Jan 31, 2014 / Advanced

Introducing: Grow Your Traffic, Build Your Blog

Make room on your (virtual) bookshelf: today, we’re excited to announce the release of our new, free ebook, Grow Your Traffic, Build Your Blog: Tips and Tricks for the Tenacious Blogger.

Heavy traffic ahead

“Oh, I have enough visitors already. I couldn’t care less about my blog’s traffic,” said no blogger, ever. Of course, we blog because we love sharing our perspective and enjoy belonging to a larger community of like-minded bloggers. But most of us would also love to see our voices reach new audiences with the content we invest so much time and love to create.

traffic-featured-image

That’s where our ebook comes in. It’s chock-full of actionable advice and time-tested blogging wisdom, featuring sections on interpreting your blog’s stats, making the most of social media, and building content strategies that attract readers, among several others. It’s a comprehensive resource you can use whenever you feel like your blog needs that extra boost.

If you want to try out some new tricks to increase your blog’s visibility and grow your readership, give it a spin (and if you haven’t already, do also check out our inspiration-full first ebook, 365 Days of Writing Prompts). It’s available in .epub, .mobi, and .pdf formats, so you can read it on your tablet, smartphone, reader, or computer. Download it now by clicking on the download links, or to go to the download page.

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      1. For sure! I hope it’s clear this statement is made hyperbolically.

        People blog for millions of different (equally valid) reasons and with very different audiences in mind. This ebook is directed at the sizable group of bloggers who want to find an audience beyond their immediate, real-life circle.

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      3. Then those would be private blogs, Isn’t it? Which only you and limited number of people whom you allow are able to read. Blog is for sharing with community and the world. If that’s not the case people would prefer a diary or the private blog.

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      4. My comment was a bit cryptic, but I have enough readers, and I want to be able to have the time to reply thoughtfully to them, rather than write trite comments to lots of people. So the truth is, I do have enough visitors for what I want out of blogging.

        People spend a lot of time writing their comments on my blog, and they deserve a similar reply. So I am perfectly happy with the level of ‘traffic’ I receive.

        Plus, as some people read the preceding comments, which can be quite long, it can be time-consuming for them. So I often post a new blog when I think there are more than enough comments on the preceding one, but, I should also say, I do have a discussion type of blog.

        Which isn’t what you are saying, but if you want to reply there is a limit to the amount of people who you can reply to.

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      5. It is an interesting conundrum. How do you find that right balance. The more people who comment the less time you have to visit other people’s blogs, read, and comment there, which then reduces your chances at making further connections. There are days when all I can do is reply to the comments on my own blog and then I miss all the wonderful posts written by those very same people. It leaves me feeling guilty.
        Then there are days, like today, where I have all kinds of time and can go strolling through the blogosphere to comment here, there, and everywhere.

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      6. I have more than one blog, which doesn’t help, but I blog about different topics. On my main blog, I go for once or twice a week, but if a post starts to get a lot of comments, I’ll put up a new one, because, people don’t want to wade through 50 long comments. I don’t have a great post sort of blog, people take time to write thoughtfully.

        I like to allocate time, approx, half to writing and half to commenting. If I’ve missed posts, I’ll probably read, say three back.

        My attention is always towards the hard core of readers/commenters who have supported me for ages, but I still do look for new blogs. And chuck the ones who don’t bother with me. I think there is too much emphasis on daily blogging, I spend considerable time visiting other blogs.

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      7. I have considered trying to scale back and blog less. But, so many of the people I follow blog daily, and I almost feel like I owe it to them to provide new comment daily as well. Plus, when I’m writing flash fiction pieces there are prompts I like to participate in that happen on different days, so if I’m writing for them I’m going to be posting frequently anyway.
        It seems like you’ve got a good system that works for you. Which is all any of us can really strive for. We just have to figure out what we want to say and who want to say it to and try and get there.

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      9. @djmatticus
        @roughseasinthemed

        There’s so little recognition of Dunbar’s number in the blogosphere that it’s appalling. I get bloggers contacting me by email almost every day telling me publishers or marketers or other consultants tell them they need to acquire thousands of more followers as if a follower is a notch on their belt.
        Blogging, Bean Counting and Social Networking

        I’m an INFJ and sometimes an INFP. I’m not inclined to being chatty offline or online. Extroverts sap the energy right out of me. I tend to unfollow any blog where there are so many followers and comments that the blogger appears to have established an old gals or old guys type of environment. In the next short while I will be unfollowing several blogs like that and loving the bloggers from a healthy distance as I wave bye, bye.

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      10. I’m definitely an introvert, but have found that I have very little problem being chatty online. I actually enjoy the little communities that build up and support each other around the more popular blogs (that can then spread to other blogs from there). I do get what you are saying, though. There have been times when I stumble upon a post I love only for the comment threads to feel like everyone has known each other for years and have inside jokes I will never understand. I tend not to comment on those posts… but that doesn’t keep me from enjoying the quality of what the blogger shared.

