11 Sources and Tips for Building Blog Traffic

In my earlier posts, I have mainly written about search engine optimization , because it starts form choosing domain name , so new blogger can have benefit and bloggers who are already having blogs can optimize their new posts.

But search engine though a main source for traffic , it is not the only the source which a blogger should explore for traffic. There are many other sources for blog traffic and in this post we will discuss about that.

We will list those blog traffic sources with some explanation and list websites where you need to sign up. So I am trying to give information as What to do ? How to do it and where ( which websites) to do it, to make it easier for new and average bloggers. And they need not run here and there finding resources.

Following are the 11 blog traffic sources which you can use for your blog.

1) Source #1 : Blog directories :You need to submit to few popular blog directories after you have at least 5- 10 posts on your blog. Most of the blog directories will ask you to give reciprocal link on your blog. In some cases you need to enter reciprocal link url , then you can create a new post for giving links to such directories rather than giving link on main page of the blog. If they ask for RSS feed please enter http://yourblog.blogspot.com/rss.xml. You also need to enter your keywords as Tags or generate tags . Some directories will ask for specific size banner , so design a banner using software like photoshop , upload it at free space like pages.google.com and provide the link of the banner to the blog directories. For example banner for this blog is at http://umeshsmiles.googlepages.com/blog-traffic.jpg
Popular blog directories are listed below which allows free submission , please do not go for paid submission.

2) Source #2 : Comments, Emails, Profiles , chat , groups :
You need to comment on other blogs , develop relations with bloggers . This leads to visits from this blogs and bloggers.
You can send at least 10 emails per day writing about your blog and requesting to visit .Please do not send bulk mails or spam mails. You can mention about your blog in your profiles at google, yahoo, myspace , facebook etc. and also in chats, groups. You can answer at websites like answers.yahoo.com for related questions mentioning about your blog.

3) Source #3 : Linking to other blogs:
 You can ask for link to your blog or post to other blogs and you also need to reciprocate by giving link to other blogs or posts. This leads to link building and more traffic . Link building is beneficial for search engine ranking.

4) Source #4 : Forums, discussions,community, groups :
 From the list of websites given below, on many of them you will find discussions , groups , forums, communities .You can join groups /communities or create new one .You can take part in discussions /forums. Ask for help or give help. This leads to more traffic to your blog.

5) Source #5 : Socializing :
Digg.com:Socializing site.You can find more here - http://digg.com/about .
What all you can do at digg.com is at http://digg.com/how

StumbleUpon.com is a social network . You need to download and install a toolbar, then, when surfing the net, if you like a page and you want to share it with the community, you press a button (you stumble the page), and the page goes into the StumbleUpon circuit. On the toolbar, you also have the Stumble button, which, once pressed, shows you pages stumbled by other members.You can use stumble upon without toolbar also, once you have a account there.

6) Source #6 : Writing and submitting articles/ posts/ reviews : 
You can write articles for others / reviews for products or services. Please check websites like payperpost.com , reviewme.com

7) Source #7 : Converting new visitor to regular visitor
 - Write better providing sufficient information on the subject with proper home work done. Group /Categorize / List /Organize the content properly so it becomes easier to read and understand . Add pictures and video where ever possible to make post colorful and attractive. Rather then writing longer, cover all information in less words because on internet , visitor wants more information in less time.
Providing rewards, free e books, contest etc - You can provide some type of reward to visitors /bloggers like link or few dollar prize for comments /review of your blog or have a contest on your blog . You can write a e-book yourself and offer to download it free or you can use free e-books available on internet . This encourages visitors to stay more , visit again , subscribe to your blog posts etc. Please note that buying and selling of links is against search engine guidelines/policies.

8) Source #8 : Branding , banners, free banner exchange :
You can think of nice logo / banner /header picture for your blog with a slogan /punch line for it. You can use that logo on you posts , emails , profiles etc . As your blog grows and if related to business/products/service, you can go for brand name . While submitting your blog to directories ,some of them asks for banner so you can submit your banner here. There are free banner exchange programs run by blogs and blog directories , you can participate in that. I will try to provide list of websites for this.

9) Source #9 : Try other media :
 Think creative . Where else you can mention about your blog or display your blog . Some newspapers allows you to submit your post to them and they publish selected posts in their newspaper with blog name. So try sending your blog posts to print media.Can you display your blog url on your vehicle ? Your t-shirt?

10) Source #10 : Paid promotion :
All the above options are free to use but you need to spend many hours on internet . So if you do not have time , you can go for paid blog advertising like google adwords and other paid promotions .Please do not buy links .Please keep good and sufficient content on your blog and basic blog promotion done before going for advertising .

11) Source #11 : Mobile blogging :
Blogspot offers you to post using your mobile. Many socializing sites now offer mobile future, this saves on your time .So if you efficiently use this feature you can save time to be active more at other promotional activities which leads to more traffic.


List of the websites ( I will keep this updating) :

1) Blogcatalog.com - Blog directory ,discussions , Groups.
2) Blogskinny.com - Blogdirectory
3) Topblogarea.com
4) Blogflux.com - Directory , forum ,Polls
5) Blogtoplist
6) Bloghub
7) Getblogs.com
8) Bloglisting.net
9) Blogdirs.com
10) bloggernity.com
11) Stumbleupon.com
12) Digg.com
13) Bumpzee.com
14) Mybloglog.com
15) Blogrush.com
16) Reviewme.com
17) Payperpost.com
18) Blogcrowds.com
19) Topblogging.com
20) Topofblogs.com
21)Entrecard.com - banner exchange by credit earning.


Managing better : You need to register on above sites so it is better to keep a separate email address for blogging and common username , password for all these accounts. Also wherever possible subscribe/forward all your discussions , replies, comments to this email id so that you can check them all in one session and does not miss anything and more you remain active at any of the websites , more will be your points /visibility /traffic.

I will keep updating this post .Please tell how you find this post, your comments and suggestions are welcome.