How to Promote Your Blog: 21 NEW Strategies
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How to Promote Your Blog: 21 NEW Strategies

Brian Dean

Written by Brian Dean

How to Promote Your Blog: 21 NEW Strategies

In today’s post, I’m going to show you exactly how to promote your blog.

In fact:

These are the same strategies that I used to grow my blog to 449,058 monthly visitors:

Backlinko – Users – September 2021

Let’s dive right in.

1. Guest Post Bonuses

If you’re just starting out, guest posting is a GREAT way to grow your blog.

There’s only one problem:

It’s REALLY hard to get people from your guest post to your website.

In fact, one industry study found that the average guest post brings in only 50 visitors.

Average referral traffic from a guest article

The solution?

Guest Post Bonuses.

With a Guest Post Bonus, you don’t just toss in a link at the bottom of your post.

Guest post bonus offer

Instead, you offer people something that makes them WANT to visit your website.

For example, a while back I published this guest post on The Buffer blog.

Buffer blog feature

Yes, I had an author bio link.

Buffer guest post – Author link

But I also created a Guest Post Bonus just for readers of my guest post.

Buffer guest post bonus

And that single guest post brought in 471 visitors in the first month:

Single guest post traffic

And lots of those new visitors signed up for my newsletter.

Nice.

2. Publish Data-Driven Content

Data-driven content is BLOWING UP right now.

And for a good reason:

Content with data is a great way for your blog to stand out.

For example, a few years ago we published this massive search engine ranking factors study.

Backlinko – Search engine ranking

Overall, that post led to thousands of shares on social media.

Post shares on Twitter

And a ton of backlinks.

Ahrefs – Search engine ranking – Backlinks

The only problem was:

This study was insanely hard (and expensive) to pull off.

There were servers. Crawlers. Data partners. Bugs. Problems. Millions of data points. And lots more.

Yes, data-driven content takes more work than a list post.

But it doesn’t have to be THIS hard.

For example, after the search engine ranking factors study, we published this study on voice search.

Backlinko – Voice search SEO study

Make no mistake: this took a lot of work.

First, our CTO had to manually ask his Google Home device 10,000 questions.

Then, we transcribed the answers.

Finally, we analyzed the data.

So yeah, it wasn’t easy. But this study was about 20x easier than our big Google study.

And it still did GREAT.

In fact, we got a huge spike in traffic on Day 1.

Day-one traffic spike

And people still link to and cite our study all the time.

Voice search SEO study – Singlegrain backlink

All anyone really needed to pull this off was a Google Home device and someone willing to put in the work.

We just happened to be the first to do it.

3. Update and Upgrade Old Content

A few years ago, I started a Manhattan Project for the Backlinko blog:

Update every single post on our site.

It wasn’t easy.

But this mega project helped boost Backlinko’s overall traffic by 25.71% compared to the previous year:

Updating content can help boost traffic

Now, 25% may not sound like a lot.

But that 25.71% increase = 410,322 more yearly visitors.

(Which is a lot.)

With that, let’s dive into the steps.

First, go to the last page of your blog feed.

Then, update and improve each post.

For example, I hadn’t done a big update to this post in YEARS.

Backlinko – The definitive guide to guest blogging

Most of the strategies in my post still worked.

But a lot of the content was obsolete.

Obsolete content

So I went in and overhauled the post.

For example, I replaced old visuals and images.

Replace old visuals and images

Removed old strategies:

Remove old strategies

And overall, made the post MUCH more up-to-date.

The Definitive Guide to Guest Blogging – New version

Finally, I pushed the changes live… and changed the β€œlast updated” date on the post.

The Definitive Guide to Guest Blogging – Last updated

Which boosted the overall traffic to that page by 22.52%.

Guest blogging guide – Traffic after update

Rinse and repeat for as many posts as you can handle.

Depending on how many posts you have, this can take months (or even years).

In fact, it took me 6 weeks to update all of our content.

But, as you saw, it was totally worth it.

4. LinkedIn Syndication

LinkedIn now has 756 million users.

LinkedIn users – 2021

Despite those crazy numbers, I don’t see many people talking about LinkedIn.

