Using Content Marketing to Build a Better Blog
If you were to ask any company’s marketing team what their goals are, one of them would likely be to increase web traffic.
After all, more website visits mean more potential customers — and that's what we all want, right? A blog is not only key to driving that traffic, it's an engaging way to share your thoughts, insights and ideas with the world. But how do you go about increasing traffic and visits to your blog?
One budget-friendly way to do so is by creating compelling posts, infographics, video content marketing assets and other educational content that attracts your target audience without being overly “sales-y.” Below, we'll break down the top ways to increase web traffic, including some new ideas, such as licensing content and how to get the most out of your content marketing strategy.
Top 17 Ways to Boost Website Traffic Through Content Marketing
Traffic is a core measurement of any web content marketing. Before we delve into how to increase your traffic with content marketing, it’s important to first understand why your business needs a blog in the first place, to help your overall content marketing.
Any marketer worth their salt knows that creating web content is critical for driving site traffic. Without quality content, there would be nothing on your site for your consumers to read. However, simply providing content isn't enough. To see a boost in website traffic, you need to be strategic.
Below are some of the top tips to get you started:
1. Brainstorm new blog ideas.
If you're suffering from writer's block, one of the best ways to get inspired is to see what other companies are blogging about. Look at your competitors’ blogs and see which posts are doing well. Then ask yourself how you can put your own spin on that topic.
In addition to looking at your competitors, try thinking of new content ideas that haven't been tackled before. For example: What questions do your customers always ask you? What topics are you passionate about? By brainstorming a list of potential issues, you'll be one step closer to writing a killer blog post.
2. Emphasize SEO-optimized content marketing.
Arriving at the top of a search engine is every marketer's dream. But what does it take to get there? Of course, search engine optimization is one piece of the puzzle, but while you can drive web traffic without SEO, even the best-optimized site will struggle to rank without quality content.
3. Plan your content strategy.
Before you start thinking about ways to increase website traffic, you need to plan your content marketing strategy. What do you want to achieve? Who is your target audience? What types of content will appeal to them? Once you understand your goals and your audience, you can start creating a blog content strategy to help you achieve your objectives.
4. Design a content marketing editorial calendar.
Creating a content marketing editorial calendar may seem daunting, but it's worth taking the time to do it right. With a bit of planning, you can ensure that your editorial content aligns with your business goals and resonates with your audience. Plus, a well-executed editorial calendar will save you time in the long run by helping you to avoid last-minute scrambles to find topics to write about.
To get started, brainstorm a list of potential topics that you could write about. Once you have a solid selection of ideas, start mapping out when you would like to publish each piece of content. Keep in mind that some topics may require more research or planning than others, so be sure to build in some flexibility to help you plan for the unexpected!
5. Use industry thought leaders.
It can be hard to get your voice heard above the noise when you're first starting. One of the best ways to break through and establish yourself as a credible source is to amplify the voices of industry thought leaders. By featuring guest bloggers and thought leaders in your industry, you can instantly add credibility and third-party validation to your blog or website.
Why is this so important?
Industry thought leaders will not only help boost your credibility, but they will also provide a fresh voice that can help attract new readers and followers. And when it comes time to pitch articles or stories to editors, you’ll have an easier time getting them on board if you can show that you’re connected to influential people in your industry.
6. Create consistent brand messaging.
As a business owner, you know that trustworthiness and credibility are essential for attracting and retaining customers. One way to build these qualities is by having a consistent brand voice across your content and website. This means using the same language, style and tone in all of your communications. For example, if you're known for being friendly and approachable, make sure that comes through in everything from your website copy to your social media posts.
Creating a consistent brand voice will give potential customers a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for — two critical factors in building trust and credibility. If you're looking to strengthen your brand, start by creating a consistent message.
7. Incorporate video into your content strategy.
Video is one of the most powerful tools in a content marketer’s toolkit. It’s highly engaging and a great way to convey complex information in a format that’s easy to digest. And with the rise of digital channels, there are more opportunities than ever to incorporate video into your content strategy.
