10 Things I’m Doing Consistently To Build My Site Traffic and Stay Sucker-Free.

Are you a Blogger? No Seriously, are you?

Not everyone can use passion and artistry to wrap words together brilliantly to create a crisp and clear idea or thought.  Yes, that’s a gift within itself. It signifies that you’re a writer, a poet and maybe even some kind of literary genius.

You’re a writer, but are you a BLOGGER?

I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on for years now. I’ve specifically spent the last year reading across a broad spectrum of blog posts and online articles.

Bloggers tell stories that leave their audiences not just impressed by beautiful words and analogies; they teach, inform, promote, sell, enlighten, and entertain. Yes, blogs of quality are written with a purpose in mind. There’s an end goal, something that needs to be achieved. Maybe the website is promoting a service or product it’s trying to sell. Maybe the site is monetized and running ads through a program like Google Adsense. Maybe, the blogger just wants to become a serious writer and needs to build momentum and popularity for some future project. There are different avenues when it comes to purpose.

Now, here’s a fact: I can guarantee you that if you don’t pay close attention to what the business of blogging requires, very few people will even see your work. 

I stepped on this scene ready to drop some bomb-a** compositions of life lessons and enlightenment for women. For the first few weeks, readership was dismal. What I didn’t realize at the time was that it wasn’t that people didn’t appreciate my literary genius; they just couldn’t find it. It was taking me a while to get indexed and to start showing up in searches. To be honest, I’m still working on making it out there right now.

I’m sorry. I don’t mean to evoke negativity here at all. It’s not my intention to scare anyone. Still, I had to learn this UGLY truth the long, complicated way. I found myself in the early part of the year generally pissed off with the world for not appreciating my well-written, prize-worthy life lesson-filled blog post/stories. This irritated me across the perimeter of my soul. 

I’ve found that even through this pain and agony, my greatest advantage to date is that I have chosen against all odds not to be discouraged and I have accepted the process. Do I still wishfully hope for that phenomenal moment of possibly going viral? Hell yea, I do. I’ve just adjusted my mindset to not rely on a stroke of luck.

There’s definitely a unique process for becoming a successful blogger for each of us. If you are weak, you will drown and die, that’s a given. If you’re going to lose momentum; sell your domain now. Seriously, if you don’t love it enough to watch grievously slow traffic while you get your groove in place; please find something else to do now. Don’t become a full-time Blogger if you can’t take the heat. 

It’s so easy to stick up a “Coming Soon” or “Under Construction” page and admit defeat over cocktails and salty bar snacks. I know this feeling very well.

Yet, there are days when I read my own posts over and I am certain, there is a community of readers out there who are waiting for the next big thing, something additional to what they have, something refreshing, something new. Well, I KNOW I have that. The task at hand is getting it to where they can see it.

So, on this path, and on a daily basis, I’ve been paying closer attention and pushing my website through a myriad of channels to slowly but surely pick up the traffic.

 I don’t close my laptop without learning at least one fundamental thing a day. Sometimes I learn the same thing from different perspectives. The point is to APPLY what you learn and that is how I self-teach myself. My to-do list gets longer and more in-depth on daily basis. I accept this process and I push it to progress with the intention of creating a perfect, working formula.

Now, if you really want a piece of the pie, look at the market. Look at the amazing things the “bigger fish” are doing. 

You’ll find that most List Posts, Advice Blogs, SEO-based sites are basically pushing the same key points in terms of building website traffic, creating leads and promoting their work.

That’s because this isn’t new on the whole. It’s up to each new blogger to bring something unique along with the fundamentals. That’s where we pay close attention to Niche Markets, Personality, Individuality, Your “Gimmick” and finding your own spot in the Web-World. You have to create that. Never get so technical that you lose sight of that.

So, I’m humbly sharing 10 Things That I’m Consistently Doing To Build Web-Traffic While Remaining Sucker-Free.

Sucker-free? Yes, I added that because there are nay-sayers and small minds that will try to convince you that you’re wasting your time by trying to achieve what the “big fish” currently have. Don’t listen to that nonsense. 