That’s good news for you and me. Because it means LinkedIn is largely untapped.

In fact:

You can get some serious traction on LinkedIn simply by reposting your best stuff there.

For example, a while ago, I reposted this post on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn article share

I literally copied the exact post word-for-word.

LinkedIn article

And despite being an old post, it got 3,800+ views.

Old post article views

This works because NO ONE is posting anything interesting on LinkedIn.

So when you publish something cool, you can instantly stand out.

5. Facebook Boosted Posts (With Retargeting)

It’s no secret that Facebook organic reach is basically 0% for most pages right now.

Forbes Facebook article

This means that you NEED to boost your posts if you want them to get seen.

That said:

CPCs on Facebook are getting super expensive.

(Especially if you’re in a B2B space like I am.)

Fortunately, you can decrease your CPC by 25-75% with retargeting.

For example, I posted this on the Backlinko Facebook page a while ago:

BuzzSumo Facebook post

And I decided to use some fancy targeting options.

Which ended up costing $2.60 CPC per click.

Facebook Ads – High cost per click

Not crazy. But not a great ROI either.

So a few months later when I boosted this post, I decided to only boost it to people that visited Backlinko in the last 60 days.

SEO Techniques Facebook post

And because I targeted people that I KNOW would be interested in our content, our CPC was only .67 cents a pop:

Facebook Ads low cost per click

6. The Super Simple Newsletter

One of the first lessons I learned with Backlinko was:

Newsletters are a GREAT way to promote new posts.

Over the years, I’ve tested 25+ different formats and layouts for our email newsletters.

Email newsletter formats and layouts

And all that testing had led to one big takeaway:

Super Simple Newsletters work best.

For example, here’s a newsletter we sent out to the Backlinko community about a new post:

Backlinko newsletter about new post

No fancy graphics.

No long intro.

No images.

Just a quick intro and a link to the post.

And because our newsletters focus on the main message (that we just published a new post), our CTRs are 2-3x higher than the industry average for a list of our size.

Newsletter high click through rate

7. Cross-Pollinate Your Audience

As you may know, I don’t post very much on Twitter.

(In fact, I average around 1-2 tweets per week.)

And despite that, I have over 117k Twitter followers.

Backlinko Twitter followers

My secret?

I ask new email subscribers to follow me on Twitter.

Backlinko – Thanks page

In fact, I’ve had that CTA in place since 2013.

And that simple button has led to over 20k Twitter followers.

8. Collab With Other Blogs

Over the last few years, I’ve worked with other blogs on infographics.

Collaborate with other blogs on infographics

Industry studies:

Backlinko – Content study

And case studies for the blog.

Case study for the blog

For example, some time ago, I teamed up with Pitchbox for this industry study.

Backlinko – Email outreach study

This collab was a win-win.

I got awesome data that I could use for a data-driven post.

And they got their product (and revamped blog) in front of thousands of people.

9. Super Personalized Outreach

Have you ever received a generic outreach email like this?

Generic outreach email

You’re not alone.

More and more people are using blogger outreach to promote their content.

Bloggers who report strong results based on type of promotion

And as you’ve probably noticed, they’re doing it all wrong.

Specifically, they blast out the same exact pitch to hundreds of people.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you can EASILY stand out.

How? Personalize every outreach email that you send.

In fact, the outreach study I mentioned earlier found that personalized messages got 32% more replies than those that used the same exact template.

Personalized messages can significantly improve response rates

For example, I found this broken link:

Broken link example

And realized that we had a guide that would make a PERFECT replacement.

So I sent out this personalized message:

Outreach email

And because I didn’t use a lame template or beg for a link, they happily added my link to their post.

Outreach email response

10. Eye-Catching Social Media Images

From A LOT of testing, I can tell you that your social image makes a huge difference.

For example, we used to slap our social media images together at the last minute. Or use a random image from the post.

Last-minute social post image

Today, we create social media images designed to stand out on someone’s Twitter or Facebook feed.

For example, when we publish something with data, we feature a compelling chart:

Compelling chart

(And we resize the chart so it’s optimized for Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn image dimensions.)

