TT#21 | 13 Ways to Increase Your Blog Traffic

Note to Thirteeners & Others: If you leave a comment with your URL, we'll list your link under our post (making it count for Technorati & Google). To join Thursday 13, click the badge.
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Want to join BN-Politics' link-exchange?  Add us to your blogroll & email us.

Painting: Diana and Cupid (1761)
Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (1708–1787)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Photo by D. Cupples

The painting has absolutely nothing to do with our topic.  I just like it and thought others might.  (Decreasing it to 15% of it's size made it a tad fuzzy, 'sorry.)

Many of us blog, in part, because we enjoy having people read our stuff. Otherwise, we'd just write in private journals.  Below are 13 things related to increasing traffic to your blog. Enjoy!

1. Offer Link Exchanges.  The more people you link to, the better your chances of ultimately increasing traffic to your blog (be patient).  BN-Politics, for example, trades links with most blogs -- except those doing illegal stuff or spam (see our blogroll policy, top of right sidebar).  Because we link to diverse blogs, we have multiple blogrolls: e.g., blogs that aren't primarily political go under "Not So Political" (right side bar).

2. Quote other Bloggers & Let them Know it.  Most bloggers like to be quoted.  If you quote and link to other bloggers, let them know it by sending trackbacks (see #3 ).  Not all blogs accept trackbacks.  You could also leave a positive comment mentioning that you quoted a blogger (though some blogs don't like that, either).

3. Enable & Send Trackbacks.   To receive trackbacks, you must enable that feature at your blog (check your blog software's help section).  To send trackbacks, just copy the trackback URL or link if it's listed (usu. at the end of the other blogger's post) and paste it into the designated space for trackbacks on  your blog-post form before you upload it.  If working properly, your site should ping the other blogger's site when you upload your post. Trackback URLs & links look like this:

Trackback URL:  http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2440566/22028498

Trackback Link:  Trackback

Try it: right click & copy link location of the trackback  link (above), then paste it into anything; the result will look like this:  http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2440566/22028498

4. Understanding/Using Technorati. Technorati "authority" shows how many Technorati-listed blogs have linked to yours once in the last six months. If my blog links to yours in 5 different posts today, it counts as one authority point.  If I link to you once today and once next week, the first link will count toward your authority for 6 months from today, and the second will count for 6 months + 1 week from today.

Note to newcomers: Technorati is free, but you have to join and "claim" your blog to get the benefits (see Technorati's help section after you sign up).

5. Update your Links (Technorati). Given how Technorati works (see #4), we'd all have higher authorities if we all make a point of re-linking to blogs we haven't linked to in a while.

6. Join T-13 Blogroll & Update it.  Thursday Thirteen's blogroll has 200+ links: if you're not on it, consider joining.  If you are -- and you've been on it for awhile -- note that it was updated in March 2007:  if you don't redo it, new additions (like BN-Politics) won't be a part of it.  Joining the T-13 blogroll means that you install it at your own blog (see  link in our right sidebar, about 1/3 of the way down), thereby giving other T13-ers instant links.  Remember to check T-13 periodically for updates.

* If we all upload T-13's blogroll (even to a separate page), we all get Technorati points and a greater chance that others will happen upon our blogs.

7. Switch Off the No-Follow Feature.  If you're like me, you probably assumed that your comment links are like any other links and count toward Technorati authority.  Not necessarily: the "no follow" feature de-activates links within comments. Users of Blogspot, Word Press, and Moveable Type may be able to simply switch off the no-follow feature. Typepad users are SOL -- but if enough of us email Typepad, they might add this feature.  (PS.  Read up on this before you do it---one of our commenters below warns that it MIGHT affect your Google ranking.) 

8. Mr. Linkies.  You can create permanent links with Mr. Linky's magical linking widgets -- just be sure that you create "Permalinkies" when your T13 is done by copying the HTML into your own blog.  Instructions for Perma-Linkies are here. If you don't convert the links to Perma-linkies, your commenters' links don't register as actual links.  To get Permalinkies, you have to pay a small fee.  For getting and giving 'link love' it's probably worth it....though you can of course give link love by just doing what we do and linking manually (see bottom of this post).

