Getting Blog Traction: How to Hook Them Once You’ve Got Them

There’s a strong focus in the world of online marketing on increasing blog traffic via SEO and other techniques, but comparatively little on how to keep those readers and customers around. Attention on the Internet is a slippery thing, and can get away from you quickly, even if you’re producing high-quality content. What can you do to keep readers coming back?

1. Publish on a regular schedule.

It sounds like obvious advice, but many bloggers forget that having a backlog of amazing blog posts isn’t enough: they need to keep on creating new content to hold readers’ attention. One of the strengths of having a blog or a social media account such as a Twitter or Facebook page is that they are not static, like websites, but dynamic. Take advantage of this!

2. Make sure blog posts cross-post to social media platforms and an email newsletter.

You’re writing all of this brilliant content, so make sure you let your readers know that it exists! Remember that even if a reader loves your blog, it may take them seeing several mentions of an article before they click on a link, so don’t be afraid to promote new content heavily.

3. Link back to older blog posts.

By referring to older posts, you’ll show readers more of what you have to say – and in the process, you’ll build up your reputation and brand as a trustworthy authority on your blog’s topic, ensuring future readership.

4. Write multi-part posts.

Breaking a long post into several parts helps keep each blog post short and snappy, but it also keeps readers chomping at the bit for more. If you’ve posted good content and end the blog post by saying that you’re going to be providing more in your next post, why wouldn’t a reader want to come back?

5. Ask for engagement with posts.

Make sure you don’t write the last word on a topic – give readers a place to offer their own opinions. Don’t be afraid to end a post with “What do you think?” or another closing question to start up a debate in the comments section that will be sure to get readers coming back.

6. Respond to comments.

If your blog gets a lot of traffic and readers are very engaged, trying to respond to every comment may be unreasonable, but try to respond to at least a few. This lets readers know you’re paying attention to what they have to say. It also helps spark further discussion and increases reader engagement.

These tips assure a constant flow of traffic and plenty of reader engagement – two keys to a successful website, and an easy way to get more leads for your business.