Promoting Your Blog: 5 Tips to Generate Traffic

The first time I started working on this blog was in 2011. At that time, the web page was only a shell of what it is right now. I was busy and happy with my day job and never really delved deep into the workings of a fashion blog. 
Times changed and in my free time, I had this itch for creating something and starting something of my own. So, I relaunched the blog in 2013 and put it out there, so to speak. Little did I realize that like any new venture or business, it does not stop at putting something out there and expecting people to discover it. 
Blogging is much more work than that and there is a reason people do this thing full time. Like any new venture, you have to research, find your niche, find your customers and reach out to people to sell your idea. It is all about market research, product development, networking and marketing. (Technicalities I learnt during my MBA, Thank god!) 
I don't claim to be an expert on fashion blogging but in the past 2 years of on & off blogging, I have learnt a few lessons. Some of these lessons were learnt by observing the influencers in these field and some by trial and error. I still believe I am on the learning curve but in today's post, I have a few tips that can help you increase traffic to your blog.

1. Create content that is easily shareable and solves problems Search terms on my blog range from "What to wear with ankle strap heels" to "Spring OOTD Ideas". Some of my most popular posts are where I talk about dressing for different body types or styling a wardrobe staple. Researching the current trends and creating content that solves a problem for your reader will eventually be shared more times than a regular outfit post.  Content created in the form of a infographic and downloadable templates are generally more popular with readers and will drive more traffic to the blog. 

2. Post quality content as frequently as possible After a few years of on and off blogging, I decided to try my hand at posting daily on this blog. For the past two months, I have been posting daily since my daughter is starting to become more independent. I can still only dedicate about 4 hours to blogging, mostly around the time she sleeps. Other times, I just multitask and it helps to have scheduled posts the day before.  I can talk from my own experience that posting frequently does make your site much more searchable. However, you have to make sure that quality over quantity has to be your motto.  Make notes on new post ideas and outfits whenever you have free time. Keep a notebook handy because you could find inspiration anywhere.  3. Network with other bloggers This one is a no-brainer. It helps to stay in touch with what's happening in the blogging industry. Having blogger friends helps when you are invited to an event or promotion and like everything else in life, Like breeds like. Having a mentor when you are starting out new is a great way of getting on top of the learning curve. Being in touch with your fellow bloggers fosters mutual growth.  You can network on groups like HeartIFB and join local groups of fashion bloggers. Find out about networking events in your area and join online linkups where you link your blog posts and find new blogs. You can do a twitter chat, an interview with another blogger or guest post on other blogs. Networking also increases your chances of collaborating with other like minded bloggers on projects.  4. Never ignore all the buzz around SEO

Guilty as charged! I ignored it for too long but SEO does drive traffic to your webpage. If you don't have the time for it, there are experts to help you with it but if you do, it is an interesting new skill to master. I use Google Analytics, Google Webmasters and GoStats to analyze how people are finding my blog. 
Having a few tricks up your sleeve such as - Using search keywords in post titles, creating internal links and keeping the meta description of your blog can do wonders to your website traffic. 

4. Content is fire, Social Media is the Gasoline

The more people that share your posts (just like this viral Hey Girl memes), the more chances are for your blog to find new visitors. There are many platforms where you can share your fashion blogging posts such as Twitter, Pinterest, Lookbook, Facebook, Instagram etc. 
Since Social media is the new Word of mouth, it helps to get people talking about the content you created. You can use bit.ly to shorten links and find out how many people are clicking on the link shared by you through social media.
I hope these tips are helpful for those looking to increase traffic to their website. Your inputs are welcome. 
Have a great weekend.