Some of our readers who are new to blogging have been requesting tips for attracting traffic. One of the loveliest things about being part of Wannabe Hacks is the great sense of community surrounding the site, so I thought we could all help each other out. Many of you already have brilliant blogs so why not share the love and swap tips? I’ll start us off with some ideas for creating click-worthy content but after that, it’s over to you…

Define your audience

It sounds counter-intuitive but smaller communities often work better. Some of the most successful blogs have very narrowly defined readerships. For example, Wannabe Hacks is aimed specifically at young journalists hoping to break into the industry – so we wouldn’t include content that would only be relevant to seasoned editors. Writing for a niche audience, who often won’t have many other specialist media outlets, makes it easier to attract readers than trying to compete with millions of other general interest sites. It also helps you to tap into an existing network of engaged readers via forums, Facebook groups, etc.

Readers want news and stuff they can use

Keeping your content current also helps generate hits and comments. Even if your blog is about a hobby or a niche interest, there will be news within that community and current affairs will undoubtedly affect it. Some of the most popular posts on Wannabe Hacks are those which deal with news within the media industry.

We also get a lot of hits for posts with practical information. It’s little surprise that one of the most googled phrases is “how to”. Give your readers trusted content they can use and they will reward you with loyalty. That includes “how to” guides, reviews, or even crowd-sourced tips like these!

Now it’s over to you. As writers and readers of blogs, what makes a good blog? And what are the best ways to publicise and promote your blog? And, here’s a biggie, should you aim for a big audience or a smaller community of engaged readers? Go forth and talk among yourselves!