Month: December 2020

  • Blogging

    One Simple Trick to Triple Your Blog Traffic

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    triple your blog traffic
    triple your blog traffic

    Any small business with a blog has a few key goals they strive for. And one of those is increasing their blog traffic.

    But what if I told you there was a simple trick that could triple your blog traffic? (Without hours of extra promo work…)

    You might call me crazy, but I watched it happen with one of my clients.

    This client recently launched their blog, so they’re still testing what’s working and what’s not.

    But there was one blog post I wrote for them that got 3 times more traffic than almost any of their other articles. Yes, you read that correctly—three times!

    And not only that, but when we promoted that blog to their email list, we got a click rate of 11.4%! (If you look at that and think, OK, so what?, then I should mention that the average click rate for this client’s industry is 2-3%.)

    My client’s audience was gobbling this content up.

    But why?

    Well, it started with that one simple trick I promised to tell you. And I won’t make you wait any longer.

    Triple Your Blog Traffic by Writing About Your Ideal Client’s Burning Questions

    After analyzing the blog and the sharing methods, I realized that what made this blog post get triple the average number of page views was simply … the topic.

    Not the topic in general, which was bookkeeping. The blog post itself answered a burning question that my client’s ideal customer had.

    This client is a bookkeeping/accounting business that serves other small businesses.

    Turns out, many of their readers are confused about how to pay themselves correctly.

    Yep. It wasn’t a sexy topic. It was actually pretty boring: “How to Pay Yourself as a Small Business Owner (And What Not to Do).”

    But that’s not boring to a small-business owner. That’s a huge question they have! No solopreneur or boutique shop owner wants to find themselves in hot water with the IRS because they’ve been paying themselves incorrectly.

    And there you have it … a high-traffic blog post.

    How to Discover Your Readers’ Burning Questions

    So let’s turn this around and apply it to your blog…

    Start by thinking about your current clients.

    What questions do they ask you most often?

    What concerns do they have regarding your niche?

    What fears compel them to seek out the answers to their questions?

    That’s what you need to be blogging about.

    If you’re not sure how to answer that list of questions (or if you haven’t been in business long enough to get to know your clients), don’t worry. There are still things you can do to dig up the answers.

    • Ask around on social media
    • Ask your email list
    • Ask other entrepreneurs in your space
    • Poke around on other blogs in your niche

    For that last tip, keep an eye out for their most popular blog posts and note the topics/questions that drive those posts. Don’t copy their topics exactly, of course, but you can use those popular blogs as inspiration for a new topic for your own posts.

    Triple Your Blog Traffic With a Solid Headline

    A perfect topic is the foundation for a viral blog post. But you still need to write a great headline to get that precious traffic you crave.

    I’ve written several blog posts about how to write compelling headlines and quick tips to improve your blog headlines asap.

    But the biggest tip I can give you right now is simply this:

    Make your promise as clear as possible.

    Don’t hide your topic behind fancy schmancy words. And be careful with too much mystery.

    If you have a blog post that touches on a topic your audience really cares about, then the best thing you can do is make it as clear as day how your blog post will benefit them.

    Recall the headline for the article I wrote for my client: “How to Pay Yourself as a Small Business Owner (And What Not to Do).”

    There’s no razzle dazzle to that headline. It’s really not that much to look at. But if you’ve been confused about how to pay yourself correctly as a small business owner, then you know that blog post is for you.

    Of course, topics that work for my client won’t necessarily work for you. That’s why you have to get out there and get to know your readers! Then, try out different topics on your blog and see what resonates most. In no time, you’ll be on your way to triple your blog traffic.

    So get out there and start writing!

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  • Blogging

    What 6 Months of Blogging for Other People Taught Me

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    Blogging for Other People
    Blogging for Other People

    When I launched my copywriting business earlier this year, I wasn’t planning for a pandemic. (Let’s be real… who was?) Yet somehow, it’s all worked out and my business has been steadily growing. I give God credit for that!

    Since then, I’ve been blessed to work with some great people, ministries, and businesses.

    The last 6 months have taught me so much in terms of running my own business, helping clients grow their businesses, and driving traffic to various websites.

    So I thought it was high time to share with you all what the last 6 months of blogging for other people has taught me.

    Let’s start with the most obvious lesson:

    Blogging Is Effective … if You Do It Right

    I don’t have to rely on HubSpot’s data that businesses that focus on blogging are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment.

    I’ve seen it for myself!

    One of my clients saw a 300% increase in website traffic one month shortly after we launched their blog. Another client got some natural backlinks (great for SEO!) because of blogging.

    This isn’t to toot my own horn. I say it to show you that blogging truly is effective—and not just for huge businesses that can afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on content marketing.

    It comes down to writing what your audience wants to read and then getting that content in front of them.

    Blogging for other people, whether for big ministries or small businesses, has shown me this principle is true. But it’s only true if you do it right.

    If you’re writing content your audience doesn’t care about, then guess what … they won’t read it. (Yep, learned that the hard way.)

    And even if you get great traffic to your website, you won’t grow your email list if your lead magnet doesn’t speak to your audience’s felt need. (Also learned this the hard way.)

    The best way to get your blogging recipe right is to test. Test everything—your blog topics, your lead magnet, your headlines, your photos … think of yourself as a blogging chef creating her own delectable dish. Keep tweaking until you get it right.

    Every Brand’s Voice Is Unique

    You’d be surprised how different one business’ voice is to the next. It entirely depends on the image the business wants to project and the people they’re trying to target.

    For example, I have one client whose voice is extremely laid back. I’m talking tons of ellipses, all-capped words, emojis, etc. That’s her voice, and it speaks perfectly to her audience. They feel like she’s talking to them directly, and they trust her advice.

    That style, though, would not fly with some of my other clients, who prefer to project more professionalism and less personality. This rings true for businesses that need to be taken more seriously and/or serve other businesses (B2B).

    So how does this apply to you?

    Well, it means you need to decide what your brand’s voice is. Is it more relaxed and fun? Then use more informal language in your blogs and maybe even add a few emojis.

    Or is it more professional? Use proper grammar throughout your writing. I still recommend keeping the language conversational—that’s just the nature of online writing nowadays.

    Whether Blogging for Other People or for Yourself, Don’t Forget the Data

    When blogging for other people, it’s easy to fall into the mindset of simply wanting to make the client happy.

    (All my fellow people-pleasers out there, raise your hands… I know I’m not alone.)

    But one thing I’ve learned is that I can’t let my natural tendency to want to please people keep me from doing what’s best for the client.

    After all, sometimes people don’t know what’s best for them. That’s why they hire someone!

    It’s my job to look at the data (traffic, leads, engagement, etc.) and nudge my clients in the right direction.

    As I choose to let the data drive my suggestions and writing decisions, the results are always better. What a surprise, right?

    And better results ultimately mean happier clients.

    When it comes to your own blog, this same principle holds true. It’s crucial you look at the data regularly to see what your audience is responding to, what platforms are working best, and what headlines are getting the most attention.

    What are some other lessons you’ve learned in your blogging journey? Share in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts. 🙂

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