I don’t. I know what my potential is and I have my benchmarks and goals. Completely sucker-free over here. 

I know what my potential is and I have my benchmarks and goals. I’m completely sucker-free over here. 

1. Pay Attention to The Experts.

In my mind and for all the right reasons; these people are my friends. I haven’t limited myself to just their influence, they’ve made up my go-to list because they’ve given me information that has worked to date. These people and websites have helped me to piece together what I envision my website morphing into in the near future.  

It’s important to pay attention to success stories. They do two key things: 1. They Motivate 2. They Teach. Success stories and accounts of working progress will do that and that’s what you need when your site traffic looks like…well, let me not say anything discouraging.

So, here’s my shortlist and some links to some of their best articles.

Neil Patel	“How To Domination SEO with the 46 Hottest WordPress Plugins”
Zac Johnson	“7 Examples of How Big Media, New Sites, and Top Blogs are using Native Advertising”
Lifehack.org	“How to Become Successful 10 Times Faster”
Hubspot.com	“How To Write Catch Headlines and Blog Titles that Your Readers Can’t Resist.”
SEOmoz.org	“How To Build SEO Strategies Effectively (and make them last).”
Melyssa Griffin	“17 Things You Should Do To Every Blog Post Before & After You Hit Publish.”
Problogger.com	“How To Take A Break From Your Blog.”
Yoast.com	Check Out EVERYTHING on this Site!

 Melyssa Griffin is my most recent favorite. Her newsletters are timely and profound. She does EXACTLY what she says she will. I’ve explored her site and while learning so much, I’ve also become a fan or her style and positivity.

                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                  

2. On-Page SEO is REALLY Important

If you don’t know what On Page SEO or SEO on the whole for that matter is, you’re in trouble.

Well, it depends, maybe you haven’t been interested in building a wide readership with regular traffic to monetize your site. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, for speaking out of turn!

Anyway, if and when you want to be found and sought after as a Blogger – you have to get a grasp on SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It’s easier to start dabbling in it from the very beginning because it’s not something that just starts working overnight. UNLESS…..you’re an absolute genius and go viral instantly. However, in the real world, it’s always best to follow the guidelines for SEO and get your traffic organically.  If paid, please do it through the right advertising channels.  We all need that LEGIT and info-hungry, non-bot traffic that keeps up at a constant flow in order to accumulate advertising earnings or sell our services and products. We have to become popular in our niches and to our specific audience in order for the word to spread.

On-Page SEO, to me, is my “Pre-Publish To Do List”. Basically, I’m putting together a system of things I do to “optimize” every single post page and item on my site so that it gets maximum coverage and reach. 

Most of it is done through my Yoast SEO Plug-In. It makes it easy to add keywords and a meta description that will directly affect how I’m indexed in search feeds. It gives me pointers on keyword placement, sentence length, and paragraph size. It reminds me to add URLs and descriptions to my pics. 

I recommend installing and activating this plug-in right away if you don’t have it. 

On-Page SEO is the beginning of you taking your website and your blog seriously. It means you want to be found, read and shared across the web, thus building endless streams of traffic. 

There’s also “Off-Page” SEO – this is where you promote your website through external channels like directories, inbound links, social media, and other listings that will influence people to visit your site. Look back to #1, and pay attention to the sites and people I have shared links for. They basically deal with all things that make On-Page SEO happen for you.

Ah, see what I did there?

3. Be Clear, Catchy, Crafty and Creative.

Set up a meeting between your heart and your mind. Find a common ground. You will need your emotions to allow your creativity to flow. You will need to be crafty in order to excite an audience and not bore them. You will need to be Catchy to attract them first. You will need to be clear in your writing to be understood.

This is a very crucial combination of things. Your approach to the world is your FACE VALUE and your FACE VALUE is your name and your name determines your spot in Blog-Land and that determines your success.

