If you are like me, you’ve probably searched for “how to grow your blog” a couple of times on Google.
And then, you must have seen so many suggestions popping up on Google – yes, lots of opinions from the experts.
And they go like this:
1. Throw your posts on stumble upon and let people stumble on it.
2. Jump on content syndication sites and syndicate your posts.
3. Plus.. take some cold showers four times a day – I joke.
Now, let me set the record straight: In this post, I will not be telling you anything like that. Because those are the 1001 ways not to grow your blog.
You had probably tried most of those methods before, yet your blog traffic remains a cricket
That’s because those methods are chancy. If you ‘re lucky you make a hit, if you ‘re not, you’re hit.
Now, this is going to be a motivational post to encourage you to do the only one thing you need.
And that is; Influence induction
Here are the things you will read here:
- Why your blog traffic is not growing
- What is holding you down – and your blog
- How to break free from it
- How your blog traffic will increase afterwards.
The different types of Traffic a blog receives
There are four types of traffic – according to Google analytics. Here they are:
- Social traffic: Traffic from social media channels like Instagram or Twitter
- Referral traffic: Traffic sent to.your blog from other blogs.
- Direct traffic: Traffic from someone directly entering your blog address into the browser.
- Search traffic: Traffic from search engines.
But, for this post, I will sum up these four traffic sources into two broad categories:
- Chancy sources:
- Predictable sources:
Chancy traffic sources
An example of chancy traffic sources includes referral traffic from social bookmarking sites like Diggs, StumbleUpon, blogging communities – and even Reddit.
But sorry, the probability of getting your content picked up or going viral is < 0.1 – even if you spend the whole 24 hours changing your post titles for click baits, it does a little job!
Now, the chance of getting traffic depends on the possibility of your content being picked up – or of your content going viral.
This image shows a brief relationship between your traffic from those sources, the size of the medium audience and content virality
Predictable traffic sources
A perfect example of a traffic source that can be guaranteed is search engine traffic. Yes, traffic from Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Here’s why:
If your site and your content are optimized for search engines, be sure Tom! Google will send you your traffic.
Now if you were me, what do you do?
1. Focus on the chancy traffic sources the ‘experts’ tell you or
2. Spend your time building and nurturing a sustainable and long-term traffic source?
If I were you, I would opt for the second choice!
How Exactly does a Blog audience grow – Any trick?
Here’s the short answer: Don’t get your self caught up on chancy traffic sources. Focus your time on sustainable, and long-term traffic.
And the only way to do that is: Influence induction. I will give you an analogy:
In my college days, if you want to become popular you need to walk with the popular guys.
The rule is the same for blogging!
To gain influence and to get Google to trust your site and send you a flood of traffic, you have to walk with the trusted sites
That’s the theory of influence by induction.
Now, how do you use it to grow your blog? You ask! There are two proven methods:
- Influencer outreach
- Guest posting
Let’s delve into the details.
How To Use Influencer Outreach To Grow Your Blog Audience
The subject of influencer outreach seems to have gotten some funny vibes in recent times.
Here’s one of the reasons:
Image: Ahref
Wait a bit. What is wrong with such emails?
Here it is: The person you’re sending such scripts probably gets up to 50 of similar emails a day.
And you know what? They all claim to have awesome content.
Now, if you were the influencers, what would you do?
- Spend hours everyday editing your already published blog posts for each of the 50 guys – because their contents are so awesome?
- Or
- Give a cursory look at the email subject, squeeze your face, and hit heavily on the delete button?
Probably up to 80% of bloggers would opt for the second. It’s just the easiest to do!
Now Tom! That’s just not the right way to win influence in the blogging world.
It paints a picture of someone who’s probably selfish or inconsiderate.
But how can you build the right influence with influencers outreach and use it to grow your blog
The theory of reciprocity
See this quote from Richard Leakey:
“We are human because our ancestors learned to share… in an honored network of obligation”
Now, this is what I mean; Your target influencers are also human – not robots to push around to do your biddings.
So, don’t just talk about yourself alone. Tell them what’s in it for them or what you’ve already done for them.
Just telling someone you just mentioned him is enough to make them feel indebted. He is compelled to repay your gesture – either by linking to or sharing your post with his audience.
That’s a quote from Dale Carnegie
Now, that’s a known principle of the psychology of persuasion. Roberto Cialdini calls it the theory of reciprocity
Does it work?
Case study:
Peep Laja grew his one-year-old blog to 100,000 monthly visitors. One of his major tricks was to mention influencers and brands and let them know [ Influence induction ]
How To Use Guest Posting To Grow Your Blog Audience
Have you ever wondered why big brands, as big as Pepsi cough out millions of dollars to sign celebrities as brand ambassadors?
Here it is:
Winning Influence associating with highly influential people.
Yes, you can use the same strategy to grow your online brand popularity.
How?
“Build a blog of influence, by identifying with blogs that weigh influence.”
That’s the power of guest posting. But, I know many bloggers don’t. Here’s why:
Fear of rejection.
But if you skip this, I bet you’ve a tough nut to crack growing your brand influence.
Now, like I said, the goal of this post is to motivate you to do just one thing needed to grow your blog – influence induction
But, you can’t do that without overcoming your fears and bracing up to be identified with the influential blogs in your niche.
So, what do you do?
Plunge into the waters, face the fear and defeat it once and for all!
Image: Unsplash
I like to put it in Gay Hendricks words in, the big leap
“Fears are unreal. They are caused just because we think we are not capable.”
The first step to building your blog audience through guest posting is simple: Conquer your fears. Does it work?
Case study:
Bamidele Onibalusi increased his blog’s authority and brand influence – just by publishing 3.. guest posts. And yes, his traffic spiked to 60,000 monthly visitors – just in three months
Wrapping up
You want to share your content on social medials – or content segregation sites. Oh yes, it’s cool. Who knows? Your post may end up going viral and your blog becomes the talk of Uncle Lee’s world.
But, what if it doesn’t?
That’s why I believe in taking the bull by the horn, going headlong for the traffic sources that I can guarantee. The formula is simple:
Build your influence and Influence will grow your blog.
Finally
Have you tried any of the chancy traffic sources?
