I like writing list posts – they’re great because I can provide a lot of value, and give you guys a lot of ideas that you can work with.
BUT – they’re also very dangerous because all the tips, strategies and methods can be a bit overwhelming, and the last thing I wanna do is make you feel like you have to do every single method at once.
One thing to keep in mind when reading list post on any blog (not just mine) is to take away 1 or 2 tips and put them to work immediately.
That’s what I do to increase blog traffic – and it works really well for me.
So, on with the list!
8 Simple Ways To Increase Blog Traffic For Free..
In this post I’m gonna be talking briefly about each of the 8 traffic methods – but if you want a more in depth look at 3 of my favorites, sign up for my email course here.
Method #1: Guest Blogging
Guest Blogging is a great way to reach an entire new audience that other bloggers have spend months and even years building up. I still get traffic from a post I did on Laura Roeder’s Blog.
Method #2: YouTube Marketing
Video Marketing is a very good method of generating traffic because your videos will stay up there forever. (or as long as the site is running)
Videos that get popular and get a lot of views, tend to stay popular – so they will generate a steady stream of visitors to your site without fail. I recommend sticking to YouTube and mastering it since it’s the most popular video sharing site on the web.
Method #3: Commenting on Blogs
Blog Commenting is one of my favorite because I get to learn, interact and drive traffic all at once. It’s a bit time consuming but the results are amazing.
Method #4: Facebook Marketing
Facebook Pages & Groups. This is not about going to groups and posting your links all over the place (unless of course it’s a TRIBE that you’re involved in).
I recommend creating a Fan Page or a Group on Facebook that attracts your target market. That way you can add value to them by driving them back to your blog for content.
Method #5: Outbound Links
Outbound Links are great to drive traffic because of Trackbacks. Whenever you link to another person’s blog who’s using wordpress, a trackback is automatically created which tells them exactly where that link is coming from.
Other people can click on that link and come back to your blog.
Method #6: Yahoo! Answers
Yahoo! Answers Traffic. You can go to Yahoo! Answers and search for unanswered questions related to your topic or niche. You can answer the question with a link to a post where you address the actual in much more detail.
Updated: Quora is the perfect social network to do this. You can find topics you know something about and answer people’s questions. Pretty cool.
Method #7: Give Away Free Reports
Give Away Free Reports. I just uploaded 3 reports to GetFreeEbooks.com. It’s a free service that allows you to upload your PDF’s and then it’s blasted out to 19,000+ readers. I’ll share the results once they post my reports (hopefully they’ll be good).
Updated: This was a complete waste of time. At least now I know. :/
Method #8: Forum Marketing
Forum Marketing is another one of my favorites because of the immediate traffic it can generate. You also get a feel as to what your market wants and needs as you interact with members of your community.
Starting a new thread will expose your signature file to anyone reading your post. This is very targeted traffic!
Bonus Method #9: Podcasting
This is by far the best move I’ve made for my blog and business. The exposure you get from podcasting is amazing, especially if you get your podcast in the iTunes store.
I created an entire video course around this one traffic method, to show you exactly how to do what I did. How to get thousands of podcast downloads per month, and drive large amounts of traffic back to your blog.
On To You…
What are you doing to increase blog traffic? I’ve visited a lot of your blogs lately and there’s a lot of growth happening really quickly, so please share your experience with this community so we can all learn from it.
If you enjoyed this post please ‘pass it on’. Retweet it, & Facebook share it with the buttons on top – and leave your thoughts below..
32
Hey Hector – great post!
I love the tip you give people about reading a “List Post” and taking away 2 things from it to start with rather than trying to overwhelm yourself by doing all of them.
I find that with a list like this it is especially helpful to do that so you can really keep a good eye on what technique is working for you the best, and like you say really master that technique before moving onto to try other things.
Thanks for sharing the cheat sheet, it has given me a few new things to consider!
cheers
Nat
Nat´s last post ..Are You An Impostor Impostor Syndrome Self Sabotaging Behaviour At It’s Worst
Nat,
This is definitely the way to do it.. mastering and then moving on to other things..
glad you enjoyed the post & grabbed the cheat sheet..
talk soon
hi Friend plz check my website for more traffic and funny pics collection,.
Hey Hector,
This is a great list for anyone looking at generating more traffic to their blog. They are all effective and best part…They are free!