It’s important to create a balance. I’ve found that people who don’t necessarily read books will read blog posts if the language is conversational and relatable to them. I’ve also found that people who read books are drawn to blog posts that use language that is a combination of both “pretty words” and hard facts. 

So, basically, when you write, try to make everyone happy. I know, there’s a saying that tells us that we can’t make everyone happy. However, right now, take a look at your viewer count. Don’t like it? Ok. Then, disregard that “you can’t make everyone happy” saying for a while and write in a way that appeals to just about everyone.

It’s a tall order. I did say that you should give up trying to become a blogger if you can’t take the heat. There are thousands, sorry millions of writers out here in these web streets making this thing work!

It’s up to you.

4. Track Your Analytics

Men lie. Women lie. People lie. Numbers don’t lie. 

You have to check your numbers constantly in order to know if what you’re doing is working. Make sure you have an Analytics Plug-In installed (preferably Google Analytics). There is a TON of information about your website’s performance and viewership to be found in your site Analytics. It gives you regional views, most visited pages as well as insights into optimizing everything.

Listen, you have to know what you’re working with. Yes, your numbers may suck sometimes, but those are the numbers you need to know about so you can work even harder on ALL the things on this list.

I’m completely keeping it real. Don’t think for a second that I don’t have to constantly renew my faith and keep working at making my numbers better.

5. Promote Yourself Across Social Media Every Single Day.

Chances are, you’re already there reading some sub-par posts that your friends are sharing about their lives. When I say “there”, I’m talking about Facebook/Instagram/SnapChat/Twitter/Tumblr/Pinterest (but you all already knew what I meant).

If you’re going to be a Successful Blogger, you are going to need to successfully communicate with people through the channels they use the most. 

So, please, start following the trend of being visible everywhere:

1. Post pics with the #LinkInBio to your IG. 2. Share your posts with a good intro to your Facebook newsfeeds and your website or business FB Page. 3. Snap Your Latest Posts. Make video clips telling people to log on to your page. Put the post title in the video. 4. Tweet directly from your posts page. 5. Put your latest posts up on LinkedIn. 6. Pin Your Posts on Pinterest 7. Tumble and Stumble your posts and  8. never, EVER forget the power of Reddit. Find subreddits that meet your needs and get your posts out.

6. Meet People, Subscribe to Other Blogs.

I just want to put it out there:

Hi, Melyssa Griffin. I’m Tuesday White. (shameless fan)

I’ve been introducing myself in forums, communities and to actual people out there in the web-world of blogging and internet business. I’ve subscribed to the heavy hitters because I like facts and quality information. 

Not to worry, I’ll be doing what they’re doing soon as well. There’s a body of information out there and from what I’m learning and how engaged I am, I’m pretty sure I’m going to devise some new formulas and tactics. I welcome it. I look forward to it. Right now, I’m laying a foundation and verifying myself to the world. 

You should too.  Introduce yourself and then re-introduce yourself to the world, that is.

Do it as often as you can so that people start to catch on to the fact that you are serious about being here. Create a good bio/about me page and invite/welcome people to your blog. Make a blog post re-introducing yourself or giving your progress report with links to your latest posts included in it. Tell a story or two about yourself. Show your most interesting side to the world. 

Here’s Mine: “Who is Tuesday White and Why In The World Am I Here?”

Set yourself up on Google Plus+ and introduce yourself in the different communities. Some of those communities are HUGE with some in excess of a million members. 

Also, drop some comments on posts you’re reading and really enjoying now. Add links to your site or make sure you have a signature so people can pick up a link to your latest or most relative post.

Ok, here’s another shameless act: I’d like to start Guest-Blogging. So, if there’s anyone out there who wants to collaborate or wants to offer a humble young blogger a spot on their highly-viewed or interesting website; get at me (shameless Call-To-Action).

I’d like to start Guest-Blogging. So, if there’s anyone out there who wants to collaborate or wants to offer a humble young blogger a spot on their highly-viewed or interesting website; get at me (shameless Call-To-Action).

