June 21st, 2010 | Bill McIntosh, Founder

Increasing traffic to your personal or company blog is the main reason why you are engaging in blogging in the first place. Having studied a bit about this vital medium, all the while continuing to blog frequently, I have learned from others that there are six fundamentals of success for increasing blog traffic. I have kept the information on each point short, with a call-to-action to help you analyze and address each of these so you can evaluate and determine how you can elevate your blogger status. And more importantly, what you can do to increase traffic to your blog.

1. Include popular search terms in your blog titles and copy. This is the most fundamental of all SEO strategies. But are you using them naturally and with integrity?  What I mean is that you must stay true to your message and purpose. Write from your heart with the intent to delivery high-quality content that is meant to serve others and elevate the quality of their lives. You can tweak your blogs posts, and you must, to place within them key words and long tails. But do not tweak it so it loses its integrity. CALL-TO-ACTION: Evaluate yourself as a blogger and determine if your integrity has been your priority or if you have lost some of it due to trying to get keywords and long tails to fit in unnaturally.

2. Post at least twice a week, and try for three times. Once of the most frustrating experiences in blogging is not seeing immediate results or comments. You start to think that your posts are lost in the shuffle. It could be that you are not optimizing the content distribution network. If your network is place, then you have to stay consistent over a period of time. Over time, readers will notice and so will Google. CALL-TO-ACTION: Optimize your content distribution network and then blog consistently every week.

3. Talk about what is hot, what people are talking about and what they need, not what you just have to say. You know the guy or girl who does nothing but talk about themselves at the company gathering? Yea, they really are resented like you know what. People are searching for needs, desires and what they are curious about. All they want to hear is your spin, clarification, edification of insider’s view on the matter or product. CALL-TO-ACTION: Do some homework, some surveys or find bloggers who have the ears of many and find out why. Based on what you discover, talk about what people need. Also be sure to ask for dialogue.

4. Blog intelligently about your topic. Be coherent, relevant and add some appeal. We really do not want to hear about your girlfriend or why you like Thai food. (Unless your blog is specifically about those subjects). Stay on the topic is tough for some bloggers. Blog about one thing and blog on it well, providing as much insight as possible. Add statistics, reviews or insight from leaders in the field. CALL-TO-ACTION: Review your last five blog posts and see how you could elevate them by making them more to the point, as well as substantiating themselves with relevant and important facts, stats and/or industry reviews.

5. Demonstrate leadership. Leaders not only educate, but ask and even demand that people perform to the best of their abilities. Leaders indicate direction, instill confidence and lead by example. Much has been written on leadership, but it is key that each of your blogs postings direct people towards positive actions or goals. It may be as simple on what to order and what not to order at a restaurant that you are reviewing. CALL-TO-ACTION:  Give positive direction in each blog posting.

6. Commit yourself to staying educated concerning online blogging. You must become a true and dedicated student to be able to reach the level of teacher where others will want to follow you. There is no mistaking competence when you see it, read it in a blog or watch it performed in an athlete. CALL-TO-ACTION: Read at least one book per month on blogging and online marketing tools. Additionally, follow at least 5 SEO companies that have great advice on blogging. And read Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples at least 3 times in your lifetime.

Your blogging will become your voice and a way to connect to the world. Good luck and I loo forward to how this blog post may have helped you.

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