Top 12 Ways to Blog Like a Pro and Get More Traffic – Part #1

I find those top lists postings incomplete and at random. Not only that they don’t give practical tips but they also leave not explained why you need to do what they recommend.

I want to change that with this article, so hope you’re going to enjoy it as much as I did writing it…

I’d love you refer it to ALL your friends, talk about it on your blog and comment on it.

1. Write longer posts – one of the best blog post secrets

World-wide known fact: bloggers writing shorter post have little to no chances to get their content linked by other bloggers. WHY? Because when you write lengthier posts, you increase your chances to get more traffic via other blogs.

Most folks prefer longer versus shorter posts, so give them what they want.

2. Attach your blog URL in your e-mail SIG file

You’re probably using e-mails on a daily basis, so why not take advantage of it?

It’s SMART you ALWAYS include a short, descriptive and enticing signature file at the end of all your messages – says something controversial about your blog, or tell folks NOT to click your url.

You’ll notice (by experimenting) this little “trick” is a great way to boost your clicks and get more traffic to your blog.

3. Use the story-telling technique & connect “FAST”

Each and every time you’re using a (real) story about you and your experience related to a product, service or problem, you’ve “instantly” connected with your target audience like nobody else.

Tell more stories and you’ll build yourself a large database of raving fans, not only readers.

WHY? Because people love stories; we’re conditioned to leave our “buying resistance” down. I’d pick telling a cool story over delivering hype each and every time when writing a new blog post.

4. Forget copy-paste content, create VALUE

Gurus teach us how to trick Google, or fool readers by repeating what everybody else said. Forget about that! Our aim is to serve our blog readers and clients with real VALUE-ADDED content (tips, tricks & information that really helps, not only gives the facts).

Content is KING; VALUE is the king of the kings. Or, should I say “the QUEEN?

5. Be laser beam FOCUSED

Always target your message to your target audience, or you’ll fail blogging even before starting. I can’t emphasize this enough.

Who’s your “ideal” prospect (e.g. blog visitor, reader and client)?

How is he/she looking like? Where does he/she live? What he/she does for a living?

Did you (really) think about this? Did you create your “ideal” prospect PROFILE?

For example, my “ideal” prospect profile (for this blog) is mainly formed with these characteristics:

Adults (both female and male) located in the US (Canada and UK) who want to blog like nobody else and make a living online via blogging. They work from home, and blogging is their passion.

WHY THIS IS CRUCIAL (not an option!):

Once you know the basics about your target audience and stick with your “ideal” prospect profile, you’ll be able to keep your content and blog posts targeted to their needs, wants, problems and frustrations.

6. Sell an EXTRA Freebie

I call this an ethical bribe. You don’t really “sell” it. You rather sell the concept. Why people should join your blog list, just for the sake of getting “free updates”?

It’s not enough anymore. Everybody is offering that.

Figure it out what your “idea” prospect really wants and needs (visit forums, run surveys and ask your readers directly)

Package YOUR solution as a freebie and offer it as an added incentive when folks join your list. I do this with most, if not ALL my blogs. It boosts traffic and conversion ratio like nothing else.

The PDF you see on the right side (did you notice the cover at the top?) is a freebie. Here’s how InvesBlog is doing it.

Here are some cool icons & buttons “freebies”.

7. Put the VIRAL spin on your Freebies

Let other people give away your incentive. Whether it’s a PDF, video tutorial, MP3 call, eCourse, software tool, whatever, make sure you include a link, or mention your name, and blog url.

This brings more traffic to your blog and exposure for your business. It’s long-term and has viral effect – that means you can’t stop getting traffic even if you’d want to.

There’s only one requirement – specify directly this “YOU HAVE FREE GIVEAWAY RIGHTS, SEND THIS GIFT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS…”, or something like this. When you do so, folks will be more inclined to refer your freebie to others.

8. Turn yourself into a professional GUEST blogger

Did you ever think to write for other TOP famous blogs and tap in into their already-established database of “huge and growing” traffic & readers?

Guest blogging? It’s not that hard. Anybody could do it.

While it takes time, it’s well worth it and fun.

It takes some practice and you’ll get better at it with each new (guest) post.

Obviously the content you create needs to be original, not some re-cycled stuff or “duplicate” content that you just cut & paste from your blog. That’s the rule.

9. Use FORUMS while others struggle with non-effective promotions

A proven strategy since the earliest days of the Internet is to be as helpful and proactive in niche-targeted forums. People will notice that you are offering yourself up to others, and will be more determined to see what else you have to offer.

When you craft yourself a cool SIG file (see TIP #2) and attach it to your posts, you’ll start getting (a lot more) TARGETED clicks & traffic to your blog.

Just one forum post could bring you a “lifetime” customer and raving fan. Keep this in mind!

First make sure you learn the basics of forum marketing, and its ins and outs.

10. NETWORK with other like-minded people

This is perhaps the most often overlooked strategy for getting traffic and readers.

Stop pestering other bloggers for links, it rarely works anymore. Find a way to help them with something; give first, and ask after.

Just think about this – there are real people behind all these blogs, not robots – and they respond to good will just like people do offline.

A short e-mail thanking someone for their article, or a 3-line useful comment on someone’s blog will do wonders. That’s the first step of starting a relationship.

You can do it with almost any blogger out there, especially with the new (stars).

A (real) strong relationship with just one blogger could make you one day famous, wealthy, or both.

You never know it.

11. Write as often as you can

Yeah, the frequency of your writing determines the traffic you get, the connections you make, the links you refer to in your posts, and the overall blog success.

This is common sense, right? Then why not all the bloggers are doing it?

Hint – it’s because of lack of focus, laziness, or both. You decide if this is something worth stopping you.

Now, when I say “Write as often as you can” it doesn’t necessarily mean you should write at random. You have to stick with a schedule and usually the TOP blogs publish daily (often several times per day).

This is not a rule, but you could probably get yourself a TEAM of writers and build a nice network of blogs that publish daily, or on a “strict” schedule and receive more traffic and exposure than they could handle.

12. Spice up “your” writing style

Sometimes your readers will get bored over the “same” voice, or writing style. Even you could face this, and you don’t even know it.

Well, you have your own style, so probably there’s not much you could do about it.

Modeling other bloggers’ writing styles is an interesting concept, but that would not work as fast or as good as you’d want to.

What about you bring in a few “guest” writers to add some nice flavor to your blog?

Part 2 will be published next week, stay tuned!