7. Write Well

Ok, I’m not saying that you have to pull out your Queen Elizabeth II diction; but please, for the sake of those who want to consume all things decipherable: Write Well.

Over and over and over again at every interval and with every opportunity, I promote Grammarly.com for making sure that your writing is void of as many composition and spelling errors as possible. 

Simply, speak well and write well. Leave no room for confusion. 

As far as style goes; entertain and enlighten us with charm and authority. There’s something beautiful that happens when you learn to make your writing into a conversation. There’s something great about remembering all the “good stuff” from your English classes and then fusing it with the literary allowances of writing and journalism. You’ve got to go in search of that “thing” that makes YOU sound like YOU.

8. Email still works, use it

Some of us have phones that are smarter than us. And, that’s ok. Actually, that’s more than okay, that’s convenient to you as a blogger. Most of us get our email to our phones. Send out email alerts of your new posts.

Yes, yes, and yes! Build a list and send emails. I’m working on this right now. I’m often prompted to open emails that have catchy titles when they come to my phone. Even when I’m checking my emails from my laptop, I always skip forward to the ones that entice me with their Subject line.

Never, ever, EVER forget the power of email. Listen to me…people these days will check their email before they answer a call. So many of us conduct business day to day centrally through email. I’m suffering a little right now as I am STILL building my email listing. I made the mistake of getting caught up in other things and neglected this.

Perspective basically busted me in the lip. I get hundreds of emails a day from different websites and blogs. Hundreds and sometimes they really do get me with the catchy headlines and topics. That’s how I basically got turned onto Melyssa Griffin (I keep mentioning this woman like I’m obsessed…lol). Anyway, neglecting the email listing was indeed a gross miscalculation.

As we speak, I’m looking at my note-to-self to activate and get my CakeMail up and running. There are lots of other tools including MailChimp (highly recommended) out there. I just happen to like the style of CakeMail. 

SO, this goes back to #1; Pay attention to the experts, use those sites and the tons of others out there to build a reference guide. Take notes. Create good habits in the beginning.

9. Share Your Stories, Share Yourself

So, I touched on this when I said to Promote yourself. And there’s a reason why it’s here again.

Blogging, as I’ve observed seems to be driven not only by the information being offered but by the person offering information. I’ve been prompted to read a post sometimes solely based on the fact that I’m familiar with the author and I enjoy his/her work. Another reason is that I’ve come across a website where the author/blogger is very personable and has created an atmosphere that is conversational.

I start to feel like we’re friends.

You have to establish yourself as someone who spreads knowledge, makes people think, entertains and does it will. This is why right now, no matter how long it takes me sometimes to release a blog post; I tweak, rewrite and arrange my words to align with my personal style. My readers are going to know Tuesday, sarcasm and all. 

I tell little details about my likes and dislikes throughout my posts to build familiarity. That’s me sharing and caring.

I absolutely love it when someone comments on something reminding me of something I said. That means the world is getting to know me. THIS within itself is encouraging and motivating.

So, don’t ever stop introducing yourself across forums, communities, and platforms in your niches or niches/categories parallel to yours. Share yourself around (this is the only instance I’d recommend this).

10. Don’t Get Discouraged

Honestly, I’m a little discouraged by the numbers or lack thereof that are showing up regarding my traffic right now.

As a professional overthinker, this is nerve-racking for me. Fortunately, while writing this I’ve even re-dedicated myself to the cause.

I’m staying committed.

I have to keep reminding myself of this observation: I have read the work of other bloggers. I have written and read mine. Mine is just as good and in some cases, much better. If they can make it, so can I. They may have helped to set my benchmarks, but never my limits.

It is NOT the time to throw in the towel. It is time to keep working on that “thing” that I have in particular that will set me aside from the rest.

I can take the heat. It’s probably going to be the thing that keeps me going. 

Thank you for being here!

xoxo

Tuesday

— Tuesday

The post Don’t Become A Blogger If You Can’t Take The Heat! appeared first on Everything for Women.