And if we’re publishing a list post or step-by-step guide, we have our designer create something that will stand out.

Custom image for tweet

This kind of thing takes a little bit of extra effort.

But in my experience, the increase in traffic that you get makes it totally worthwhile.

11. Turn Blog Content Into YouTube Videos

I used to start every YouTube video from scratch.

And it took FOREVER.

In fact, I used to spend 10 hours on a single 15-minute video.

(And I’d estimate that I spent 70% of that time on the video script.)

Today, I base my videos on existing content from blog posts, newsletters and keynote speeches.

YouTube video content based on existing content

And it makes this process MUCH easier.

Note: I’m not straight-up recycling a blog post into a video. That’s lame. Instead, I’m using bits and pieces of high-quality content as the basis of my script.

For example, this video from my channel is a mishmash of content from one of my ebooks, a newsletter, several different blog posts… plus some new stuff.

And because the video isn’t just a rehash of an old blog post, it racked up 148,168 views.

How to rank in Google – YouTube video – Views

12. Reply to Every Single Comment

You might have noticed that I get a fair amount of comments on every post.

Fair amount of comments on every post

What’s my secret?

First, I ONLY publish world-class content.

(In other words, content that’s worth commenting on.)

Second, I reply to pretty much every comment that someone leaves… especially in the first 48 hours after a post goes live.

In fact, according to our WordPress data, we have 29,142 comments on the blog.

Total comments on blog

And about 40% of those comments are me replying to comments from Backlinko readers.

So that means that I’ve replied to 11,656 comments so far.

That’s kind of insane. And replying to 11,656 comments takes time and effort.

But these replies show that I care about the people that take the time to leave comments. Even if it’s just a simple β€œThank you”.

Simple comment reply

It also gives me a chance to answer questions that people have.

Answer a question via a comment

And at the end of the day, replying to comments is one of the main reasons that we’ve been able to build such an active community here on the Backlinko blog.

13. Write Blog Posts on NEW Topics

Does your niche have a bunch of entrenched competitors?

Trust me, I’ve been there.

When I first launched the Backlinko blog I was diving headfirst into the brutally competitive marketing space.

And I was a one-man show going up against HUGE competitors with dozens of employees.

So:

How did I stand out and get traction?

I published content on NEW topics that my competitors weren’t covering.

For example, one of the first posts I published on the blog was about YouTube SEO:

How to Rank YouTube Videos post

And another early post was about building an email list:

List Building post

These were two topics that my competitors weren’t writing about. Which helped my content stand out.

This is a strategy that I still follow to this day.

Some time ago, I published this in-depth guide to Google RankBrain:

Backlinko – Google RankBrain SEO guide

And because I was so early, this post didn’t blend in with the 100 other posts about RankBrain.

(Because there weren’t any.)

Which helped my content really stand out:

Content that stands out

14. Podcast Bonuses

This is like the Guest Post Bonus strategy I talked about earlier.

But instead of creating a bonus for each guest post…

…you create a set of bonuses for each podcast you go on as a guest.

For example, when I went on Pat Flynn’s podcast, I created this bonus section for his listeners:

Backlinko – Pat bonus section

And at the end of the podcast, I specifically mentioned this bonus section.

Which led to an influx of traffic…

Influx of traffic

…and more importantly, email subscribers.

With that, here’s the exact process.

First, create something that listeners of that podcast would want.

Ideally, your bonuses should complement what you’re going to talk about on the podcast.

For example, before I went on Pat’s podcast, I created a bonus section.

This bonus section contained:

  • A quick case study
  • An on-page SEO checklist
  • And a swipe file of 25 high-quality link building videos and posts

Second, run it by the podcast host. Because you’re offering something super valuable to their audience, most won’t have a problem with it. But it never hurts to check in beforehand.

Finally, host the bonus section landing page on a URL that’s easy to remember and type.

For example, for my Pat Flynn podcast appearance, I made the URL: backlinko.com/pat.

Easy-to-remember URL

Then you just have to set up your email marketing platform to deliver the bonuses after they sign up.

That’s all there is to it.

