Driving organic traffic to your website taking too long? This is a common question/complaint from new DIY marketers and also business owners.
If you aren't doing the right things (which we'll discuss in this article), then that's to be expected. After all, there are over 1.6 billion websites in 2019, and over 500 million blogs. That's approximately one blog for every 14 people in the world today!
So, you're competing with millions of other established blogs. Of course, it's going to be tough.
If you produce mediocre content, with a mediocre DIY presentation, then you won't get good results.
On the other hand, if you
- Create comprehensive and outstanding content that beats the quality of everything else on the first page for your target keyword,
- Make your DIY pictures and presentation top-notch quality, and
- Promote your new blog post effectively,
then you, too, can earn your spot on the first page and get that sweet and consistent (free) monthly search traffic!
What every new blogger needs to know
If you're a new blogger with a brand new domain (without any domain authority), then you can't expect to go into blogging and make money right away. It just doesn't work that way.
For most established DIY bloggers, it takes years to achieve the success that they want. That takes a big commitment, which is why most bloggers fail to see any success. (We'll give you some tips for staying motivated up later in the article).
But that doesn't mean you can't see results faster if you follow the right tips, which we'll share below.
A new blogger needs to understand that there are fundamentals of search engine optimization (SEO) that every blogger must know to succeed. And then there are the SEO hacks that aren't common knowledge that can help you get ahead of the curve in your niche.
How bloggers can grow their traffic
Let's first talk about the fundamentals.
One of the most common SEO mistakes from bloggers is creating content that nobody wants to read. This happens when the blogger doesn't do the necessary keyword research. Another common SEO mistake is writing about topics/search terms that have too much competition already.
Targeting long-tail keywords is the key to success: These are four words or more (they are typically a phrase), and they can rank higher than shorter keywords, regardless of your niche.
Come up with a primary keyword for each page and put it in prominent places to improve SEO and visibility, such as in the title tag, meta description, subheadings and image alt tags.
Structure your content in a logical way using a hierarchy. Start with the main idea and branch out from that to back up the main idea.
Backlinks matter a lot, especially for competitive topics that get many searches.
There are three types of backlinks: internal links, which link from your own posts; external links, which link from websites outside of your own; and outbound links leading away from your site, such as affiliate links or links to other blogs/social media sites.
Choose high cost-per-click (CPC) keywords if you're also selling products to increase your overall conversion rates, even if the term has slightly fewer searches than a similar term. SEMrus, Ahrefs, or the browser tool "keywords everywhere" can provide CPC info for every keyword that you'd want to rank for.
How to get traffic more quickly than other competing sites
Now let's look at how you can take the above principles to the next level to see good results more quickly.
Use the right keyword tools. There are several tools that can help you with long-tail keywords. Use at least two or three of these tools as most of them don't provide accurate data on their own.
Go for keywords with low monthly search volume – 500 searches or less if you're a newer site with less domain authority. This tactic makes it easier to appear on the first page with quality content.
Don't think about keyword stuffing – this is a black-hat technique from 2009 that no longer works.
A table of contents plugin will help you display your content hierarchically.
Follow the relatively little known skyscraper technique created by SEO specialist Brian Dean. With this technique, look for popular content in your industry and create two to fives times the amount of content. For example, if a page ranks No. 1 one as "25 DIY Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms," then create your own article with 50 DIY tips or more! Then promote it to the right people to get more shares and backlinks.
If you're on WordPress, use the free optimization plugin called WordPress SEO by Yoast to optimize your posts and pages contents.
Find relevant secondary keywords to use as well, aka LSI keywords. To do this, use Google autosuggest or a dedicated LSI keyword tool like LSI graph.
Specific tips for DIY blogging
Every blogging niche has its unique quirks. Here's what you should know as a DIY blogger to get ahead quickly.
Try to rank for featured snippets.
The main way featured snippets usually rank is through paragraph snippets. To rank with a paragraph snippet, you should use "question-based subheadings" and write the answer/reply in the first paragraph. Try to keep the paragraph length between 40-50 words (approximately 300 characters).
Guest post on other sites in your DIY niche and network with other bloggers to share or link to your content.
Participate in weekly roundups (the best online content is included in these).
Besides SEO and your online activities, DIY blogging success is all about your DIY design and presentation. Lighting is everything when taking photos. A well-lit photo using natural lighting is the key. Take photos early in the day with the sun positioned behind the camera.
Staging: Create a specific look and feel with your environment, but don't make it too sterile.
Group things in odd numbers to create more visual interest. Stick to groups of three when you're just starting out.
Even great photos need editing. You don't need expensive software, just use some free photo-editing software on your phone to improve brightness and contrast.
Stick to your wheelhouse: In other words, your skillset or design aesthetic. If you don't, then your projects might just end up wasting your time and resources.
Ready to drive more traffic to your website? Just follow these tips to grow your blog and optimize your website content with SEO best practices, and you'll be well on your way!