how I increased my blog traffic by 1277% (in a month)

In September 2017 I was at just over 150 blog views, and by the end of October, I was at over 2100. In a month my blog traffic increased by roughly 1277%, something both incredible and widely achievable. It is important to note that during this time I didn't have a post that went viral or a blog that suddenly blew up, all of my views were gained through the next simple steps. I also think it is worthy to know that my blog views have stayed around the same mark/higher since October, so I consider following these tips over a few months a sustainable way of growing your blog. Lastly, blogging isn't all about numbers, I agree. However, sometimes it is nice to know a lot of people are reading what you wish to share with the world, especially if you are passionate about the posts that you publish.

Regulate posts.

Begin posting often if you can. Before September I was only posting around one or two blog posts per month yet during October I upped the numbers and published a post at least once a week. It is also helpful to stick to an upload time schedule by publishing at the same time each week. Of course, if problems arise and you cannot stick to what you have set then there is no need to worry. Getting into a regular routine will simply allow followers to keep up to date with your posts more easily, changes here and there will not majorly affect this.

The title is key.

Regardless of where a reader finds your blog post, the title will always be the first thing they see. I worked on improving my titles by making them more eye-catching and interesting. Titles need to make readers want to click on your link, so they have to be quality and suit the content the post includes. Having mundane titles, or ones which don't clearly express what is in the post, dampen the likelihood that I (if I am speaking personally) will click on the link. If you are creating a blog series of some kind, make the titles clear and ensure that they relate. Not only does this look better for your blog and make sense, it will keep those dedicated series readers returning.

Social media will be your best friend.

This is my key. Social media is the easiest and most efficient way to promote your blog posts so don't be afraid to utilise it. Get involved in whatever you think is necessary to get your name out there and connect with fellow bloggers. Making friends is important, not only will they be able to guide you with your blog, you can have some amazing conversations and they are always so supportive. You can also partake in blogger chats on Twitter, which allow you to connect with other bloggers and is likely to increase your viewers or join comment threads which will up your views in the short term. Social media will be your key traffic source, so make sure to stay active and be yourself to keep your audience engaged. In terms of types of social media/online platforms for sharing posts, I currently (for blog purposes) use:

• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Stumbleupon

Although using three platforms may not seem like a lot, especially as Facebook and Instagram can be big view catchers, these platforms are really good for increasing views. Pinterest and Stumbleupon definitely bring me a lot of views in the short term, however, if you are looking for long-term engagement/support, Twitter is the way forward. Having a social media strategy is something I roughly followed, I didn't tweet relateable things and just promote my blog posts all day. Learn your followers, learn when Twitter seems most active, become aware of the 'types' of people that are most likely to read your content, connect with those similar to you and remember to keep being you. Being fake on social media won't get you anywhere, being genuine is both so much easier and so much better for yourself and your blog. Know what type of tweets to send. For example, I discovered during October that adding a picture or gif that relates to your post in some way catches people's eye a lot more than a simple tweet. You should also be adding hashtags to your tweets, adding too many can sometimes be overwhelming but one or two that relate to your post and tagging a few blog RT accounts really helps. Discover which blogger RT accounts are active, and add the required hashtag/account to your tweet so that they can retweet.

Believe in yourself.

Just go for it. Don't be afraid to share your blog post one too many times or press publish on that risky personal post. People will like your blog, and carry on reading for you and your personality. Try not to be too disheartened if you don't have many followers or your engagement is a little low, everyone has to start somewhere and in some cases, luck definitely plays a part. Stay passionate, and continue learning. Whether or not you are a new blogger (if so, my tips for new bloggers post may help you) or you are a little more experienced, everyone has room to grow and learn, but to allow yourself to do that you must allow yourself to believe in yourself. Staying focused, confident and happy is more likely to naturally bring you more views, and more overall happiness.

I hope this post helps you, and I wish you all the best in your blogging adventure. Regardless of your views, having the confidence and ability to run a blog is incredible, so just know that you are doing well!

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