If you want to grow your blog, then it’s critical that you take time to promote it. Unfortunately, the old theory, if you build it, they will come, doesn’t apply to blogs. With over one hundred million blogs being tracked by blog search engines such as
Technorati, publishing compelling content isn’t enough to drive awareness and traffic for your blog. Instead, you need to invest in some old-fashioned sweat equity to give your blog a traffic boost. The 10 free blog promotion tips below will help you get started.
1. Comment on Other Blogs
An easy way to give your blog a promotional boost is by
commenting on other blogs. Each time you comment, enter the same name and
URL in the corresponding fields in the blog comment form. Doing so will help your
search engine optimization efforts over time. When you leave relevant, interesting and useful comments on other blogs (particularly those that are related to your own blog’s topic), people will notice and follow the link back to your blog to learn more about you and read more of what you have to say.
2. Post Frequently
Posting frequently can boost your search engine traffic. Each new post acts as a new entry point for search engines to find your blogs. Writing with search engine optimization in mind can also boost the potential each of your posts has to lead traffic to your blog.
3. Participate in Online Forums
Join forums related to your
blog topic and become an active, contributing member. Include a link to your blog in your forum signature, so it’s always available to other members.
4. Use Social Media
Leverage the promotional opportunities that the
social web provides. Join
social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn and include links to your blogs and recent posts in your profiles. Join
social bookmarking sites like
Digg,
StumbleUpon and
Delicious and submit great content (not just your own). Additionally, consider jumping on the microblogging bandwagon and join
Twitter. All of these efforts will increase awareness of your blog and give it added exposure.
5. Link to Other Blogs in Your Own Posts
Try to include links to other blogs in your own blog posts. Refer to other blogs you enjoy reading or specific posts you found particularly interesting. When those other blogs have the
trackback feature turned on in their
blogging software programs, you’ll automatically get a link back to your own blog in the comment section of those posts. At the very least, the other blogger will see the incoming links from your blog in their
blog statistic reports, putting you and your blog on his or her radar, and that means more exposure for you.
6. Include Your Blog Link in Your Email Signature and on Business Cards
Basically, include your blog URL everywhere you can. Your email signature and business cards are two of the most obvious places to promote your blog with a link or printed URL, but don’t be afraid to think out of the box. Promotion is key to success when it comes to blogging. Don’t be shy about tooting your own horn!7. Hold a Blog Contest
Blog contests are a great way to attract new visitors to your blog. The most important thing to remember when using a blog contest as a promotional tool is to get the word out about the contest by announcing it on
contest websites.
8. Join a Blog Carnival
Blog carnivals are an easy way to get links to your blog in front of a lot of people. The more closely related to your blog topic that the carnival is, the more traffic you’ll get from it.
9. Guest Blog
Offer your services as a
guest blogger for other blogs in your niche, particularly ones that get more traffic than yours does. Guest blogging is a great way to get links to your blog and your own thoughts and writing in front of people who are likely to be interested in learning more about you and your blog.
10. Write Multiple Sites and Link Them Together
The more blogs or websites that you write, the more interlinking is possible. That interlinking can be used to promote your blog through different channels that might attract different audiences. Create
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