We all know how important it is to drive traffic to a website, as it is both a key indicator and driver of business growth. As a result, there are many companies you could hire that offer this kind of service. However, it would be best if you were careful. Attracting new visitors or potential clients has a lot more to do with quality than it does with quantity. In other words, you want to reach the right audience if you’re going to convert ‘traffic’ into sales. Besides, there are many ways in which you can increase traffic (the right kind of traffic) to your website for free.
Guest blogging, for instance, is one of the most efficient ways to engage with potential clients and get more visitors to your site. Forbes, Intel, Xbox, and Salesforce are only a few of the major brands that have highly benefited from guest blogging. Thus, today, we will examine how you can drive more traffic to your website through guest posts.
All You Need to Know About Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is usually used for SEO purposes. Nonetheless, in recent years its popularity has allowed it to become much more than that! The problem is that there are many misconceptions when it comes to guest posts. Thus, let’s begin by saying that ‘guest blogging’ consists of placing your content for free outside of your blog to:
- Position yourself or your brand within the industry.
- Get exposure and attract users back to your website.
- Build a series of backlinks to your website to increase credibility.
Hence, to accomplish one or all three goals, you will need to create relevant content and publish it on blogs that have a good-sized and engaged audience. More so, if you want to focus on building backlinks to generate leads. In this case, you will also need to search for sites that have a strong root domain authority.
To find the right match, the best thing you can do is start a Google search. Look for websites that are relevant to your niche or business. Then, filter your results by selecting blogs that do well with their audiences — meaning looks for blogs that users are re-posting, commenting on, and sharing on social media.
Furthermore, you can search keyword +” blogs accepting guest posts.” Just replace the keyword with something directly related to your service or product. For instance, if your website offers proofreading services, you would search “proofreading + blogs accepting guest posts.”
Also, there are many platforms that list blogs that are continually looking for writers for guest posts. Also, if you are genuinely committed to finding the best blog to publish your content, it is always smart to look at what your competitors are doing. Dig a little deeper and find the sites were your competitors are posting; this will give you a general idea as to what you should do.
Keep in mind that you can achieve similar results by hiring advertorials in news websites. It is more expensive, but it also is much faster.
Copywriting Techniques to Drive Traffic
Now that you are familiar with what needs to be done to find guest posting opportunities, you must focus on content creation. Guest blogging is your chance to show off your writing skills and win new audiences over! So, if you do not have vast experience with this type of content writing, below are a few tips:
Write a persuasive title
Headlines are the first thing users encounter when they visit a blog. Thus, if you do not a have a compelling title, odds are your post will never be read.
Write a strong yet concise introduction
Think of the title as the ‘bait’ and of your introduction as the final ‘reel in.’ People will not have a reason to read the rest of the article and visit your website if the first three sentences do not compel them. Meaning that your intro needs to hook your audience by being concise, direct, and to the point. Usually, good introductions include a question, state an interesting fact, or identify a problem and then hint a solution.
Add subheading or bullet points
In general, users are less likely to read articles with big chunks of text. According to recent HubSpot statistics, 43% of readers scan through posts and articles. Thus, adding subheading and bullet points to break down the content will make your article more user-friendly.
Tell your story!
Remember, you are writing a guest post. Many readers may not know who you are and what you (or your brand) stand for. So, introduce yourself. Otherwise, your audience will not have a motive to visit your site. Guest posts are the perfect outlet to master the science behind storytelling. Tell your story c this will not only help your credibility but will also make you more relatable.
Add Hyperlinks
Whether it is a link to your website or a specific post on your site, you always need to re-direct readers to your blog. However, please do not overdo it! Hyperlinks need to be eased into the text naturally.
Guest posts, if done correctly, are one of the best ways for you to consistently build backlinks; and having backlinks on other credible websites will positively impact your SEO ranking.
Include a clear call-to-action
The last but possibly the most vital tip is to have a clear call-to-action.
Whether you want readers to leave a comment, share your post, follow you on Instagram, or purchase your service, make sure you clearly explain what you’d like them to do.
Do not expect people to guess what to do. Therefore, an effective call-to-action will leave nothing to the imagination. If you want people to visit your website, for example, you could simply write: ‘for more information, subscribe to our blog by clicking here.’
Also, keep in mind call to actions are usually links in itself. Hence, try to have them stand out by changing the text color or adding a different format (e.g., italics, bold letters, underline.)
If you follow all of these tips and tricks, your guest posts will allow your website to get the traffic you expect and desire.
You can also use other ways to earn money from your blog.