Chat with you later…
Josh
Josh Garcia´s last post ..Is Guest Blogging Really Worth it
Yup.. FREE is the magic word – and they work!
thanks for commenting..
talk soon
Hector,
Thank you so much for this great post! My favorites are number six and seven because I have never thought of them before!
I’ve used Yahoo Answers in the past but not since I’ve had my blog – that’s a really great idea to promote posts that way!
I’ve never heard of getfreeebooks.com, I’m going to go check that out now! That sounds like a great resource for driving traffic!
I also really like your cheat sheet!
Thanks again!
Stacy
Stacy´s last post ..Simple Ways to Re-Engerize Yourself
Stacy,
Glad you liked the cheat sheet – yea, 6 & 7 are really underground methods that not many people share.. but that’s what I’m here for.
thanks for stopping by
talk soon
What great value Hector! Thanks so much for sharing with us your tips and your cheatsheet. Never thought about answering questions on yahoo answers. I always learns something when I visit your blog. Have an awesome week!
Keysha Bass´s last post ..Do you have what it takes to be a Reallionaire
Keysha,
Yea.. yahoo answers can be a good traffic source, you just need to be very helpful and have the “best answer” to get the most out of it..
thanks for sharing – I appreciate your comment
talk sonn
Oh boy, I never thought that increasing traffic can be very hard. I think guest posting is the most powerful, however, it’s hard to be accepted. There are many strategies here that I’m not aware of and I’m thankful for your generosity in sharing it here. I think I will try Yahoo answers.
Walter,
Guest posting is very powerful – I’m actually gonna be doing a lot of this in the near future..
You’re welcome and thanks for stopping by and dropping a comment
talk soon
Hey Hector, another great post. I have had great success with blog commenting, for me this is one of the best & fastest ways to get traffic for free.
I like the idea of You Tube as well & am just about to embark on a campaign embracing this fully. I’ll let you know in a couple of months how this goes.
The cheat-sheet is a stunning idea too.
Stay Inspired,
Michael
Michael B Wilbraham´s last post ..Video Marketing & Video eMail – The Way Of The Future- RIGHT NOW
Michael,
Good luck with your YouTube journey,video marketing is here and it’s here to stay so I’m sure you’ll get great resutls
Your welcome.
talk soon
Love your cheat sheet, Hector – what a fabulous idea! You are right, too much advice can lead to non-action (just take a look at my 202 tips to increase Blog Traffic – overwhelming), but I love it how you focused on a few tips and gave your readers means to actually implement them.
One addition for your tip on trackbacks – write a post with as many trackbacks as you can get it without overwhelming your readers. Those kind of posts tend to be very linkable and well read.
Best,
Ana Hoffman
Ana @ Targeted Website Traffic´s last post ..3 Unorthodox Ways to Get King-Kong EDU Links
Ana,
That’s a great tip about using trackbacks.. thanks for adding value to the conversation..
Glad you enjoyed the cheat sheet
talk soon
Hi Hector,
Great list! #3 and #8 are my favorites, but there are some on that list I haven’t even tried yet. Will be fun to do so and record the results. Thanks for the ‘cheat sheet!’
Have a great week!
Ilka
Ilka Flood´s last post ..Plugin Trouble Spoiling Your Blogging Fun
Ilka,
3 & 8 are my favorites too – they’re so easy but effective too..
Thanks for dropping a comment
talk soon
Hector, I love cheat sheets, they don’t have to be elaborate or complicated but creating manageable tasks that you can do every day can make a big difference in your traffic. In fact just doing just one or two things from your cheat sheet would only take a few minutes a day.
Great tip, thanks!
Liz @ internet home business ideas´s last post ..Building Links with Blog Comments
Liz,
That was the goal – to give my readers actionable steps to start implementing and start getting traffic..
thanks for stopping by
talk soon
Hey Hector,
I’m just using a few of these, but have downloaded your cheat sheet so I can start utilizing the rest.
Thanks for sharing,
Neil
Neil´s last post ..I Fired my Internet Marketing Gurus
Neil, glad you’re getting results using some of these methods – adding more to your marketing strategy will probably help you out a little..
as always, do what works best and forget the rest..
thanks for sharing
talk soon
Hello Hector
Right now I mix things up between blog and forum marketing. It is easy for me to do and I learn a lot from reading others blogs.
This is a busy time of year for me so it is what I have time for.
Starting September I plan on adding article marketing to the mix.
I am interested though in your experience with giving away free ebooks.
