Exhausted (Photo credit: ex.libris)
Has commenting on forums and other blog posts day after day left you exhausted and worn out?
Are you getting sick and tired of social media and feeling like a hamster on wheel that goes nowhere?
Have you spent thousands of dollars on SEO software or hired a social media manager, director, or assistant, but still haven’t seen results?
If you answered YES to these questions, you’re not alone.
First, SEO is fine but it’s not the end all be all to growing a blog.
Second, unless you’re spending money on Facebook and Google ads, social media may not work for you.
Don’t get me wrong, social media is a great way to network, meet new people, and keep in touch with your family, but your blog traffic may not explode overnight. I know this is disappointing to read, but there’s hope for you and your blog. Keep reading.
Grow Your Blog without SEO and Social Media
I know. This probably sounds crazy but keep reading.
If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, author, or artist you probably comment on forums and blog posts. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it may not drive as much traffic to your blog as you want. It’s good to be a part of the conversation, but it won’t necessarily help increase your blog traffic.
Jumping onto the latest social media network may not be in your best interest, yet. Because someone says you MUST HAVE a Pinterest account doesn’t mean you have to open an account. Believe me, I know.
I do believe it’s good to stay on top of the latest social media networks, but solely focusing on them day in and day out may not bring you as much traffic as you desire.
Social media is another marketing tool. You can measure statistics such as demographics, trend topics, and much more.
Social media is a marketing tool used to measure demographics, trends, and other statistics. Click to Tweet
Tip: You can tweet your blog posts, stumble them, etc., but try not to spend ALL day on social media. You may want to spend 15-20 minutes a day on your networks.
The amount of time you spend on social media could be used to grow your blog strategically. It’s better to take action that gets results versus action that costs you time and doesn’t get results.
Speaking of results… It’s time to find out how you can grow your blog without SEO and social media.
How to Grow Your Blog without SEO and Social Media
Read and comment on blogs that are of interest to you.
I know what you’re thinking. “You just told me NOT to comment on blogs.”
Hold on… let me explain.
I said there’s nothing wrong with commenting on your favorite bloggers’ blog posts. I also said it’s good to be a part of the conversation (one way to network). Most bloggers will read through and reply to comments left on their blogs.
But… To grow your blog, choose one or two of your favorite blogs, use their advice (write about it and post it on your own blog/website), and send them an email telling them you liked their blog post (include a link to their blog post) and how the advice worked for you. Ask them if they’d like you to send them the specifics behind your results.
Note: If you already wrote a blog post about the results you received from a blogger’s advice, don’t include it in your email. Again, let the blogger contact you.
That’s it. This is how you can grow your blog and subscriber list.
I know what you’re wondering… “What blogging guru told you this?”
I learned this by listening to a teleseminar, two in fact, from Derek Halpern from Social Triggers.
Would you like to know what the perfect blog post looks like? Click here to find out.
Derek makes a good point about contacting your favorite bloggers. How will they know who you are if you don’t contact them? How will they know if anyone is getting results from their advice if no one tells them?
Emailing and telling a blogger how they’ve helped you will tug at their heart strings, and they’ll want to share your story with their readers.
Why?
Again, it will show readers that their advice and suggestions get RESULTS.
Warning!
DO NOT do this all of the time. This is one way to increase your blog traffic (there are several others), but it’s one of the best.
Now I Want to Ask You This…
When will you take the advice from your favorite blogger, use it, write about it, and contact them with the good news that their advice actually worked?
Remember… It’s a win-win situation.
First, the blogger gets the satisfaction of knowing someone listened to them and confirmed what they already knew which is they know what they’re talking about.
Second, the advice has helped you (fill in the blank). When a blogger’s subscribers read how their advice has helped you, it only will make them want to take action so they too can see results.
It’s that simple!
If you enjoyed this post, I’d appreciate it if you could share this on Twitter or whatever your favorite social media network is. Thank you!
Absolutely Amandah!
I loved the way mentioned here and totally agree with it. Being on the social networking sites for most of the day or leaving comments all over the Internet is something most of us, but we also waste a lot of time that can be used up in various other constructive work. I myself have been guilty of working this way.
Yes, while somewhat of it is required because without a social media presence one can’t really gain recognition for our work, but yes it has to be within a certain time limit or else you really can’t do your own work.
Linking up to a post that you learnt something from and writing about it makes sense, though here you would have to contact or email the person and let them know about it. But yes, this is one way that even your readers would know something more about the topic, and also the fact that you appreciate and value the work of others.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Harleena,
Thank you for your comment. It’s always nice to see you here on Savvy-Writer.com. 🙂
I think social networking is one way to grow your online presence, but getting out there and meeting people could do more for you, especially if you’ve written a book.
It’s a good idea to read up on online marketing and formulate a plan that works for you and your business. A “one-size fits all” method doesn’t work because businesses are different; some are more complex than others.
Thanks for your input!
Bad ass post Amandah! Found you through Derek’s site, good way to use the Drafting Technique, you make it sound simple which is what I needed. It’s probably the best form of flattery: do what they say and get results!
I’ll find you on Twitter, cheers!
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the comment!
I haven’t tried Derek’s technique, yet. Then again, I could email him and show him that I’m taking his advice and sharing it with my readers in the form of blog posts. 🙂
Pingback: How to Tell if Your Content Writing Stinks and Break Free