blogging for your website promotion. Great Post, thanks for sharing.
What do you mean by autopilot when you say “you will be getting a lot of traffic on autopilot” at the end of the post?
Great tips that I really appreciate and implement. I am always learning. What has also assisted me in driving traffic to my blogs and other non-blog websites is the use of YouTube. I have written several “How-To” articles on many subjects – to include blogging – and created associated short instructional videos. I always conclude my videos with a display of the link to my blog site. Additionally, within YouTube on can add a link as the first line of your “Description.” You will want to apply SEO techniques within YouTube when writing your Title, Description, and Tag information.
I agree with how easy is driving traffic to a blog these days can be
There are so many ways to do it and even make it last longer than expected. Other methods that I also highly recommend are:
1. article submission. this one is pretty effective especially to long tail keywords, plus it also gives you a powerful backlink, knowing that the content is absolutely relevant to your site.
2. yahoo answers. also great when it comes to long tails, though you can’t use your targeted keywords in promoting your site, yet still effective in driving relevant traffic your way.
Overall, you’ve covered most of the effective and ethical techniques so far. the good thing about what you have shared is that with all those methods, you also get to build relationships around your industry, which is definitely good for your blog and reputation as a blogger
Regards,
Jason Acidre
Building a big mailing list is a must. So my strategies are first bring people to your site and second try hard to make them join your mailing list.
Excellent Post very useful resource I got very decent results with Blog commenting soon i will start forum marketing too.
SEO is the best source of traffic for me. But if you want some tips for blog commenting just visit my last blog post.
Nice post.
Guest blogging and commenting are my personal favorites. They work well and you can never take a chance to ignore them.
I was always wondering how to increase my blogs traffic.
Thank you for this useful resource.
bless you
was true with the comments we can increase traffic to our blog for more links and if more is better then commented very good industrious
For the past few months I really haven’t done much in a way of marketing my blog, and while my traffic didn’t decrease, it didn’t increase as well (it sort of hit a plateau).
In the last few weeks, I have begun to comment more on blogs, and join some of the blogging communities. While I’m not expecting a huge increase in traffic initially, I’m hoping that over time it will begin to bear fruit.
You’re heading a correct way. However, comment on more blogs, as I observer, bring you few clicks per day if your comment is very excellent and catch people attention. Otherwise, it doesn’t add much to the traffic.
Guest posting and forum posting really does, I think.
Great tips. I think guest posting has to be one of the best ones. If you can have a post published on an established and successful post you will see massive results quite quickly.
Thanks for this list. I was looking for this. I never knew that commenting can really help
Blogging commenting may improve your backlink but not necessary bringing in traffic.
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