My gut tells me that those who sign up to get free ebooks may not be a good target, so let me know.
Peter R Fuller´s last post ..The Law of Awareness – A Personal Story
Peter.. glad you’re getting results with blog & forum marketing.. those two I use almost exclusively… along with guest blogging which is getting REALLY REALLY popular.
They STILL haven’t updated the site, so the ebooks I submitted aren’t showing up yet.. hopefully they will soon.
But as far as targeted traffic, people that download free ebooks may not be a good target audience but if the sites gets me some traffic for 5 minutes of work – it’ll be worth it.
They can read a post, retweet it, share it maybe.. leave a comment.. and make my site more active when they get here, which Google likes..
So it won’t be a total loss.. thanks for sharing, I’ll let you know what happens
talk soon
Hi Hector,
I love the list posts too. Sure they may be overwhelming sometimes, but many times they’re awesome because they fill in some gaps we may have.
Thanks for another great list!
Susanna
Hey Susanna..
Yup, you’re definitely right sometimes you feel like there’s nothing else you can do to drive traffic and there are literary hundreds of ways.. this list just makes it a bit easier.. (i hope)
thanks for sharing
Hector
Great list Hector,
I use some of these already, and have heard of others, but having them all presented in a concise list is an excellent resource. Love the cheat sheet too!
Cheers,
Jym
Jym´s last post ..Home Business Success vs Weapons of Mass Distraction…
Jym.. glad you enjoyed the cheat sheet.. continue using the methods. they all work really well, but focusing on one or two will get you the best results..
thanks for sharing..
Thanks Hector. A good solid list that you cannot go wrong with it your follow it.
You should check out http://www.alison.com for some great freev courses on the topic
Great value you have passed on here Hector. I would add one more which may see a bit obvious but as far as I’m concerned is critical and that is to write the best content you can. There is huge power is viral marketing by word of mouth when it comes to increasing traffic.
~Marcus
Marcus Baker´s last post ..Are you Killing Your MLM Blog by Writing a Post Everyday
Marcus.. that’s definitely a big one.. writing really really good content that people want to read will get you more targeted traffic..
It might be obvious to us… but not to many, so thanks for sharing
talk soon
Hi Hector,
a great list. Good that you recommend to pick one or two items and stick to them. I haven’t done Yahoo answers yet, so that might be a good place to start with.
Thanks for sharing.
Take care
Oliver
Oliver Tausend´s last post ..Lessons From Robert Kiyosaki’s “Cashflow Quadrant” For My MLM Network Marketing Business
Hector, buddy. Cheating isn’t good. Well it wasn’t back in school days. Ha
Guest blogging is my next task. (I created my first report the other day after reading your post about it. Just got some finishing touches to put on it).
Awesome info as always brother
Chat soon
Dwayne
Dwayne Huggins´s last post ..Are You Talking To People Just Like You
Hey Hector,
Great tips you are sharing here. Your cheat sheet is brilliant.
It’s true that you need to pick a couple of strategies and master them instead of trying to do everything at once.
I have tried #6 and 7. I’m going to try them.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
All the best,
Mavis Nong
Mavis Nong´s last post ..Mavis Nong Presents Her FREE Online Marketing Training
Hi Hector
I love list posts too, as there’s always loads of tips in them and yours didn’t disappoint! The yahoo answers tip is a great one and thanks for sharing. Also, very good advice about becoming a master of one method rather than a jack of all trades…
Best wishes
Lisa
Nice list Hector!
And you know what – I think you didn’t make that too confusing at all!
Perfect for a blogger of any level to grasp, and the cheat sheet!
Brilliant man, I’ve visited before, but what I like about it this time is that I have just finished writing a post (guest post for TechnShare so I have no idea of URL yet) about the importance of defining your USP and making sure your blog IS a call to action, and then I come here – a PERFECT example.
but thought I might share that feedback.
Really nice site – well defined selling point, and a good call to action. My problem however is that I have launched my blog already, so where is the incentive for me to sign up? ( I did anyway
Awesome mate- sharing this one for sure
Alex@nichesitemarketing´s last post ..Automate your Social Bookmarking…Free!
Alex..
Thanks bro – I didn’t think it was too confusing or overwhelming neither (but I guess I’m biased lol)
I appreciate the assessment of the site, it’s not something I get to hear a lot so the feedback is GREATLY appreciated..