How do you leverage the power of video?
There are many ways you can use video to support your content marketing efforts. You can use it to create product demos, how-to guides and even mini-documentaries. You can also repurpose existing video content, such as webinars and presentations, into bite-sized pieces that can be easily consumed on the go. No matter how you go about it, incorporating video into your content strategy is essential if you want to reach and engage your target audience.
8. Create authentic content.
If you want customers to stick around, it's essential to create content that feels authentic to them. After all, people are more likely to be loyal to brands they feel a connection with.
But what does "authentic" mean?
In short, it means creating content that is true to your brand's voice and values. In addition, authenticity means being transparent, relatable and consistent — three things that can be difficult to pull off. but are essential if you want to build trust with your audience.
So, how can you ensure that your content feels authentic?
Start by getting to know your audience and understanding what they're looking for. Then, stay true to your brand's voice and values as you create and curate the message you want the world to hear about you.
9. License content from renowned publications.
Consider licensing content from renowned publications if you’re running low on time or resources. This is a great way to fill your content needs while attracting new visitors, as licensed content comes with the bonus of instant credibility and can help you quickly establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
When choosing which publications to license or outsource content from, be sure to select ones that are relevant to your audience and that offer high-quality, well-written articles. With a bit of effort, you can easily find third-party content that will help you meet your content goals and grow your business.
10. Curate content.
A solid online presence is extremely important when it comes to marketing. Potential customers are more likely to find you through a Google search than a physical advertisement in today's digital world. Curating content can create a sense of community among readers who share similar interests, encouraging engagement and discussion.
If you're unsure where to start, check out some top news aggregators like Google News or Feedly. Then, simply add a widget to your blog and begin sharing the latest headlines with your audience. With a bit of time and planning, you can quickly turn your blog into a go-to source for news and information in your industry.
11. Write posts based on evergreen topics.
Trending news and topics are important since they provide valuable insights and information to your audience. However, your editorial calendar should also feature evergreen content.
Creating content around evergreen topics helps in the long term, because they will always be of interest to your audience. These posts are known to accumulate more traffic and links over time, especially when you are optimizing and refreshing the content regularly. Both types of content are important to include in your long-term strategy.
12. Write catchy headlines.
Headlines are a crucial element of your content. Based on a study from Wired, effective blog headlines can drive 500% more traffic than those without. Not having a compelling headline can stifle traffic growth, with even the most comprehensive blog posts potentially going unread.
Once you start to increase your site’s organic visitors through optimized content marketing, you’ll realize it’s also important to promote your blog in order to get in front of more of your target audience.
13. Promote industry news
Curating news articles around industry news can be a great way to establish your brand as a thought leader, while providing quality information that can engage both prospects and customers. Journalism can be a valuable tool in content marketing, since journalists are expert storytellers. As a result, your educational content will be both actionable and memorable.
14. Work with sales and product teams
Sales, business development and product teams will have different perspectives on your client. Incorporate these perspectives into your overarching blog strategy for more engaging content.
15. Create a blog for your business
It’s important that your business has a well-structured blog that makes it easy for users to find information. A blog can help your business in the following ways:
1. Boost authority and expertise
Establish your business as an industry leader through thoughtful insights and articles.
2. Lead generation
Use CTA’s and lead magnets throughout your blog to convert site visitors.
3. Sustainable and cost effective advertising
Compared to more traditional marketing strategies, blogging yields a higher ROI. Unsurprisingly, a Hubspot study found that marketers that prioritize blogging see 13-times the ROI of businesses that don't.
4. Engage your community
A blog provides you with a direct platform to connect with your customers and prospects. Engage your community and build your brand through tactical blog content creation.
16. Outsource blog content
It’s important for website content to develop on a consistent basis, so you can better connect with your audience. Outsourcing blog content can help your team create this material, so your team doesn’t have to sacrifice quality for quantity.
