12 Tools You Didn’t Realize Could Send You More Blog Traffic

It’s no secret.

We all want more blog traffic.

For some of us it helps grow our business. For others it offers that warm and fuzzy feeling when we open up our Google analytics dashboard.

The harsh reality is that producing content and getting it noticed is not the easiest job – and you’re not the only one in the race for more website visitors.

Every day more and more content is produced, and people have to make a choice.

Your readers make a choice about what to read, and what to forget about.

This means we need new and unique ways of attracting people to our blog and keeping them around.

Here’s where your traffic is coming from;

Now let’s look at 4 things you could be doing to get more traffic from these sources. Plus 12 free tools (because who doesn’t love free things?) that will help you get there.

Make your content shareable

Social media is a primary driver of engagement, traffic and exposure for your blog.

Whether it’s used as a medium for engaging a new audience, or to allow your followers to share your hard work, you can increase traffic with a few social media tricks.

1. Co- schedule

This nifty tool helps you create those excellent ‘Click to Tweet’ boxes that brighten up your post.

When you have great content you want to help your readers share it and co-schedule makes it that much easier (and it looks good).

2. Oktopost

Oktopost is a very easy to navigate post scheduling tool that helps you plan and automate your social media shares from multiple user accounts.

It gives you time to focus on more interesting details such as analytics and measuring the impact of your social media presence for generating leads.

3. Scoop.it

If you are looking for a different platform to get your content shared, you should consider Scoop.it.

Just like other social media platforms, the aim is to share interesting content to a community, which can then be shared with one click to other networks.

Be organized with project management

To run a a successful blog you need to be organized.

If your team is small, you need to make sure you are covering your targets within a certain period. And if your team is large, you need to make sure everyone is working in sync and not duplicating each other’s work.

Your organization’s style is picked up by your audience and when it’s done well you build trust in your industry.

It might take time to set up in the beginning but it will increase your traffic in the long run.

4. Trello

Trello is a great option as a task management system which is organized through the use of boards and cards.

It’s not over complicated and its visual task display is popular with its users.

5. SunRise Calendar

If you are sick of having multiple calendars without being synchronized, then this cool app is a great addition to your project management tools.

You can combine calendars with your colleagues so that you know where people are and help you develop an editorial calendar between everyone.

It’s available on all mobile devices so it can keep you up on the go.

6. Evernote

The basic package is free which provides a ‘workspace’ that you can access on all devices.

Collect, brainstorm or write, Evernote is a great tool to help grow your creativity and manage your content creation.

It can be a bit tricky to navigate at first, but they have great tutorials you can follow, like the one below.

Make impressions with your images

One of the first things a reader sees on your site is the images you use.

That first impression is crucial when you want to increase traffic, attention and investment.

When you have quality images that are relevant to the content, you are more likely to get people clicking through to other pages on your site.

7. PliXS

An alternative to Pixabay or Flickr, this platform has over 20 categories to choose from and thousands of high quality images.

There is a good chance you can find what you’re looking for at PliXS.

No membership is required and their easy download process makes it a good image finding option.

8. Easl.y

Looking to jazz up the pictures on your site?

This excellent tool will get you creating infographics, graphs and shareable images that will help increase traffic to your blog.

It has an easy to use interface and allows you to upload your own images or use their own stockpile.

9. Recite

People love sharing quotes.

Whether it’s your own or another thought leader in the industry, you can create attractive, and most importantly shareable, images with quotes.

Recite has different creative layouts to choose from, which will get people to share your content and bring your blog more traffic.

Here’s an example from Mr.Branson (cool right?):

Get to know your audience

To really get down to understanding what your audience want, you have to ask them.

This strategy is becoming more popular with content creators to make sure they provide the type of posts that their readers are looking for.

From surveys to attending events, there are various methods you can use to better understand your audience.

10. KwikSurveys

When you’re on a budget, this is one of the free alternatives to try out when getting to know your audience.

This tool lets you have unlimited questions and responses, with an option to export the results.

11. Social Mention

A great way to do a quick analysis of a subject or specific company.

By knowing if a certain topic in your industry is trending you can create content that is going to drive that audience to your blog.

12. SiteFeedBack

Getting feedback from users is getting much harder.

Having a feedback widget can help in getting important data that will help develop your site.

There are many paid versions, but this tool is a free option for those wanting to try out this strategy.

These are just a snapshot of the tools you can use to drive more traffic to your site.

Digital tools are always changing, so don’t try and use them all. Find the ones that fit for your site and learn how to use them in the best way possible.

Did I miss something? What free tools do you use to get more blog traffic?