I never thought about the incentive only attracting one section of the market.. and you’re totally right – SO RIGHT that I’m gonna start working on a DUAL REPORT giveaway – to attract beginners and experienced bloggers alike..
Thanks for signing up anyway – I can see you’re a cool dud.. :0)
talk soon
Hector
Hey Hector,
This is a good list. I know that lists can be a bit overwhelming… However, putting each thing into practice one by one will make it easier in time.
I’m keen on getting my own Facebook fanpage up and running in the near future. I’ll look around you blog to see if there’s any tips on that.
Thanks,
Wayne
Hector,
This is a great list and all of these are extremely effective.
I have used Yahoo Answers and they are a few tricks on how to really work it so your links don’t get flagged for spam.
One of the ways I use Yahoo Answers especially if you are a beginner is to only leave a link in one of five answers. And do not use the same link over again.
I also like to add a short URL when leaving a link on Yahoo answers.
Have a great day,
Tommy D.
Hey Hector,
These are some great ideas, some of them I have heard of before but still yet to implement, like the Yahoo Answers. I have commented on some sites and was able to insert my site for the back link, and as you say they all help and I know that a few more back links a day equalls thousands over time. Thank you for the great content!
Nice post Hector. I personally like using blog commenting. To be honest within the last few days I have been able to more than triple my traffic through commenting. It’s a great way to get traffic if you use it right.
I have heard that Youtube usually doesn’t send as much visitors your way. Is that true?!
Julius´s last post ..The Perfect WordPress Theme for Affiliates
Julius.. great to see that these strategies are more effective than ever.. I haven’t hit youtube as hard since starting this blog..
but a great person to get in contact with is Susanna Hess, she’s into video marketing and can answer that for you.
thanks for your comment
talk soon
Hello Hector,
Nice tips. I downloaded the PDF, I participate in forum postings and resolving tech queries. But yahoo answers I don like because you don’t have an option to leave signature with keywords.
mentorlog´s last post ..Belkin F5U409 USB PDA Adapter Driver Download and installation
Great buddy, some of new methods, which I dont try at once is like, youtube marketing and yahoo anwser. I should focus on two of them. Firstly on youtube. thanks for superb article.
Viral´s last post ..Truth about Infographics !!
great post! Gives me great insight!!(and hope!)
hey, nice blog…really like it and added to bookmarks. keep up with good work
I found your BLOG on yahoo , I appreciate your efforts in TRAFFIC for websites and I will bookmark this. I personally am an amatuer when it comes to traffic for my website , so this helps a bit , and appreciate it. Have a Fantastic Day. Your fellow music buff!
This is the one blog i have been searching for. And i really will try yahoo answers. Thanks for putting this down. Regards.
I’m glad you found it.. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
All the best
This is such a great post. Perfect if you are just starting off blogging. If you were ever to make a course for new bloggers. Definitely should put this in it.
Nick@Internet Entrepreneur´s last post ..Backlinking Strategy 02- Where to Make Backlinks
That’s an awesome idea.. I might just write that down Lol
Just found your site and I’m glad I did! Thanks for the cheat sheet, it’s a real motivator.
Best,
Rolan
Hi Hector,
Great Tips to target traffic!! Except a couple, I tried almost all the above. Yahoo Answers seems to be striking and I will try it immediately..
Thank You
Navya.
Navya@V neck Pencil Dress´s last post ..Glamorous Teal Belted Halter neck Pencil Dress
Hi,
There are a lot of factors to follow and rules to respect. stand out from the crowd, it is one of the best ways to increase traffic, think of it like this: why would anyone visit my website upon a competitor of mine on the same niche ? What’s so special and unique about my website ? Why should I deserve more traffic upon one of my competitors ? Those are great questions that you must answer yourself being sincerely, answer the questions then start working harder and better, try to focus more on your work and don’t think non-stop about the money, keep the passion for your work on. Thank you very much for sharing this excellent article, keep up the good work !
Best regards,
Right now I mix things up between blog and forum marketing. It is easy for me to do and I learn a lot from reading others blogs.
healthtos´s last post ..โรคเบาหวาน…ทำไมต้องรักษา
I find myself bookmarking a lot of your awesome posts. And this is one of them! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Hector:
Thanks for following me on Twitter, that’s how I found you (and your blog). Nice to meet ya! I like your tip on video marketing, it’s one that many blog owners overlook. No idea why, as YouTube is huge. A few strategically placed videos linking back to a desired web property – can yield traffic, readers and or sales.