15. Speak at Events

Speaking at conferences is a GREAT way to promote your blog.

But not for the reason you might think.

I’ll explain…

When I first launched Backlinko, I spoke at as many conferences as I could.

Brian speaking at conferences

In fact, I spoke at events in:

  • Dublin
  • Boston
  • Austin
  • Istanbul
  • Romania
  • Berlin
  • And lots more cities and countries

Did getting on stage in front of 300 people skyrocket my blog’s growth?

Probably not.

So how did these conferences help me?

Because I got to meet other speakers.

Meet the speakers

(Speakers that are leaders in the SEO and marketing space.)

In fact, speaking at these events helped me create partnerships, mastermind groups, and friendships with really smart people.

It even gave me a chance to make an early angel investment in a startup.

Brian Dean early angel investment

And this wouldn’t have happened if I randomly sent these folks an email with: β€œHey, do you want to partner up on something?”.

To be clear:

Now that my blog has traction, I pretty much stopped speaking at events. But that’s another story for another post…

But when I was just starting out, speaking at events was SUPER helpful.

16. Publish Posts at The Right Time

What’s the BEST time to publish a new blog post?

Well, BuzzSumo and I set out to answer this question.

And we found that… there isn’t really a big difference between different days of the week.

Average social shares by day of week

That said:

Every little bit helps.

And if you want to get more traffic and social shares from every post, publishing at the right time is KEY.

The thing is, the β€œbest time” is different for every blog.

For us, we’ve experimented with publishing on Sundays at 12pm, Fridays at 7am, and Mondays at 2pm…

And we eventually figured out that publishing on Tuesdays at 11am works best for us.

But that’s not something any industry study or β€œbest time to publish a post” article can tell you.

You gotta experiment.

17. Leave Super Helpful Comments on Other Blogs

This is something I did A LOT when I was first starting out.

For example, I’d leave comments that added to the discussion:

Comments that add to the discussion

Or just supported bloggers that I was rooting for:

Comment to support other bloggers

And this helped me get on people’s radar screens… without being a pushy jerkface.

In fact, these helpful comments directly led to a handful of guest post and podcast interview invites.

Sweet!

18. Create a Blog Alliance

A β€œBlog Alliance” is where you make friends with other bloggers.

(And β€œBlog Alliance” sounds a lot cooler than β€œmake friends”. So I went with that. πŸ™‚ )

For example, in the early days of Backlinko, I’d go on weekly calls with Bryan Harris.

Call with Bryan Harris

And these calls were SUPER helpful.

Sure, it was nice to have someone to talk to about writing, hiring, tools, products, and newsletters.

But we also swapped specific tips and tactics that helped us both grow.

So if there’s another blogger that’s at about the same level as you are, send them a quick message like this:

19. Reader Case Studies

I LOVE reader case studies.

In fact, reader case studies were one of the secret weapons I used to grow my blog in record time.

Old case study posts

With that, here’s the step-by-step process.

First, identify a strategy, technique or tip that you want to highlight.

For example, back in the day I wanted to get the word out about The Skyscraper Technique.

Backlinko – Skyscraper technique

Second, find a reader that got results from something you talked about.

Finally, work with your reader on an in-depth case study.

In other words: they send you the details. And you write up what happened.

That way, it’s not a guest post. And the writing is still in your own voice.

For example, I worked with Chris Gimmer on this Skyscraper Technique case study a few years back:

Viral Marketing Guide

And that post did GREAT. It brought in 13,486 visitors in the first month alone.

Viral Marketing traffic

And people shared it on Twitter like crazy:

Viral marketing Twitter shares

20. Create Cool Visuals, Charts, and Images

You might have noticed that I tend to sprinkle in a handful of custom visuals and charts in every post.

Visuals and charts in every post

That’s no accident.

I discovered that these custom visuals get shared around (and linked to) without me needing to hustle with outreach.

For example, I asked our designer to create a visual of a page that’s optimized for voice search SEO.

