Getting in the race – Olympic Blogging Part III

(Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes)

You can be the fastest runner in the world, but if you don’t race, then no one will know it. Just like you can craft the greatest content in your niche, but if know one is visiting your blog, it will remain unnoticed.

As we continue with our Olympic Blogging series, make sure to read I want to be an Olympic blogger – Part II.

I want to be an Olympic blogger
Rubbing elbows with the big dogs

Generating traffic is one of the things that most new bloggers struggle with. This is supported by the countless number of websites, blogs, podcasts, and you tube videos that talk about search engine optimization, joining forums, guest posting and leaving comments on other blogs in your niche as traffic driving strategies.

So, without any further hesitation, lets look at some of the best ways to get your content exposed.

Guest posting
If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it

One of the best and fastest ways to increase traffic to your blog, is by guest posting–writing an article that is featured on someone else’s blog (preferably one in your niche with a higher ranking than yours). You get the benefit of having your article featured in front of a large a audience, and the other blogger gets the day off from writing a post. In some ways I am surprised that more people don’t do this, and in other ways I am not. But then again, if running marathons was easy, there would be a lot more people doing them too. You see, creating high value content is hard work, and this can make it tempting to keep the results of your effort for your own blog. But think about this, what good is the content on your own blog, if no one is there to see it.

Join a forum
Join a running club

Forums are like running clubs; They create an environment for participants to learn, grow and socialize with others who have the same interest. Other benefits include inspiration, motivation, and a mutual appreciation for the work involved. Now you wouldn’t join a running club to just sit on the bench and watch the other runners go by. That is not the way to improve. And you should not join a forum just to quietly lurk around. Use it to  ask questions, get advice, give feedback, make mistakes, get inspired, get motivated, and to build friendships.

Sign up for Social Networking tools
The Daily Mile – Facebook for athletes

More and more, people are using online social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr, to connect to others. There is even a Facebook-like site called Daily Mile for athletes. Because there are so many social networking tools out there, find out which social networking tools your audience uses most, and sign up for them. Look up prominent figures in your niche on Facebook, Twitter, etc…and if a good amount of them are there, then that is where you need to be too. Just like a runner models their training workouts after those who are running the times that they want to run, model (not copy), your blog after those blogs that are performing the way that you want to.

Create a free product tied to a newsletter
Run your own race

When someone decides to sign up for your newsletter, they are giving you permission to have a more direct relationship with them. This is exactly what you want. Do your part by reaching out to them with additional quality content on a regular basis. Don’t allow too much time, goes by between each contact (a month is too much), they may forget who you are, or that they signed up. Your content must become a part of their life that they have come to expect, and look forward to, like their favorite radio program, weekly massage session, workout, or whatever they are in to.

You see, the great thing about having an additional high quality original product floating around the Internet, is that it will get passed around and then start to multiply like rabbits on a cool afternoon.

So, what strategies are you using to bring traffic to your blog, and more importantly, which ones are working?

Lisa H, aka RunningBear has worked in Information Technology for 16 years, including corporate training, web design, & technical writing. She enjoys working out, cooking, volunteering with the local track and cross country teams and spending time with her sweetie, two cats and dog, and new blog Getting to Zen.