The olden days of promotion are gone. You can’t pump out links and expect people to come to your website. You need to provide solutions to people’s problems and establish yourself as a reliable, relatable expert in your field.
If you’re a bit stuck on how you should promote content online and increase traffic to your website or blog, then keep reading below for a few handy pointers.
Social Media
You knew this would be the first point didn’t you, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise really. To promote content online; social media is the first building block of any online blog, website or business. You can use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest (to just name a few).
For the social media novice, it’s worth checking out our recent post on how to increase your Twitter engagement.
You need to make sure that the readers of your social media posts have some quality content to click on through. Make sure that the copy you’ve uploaded is some of your best, but also always remember that it needs to be engaging.
Have a strong Call To Action included in both your content and your social media updates means that more people are likely to come read your content. Take for example:
“You shouldn’t use your mobile whilst driving. Find out why here.” – That’s a bit boring isn’t it. Yes, the reader understands what the copy is about, but are they encouraged to click?
“Are you guilty of these dangerous driving habits? Take our quiz to see how bad you really are.” – Sounds a bit more engaging doesn’t it?
Join forums
Joining a forum as a knowledgeable member is yet another way to promote content online. Some forums have different contributor guidelines and rules, so it’s worth taking a look at these before signing up.
Once you’ve made yourself familiar with the guidelines and rules of the forum, then it’s time to create yourself a profile. Keep it simple, but make sure that everything you put in it links back to your blog or website – even down to your username.
If you have the option to add a link into the signature that shows up when you comment, add a hyperlink to the blog post landing page of your website. When commenting, only add valuable advice based on your own experiences.
If you have your own questions, then add these as well. You don’t want to come across as a “know it-all”, and letting others help you integrates you into the forum community.
Guest Posting
Linking back to our past feature on guest posting and SEO, you could consider submitting an article to be published on another blog in your niche. Don’t make it promotional about your own website, and don’t make it about you.
Make sure that any of the guest posts that you write are your best material. Again, if you’re providing a useful, informative and (sticking to the websites guidelines) entertaining feature, people will see you as an established authority in your niche.
On an established website, the owner may allow you to have a bio or link back to your own website. If you have a related post, then instead of having a link to your homepage, send readers who click through to the post instead. They’re more likely to stay if they’ve found some content they’re already interested in.
Remember, some of them might not apply to you or your business, so be cautious in over-reaching with your promotion. Find a few ways that work best for you, and keep using them until your traffic stops increasing and levels out.
Experimenting is key, and don’t be concerned if it doesn’t work straight away. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and an established blog or website takes hard work, determination and most of all – loyal followers.
If you’re still struggling with how to promote your content online, then take a look at our content marketing page.
