What Generates Blog Traffic
As a blogger, I am always interested in what generates blog traffic. I do not like to give a talk to less than 100 people. For the same reason, why would I want to blog if only a few 100 people read it.About a third of my traffic are repeat so I have a core following. Likely a good number of these are staff, family, customers and suppliers etc. People who know me. Some are the self development freaks (not a put down – I count myself among them). What I am not sure about is whether these people log in once a week or every few weeks and read the whole week(s) or if they are daily followers.
I get a fair amount of traffic from my articles. Some of this is from free article sites but an equal amount would be from other blogs that republish an article.
I get some traffic from blog exchanges like Blog Explosion, Blog Soldiers and Blog Clicker (although I do not surf enough to get much traffic this way). I also wonder at the value of truly random hits.
I get some hits from Technorati and many from Google.
I get some traffic from sites that link to me or mention me. For example, I got a good review of my recent talk at WLU on Thusenth. These generate more or less depending on how big the site is.
I get regular hits from the SYNNEX home page and from our marketing stuff that go out.
I know I get some from print articles but this is tough to quantify which source they come from since many of them would be google searches or people who key in the URL directly.
I think bots generate hits but of course are not “real” hits. Since I turned off “word verification” to make commenting easier (I still proof everything that goes before it gets posted) I have been getting 5-12 spams per day. I am so flattered that all the bots think I have a “great blog” and “inspiring” etc.
posted by Jim Estill @ 6:48 PM 
7 Comments:
I think the content and regular updating is what generates blog traffic. As long as you have an interesting content then people find your blog sooner or later. The most popular blogs that I have come across don't use any promotional tools like traffic exchange programs that you mentioned in your entry. Unlike earlier days of the Internet, major search engines will actively crawl your site on regular basis looking for updates.
The Blog Tribune
very valid point - especially on the return visitors.
I'm beginning to believe that commenting genuinely on blogs is the best way to build readership of your own blogs.
I base that on the increase in the number of votes our blogs get on several toplists on days I surf only, vs days I comment frequently, but surf less.
Yes, commenting on blogs does generate traffic. To get a meaningful amount of traffic that way would take hours though I would think.
I think you would really enjoy this relatively young site, one of inspiration for my current venture, called Newsvine.
I know that you write articles and many professionals like yourself do the same and link back to their blogs through this site.
I love the idea of a 'social press', and Newsvine is a great way of channeling it.
A personal favourite author of mine on Newsvine is, Carl Howe.
Great way to increase blog traffic as well.
I agree the the biggest factor will always come from creating genuine original material that grabs peoples attention. But it's something that will always take time and if you can consistently create new stuff while still being true to yourself then the amount of "non posting" readers you get will increase dramatically.
Jim, I have been following your blog since I started my own about a month ago. you have great articles, a variety of issues and approaches in your writeups - makes them easy to read. I usually link to them through your twitter updates, but now have you saved as a website and will probably guest post an article or two from your blog soon.
keep up the dialogue - I'm a Canadian as far away across the continent as your could get; the messages are universal!
regards,
meryle@bizcoachonline.ca
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