Guest Author: Shirley Pattison is the content marketing editor at imonomy, an in-image advertising company for online publishers. Shirley loves everything about content and blogs both at work and in her free time. If she’s not writing, you’ll find her at the beach with a good book. Connect with the team @imonomy or say hi to Shirley @ShiProjects

The post 12 Tools You Didn’t Realize Could Send You More Blog Traffic appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

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27 Tricks to Boost Blog Post Conversion Rates

It’s frustrating right?

You’re knocking out tons of good blog posts, and people are liking them.

Social media shares are on the rise. Traffic is steadily growing.

You can feel the momentum building.

But something is missing, and it’s the thing you need most.

No one is taking action and subscribing to your email list or engaging with your content.

So what do you do?

You could do something drastic like stop your content marketing efforts all together.

Maybe you could adjust who it is you are targeting with your content.

Or the easiest option, just give up – online marketing isn’t for you.

Chances are, none of these things are the answer.

Before you run off and start changing everything about your content marketing strategy, sit tight.

You can make amazing strides in your blog conversion rates with just a few tricks.

Any of the following ideas can help you build your email list and increase engagement on your blog.

1. Create a call-to-action (CTA) in your top bar

You’ve seen them before - Those bars at the very top of the page.

Neil Patel implements them on his Quick Sprout blog (not surprisingly, since he’s one of the original founders of HelloBar).

If you have a prominent offer you’d like to promote to new visitors, this is a great way to do it without being too intrusive.

2. Use a slide-in CTA

The slide-in CTA appears once you’ve reached a certain point on a page.

It functions much like a traditional pop-up without disrupting the reading experience.

Here’s an example of it in action from Struto:

3. Implement a light box pop-up

Ah, lightbox pop-ups. You either love ‘em or, well, tolerate them.

But despite their lack of popularity, you can’t deny their effectiveness.

Using them could get you up to 1,375% more subscribers.

Here’s an example of how Timothy Sykes uses them on his blog:

4. Place a CTA box at the end of a blog post

Derek Halpern is well known for his ruthless testing, so it’s no surprise that you’ll find a well-designed opt-in box at the end of his posts.

You don’t always need an over-the-top offer. Sometimes just a simple blog subscription form will do the trick to increase your conversion rates.

5. Craft a compelling CTA in your conclusion

Graphics and forms will only take you so far.

If you don’t know how to write compelling copy, then your site won’t reach its full conversion potential.

If you want to learn more about copywriting, I suggest Neil Patel’s The Definitive Guide to Copywriting. It’ll prepare you well to start crafting copy like a pro.

6. Develop a content upgrade

Content upgrades are all the rage. But despite how many people talk about them, few put them to use on a regular basis.

If you’re unfamiliar with this concept, check out Backlinko’s post on the topic. It’ll walk you through how to use this conversion tactic to increase subscriptions by 785%.

7. Change design based on heat maps

Heat maps will show you where people are spending time on your site and can provide great insight into any blog adjustments you need to make.

(source)

When you make informed adjustments, you’ll set yourself up for success.

So many people want a high conversion rate without testing. Don’t be one of those people.

8. Use A/B testing to measure design effectiveness

Similarly to heat maps, A/B testing gives you the opportunity to understand your audience on a deeper level.

With this tactic, you can implement a couple of the conversion-boosting tricks shared in this article and see which one resonates best with your audience.

To learn more about this method, check out this in-depth guide over at Unbounce.

9. Include a targeted lead magnet

A unique content upgrade for each individual post you write may seem a bit time-intensive for solopreneurs or small teams. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on the concept.

Josh Coffy at Flight Media has a handful of lead magnets he promotes on his blog.

With each new post he writes, he includes a link to one of his downloads at the end.

If you don’t have the time to make a unique download offer each time, give this simpler approach a try.

10. Link to the previous/next post

Want to increase the time viewers spend on your site?

One way to do so is to use a slide out pop-up that links to the next or previous post.

Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income does this well:

The more you can get users to engage with your content, the easier it becomes to convert them into paying customers.

11. Use Tweetables to increase social shares

If you want to increase your social share conversions, you need to make it as easy as possible for readers to share your content.

The Click to Tweet tool makes sharing easier than ever. It’s a friendly way to remind people to post, while making the actual sharing process incredibly easy.

Here’s an example of the tool in action from CoSchedule.

12. Build a Quiz

Who doesn’t love a good quiz?

Companies like Qzzr make it possible for brands to increase conversions through engaging quizzes.

The team over at Contently is doing this well.

13. Place an affiliate product offer

Use this strategy when you don’t have a strong product or when you want to supplement your income.

Incorporating affiliate offers can increase your conversions and provide an additional revenue stream.

