Getting Eyes On Your Blog

Welcome back to Day 5 of Blogging for Beginners! Today is all about drawing attention to your blog.

Today we’ll focus on two powerful tools for increasing your blog’s visibility: Pinterest and SEO techniques. These methods are game-changers for driving traffic and getting your content seen by a wider audience. We’ve spent a lot of time building your blog with the technical pieces and writing your blog posts let’s make sure that your content gets seen!

We will also cover setting up an email mailing list as a beginning blogger so you can market to your audience of loyal subscribers.

Table of Contents

• Getting Eyes On Your Blog
• Understanding Pinterest
  • What is Pinterest?
  • Why Use Pinterest for Your Blog?
  • Mastering Pinterest for Blog Traffic
• Understanding SEO: Your Key to Organic Traffic
• Using Analytics: Measuring Your Success
• Getting Started with Email Marketing Tools
  • Why Email Marketing is a Must for Bloggers
  • Starting with Email Marketing Tools
• Wrapping Up Day 5

Understanding Pinterest

Pinterest is an often-underestimated platform that can significantly boost your blog’s traffic. Here’s how to use it effectively.

What is Pinterest?

• At its core, Pinterest is a visual search engine and social platform where people discover new ideas and inspiration through images, known as Pins.
• Users come to Pinterest looking for ideas, tips, products, and inspiration for all aspects of their lives, from recipes to travel, fashion, home decor, and more.

Why Use Pinterest for Your Blog?

• Targeted Audience Reach: Pinterest users are actively seeking ideas and information, making them a receptive audience for your blog’s content.
• Longer Content Lifespan: Unlike other social media where content has a short shelf life, Pins can continue to drive traffic to your blog for months, even years, after posting.
• Boost in Organic Traffic: Pins linked to your blog posts can significantly increase your organic traffic.
• SEO Benefits: Google indexes Pinterest content, meaning your Pins can also show up in Google search results, further increasing your visibility.

Mastering Pinterest for Blog Traffic

Now that you know what Pinterest is and why it’s beneficial, let’s talk about using it effectively:

• Step 1: Start by setting up a Pinterest Business account to access analytics and other features essential for bloggers.
• Step 2: Tailor your profile to reflect your blog’s niche. Use keywords in your bio for better searchability.
• Step 3: Design eye-catching, vertical images for your blog posts using tools like Canva. Each image should convey the essence of your post.
• Step 4: Use keywords in your pin descriptions and board titles. Think about what your audience might search for and use those phrases.
• Step 5: Regularly pin new content from your blog and repin relevant content from others to keep your boards active and engaging.
• Step 6: Follow other relevant accounts, repin their content, and interact with comments on your pins to build a community around your blog.

Pinterest Analytics: Tracking Your Progress

• Monitor Your Pins’ Performance: Use Pinterest Analytics to see which pins are most popular and driving traffic to your blog.
• Refine Your Strategy: Adjust your content and pinning strategy based on what’s resonating with your audience.

Understanding SEO: Your Key to Organic Traffic

What is SEO?

• At its simplest, SEO is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results. It’s about understanding what people are searching for online and tailoring your content to meet those needs.
• SEO is essential because it’s about being found. Without it, your blog might be a hidden gem that never gets discovered. Good SEO practices increase your visibility, helping you attract organic (unpaid) traffic to your blog.

Why Embrace SEO?

• Long-term Traffic: Unlike paid ads, which stop bringing traffic once you stop paying, SEO provides sustainable, long-term traffic to your blog.
• Cost-Effective: SEO is cost-effective. It requires effort and time rather than a large marketing budget.
• Builds Trust and Credibility: Ranking high in search results can also build trust with your audience. It signals that your site is authoritative and relevant.

Implementing SEO: A Non-Intimidating Approach

• Keywords Are Key: Start with finding the right keywords. These are words or phrases that your target audience uses to search for content like yours. Use tools like Key Search or RankIQ to find relevant keywords low competition, high volume keywords so that your content can rank. Some free keyword research tools you can look into are: Mangools, SEMRush, and KeyWords Anywhere.
• On-Page Optimization: Incorporate your keywords naturally into your blog titles, headings, and throughout the content. But remember, don’t overdo it; keyword stuffing can hurt your SEO.
• Quality Content: Google loves quality. Write in-depth, informative, and engaging posts that genuinely add value to your readers.
• Mobile-Friendly: Ensure your blog is responsive and mobile-friendly. More people use mobile devices to browse the internet than ever before.
• Page Loading Speed: Improve your website’s loading speed. A faster site provides a better user experience and is favored by search engines.
• Internal Linking: Link to other posts on your blog where relevant. It keeps readers on your site longer and helps search engines understand your content structure.

Why SEO Isn’t Scary: It’s Your Blog’s Best Friend

• It’s a Learning Curve: Like any new skill, SEO takes time to learn, but it’s not complex once you understand the basics.
• You Don’t Have to Be Perfect: You don’t need to nail every aspect of SEO right away. Start with small steps, like optimizing your posts for keywords and ensuring your site is mobile-friendly.
• It’s About Being Found: Remember, the core of SEO is about being found by people who are looking for what you offer. It’s an essential tool for growing your blog organically.

