The Blog on Branding

Increasing Blog Traffic – How to Format a Blog

In some cases, public opinion generally refers to blogs as an “online diary” of personal daily ramblings. On the contrary, correctly executed blogs follow several strategies that create higher results on search engines. Through proper formatting, this user traffic gains traction and creates a word of mouth following. By implementing the following formats, your blog site will prompt its users to do the Public Relations for you. This results in higher sales for your product, more incoming links, or more site viewers.

“When done properly, blogging leads to a circle of rewards.”

This article includes the following traffic increasing tips:

• Write at Least 5 Major Anchor Articles
• Update your Blog Daily
• Comment on Other Blogs
• Include an RSS Feed
• Submit your Blog to Republishing Sites

Write at Least 5 Major Anchor Articles

An anchor article, or a lengthier instructional-style article, provides the reader with useful information. Anchor articles usually contain lists, facts, or practical advice – like the one you’re reading right now.

• These prerequisites adapt into almost any blog format. For instance, factual lists fit a blog offering step by step instructions, back up a sales blog’s credibility, and practical advice in list form is easily comprehended by the reader in a personal blog.
• A blog of this style may show up on a Google search for a home remedy, product search, or day-to-day inquiry. Anchor articles increase traffic because search engines detect other sites’ linkbacks, or notifications between sites.
• Although information contained in anchor articles is mostly factual, it must be kept up-to-date, because readers will neither take how-to’s as authoritative, visit your site, nor increase traffic if the information posted is untimely or false.

Write One New Blog Post Per Day Minimum

Search engines are attracted to new content.

• Although each post does not have to be an anchor, new posts offer a steady flow of information to your current base of subscribers.
• For first time readers, it is also important to show that they will find something new if they return to the site.
• Replying to their posts encourages more comments on your blog. If new readers see responses to topics of interests, they are more likely to return to the site.
• Other easy ways to update readers and draw traffic is by utilizing a newsletter, regularly e-mailed article, or RSS feed….more on this to follow.

“Don’t forget to write at least one blog a day.”

Use Comments and Linkbacks to Notify Other Blogs

Informational posts on blogs with content pertaining to that of your blog, and either leaving a link or invitation, will draw audiences to your site.

Linkbacks include: trackbacks and pingbacks.

• www.sitepoint.com describes a trackback as a notification that allows the blogger to post on their own blog about another blog’s content or to notifiy the blogger when their blog has been written about.
• Essentially, trackbacks are notifications from one blog to another, but they do not require links between sites.
• A pingback confirms the pending link, if it exists, then pingback between the two sites is recorded successfully.
• These linkbacks inform an author that someone is discussing their content. This draws the attention of the other blogger, provoking them to reply, and potentially drawing in their readers.

Links from credible blogs attained by linkbacks or author response raise blog rankings in search engine results.

Include an RSS Feed

• Real Simple Syndication , is XML, or a carrier data format, designed for sharing headlines and other web content.
• The RSS file, containing fixed information about the site and the live headlines from the content, disburses directly to blog subscribers.
• After syndication, readers find attractive headlines on their homepage or aggregator site and are drawn to the blog site to comment, purchase products, or find more stories of interest.

An example of an anchor blog with RSS is www.blog.ecosmart.com. The site offers information on ridding the home of parasites with organic insecticides, titled “How to Get Rid of Gnats,” and “What Do Ants Eat?”

Clicking the orange RSS button on the top of the site and the blog activates syndication of these headlines directly to the user’s computer. In addition, blog subscribers with an account on Google have the ability to subscribe to the feed by searching for it through their aggregator.

To remain current on blogging and traffic-retaining tips, add The Branding Blog to any feed or aggregator.

“Send your blog articles off for re-publishing.”

Submit Your Blog to Sites that Categorize/Republish Your Blog for Readers

• Blog search engines like www.technorati.com, which allows users to search for a particular blog topic, creates an easier atmosphere to find similar blogs.
• www.blogtopsites.com categorizes a blog for quicker searching; making it easier for users to scan through the many blogs for their needs.
• www.blogcarnival.com comprises the best submitted blog content of the week and categorizes it by topic. Each edition is edited and redistribute each category, like a journal or magazine, in order to achieve a higher standard from the carnival’s following.
• www.ezinearticles.com republishes pillar articles in newsletters, while providing a link back to a blog. This strategy takes minimal effort and builds up traction over time.

After implementing these traffic increasing tips, it is up to the author to decide whether or not to stop using or tweak the failed tactics. Staying current with innovative means of blogging as well as continuing with successes will greatly improve the chances of gaining traction and a loyal reader base to a blog.

Kaite Mueller Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.