Here’s a look at how Pat Flynn uses affiliate links in posts to make thousands of dollars each month.

14. Remove the sidebar

Most “gurus” and “ninjas” will gasp at this one. But sometimes the way to increase conversions is to stand out from the pack.

This kind of contrast brought a 71% increase in performance for Impact.

15. Promote products with native advertising

It’s amazing to me how many people promote their products in the sidebar in an unnatural way.

Use a cohesive design strategy that feels native to your brand at all times.

The ads Chris Ducker uses to promote in the sidebar feel very native to his brand.

16. Provide fewer options

Fewer options can actually lead to more sales.

Essentially, our brains get overwhelmed by all the options to make, so we don’t choose any of them. This results in fewer conversions overall for your brand.

Reduce the number of CTAs included on your website and hone in your message to increase conversions.

17. Use social proof

It’s no secret that social proof – like result metrics and testimonials – works well when it comes to increasing conversions. But have you considered using them in your blog content?

Take a look at how GrooveHQ uses it to convert blog subscribers.

18. Put your opt-in above the fold

When you place something above the fold, it’s one of the first things your visitors will see.

So if you want to make subscribing a major goal, place the form in a prominent place.

Many leaders in the marketing space use this tactic. But it’s also utilized in other industries.

Just take Legion Supplements for example:

19. Hook readers in with more content

A recent posts’ area at the bottom of your blog is a great way to keep readers engaged.

As long as you’re using compelling headlines and engaging images, you could keep readers hooked for much longer than they expected.

Mike over at Nutrition Secrets does a good job of this.

20. Increase your load speed

This is a more indirect factor, but it’s still one you’ll want to consider.

If your blog loads painfully slowly, you’re losing out on prospects before they ever land on your page.

Use a tool like Pingdom to test your blog’s speed.

Then, make an effort to increase your speed if you want to attract new prospects.

21. Show your friendly side in your copy

Spectacular copy makes the world go ‘round.

It’s the stuff that humanizes your brand and leaves people wanting more.

I love how Basecamp convinces me to keep reading with their friendly suggestions for other posts to read.

22. Pitch to subscribers during your post

If you’re posting in-depth content that’s thousands of words long, try adding a call-to-action or two right in the middle of the post.

Don’t do this randomly.

Find a natural way to work in the CTA. If you do this right, you’ll easily get your message in front of the scanners that won’t ever make it to the bottom of your content.

23. Write your content correctly

Ultimately, if you don’t adhere to accepted content writing principles, people will leave your site before you ever have a chance to convert them.

Keep these tips in mind:

• Use descriptive subheadings.
• Include bullet lists where applicable.
• Incorporate images throughout the content.
• Keep paragraphs and sentences short.
• Write in a conversational tone.

24. Try different blog formats

From the type of structure you use to the media you include, there are countless blog formats and variations. And what works for one blogger may not work for you.

That’s why it is important to test.

A simple change could yield major results, even if you’ve already established a strong core audience.

Derek Halpern does this through the use of summary posts that revolve around his video content.

But recently, he tested a 7,804-word post.

It’s always worth testing. You may be astonished by the results you get.

25. Publish your posts at a different time

A quick search will reveal numerous posts about the optimal time to post your blog.

The problem is that everyone else is reading the same advice and most likely posting at the times suggested.

This is another chance for your brand to stand out.

Pick an off-time to publish.

If you can grab the attention when all the other noise online has settled, you’ll have a far greater chance for conversions.

26. Test your publishing frequency

When it comes down to it, blogging is just a game of supply and demand.

If you’re niche is too saturated and you’re pumping out too many blog posts, there’s a good chance some of them will go unnoticed.

So, yet again, I’m going to refer you back to testing. It’s really the only way to hit on the perfect publishing frequency for your business.

You might be surprised by what happens if you write in-depth posts less frequently (or write in-depth posts 5 days a week).

Create a theory. Test it. And see if it increases your conversions.

If it doesn’t, come up with another theory and try again.

27. Don’t forget about color theory

You can find color everywhere.

Unless you suffer from color blindness, you interact with colors every waking moment.

In fact, it’s so prominent that you probably don’t even notice its existence.

Color drives our emotions, thoughts and actions.

For that reason alone, you should understand the basics of color theory.

It’ll help you design a more beautiful blog and capture your reader’s emotions on a deeper level.

Ultimately, a single tip or trick won’t likely revolutionize your blog’s conversion rates.

But by experimenting with different ideas and adding new tricks to your arsenal, you’ll eventually hit on a winning combination for your site.

Do you have any other tricks to boost blog post conversions? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below:

Guest Author: Aaron Agius is an online marketer, web strategist and entrepreneur and you can check him out at AaronAgius.com

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