9. Blogspot Problems.  First, I understand that Blogspot recently made it so that non-Blogspot bloggers can't include their links in comments they leave on Blogspot posts.  This decreases the incentive for people to comment on Blogspot blogs -- except those Blogspot blogs that have found ways to allow comment links. Below are two links that seem to explain ways around this Blogspot problem:

* No follow & do follow plugins

* Google for dummies

Second, some Thirteeners on Blogspot allow only people with Blogspot accounts to comment.  This is inconvenient and decreases the number of people likely to comment on your T-13s. 

10. Manually Add Thirteeners Links to Your Post. If you can't use No Follow or Mr. Linkies -- or if you can't overcome Blogspot's problems -- then you can do what we do: manually update T-13 posts by copying/pasting commenters' links into your posts.  It takes time, but giving link love is a good thing.

11. Use Digg.  Digg lists news stories (and blog posts) that members have listed with Digg (by clicking on the "Digg It" link at the bottom of so many articles/posts).  The more people who Digg an article/post, the better the chance that the piece will make it to Digg's front page.  Digg is a community with rules: don't Digg too much of your own stuff.  Digg is free, but you have to sign up.

12.  Use Reddit. Reddit is similar to Digg.  I don't know precisely how it works, but you can read the Frequently Asked Questions or rules at the site.  Reddit is free, but you have to sign up.

13. Use Stumble Upon. Once you download the Stumble tool bar, you can start stumbling -- that is, you can click a button and Stumble will arbitrarily load a webpage for you based on your interests (i.e, books, politics, entertainment...).  You can also submit websites, articles or blog posts to Stumble, so that they'll be among the pieces that other Stumblers come across. Stumble upon is free, but you have to sign up. As with Digg and Reddit, you should read up on Stumble at its website.

Bonus Advice for Blogspot/Blogger bloggers: Consider Installing  Backlinks (a fairly new feature)

Back-links show other web pages that link to your posts. If I write a blog entry that you link to in one of your blog posts, my post will automatically provide a short snippet of your text and a link to your post. Talk about sharing link-love.  I don't know how to do it (or if Typepad allows it). I've seen it on Blogspot blogs, though. Read about back-links here.

And, as noted  above, if you really love your commenters (as we do), you can do this:

BN-Politics thanks our intrepid commenters, whose blogs---listed below---are well worth your attention!

1. The Chronicles of a SAHM
2. Writing in Faith
3. Tinkerbell
4. The Abundance Place
5. The Gnostic World of Candy Minx
6. Comedy Plus
7. While Sleepwalking...
8. My Irrationalities
9. The Happy Wonderer
10. Sports, Soaps, & a Wandering Mind
11. Gratitude Journal
12. One Gal's Musings
13. A Gentleman's Domain
14. Lives Less Ordinary
15. Around the Island
16. Puss Reboots
17. The Mocha Mom
18. Pop Culture Dish, Presented by Malcolm
19. Diary of a Former Catholic Church Worker
20. State of Confusion
21. What Works for Us
22. Secret Agent Mama
23. The Pink Flamingo
24. Crazy Working Mom
25. Country Dawn
26. Fond of Snape
27. Leslie Dicken
28. J's Thoughts & Musings
29. Nazarene Family Services
30. I Read Banned Books
31. Do I Look Like I Freakin' Care?
32. Blue Star Chronicles
33. Rae's World
34. Joely Sue Burkhart
35. The Bird's Nest
36. Babysteps
37. On a Limb with Claudia
38. Vicki Gaia
39. Kat's Krackerbox
40. Artventuring
41. Denise's Den
42. Nichtszusagen
43. My 2 Cents
44. West of Mars
45. The Cafe at the End of the Universe
46. Storyweaver's Web
47. Hello World, My Name is D
48. Bending the Twigs
49. Loose Leaf Notes
50. Thorne's World
51. Thoughts of an Aspiring Writer
52. Quest
53. Dragonheart's Domain
54. One Old Green Bus
55. Di's Book Blog
56. Diary of 1
57. At Home with Grandmother Wren
58. D3
59. Notes in the Key of Life
60. Home is Where the Mom Is
61. Raven's Roads
62. Raven's RV
63. The Adventures of a MomLady
64. Raven's Rides
    

