Everyone is obsessed with traffic. Personally, I blame those Richard Scarry books we all read as children.
Unless you have the virtual equivalent of bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to get into your site, you won’t be happy. If you’re not happy, I’m not happy. So I’ve created a list of traffic hacks that will definitely increase the amount of incoming traffic to your site.
All of these traffic hacks have been tried and proven to get results. While your results will vary, getting just one more pair of eyeballs on your website can equal more money in sales with a potential for referral marketing. With each visitor you attract, you also grow your community. Traffic hacking for the win!
Getting one more pair of eyeballs on your website can equal more money in sales. Click To Tweet
Would you like a list of what to do every day, every week, and every month to grow your site traffic? Subscribe to receive this free checklist.
You won’t need to do everything on this list, but get your feet wet by trying at least one of these hacks today (not tomorrow). Also, bookmark this page for an easy reference when you’d like to try the rest. Let’s go!
Here’s What To Do Off of Your Site:
1. Guest post 
Reach out to blogs and websites that speak to your target audience and ask for the opportunity to guest post. You’ll increase the odds of attracting new visitors who have never heard of you. Make your post insanely valuable– give your best content out, don’t hold back for your website.
2. Direct guest posts to a landing page 
Most sites allow you one link in your guest post bio spot. How generous. Use that opportunity to direct visitors to an optimized landing page related to the content in your guest post. For example, you’ve guest posted about finding a doggy daycare in your city. In your bio, promote your free downloadable PDF file, where you’ve reviewed local doggy daycares in depth. On your landing page, offer the review in exchange for an email address.
3. Get influencers involved 
Reach out to people who influence and speak to your community. Ask for interviews that you’ll share on your blog, podcast, or YouTube channel. The influencer will then market your interview and it will feel like magic nectar flowing from Mt. Olympus.
4. Ask for referrals 
People won’t think about it unless you ask them to do it. On your email, social media, and website, ask them to refer you to their friends. By the way, can you share this post with your friends?
5. Network with other brands and blogs 
Find brands and blogs in your industry that you can connect with. Comment on their blogs, introduce yourself via social media, and make yourself available to help them with content or product promotion. Scratch their back and they’ll scratch yours.
6. Promote your startup 
Visit PromoteHour to find a list of places where you can promote your startup for free.
7. Inform influencers about your blog posts 
Have you linked to an influencer in your blog posts? Unless you’ve done a vulcan mind meld, they won’t know about it– so reach out to them on Twitter, LinkedIn, or email.
8. Promote your blog posts and other content 
Don’t forget to promote your recent blog posts, YouTube videos, and other content on your social media channels. Set up automatic updates with a social media scheduler like Buffer or Hootsuite.
9. Promote 80/20 
Don’t just promote your own blog posts, though. To amass a following, share valuable content from outside sources (at least 80%), and only self-promote 20% of the time.
10. Follow the “poster boy” strategy 
This idea comes from Bryan Harris at Videofruit. Here’s the gist: find a product that you love, try it, use it, and then create a case study about it. Next, share with the product’s company how much the product helped with your problem. You may get a shoutout that could bring a ton of traffic to your site.
11. Use Slideshare 
Create a slideshow presentation of your blog posts to reach a new group.
12. Make videos on YouTube 
Behind Google, YouTube is the second largest search engine. Use this search engine to bring more traffic to your videos, then your brand, and ultimately your website.
13. Create infographics 
Use a site like Canva, Infogr.am, and Piktochart to create stunning (and affordable) infographics. Then, post them on your blog and social media. Be careful to clearly brand your infographic with a link back to your site at the bottom.
14. Use Google+ 
You may not use Google+, but it actually ranks pretty high in search engine results. It may have something to do with Google. After writing a post, be sure to share it on Google+. Same goes for other posts that you want to share with your audience.
15. Use Quora 
Quora is a Q&A site that allows you to answer questions and link to your relevant blog posts. Keep your answers here short and valuable, and link back to your blog. Remember to optimize your bio tagline to position yourself as an expert in your niche.
16. Get media exposure 
Journalists and bloggers need your help to create content for their articles. List yourself on a site like Help a Reporter (HARO) and answer queries related to your industry.
17. Get active in forums 
Search for forums within your niche and then post valuable content to reach expert status.