How to optimize for Google Home

And because this visual helps people understand voice search SEO, lots of other bloggers have used it in their blog posts:

Backlinko visual used in other posts

Bottom line? Include 2-3 visuals, charts or mini-infographics in every post. If the post does well, other bloggers will see your visuals. And a small but significant percentage will use your visuals in their content.

21. Double Down On List Posts

List posts are a blogging mainstay.

And they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

Our content study with BuzzSumo found that list posts got more social shares than any other content format:

Average social shares by post type

This makes sense if you think about it…

People love super tactical tips and tactics that they can use right away.

And a list post has a bunch of these tactics on a single page.

In fact, when I analyzed which posts brought in the most traffic, 4 out of the top 10 were list posts.

Four of the top-ten posts were list posts

This is why I’ve published several list posts (like this one) over the last few years.

Backlinko – List posts

And I actually have a few more list posts in the works right now.

Speaking of list posts…

Bonus #1: Start List Posts With Your Most Unique Tip

Here’s a mistake I see a lot of bloggers make with list posts:

They put the most important and helpful tip at the top of their list.

Why is this a mistake?

Well, when someone lands on your list post they’re looking for something new.

So you need to give them your most unique strategy right off the bat.

So instead of organizing your list posts like this:

Normal list post layout

Organize them like this:

Ideal list post layout

In other words, begin and end your list with strategies that your reader probably hasn’t seen before.

For example:

A few years ago I published this list post on how to get more views on YouTube.

Backlinko – Get YouTube views

And my first tip was a new way to create more effective thumbnails.

Use BOGY thumbnails

Of all the things you could possibly do to get more views, is this the most important?

Heck no!

But it IS a strategy that most people haven’t heard of before. Which means they’ll keep reading.

Then, later in my list, I outline strategies that make the biggest difference.

Strategies that make a big difference

Bonus #2: Add Tweetable Quotes To Your Content

This is an EASY way to get more people to share your content on Twitter.

Here’s how it works:

First, find a quote from your post that’s worth sharing.

In other words: a Tweetable Quote.

A Tweetable quote is a short, interesting quote that easily fits inside of Twitter’s character limit.

For example, this line in my “8-Step Content Strategy” post was a Tweetable quote.

Tweetable quote

It had a β€œClick to Tweet This” link underneath the quote.

Click to tweet this

(BTW, I made this link using ClickToTweet.com.)

When someone clicked on that link, they got a pre-written tweet with that quote.

That’s all there is to it.

And if your quote hits a nerve, people WILL share it.

Post quote – Twitter shares

(Including lots of people that wouldn’t have otherwise shared your post.)

And I can tell you from experience that these β€œbonus shares” really add up.

What Did You Think?

Now I’d like to hear from you:

Which technique from today’s post are you going to use first?

Are you going to publish more list posts? Or leave comments on other blogs?

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

374 Comments

  1. This is an incredible collection of ideas! I’ve just started to focus on promoting my book blog this year (rather than wishing my posts into readers inboxes) and this is one of the few articles I’ve found with actionable and concrete ideas. I appreciate that they are feasible for a smaller blog like mine too. I was particularly excited to see your Blog Alliance suggestion since I recently joined one! Check that off the list! Looking forward to getting more of these accomplished soon.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hey Rachel, thank you! And it’s great to hear that you already joined a Blog Alliance. They can be super helpful. Plus, it sounds a lot cooler than “a bunch of bloggers that hang out and swap ideas” πŸ™‚

    1. What a coincidence. Me too is about to promote my book using my blog. I am so glad that I’ve come to read this. Thank you Brian for the exceptional post. Some of them may be hard for me to accomplish, but I’ll do my best and work on it.

      1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

        πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

        1. Nice one Brian, the tips you shared in this post are really helpful.
          Thanks

      1. I think the movie (field of dreams) has left a false impression on a lot of individuals. There is an often mistaken quote of “If you build it, he will come” to “If you build it, they will come” Well, they are not going to find you through the competition if you don’t promote! Thanks for the ever amazing blog post.

        1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

          You’re welcome, Ryan. Great movie! But yeah, that quote has been taken out of context a million times.