Comments

[nap warden]

I'm gonna have to check out #9, I am so limited on my html/code. I almost died trying to install a third column...I did switch to allowing anyone to comment on my blog...at least I think I did;) Thanks for the list!

[SandyCarlson]

I most like the good-will approaches to linking. You list describes that kind of interaction. Great stuff. I'll be back.

[Tink]

Thanks, this is a very useful post for me!
My list shares 13 of my favourite animation movies.

[Holly]

Wow, now this was a useful post! I've been trying to figure out pingbacks and trackbacks for some time now. (I only now about the splog ones that I get...ugh)

Really good post and thanks again. Worth a couple of times to re-read.

Happy TT-13!

Smiles,
Holly
http://theabundanceplace.com

[Candy Minx]

What great advice!!! I didn't realize I need to update my Tt blogroll..I thought it occured automatically!!!Oh my god!!!

I hope I can figure out how to do that now...

I am very concerned with Technorati Rank as I have posted about in this :

http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/search?q=arianna

Thanks a lot Buck Politics...for all the help...I am going to go do some of these things right now...

And here is my TT list:

http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2007/12/nature-versus-nurture.html

[Comedy Plus]

Great advice. Most of it I'm already doing, but some I'm not. Have a great TT. :)

[Milan - zzz]

WOW Loads of great stuff. I'll surely check some of those.
Thanks and happy T13!

[shesawriter]

I will definitely have to remember this. I'm bookmarking this page. :-)

Happy TT:

[Milan - zzz]

Should I leave URL in the comment box? (sorry - blush)
If so here it is (if the previous post is sufficient please do erase this one):

http://sleepwalk.wordpress.com/

Cheers!

[ellen b]

I think I understand some of this. I'm such a dweeb. thank you...

[Samantha_K]

What a helpful 13! I think this will be a popular list.

[Greatfullivin]

Wow THANKS! What a useful post. I have never used trackbacks because I didn't understand it. Did I say Thanks. Great TT.

[The Gal Herself]

Great TT. You explained Technorati better than Technorati does! (Thanks for visiting my TT)

[Nicholas]

Brilliant post, as usual!

[amypalko]

I must figure out this no-follow thing. I'm sure it's very simple, and I'm just being very dim. Great list though! I'm an avid stumbler; you always find such great stuff by stumbling!

[Robin]

I hadn't heard about backlinks for Blogger. I'll have to go investigate that. Thanks.

[pussreboots]

I'm sure many TTers will find this list useful. Happy TT.

[Michelle]

I am not savvy when it comes to all this stuff, I am pretty generic as far as blogging goes, maybe you could write a how to for blogging dummies like me! Thanks for sharing.
I am up too

[Malcolm]

Thanks for these tips. When I have time later this month, I will look into some of the things that I haven't been doing.

[No Nonsense girl]

Thanks a lot for these tips! :)

[Natalie]

Great advice!

[WorksForMom]

Excellent blog post this week. Very useful and informative.

[Secret Agent Mama]

I always love posts like this because it makes me more familiar with bloggy stuff that I didn't know before! THANKS!! Mine's up, too. A fun one about your horoscope.

[SJ Reidhead]

Very good. Technorati and I are at war. I swear if you complain about them they are vindictive.

SJR

[Crazy Working Mom]

Thanks for the info! :)
Some of it I find very useful.

If you come see me (at blogspot) just leave your link in the actual comment box and it'll count for you b/c I'm do follow.