18. Create a Facebook page for your brand 
You should definitely have a presence on Facebook– and not just your personal page. Create a business page that you can optimize with special tabs. Use tabs to promote an email list, an upcoming event, or a product launch. This page is also perfect for daily interactions.
19. Create a podcast series discussing one topic at length 
Get into the world of podcasts– even if it’s just a small, limited series of 10 podcasts. You can reach a different audience through audio.
20. Write a book and publish it through Kindle 
Use Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to further position yourself as an expert. By writing a book on the subject, you instantly seem more credible.
Here’s What To Do On Your Site:
1. Feature guest bloggers on your site 
Guest blogging is a two-way street. You can also invite guests to blog on your site. It can benefit you because, like influencers, the guest bloggers will direct their followers to your site.
2. Create a blog 
Blogs grow your traffic. It signals to search engines that your otherwise static website is current and possibly relevant for readers. It also boosts your ranking in organic search results.
3. Write valuable posts
On your blog, don’t just scratch the surface. Get expert level and create longer posts. According to OK Dork, longer content gets more shares.
4. Create a visually engaging blog post 
Don’t create an ugly, boring, words-only blog post. Spice it up with images and leave plenty of white space for breathing room. This will keep your audience coming back for more.
5. Use BuzzSumo to generate ideas 
Here’s how to come up with the perfect idea for your blog posts. Search BuzzSumo for keywords to find the posts that attract the most social media shares. Use this as a jumping point for your blog posts.
6. Skyscraper Technique 
Backlinko’s Brian Dean created this technique. Basically, find the best content available on a topic and then make it better by going more in depth. Then, reach out to people who’ve linked to similar content and show them your work.
7. Link to other posts within your blog post 
In your blog posts, share other posts you’ve written that you think may be valuable to the reader.
8. Respond to folks
This includes in emails, on your blog, and on social media. If people take the time to leave a message, you should take the time to respond.
9. Host a contest 
Contests with attractive prizes naturally draw crowds. We can help with that.
10. Create a referral program 
Implement a referral program and award your most loyal and vocal customers.
11. Include social shares everywhere 
Make it incredibly easy for visitors to share your posts with others. Install a floating social share menu, like the one from SumoMe, to increase shares.
12. Use surveys 
Surveys are a great way to better understand who comes on your site and why. Post multiple surveys throughout your site. Ask readers what they’d like to read, and then deliver it.
13. Use keywords 
SEO is still important and needs to be included in this roundup. Include high search volume/ low competition keywords in your blog posts.
14. Use an SEO plugin
If you have WordPress, you can increase your search engine optimization with a plugin. I favor Yoast and All in One SEO Pack.
15. Give your readers something to tweet out 
Create a pull quote that your readers can easily share with their followers. Install a plugin like Better Click to Tweet to make tweeting from your blog post a breeze.
16. Be accessible 
Don’t hide your email address. Share it on your About page, in your social media profiles, and on your email newsletters.
Here’s What To Do In Your Email
1. Create an email list 
People will subscribe to your email list (especially if paired with a lead magnet). An email list will help you drive traffic back to your site whenever you have something new and valuable to share.
2. Segment your list 
Group your subscribers into categories and then deliver specialized content to them.
3. Create a lead magnet 
A lead magnet is something you provide (for free) to your readers in exchange for their email address. This could be an ebook, a list of resources, a valuable checklist, etc.
4. Use a content upgrade 
You should also try to build your email list with your blog posts. Do this with a content upgrade that exchanges a lead magnet for an email address.
5. Create an email course 
Also known as a drip course, your email course will keep your subscribers engaged and ensure your top-of-mind awareness.
6. Add a call to action in your email signature 
Use a site like HTMLSig and Wisestamp to optimize your email signature. Send people to an optimized landing page.
Paid Strategies
1. Buy Facebook ads
Facebook ads can be highly targeted and are a sure bet for building awareness in your brand. Start low and see what works.
2. Buy Google ads
Same as with Facebook. Purchase PPC ads to get a higher listing in search results.
3. Use Outbrain 
Outbrain increase your web traffic by linking out to your content on major sites, like CNN.
Would you like a list of what to do every day, every week, and every month to grow your site traffic? Subscribe to receive this free checklist.