  2. Thank You Brian for these great Tips!
    Your article is really helpful considering the competition and frequent Google Updates. I will definitely do the checklist of all your advices for 2019 for Our clients … and also for our agency:)
    All the Best!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      You’re welcome, Sarah. Let me know how it goes.

      1. Hey Brian great post.
        You mentioned copying a blog post to LinkedIn word for word.
        I was under the impression duplicate content is considered a red flag for google.
        Are there certain exceptions to this rule?

        Angelo.

        1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

          Thanks Angelo. A few other people asked this same question. If you ctrl + F “duplicate content” you can see my replies.

  3. Awesome! No words. You always go one step beyond. Many people look for ways to promote their blogs. As you know it is a common query. But you always gives to the content a well worked information, documentation and resources. Let me read in detail.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Luis. That’s true: I get asked about promotion A LOT. And it’s a good question: without promotion, most blogs struggle to get going. Which is why I decided to write this post.

      1. Ambalink Avatar Ambalinksays:

        So, I was randomly scrolling through my emails when i decided to click on this link (https://backlinko.com/promote-your-blog). Fast forward, man am really grateful! Av been doing things all wrong. Investing a lot in unique content and using the “Publish and Pray technique”. It was very frustrating not to get any search traffic. My self-esteem was hitting Rock-bottom. Bottomline, this post has been an EYE-OPENER!!!

  4. Love the podcast section, i really need to start one!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Nathan. Let me know how the podcast goes.

  5. This is one of those classic “save to reference every month” Backlinko posts.

    “Reader case studies” is a great one I’m definitely going to work on in the next few months.

    Blog alliances sound really interesting, too. Along those same lines, what do you think about mastermind groups like Traffic Think Tank?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Kyle! Personally, I’d prefer to have a small group of bloggers over a larger community. In fact, even having ONE other blogger to bounce ideas off of is huge.

      Don’t get me wrong: Communities like Traffic Think Tank are great. The upside of those larger communities is that there are more people in the group (which means more collective knowledge). But it’s hard to really get into the weeds with problems and challenges that you’re having.

  6. Always blown away by your awesome content Brian. And always super excited when I get your emails πŸ˜‰

    Great job

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hey Brady, thanks man! I appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed today’s post. I had a lot of fun writing it.

  7. I am going to try the “Click to Tweet this” strategy on top of my outreach and blog partnership strategies.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Lesley, awesome! Keep me posted on how it goes.

  8. Hey brian,

    Amazing post! Newbie bloggers always struggle to promote their blog and they just create tons of content instead of promoting it. I also did this mistake when I started out. But today I focus more on content promotion instead of creating more content.

    These days I’m focusing more on answering on quora and social media platforms to promote my content.

    The tips you’ve provided is really helpful and I’ll surely implement these on my blog.

    Thanks for this awesome masterpiece.

    Cheers

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Tushar, awesome! Yup, promotion is always important but especially so when you’re just starting out.

  9. Love the NEW topics idea, Brian. I think combining that w/ data-driven is a winning combo: find a new topic, do the early legwork/research, rake in the backlinks.

    Thanks as always for your awesome content!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi TJ, thank you! And you’re 100% right about that: new topic + data-driven is a killer combo. It helps you be the first to provide data in a new space.

      In fact, that’s one of the reasons that this post did so well: https://backlinko.com/voice-search-seo-study. It was on a new topic (voice search) AND had that data-driven element.

      1. That’s exactly the one that came to mind. Thanks again!

  10. I follow your articles religiously, however, I’m having a hard time making your suggestions/experience be effective in my industry. Which is sports betting/sports handicapping. Is it possible that your techniques only work in certain industries?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi George, I’ve seen my strategies work in 40+ different industries (including yours). What strategies haven’t worked for you?

  11. Something I was looking for actually Brian. You made my day with this information. Thank you AGAIN!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Darshana, you’re welcome. Happy to help.

  12. Top notch article as usual, Brian! Fighting the good fight here in the UK!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Cheers Paul!

  13. Hello Brian,

    Amazing post but, as you say, this is a hell of a lot of work.