A shame not many are using it.
Missy´s last post ..Facebook Like Icon and Buttons WP Plugin by Dean Peters
very usefu tips i had problem with my wp blog seo but now with this tips i can solve my problem tnx again
Thanks very helpful. I had just been thinking about putting a video on You Tube and i think Yahoo answers is a great idea. Will let you know how it goes.
Thanks again
Dianne
Hi Hector! I found you through Pat Flynns Website. After browsing your site and reading your articles I have to say. Both of you have really got things down pretty well. This has inspired me to start my own blog http://www.zanypost.com. I still am writing content and Both you and Pat are giving me wonderful ideas. Guest Blogging works! You proved it already… it’s how I found your site
I think video marketing is fast becoming a very powerful technique to increase traffic. No doubt, all the techniques play a vital role but so far, video marketing has been very constructive and result oriented for me. I’ve never guest posted but I find this technique very fascinating, the way it works to drive traffic is just outstanding.
Hi! Victor thank you for your great posts they really are an eye opener Are the cheat sheets still available ? would http://www.lovemarriagedivorcecorner.com/effective-psychological-ways-to-get-your-ex-back Love
to have one please! I tried the download link but it doesn’t work .I agree that videos are powerful but I am so shy to be in front of the camera.
Lovecorner´s last post ..Stop Divorce/Relationship Recovery Advice For Men And Women
Hi Victor can you delete my comment please it does not look good on yout site error! occured.
Thanks.
Lovecorner´s last post ..Stop Divorce/Relationship Recovery Advice For Men And Women
Great list Hector. But in your opinion are there 2 or 3 really effective ones? I notice using Twitter and article submission is not on the list. Any reasons?
For me I am very focused on blog commenting and guest posting now. I realized that there are many people out there who love to help. I m most gratified.
Btw if you can do check out my post on Hopes and Dreams fulfilled. I am running a challenge there that helps to spread great news to inspire people. Hope you can spread to your readers.
Cheers
Jimmy/Life Architects´s last post ..Hope and Dreams Fulfilled – Two Inspiring Stories that Will Make You Cry
Hay Victor! the cheatsheet isn’t working; i mean unable to download
I love cheat sheets and i’m really grateful that i’m on the right track with my link building campaign. I haven’t gotten into the part of guest posting yet but i will try that in the future. I’m still trying to overcome my fear of rejection.
Electric Cig´s last post ..Vapor King Electric Cigarette
Hector,
Cheat sheets mixed with a little elbow grease = magic! I’m a little late responding to this post, but I couldn’t resist implementing one of your tips starting tonight.
Easily actionable, free and effective…Great post!
Tylesha
Tylesha Juliano | Sprout Productive´s last post ..Find Comfort in Being a (Beautifully) Crazy Boss
This is reply cool. I live list post. They are so easy to read. Will defknieky take a way 2 things and apply;)
When I click link: =>This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.
Mutri´s last post ..Find Who Copies Your Contents With Copyscape
Cool tips Hector,
Guest posting is probably the best one, I’ve tried Yahoo! Answers and they worked great! Thanks for sharing your list
sanjay´s last post ..How to Create Your Own UI Planner in Photoshop
Great post… Thanks for sharing this points…
Ida
Al Ojeda Photography
Even if this post is from more than a year ago, I have to say that these methods still have their wonders even in the current state of search engines. The common thing that you can see among these methods is that you’re interacting with people and showing them that you’re present in the online world.
Hi Hector,
This is a really informative post. I also use some of the strategies listed in this post. I find guest blogging and commenting on blogs very effective in getting traffic to my blog. I think it’s really important to choose 2 to 3 strategies that you enjoy doing and then focus on using them on a consistent basis.
Thanks to your post, I will try outbound links more as it seems to be quite easy to use.
Thanks for sharing these information.
Janus´s last post ..5 Blog Commenting Tips To Drive Traffic To Your Website
Love your site! And great tips.
How do you go about becoming a guest blogger? Do you just approach the blog owner?
hmmee..
I’m a new blogger..
this is very great tips..
thx..
Machfudz´s last post ..Macam-macam Model Pembelajaran
Me too machfudz…
I’ll learn more and more..
Hi,
I’d like to guest blog as well as get people to guest blog on my blog.
I write software for the Restaurant industry so is pretty specialized but there is still so much to blog on.
Thanks for a great list.
Regards,
Ian Said