If you need more help with SEO think about investing in RankIQ for a few months to use the keyword libraries and content optimizer to build out your content! This tool has helped me to grow my audience for my food blog and I highly recommend it!

Using Analytics: Measuring Your Success

Google Analytics is an essential tool for understanding your blog’s performance and making data-driven decisions.

We talked about this a bit on the technical day but this is something you will want to setup before your blog goes live so that you can track your progress!

The easiest tool to use here for setup is Google Site Kit. This plugin will also install the Google Analytics code for GA4 for you on setup.

• Visitor Insights: Track where your visitors are coming from, what content they prefer, and their behavior on your site.
• Adjust Your Strategy: Use this data to refine your content and SEO strategies. Focus more on what’s working and improve areas where your blog may be lagging.
• Set and Track Goals: Define clear objectives, like increasing traffic by a certain percentage or boosting engagement on specific posts, and use Analytics to track your progress.

Getting Started with Email Marketing Tools

As a blogger, one of the most powerful tools at your disposal is email marketing. It’s not just about sending emails; it’s about building relationships, understanding your audience, and creating targeted campaigns that resonate with your readers. Let’s explore why email marketing is essential and how you can get started with the right tools.

Why Email Marketing is a Must for Bloggers

• Direct and Personal Connection: Unlike social media, where your posts might get lost in a sea of content, emails land directly in your subscribers’ inboxes. This direct line is more personal and significantly increases the chances of your content being seen and read. You also do not own your content on social media but you do own your email list of subscribers!
• Control Over Your Audience: Social media algorithms change, but your email list is yours forever. No matter what happens on social platforms, you have a list of people interested in what you have to say.
• Segmentation and Targeting: Email marketing allows you to segment your audience based on their interests, behavior, and interaction with your content. This means you can tailor your messages to different segments, making your communication more relevant and effective.
• Measurable Results: Email marketing platforms provide analytics like open rates, click rates, and conversion rates. These metrics are crucial for understanding what works and refining your strategy.

Starting with Email Marketing Tools

Free Tools: MailerLite and ConvertKit

• Ideal for Beginners: Both MailerLite and ConvertKit are fantastic for those just diving into email marketing. They are designed with user-friendliness in mind, making them accessible even if you’re not tech-savvy.
• Essential Features: These platforms offer key features like email templates, automation (Mailerlite only!), and basic segmentation, which are perfect for starting your email marketing journey.
• Growth-Oriented: As your blog grows, these tools can scale with you, offering more advanced features as you need them.

MailerLite vs. ConvertKit

• Both of these tools are great for beginners! The only big con for ConvertKit is that the free version does not allow for email automation, you’ll have to upgrade for this feature. But if this is not something you need right away it’s still a great tool to use to get started (and it’s free!)
• MailerLite allows free accounts to have up to 500 subscribers (with automation included)
• Convertkit allows free accounts to have up to 1,000 subscribers (no automations included)
• Convertkit also has a sales option through its service if you are planning to monetize with digital products!

Paid Tools: FloDesk and BirdSend

• Advanced Features: When you’re ready to take your email marketing to the next level, FloDesk and BirdSend offer a suite of advanced features.
• Customization and Branding: These platforms provide greater customization options, allowing you to align your emails with your blog’s branding and style. This creates a more professional and cohesive experience for your subscribers.
• Marketing Automation: Advanced automation options enable you to create sophisticated email sequences based on subscriber actions. This means you can automate parts of your marketing strategy, saving time while providing a personalized experience for your audience.

FloDesk vs. BirdSend

• I personally like both of these options once you start to build your mailing list over the free options or start sales. I use FloDesk for one of my blogs that has a big following. FloDesk is great if you have a very large list since there’s no cap on the number of contacts you can have on your list and the price does not increase by your subscriber number! The setup in FloDesk is also very easy to understand and the templates are beautiful.
• Since I partner with FloDesk for my own blog I can offer my readers 50% off their first year of FloDesk membership ($19 a month for the first year)! After the first year, the price will go up to $38 a month. If you are interested use my special link here to sign up.
• BirdSend is a newer email marketing platform that I like if you are just getting started for $7.50 a month for up to 1,000 subscribers to start. This is a great affordable option for a paid email marketing service.

Why email marketing?

Incorporating email marketing into your blogging strategy is a game-changer. It strengthens your relationship with your audience, provides valuable insights, and enhances your ability to monetize your blog effectively. Whether you start with a free tool like MailerLite or ConvertKit, or opt for paid platforms like FloDesk or BirdSend, the important thing is to start building that direct line to your readers today.

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Wrapping Up Day 5

You’ve now unlocked the secrets of using Pinterest and SEO to drive traffic to your blog. By applying these strategies, you’re well on your way to boosting your blog’s visibility and attracting a wider audience.

Join me tomorrow for our final day, where we’ll explore effective ways to monetize your blog. Get ready to turn your blogging passion into profit!