    I will start with:
    – Updating old posts
    – Posting to LinkedIn
    – Simple newsletters
    – Write list posts

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Mike, no doubt. Blog promotion is no joke. But with the right strategies (and more importantly, system, in place), it gets a whole lot easier.

      You picked a great list there. I would definitely start with updating old posts. That’s a quick win that can make a massive difference.

  14. Once again, amazing stuff Brian!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Davis! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

  15. I’m bookmarking this post. So helpful – especially when building out my content calendar for the next year!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Alex, thank you! And I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only person that’s already working on their 2020 content calendar, LOL

  16. There is so much great, useful information here. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Jen, you’re welcome. Happy to help πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

  17. What an amazing content.

    I’m starting with my affiliate website and you’re one of the big ones. I’ll try to apply most of the advises here.

    Thank you!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Robert, you’re welcome. Good luck with the new site.

  18. This is a great list Brian. I’m in a niche that very few people blog in, any suggestions as to how I guest post?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      HI Ian, thank you. Have you looked into Shoulder Niches? Basically: niches that have blogs that also relate to your industry. What niche are you in?

  19. Hello Brian, I’m going share it on my facebook group and page, much valuable post.

    Thank You!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      You’re welcome, Maya.

  20. Hi Brian

    Thank you so much for such an informative piece of information. I am struggling these days to know how exactly I should promote my blog and I believe this article is Gem for me. I already started implementing it. Thanks again for your time and help us with the common problem.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      No worries. Happy to help.

  21. Hello Brian,

    Just another amazing post, salute your brain. This post is very much worth.

    Thanks again.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      You’re welcome, Sarita. πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

  22. Amazing post with good information and tips.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thank you!

  23. Great post as always, Brian. My facebook referrals have dropped considerably this year so good to know that this is an industry wide issue. The Click to Tweet method may prove useful for an upcoming post so looking forward to trialling that. Just wondering if you have had lots of traffic from mainstream media exposure? I’ve appeared in newspapers and on radio but have had a low amount of traffic considering the audience size each outlet has. Would love to hear your thoughts on mainstream media as a referrer. Many thanks.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Hazel, thank you. I appreciate that. Yup, Facebook traffic is dropping across the board as organic reach declines.

      To answer your question: I’ve noticed the same thing. I was recently mentioned in a major newspaper and it didn’t make any difference. There’s definitely value in it. But it’s more for the link. In fact, I’ve found that getting mentions on smaller sites and podcasts brings in more traffic (and leads) than most major media mentions. So yeah, my experience has been similar to yours it sounds like.

  24. Great article!
    Question: how can you repost an article on LinkedIN from your site…without it being seen as duplicate content?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Amanda. Good question. As long as your content has been indexed on your site first, you don’t really need to worry about duplicate content.

  25. Super like usual. Very good sumup.
    you forget emailing (I come from here brian) but does not help for SEO. πŸ˜‰

      1. Thanks Brian, Always easy to read and understand

        1. Great post Brian.

          I have a question on boosting a Facebook post.

          How do you suggest we monetize this traffic because if you are going to spend money you got to earn some of it back.

          Or you are just suggesting that we do it to send traffic to our blogs and not worry about profitability.

  26. Perfect timing Brian. I’ve been struggling to promote my new blog and this is a great roadmap for me to follow. Thank you!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Ros, awesome! Best of luck with your new blog.

  27. outstanding!

    Don’t you get duplicate content issues when reposting to linkedin Or else where?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Derek, posting on LinkedIn is technically duplicate content. But as long as your content is indexed and Google sees you as the original author of that content, you’re good.

  28. Egbuachor Anthony Avatar Egbuachor Anthonysays:

    Hello Brian, your are a Genius!

    I’ve never considered posting to LinkedIn, you’ve just opened my eyes. Thanks for such great list.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      I try πŸ˜„

      But seriously, if you’re in a B2B space, LinkedIn has a ton of potential.

  29. I must say you work very hard to create awesome content, once again great stuff.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Rahul. I definitely do!

  30. I recently published my first blog and was struggling to promote it but after going through this blog my problem has been solved. Thanks, Dean!
    I also want a blog that just focuses on Soe strategies of restaurant websites to include on-page off-page and marketing techniques.
    Thanks again.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Uxama, happy to help.