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      11. @djmatticus
        I have likewise have found that blogging has encouraged me to be more communicative. However, I don’t find the online environment to be more supportive or encouraging than the offline environment is. If that were the case then I would question my ability to be a good character judge when it comes to making face to face friends.

        To be clear I have never been shy. I just don’t wish to expend my valuable time and energy on socializing online.The socialization is not as high q I read hundreds of blogs and I wouldn’t be reading them if I didn’t appreciate what the blogger posts. In most cases I read posts that are so well researched and written that there’s nothing of value that I can add as a comment, so I click the appreciation ie. like button. In some cases other commenters have said whatever I may have said. In cases where their is a lenghty exchange of comments I click out.

        When it comes to blogs of extroaverts like roughseasinthemed’s blogs and susielindau’s I can’t keep pace, so I just read and they accept me just as I am – uncommunicative. lol 😀

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      3. @ TT – hey! who are you calling an extrovert? I’m INTP. And for the record, I am/have been shy. Maybe my writing style is extrovert – that’s different.

        And you might not be chatty online but you have contributed a lot to this discussion.

        I do agree with you about the cliquey atmosphere on some blogs, and worry that sometimes mine may appear like that. But if people have been following, reading and commenting for a year or more, and may have the odd email exchange with some, it’s going to appear friendly, but hopefully not exclusive.

        Another giveaway, is when people blog under an assumed name, like us, and people use their proper names in exchanges. I do try and avoid that, but if their name is short and the blog name is long, it’s a real temptation.

        I switch off to lots of comments too, especially when they are inane, although I will read through an interesting discussion. I’ve also unfollowed a few blogs recently. And stopped commenting on ones that don’t return the comments/visits – no! I don’t mean you there. You’re always welcome to visit and read without needing to comment, others do too, and then leave a comment from time to time to tell me they are still reading. I try and avoid daily bloggers, or if I like some of their posts, I’ll keep them on reader but won’t read/comment on them all the time.

        I had to look up Susie’s blog after you linked us together. Her blog is about as far from mine as you can get! She definitely does come over as extrovert though. I felt tired just looking, let alone reading 😀

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    3. Yeah, I don’t really blog for the sake of having followers. It’s a nice bonus, but I don’t want to get a place where I’m changing my content to attract traffic – the goal is to find like minded people who have thoughtful criticism or who truly enjoy what I have to say, not shift my shape until I fit what’s popular. I won’t say I don’t want more followers, but I definitely don’t want to blog for the sake of popularity.

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  4. That’s nice, downloaded it and went through first 20 pages, I think I have already read most of the stuffs in your posts and support area. I felt that it is more of a compilation. Still of the most handy e-book I have found on the topic and that to for free. Thanks 🙂

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  10. I would love to have more readers. Writing for them and hearing from them feels like the heart of communicating what I care about — saving lives by writing about our lives — memoir and life story. Sometimes, though, I wonder if my field is too narrow. Of course, I always include my other passion — chocolate — chocolate recipes. Now that is a topic almost all women relate to. Thanks for your good suggestions.

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  11. New readers? – OF COURSE! Well, there are some who cause me to raise me eyebrows in amazement … I mean as to why in the name of all the gods s/he has decided to follow me … I never ignore a comment: in fact I (and several others!) have been liaising with Support re some weird problems in this area – we think to our success … certainly, we hope!

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  14. I started off my blog as my autobiography to record my life story for my children but they aren’t interested so my blog ended up being a random blog of all sorts. So I would love traffic, the more the merrier. Thanks for sharing the ebook. I will download and see the magical results. 🙂

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  15. I have just started a blog and am not sure how to increase my traffic any ideas? and tips that could be shared?

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  19. Thank you! I don’t care too much about blog traffic but I do admit it’s a great feeling when there happens to be a lot of people stopping by. From what I’ve read so far, this is a great resource.

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  22. After reading your post , I come to realize that I am one of those who wants too share my gift and talents with more than just family.I started a blog on my web site but could not get the contents to load the way I wanted. pictures and words would move around on there on. I,m wanting to grow the blog to the highest heights. the article is downloaded to my tablet, and sounds like it will help me reach that goal. Thank you very much Studios of Owen Foster

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  23. Thanks for creating this e-book! This ebook is chock-full of helpful tips and tricks! A must-read for any blogger!

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    1. That was our goal — many people prefer reading away from their computers these days (and many among them also blog away from their computers, so it makes even more sense).

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    1. You don’t have to read it on the computer — when you download a pdf file, it can easily be printed without losing its formatting — you can do this on any home printer. This way the book is still free, and if anyone feels like having a hard copy, they can easily (and cheaply) obtain one.

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