So you've started a blog and you're excited to share your work with the world. But you also don't want to be "that person" who constantly spams their social media feeds with endless self-promotion. We've all had that Facebook friend who seems to post 10 times a day about their new business or blog, and it gets old fast.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to effectively promote your blog and grow your audience without relying on your existing social circle or resorting to spammy tactics. Here are some strategies to try:
Optimize for Search Engines
One of the most sustainable ways to drive traffic is through search engine optimization (SEO). Do keyword research to find topics your audience searches for, then create high-quality content targeting those keywords. Use on-page SEO like optimizing titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
Pro Tip: Use a tool like Google's Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to identify low-difficulty keywords with high search volume to target.
Common Pitfall: Keyword stuffing. Don't overdo it - Google is smart and will penalize you for unnaturally forcing in too many keywords.
Engage on Other Blogs and Online Communities
Instead of just promoting your own blog, spend time engaging on other relevant blogs and online communities. Leave thoughtful comments, answer questions, and participate in discussions. This will get your name out there and drive some of that traffic back to your site.
Pro Tip: Use a tool like BuzzSumo to find the most popular content and influencers in your niche to engage with.
Common Pitfall: Only dropping spammy links and self-promotion. Focus on providing value first through your comments and engagement.
You know you need to deeply understand your audience to create successful content. But actually getting inside their heads feels impossible. How can you really know what they're thinking and what they truly want? The Sales Safari Mastery guide shows you how to essentially become a fly on the wall inside your audience's minds by lurking in their online spaces and taking meticulous notes on their authentic thoughts and behaviors.
Guest Post on Relevant Sites
Identify blogs and publications with an audience you'd like to reach. Pitch ideas for guest posts that would be a good fit for their site. When done right, guest posting is a win-win - you get exposure, and the other site gets free content.
Pro Tip: Research the site's guest posting guidelines and audience to craft a pitch that's tailored to them. Make it as easy as possible for them to say yes.
Common Pitfall: Guest posting on low-quality sites with no traffic. Focus on sites with a strong, relevant audience. To streamline the process of finding relevant contacts, consider using an email finder tool like ContactOut to efficiently discover email addresses of potential guest posting opportunities.
Leverage Social Media Strategically
While you don't want to spam your friends' feeds, you can still use social media strategically. Share your best content at optimal times when your followers are most active. Use hashtags to reach new audiences. Engage with others by commenting on and sharing their posts. Run ads to specific interest groups.
Pro Tip: Use a tool like Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule your social media posts for ideal timing. Experiment with different posting times to see what works best.
Common Pitfall: Posting too much self-promotional content. Follow the 80/20 rule - 80% should be other valuable content, only 20% directly promoting your own.
You know having an engaged audience is critical for getting feedback and finding customers. But getting eyeballs on your work feels impossible. The guide to growing your Twitter following shows you how to realistically build an audience of over 1,000 engaged, relevant followers on Twitter in just a few months by strategically inserting yourself into existing communities.
Build an Email List
One of the most valuable assets is an email list - a direct line to people who've opted in to receive your content. Offer visitors an incentive like a free ebook or email course in exchange for their email address. Send a weekly newsletter highlighting your latest and best content.
Pro Tip: Use exit-intent popups and banners to capture email addresses from visitors who are about to leave your site.
Common Pitfall: Buying an email list. This is considered spam. Only send emails to those who have explicitly opted in.
Create Shareable Content
If you want your content to spread through shares and word-of-mouth, create things that are truly shareable. In-depth guides, infographics, videos, or highly emotional/controversial content tend to get shared most.
Pro Tip: Include click-to-tweet links with pre-written tweets highlighting your best insights and stats to make it easy for readers to share.
Common Pitfall: Not giving people a reason to share. Ask yourself "Why would someone want to share this?" when creating content.
Be Patient and Consistent
Building a successful blog is a long-term game. It takes time, effort, and consistency to grow an audience from scratch. Stick to a regular publishing schedule, keep promoting through various channels, and don't get discouraged.
Pro Tip: Analyze what's working using Google Analytics. Double down on the channels and content types that drive the most traffic and engagement.
Common Pitfall: Giving up too soon. Stick with it - audience growth often starts slowly before compounding over time.The key is to focus on creating great content and promoting it in a way that provides value rather than coming across as spammy or self-promotional. With patience and the right strategies, you can grow your blog's audience without annoying your social circle in the process.
