What to do if the Traffic on Your Blog is Decreasing

If you are a content writer or ghost writer, you already know how challenging it can be to create online content that generates traffic. There are questions of SEO (search engine optimization), analytics, graphics, keywords, guest-blogging, surveys, subscriptions, email signatures, and advertising to consider. And all those things are secondary to writing high-quality, targeted articles that your readers enjoy.

Assuming a top-notch content writer already has the ability to deal with the primary job at hand, namely the creation of solid content, let’s take a look at all those other tasks he or she must attend to:

Make Comments Frequently on Other Blogs

A smart ghost writer or content writer can maximize traffic by commenting on relevant blogs. This is one of the most effective free advertising tactics used by successful bloggers. Make sure, however, that your comments are on-topic, polite and contain a link back to your own blog.

Closely related to commenting is guest blogging. This involves a bit more time than just making a comment. Offering to guest blog is a smart way to get one of your best articles placed on someone else’s site. One or two well-placed guest blogs can bring in a large amount of fresh traffic.

Allow for Subscriptions

Make sure your blog is set up for subscriptions. Make it simple for interested readers to opt in with nothing more than their email address and a click or two. Many of the world’s most popular blogs started out this way.

Add a Signature to All Your Emails

Consider adding a signature to all your personal emails. This is a free, effective way of promoting our blog, and takes virtually no time to do.

Leverage Social Media Wisely

Every successful blogger, content writer and ghost writer should learn how to use social media to their advantage. Like it or not, the major search engines take social media popularity into account when ranking blog sites. That means you should have at least one active SM (social media) account, and preferably more than one account. As long as you are regularly active, take part in discussions, post a review now and then, and stay on top of news about your niche, SM can be one of the most effective ways to increase blog traffic.

Note Which Pieces Draw the Most Readers

Any content writer should lean the value of duplicating success. This does <b>not</b> mean re-writing the same article over an over. It means writing more on the topics that readers seem to enjoy, based on the traffic numbers for individual pieces. You’ll have to dig into your blog’s data for this insight, but it can pay huge dividends. A ghost writer who learns how to stick with winning topics can build traffic on a regular basis.

Create an Ezine or Newsletter

Ezines are still one of the most underused tools in the blogger’s toolbox for attracting readers. A carefully constructed ezine or newsletter can also help retain the audience you already have. This is a savvy way to keep your “brand” in the minds of your regular readers. The key thing here is making certain that ezine mailings are interesting and engaging. When your core audience gets a chance to see valuable content in the mailbox, you’ll be creating life-long, loyal readers and reliable traffic.

There are services, like MailChimp, that let bloggers set up an ezine quickly and easily. There are even tools like those on Facebook which make sure the piece is sent out to carefully honed sub-groups of readers. Some ezines are nothing more than announcements that new blog posts are up, so don’t feel the need to spend hours and hours on an ezine; it can be a quick and simple way to alert people about new posts and maybe deliver a short “headline” article that creates interest or mentions a breaking news story.

Use Targeted Advertising

If you have even a small amount of money available for promotional purposes, think about purchasing ads on sites like Google and Facebook. Many bloggers learn how to use the built-in Facebook demographic tools that can drill down and target niche audiences. Characteristics like age, interests, and geographic location are just a few on a long list that Facebook advertisers can employ.

Tying Everything Together

Some bloggers need to do nothing more than increase their activity online. That means regular posting, not one article every other week. It also means being engaged in social media and participating in the community’s discussion of whatever the topic area is. The vast majority of blogs that fail to generate traffic are guilty of inactivity. Simply doing several, or all, of the above-mentioned things can be the game-changer for a declining blog.