10 Ways to Grow Blog Traffic
1. Have an Instagram for your Blog:
Or you can start out with an Instagram and work your way towards a blog, like I did. Instagram is just a good way to connect with other bloggers and create a loyal following. Instagram is also a great way for brands to see your account and possibly decide to contact you to work with them! I would say that in general, Instagram is the most powerful tool for bloggers- even if it is not the platform that brings the most traffic to their actual blog website! Instagram has so many other valuable tools and ways to connect with your followers that you may not ever be able to do on a blogging platform such as the Instagram story feature and just the simple act of sharing a photo rather than a whole post! If you are not already following me on Instagram, my handle is @brightestofthebunch !
2. Share your posts to Facebook:
On the WordPress app, you can view one of your posts then click the share button to share to Facebook. Facebook is definitely the platform that brings the most traffic to my actual blog. It is a great platform to share posts on because it inserts a preview photo and excerpt that you are able to click on to view the blog post- it is that simple! Also, it is easy for others to pass along your posts by sharing them or direct messaging them to others!
3. Pin your Blog Photos on Pinterest with the Links Attached:
If you are using the WordPress app, you can choose to view your blog post and then choose to share it just like you would to Facebook but click Pinterest! Then, it will ask you to choose a photo. I recommend either choosing your favorite, or adding them all (which you have to do one by one). After you upload them to Pinterest, people are then able to click on a photo they like and few the post attached to it! Now, the goal is to get people pinning your pins. My Pinterest photos do not get tons of clicks (blog views), but imagine if one of those pins were to go viral! You can follow me on Pinterest @oliviasarahn28
4. Make a Twitter for your Account:
I just recently did this, and you can follow me @brightestotb ! Twitter is another great platform to share your posts on because you can give a preview just like on Facebook of your blog; but you can also do this with Instagram posts! Twitter also allows you to create polls to ask your followers questions!
5. Physical Advertisement:
Not everything has to be solely online. You can also spread word about your blog by displaying your social media information, like I have on my cafe sign before as you may have seen on Instagram! Another way to display it is to get a sicker with your username or blog website address and put it on your laptop like I plan to do when mine gets here! You can also make business cards or flyers to put out around your town or campus and mail with giveaway items or sales you may do or anything like that!
6. Make a Snapchat for your Blog:
Ya know how some people get the “swipe up” feature on their Instagram stories so they can physically link their blog while others do not get that option? Well, on Snapchat, everyone has the ability to take advantage of the swipe up linking feature! Announcing a new blog post or YouTube video on your Snapchat and providing the link is a great and convenient way for your followers to view your post! You can add me on snap, @brightestotb
7. Participate in a Loop Giveaway or really Any Giveaway:
There are Loop Giveaway accounts on Instagram where you can sign up to participate in a loop giveaway for a high dollar item. Since the item is popular and on the expensive side, there is a small fee to enter. But participating in the giveaway will largely increase your following in a short amount of time! With loop giveaways, the person wishing to enter must follow each person in the loop until they have made a full circle through the tags. If you participate in one through the Instagram Loop Giveaway account rather than one you made yourself, there are strict posting times and rules about how much you post after the giveaway begins. Also, sometimes there are following qualifications to participate. Another option is to make your own giveaway that is not a loop and only you are connected to it. The way you gain followers off of this is by instructing them to tag a friend in order to enter. These tend to move a little slower and result in less new followers, but they are still a great option!
8. Connect with other Bloggers:
I am in two different group Pinterest boards and I always pin my blog pins there because they are mostly repined from that board! Ever since Instagram made the algorithm that takes photos out of chronological order and makes it harder for bloggers to get views, bloggers have been really supportive of each other! There are “comment pods” you can become a part of where you notify everyone when you have posted a photo and they like and maybe comment on it to be supportive. Another way to connect with other bloggers is to come together to pay for a loop giveaway where the followers are required to follow each person listed to enter! Also, many bloggers have been featuring each other on their pages or blogs or else doing something called “Follow Friday” on their Instagram stories where they shout out all different bloggers on Friday to show their support for them and help them gain new followers! There are tons of ways to collaborate- you just have to connect with other bloggers!
9. Take Blog Post Suggestions:
Your followers are more likely to read your posts if they apply to them and are helpful to them. And how are you supposed to know what they need help with or want to see if you do not ask them? I recommend making a survey on Google Forms and asking your followers to fill it out, giving them options for posts in a poll on Twitter and having them vote, or commenting on an Instagram photo for them to leave their blog requests below! If it is during a giveaway you are hosting, make this task one that is rewarded with bonus entries! For Google forms, you can ask all sorts of things to help you know how to get the best response from your followers and know what exactly they want to see! Check out my Google forms survey here: Blog Survey
10. Reach Out to Friends and Family:
People that you know personally WILL be your most loyal followers. Like I said above, Facebook is the social media platform that brings my blog the most traffic, probably because I am mainly friends with people I know personally on Facebook! I promise, your friends and family will be so interested in your posts because it is YOU and they will want to support you and show their support by spreading word about your blog!