17. Promote your blog and website content
Promoting your posts is crucial in the blogging ecosystem. Here are some tactics to maximize the visibility and reach of your blog posts and website content:
1. Email Marketing:
If you’re collecting emails on your website, you can use creative email newsletters to distribute your latest blog content and keep your subscribers informed. A well-tailored email can go a long way, as it’s a direct line to your audience members. Leverage various email marketing strategies to make sure your blog is properly distributed.
2. Social Media Marketing:
Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and more offer large audiences, with the ability to use hashtags to target your audience reach. Regularly sharing content on social media platforms can help boost visibility.
3. Collaborating with Influencers:
Partner with industry influencers and leaders to expand your content’s reach. Integrate thought leadership content marketing into your overall blog strategy to highlight the voices of industry leaders and gain more authority.
4. Paid Advertising:
When you invest in ad platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads, you can amplify the reach of your content to attract new audiences.
5. Webinars:
Hosting webinars or online workshops can help bring new visitors to your site while building your overall positioning on the topic as an authoritative source.
Final Thoughts
Your business is unique, and your content should reflect that. With so much noise online, it's more important than ever to make your voice heard. Curated content from NYTLicensing can help you break through the clutter and reach your target audience. We specialize in creating content packages that are tailored to your specific needs. Whether you're looking for blog posts, e-books or video solutions, we can help!
FAQ About Increasing Website Traffic With Content Marketing
Does a blog drive traffic to a website?
Strategic blog development and article creation is one of the best ways to drive traffic to your website. A blog that’s backed by a strong content marketing strategy can help bring new traffic to your site.
How do you increase website traffic organically?
While there are numerous tactics to increase website traffic, when it comes to content, the following tactics are the best practices: optimizing your content with keywords, creating high-quality content, engaging audiences on social media, and creating targeted landing pages to attract different audiences.
What are free ways to drive traffic to your website?
The most popular free ways to drive traffic to your website combine strategic content development, email, and technical on-page items. Through creating content based upon keyword research, you’ll reach new audiences based upon high-trafficked queries. With email marketing, you can reach new users and drive them to your site through regular email campaigns. With on-page items, you can optimize your website content and technical SEO items in order to make sure your site is competitive for search engines.
What to do if my website is not getting traffic?
If your website is not getting traffic, you may want to start with analyzing your target audience. Verify that the content and pages on your website are addressing the needs and concerns of your target audience. Once you better understand your target audience, then you can go in and optimize your website language and web pages available to ensure that your brand messaging aligns with the intentions and searches of your audience.
Why is my website not getting traffic?
Some websites may struggle to attract traffic. While attracting website traffic requires a multifaceted approach, there are certain key factors to consider for getting traffic to your site. These factors may include a social media strategy, the age of the website’s domain, the number of backlinks pointing to the website, the reputation of the author(s) on the site, and content freshness, relevance, and authenticity.
How long does it take to increase website traffic?
If you’re trying to increase website traffic through keywords, then it depends. If you’re targeting low-competition keywords, you may start to see traffic increases within a matter of weeks. However, if you’re targeting highly competitive keywords, it can take much longer to see traffic increases – up to a year.
How do I increase page views?
The best way to increase page views is through creating high quality content, and informing your content marketing strategy with keyword research. Once you get visitors to your site, a great way to increase traffic to additional pages is to create a great user experience, include a sidebar that promotes relevant blog content, and promote older blog posts.
How do I attract customers to my website?
Some of the key things you can do to help attract more customers to your website include: creating a good looking website that functions well and loads fast, optimizing your product listings or service offerings, marketing your site using social media, email marketing, SEO, and more, and through providing an excellent customer experience.
Why is driving traffic to a website important?
Website traffic is important because the more people who visit your website, the more potential customers you will have. The amount of visitors who come to your website turns into the amount of opportunities your website has to capture those leads and build a relationship with your website visitors.
How can I benefit from website traffic?
Increasing traffic to your website helps you increase brand visibility, drive conversions and sales. Additionally, through website analytics, you gain insights into user behavior and preferences which can then be used to create robust and targeted marketing strategies.
