Let’s face it – if you have a blog you want traffic – right? But you need to know how to get more blog traffic. It makes sense: more traffic equals more business… In fact, companies that blog receive 55% more traffic than companies that don’t. And according to at least one study, 83% of consumers trust the advice of a blog. The trick is to first get people to read your blog. And for that I have some help. In fact, I’ve used these same strategies to increase my blog traffic by 142% in one year. Not bad when you consider most blogs we watch trickle along with a modest 5-10% annual growth.

Before I get to my solutions on how to get more blog traffic, let me ask you a question:

Are you writing your content to be helpful? Don’t get me wrong – it’s great that you want more business. But, if your blog is all about click-through rates and opting into lists – it will be obvious. Like the old saying: If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. If your blog is all about click-through rates and opting into lists - it will be obvious. Like the old saying: If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Click To Tweet Here’s the good news… If you write your blog to be truly helpful – without expecting something in return – you will build a tribe and eventually get what you want. It might not be gangbusters overnight, but you will attract people who like your approach. That will happen. With that caveat out of the way … Here’s a quick summary of all 25 points on how to get more blog traffic – Slideshare style:

Here’s my favourite (all white-hat) 25 tips on how to get more blog traffic without breaking the bank or staying up all night.

1. Know this is important work and publish on a regular basis. Once a month is much, much better than – as Tim Urban puts it: We publish every sometime.
2. Write shorter posts. If you insist on writing Ulyssey’s-length essays you might be losing a lot of readers.
3. Notice what works and do more of that (this is my fav. overall strategy – read this).
4. Write in the second person (“you”, “your”, not “me”) – after all, every reader cares most about themself.
5. Write about your failings. “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.” Denis Waitley
6. Share on social media (hey! we can do that for you).
7. Take a risk – like write a short post (#2), admit you suck as something (#5), take a bold stand (#19), or start with a personal story (#24).
8. Do (just a bit of) research. As a minimum, use a tool like buzzsumo to find top ranking blog posts on your topic.

9. Be funny (at the very least choose a funny image.)
10. Write stuff people will want to link to.
11. Be remarkable.
12. Don’t interrupt your writing with a lot of links (except for this post, of course.)
13. Keep adding to your idea pile (I use Evernote and tag them as ‘unused blog posts’ to capture ideas on the fly.)
14. Kill and bury old, low traffic blog posts. This is a good SEO strategy, but also good for your readers.
15. Edit ruthlessly. Pro writer’s tip: don’t start editing until you have completed the first draft.
16. Experiment with your blog on video, SlideShare, illustrations, cartoons or finger paint.
17. Be patient! Great content with some promotion will attract the readers you want.
18. Quote bloggers with big followings (then let them know on social media).
19. Take a stand—a strong voice will cut through the Internet fog and, like a search light, will find the readers you want.
20. Make it easy for readers to share your blog. We use the floating share button from sumo.
21. Ask your readers to do something. Like add a comment, share the post or download a guide.
22. Read lots of inspiring blogs. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Stephen King
23. Don’t be boring. That’s worth repeating: don’t be boring. There.
24. Tell stories.
25. Assume every day is a new beginning because you always have new readers.

I know you’re reading this because you care. You care about results but you also care about helping people with your blog. That’s cool.

Blogging is hard work.

Some months I struggle with every blog I write. Sometimes it’s hard to find the time, or the topic, or the damn thing just stalls out in the middle and I don’t know how to wrap it up in a meaningful way. What keeps me going is knowing that __________ (fill in your monthly website traffic) people are coming into my “hotel room” to read what I wrote. And most of them are new (point #25). That’s a big and exciting responsibility, opportunity and role that I play. If you’re up for that, I know these 25 tips and actions on how to get more blog traffic will help to fill your hotel room. Thanks to Seth Godin for inspiring this short post. And Jeff Goins for adding to Seth’s post with his own list.   Want more help getting results with your blog? Check out these posts: Tips and Encouragement for Bloggers who Doubt 21 Traffic Building Tips from Professional Bloggers Build blog traffic while you sleep