Why Your Blog Isn’t Getting Any Traffic (And How to Fix it)
You’ve started a blog! Congratulations! That’s a great, free way to bring in organic traffic and promote your brand. You quickly punch out your first post. Triumphant, you hit “publish.”
Hours pass. Days even. And there’s not a peep from anyone. Your post views are nonexistent. So, what gives?
Blogging is a long game. You’re not going to gain 2,000 followers overnight. But if you’ve been blogging for a bit and are tired of a symphony of crickets, there’s a few reasons why your blog might not be getting any traffic. Let’s get started.
You’re Not Focused
Do you have salad blogging syndrome (not an official term, but that’s what I call it)? Do you write about your trips to the beach, your German Shepard, your business, and your favorite movies? There’s a good chance that’s hindering your online reach.
Having multiple interests is all well and good, we’re only human. But it can get you in trouble with your blog.
Writing about multiple topics can make your blog unfocused. It causes people to lose interest. I love eco-friendly living and tiny baking, but it doesn’t show up in my posts. Why? Because it has nothing to do with copywriting or content marketing. And therefore, it’s irrelevant to both my brand and my audience.
I mean, how weird would it be to go to Half Baked Harvest’s blog, and see she’d written several posts about crocs or something?
It’s tempting to write about everything. But if you want to build a following, you need to make sure you blog has a specific focus. What is your audience coming to you for? Is it because you make the best dang Artisanal Almond Butters? Are you showing Mompreneurs how to leverage Pinterest for their marketing? Write with those people in mind.
Not Promoting Your Blog on Social Media
“If you build it, they will come” is something I semi-disagree with. No one is going to come if they don’t know it’s there.
Think about it. If I make a tray of cookies and just sit around my house, no one is going to come by to just grab one. Now, if I bring in said cookies to my office with a note and shoot a group message that they’re in the break room, people will come (based on my experience).
The same goes for your blog. It’s not enough to just publish a post. You need to promote it, so people know to go read it. That means blasting your email list and promoting it with well-thought-out blurbs on social media. And don’t forget to include relevant hashtags.
Your audience won’t go digging around for your blog. The world of content moves fast. Make sure to share (and periodically re-share) posts relevant to your ideal clients.
You’re Cheating with Keyword Stuffing
What’s keyword stuffing? Take a look at this:
That right there. That’s what it looks like. If you’re keyword stuffing, you will always have bad copy. Always.
This photo makes me cringe every time I see it, because it’s a pet peeve of mine. Content should always be useful, entertaining, and prioritize your reader (or so I firmly believe).
With keyword stuffing, you’re writing solely with the intention of trying to rank higher in Google. And that leads to copy that’s confusing and unreadable. It’s what we in content marketing call Black Hat, or unethical, SEO.
And guess what? You’ll get caught. Google will find out. And they tend to do things like put you at the bottom of page rankings. And if your blog is in website purgatory, that certainly won’t help with your visibility.
Yes, obviously, you want to rank in Google. And to do this, you need to mention your keywords in your writing. But only do it so in a way that’s natural, and still readable for your audience. Remember, search engines don’t give you views, likes, and shares. People do.
Your Blog Isn’t Accessible
Did you know it’s estimated 285 million people are visually impaired? Make sure some small formatting issues aren’t rendering your blog completely inaccessible to those who may be blind or have limited vision.
And maybe you’re thinking, this isn’t a big deal. But it is. The experience of your readers is important for you building your online presence. Especially if you have a business.
If people can’t quickly understand your blog, they’ll leave. The same is true if it’s inaccessible. If people with disabilities can’t enjoy access your copy the same way your able-bodied readers can, they’re not going to have a positive reader experience. And that limits your online reach and reputation.
There’s a lot of simple, low-tech ways you can make your content inclusive. Use alt-text for images so people can hear (machines to assist them will read it out) what the image describes (i.e: small dog laying on a pink bed).
Use an easy-to-read font (not those fancy script ones). Check out this post from “Life of a Blind Girl” for 10 ways to Make Your Blog Accessible for People with a Visual Impairment.”
Your Posts are Jargon City
Jargon is one of the deadliest copywriting sins, and it’s pervasive.
For some reason, we have a love affair with jargon. We like to fill our sentences with the biggest words possible. But there’s no prize for sounding like the most confusing person in the room.
You either come off as pretentious or confusing. And neither is good for growing your online presence or expanding your reach.
People are coming to your blog to be entertained or to learn something. And if they can’t quickly understand what you’re talking about, they’ll leave.
Think about it. If you’re an SEO specialist, you may be talking about the ins and outs of search engine optimization, or how you can rank better in internet searches.
Wait, why don’t we just say that? That’s a lot less confusing for your donut delivery service company or hair salon owner who’s trying to quickly find someone to help them build their online presence.
As a general rule, don’t use a bigger word where a smaller word will do. Keep your blog posts conversational.
That’s a Wrap
And there you have it. A few low tech, cheap, and easy ways for you to fix the radio silence on your blog. Now, over to you. What can you do today to increase your blog’s visibility?