      1. Thanks waiting for an email of the title like “How to do SEO of restaurant websites?”
        hahaha.

  31. This is a great list, Brian! Lots of substance. The one thing I’m amazed by is that you didn’t mention is promoting blogs in communities. Did you leave that out intentionally since it’s become kinda spammy?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks David! Actually, I do think there’s value in promoting in communities. Like you said, it’s becoming spammy so most communities are sort of on guard for it. But if done tactfully, I think there’s still a place for it.

  32. It’s a totally knockout post, it covers almost all ways that we can promote our blog. Honestly, as a newbie, I don’t even know most of them. Thank you very much, I will work on them one by one.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Sounds good. Let me know how it goes.

  33. Duddddddddddddddddddddde, I love

    “3. Update and Upgrade Old Content”

    I’ve found this really helps.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Chris. It’s a very underrated strategy!

  34. Hi Brian, Thanks for the in-depth and practical article full of actionable items. I’ll have to nail these one by one, going forward on my new blog. I’d love to know what platform you use and…what you think of my blog if you get around to checking it out.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Jason, you’re welcome. We use WordPress here at Backlinko. I think that’s what you meant by platform.

  35. Awesome content as always. Thanks for this!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Rosy, you’re welcome!

  36. Gina Avatar Ginasays:

    Thanks for the amazing post and tips!

    One question though: how can posting on LinkedIn help driving traffic to your blog? The article is fully posted on LI already, right?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Gina, I’m talking about sharing articles from your blog on LI.

  37. Amazing post, thanks for sharing this article which is very useful for me. I am truly motivated by your blogging ideas

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

  38. Truly interesting. I would need to read it a few more times to get the full value and understanding. Just one quick question about posting on Linkedin: Do you copy paste the article or just put a title and add the link to your content? many thanks
    Enrico Maria

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Enrico. I don’t even add a link to my content. I just copy and paste the article. The point is more to get people to see you and follow you on LinkedIn.

      That said, there’s nothing wrong with adding a “Think article originally appeared on” link at the bottom of your LinkedIn article.

  39. Great content as always, Brian. But I’m always daunted by the extra tasks that are required to achieve the results you do. I’m not in the BtoB space, and if, for example, I want to “have my designer” do sharp custom graphics for every post, I have to walk to the mirror to talk to him. Likewise a lot of other tactics that almost certainly work require tremendous investments in time that solopreneurs in startups often have real trouble finding. I always walk away from reading “guru” advice wondering when I am supposed to have time to *do* what it is I’m doing, as opposed to *promoting* what it is that I’m doing.

    I like a lot of the other tips, though, and they’re much easier to implement. Thanks for hearing me out. I’m in the process of trying to restart a business that I had to let lie fallow for a couple of years and I’m feeling the stress!

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Jim thank you. I hear you on that. What I’m writing here is more of a “in a perfect world, here’s what to do”. But it’s not always practical or realistic. And on some cases, entire strategies may not make sense. So I’d treat this list more like a menu: try what stands out and ignore the rest.

  40. Great post as always Brian! Wouldn’t find most of these elsewhere.

    I was looking to make friends with bloggers like me within my space. It’s feeling pretty lonely in here…

    Here is a thing Brian, I see established bloggers all over who do not bother to reply to my email or get in touch with me.

    Can you shine a light on how do I find bloggers like me (Likeminded, Possess similar skills as i have and are popular as I am) within my space?

    In short, how do I create a Blog Alliance within my space?

    Thanks
    Farhan

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Farhan, thank you. I’d try to focus on blogs that are about the same level you’re at (in terms of following). They don’t really need to be in your space. For example, if you run a blog about fitness you can find another blogger in the marketing space.

      1. That’s something new.

        Usually, I tend to find someone within my space we share our knowledge and skills with each other. Also, we help each other with topics/content research as well as promotion.

        Can you explain a little on how can get in touch with bloggers from the different niches be helpful?

        1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

          It’s helpful because you’re both working on the same thing (growing a blog). So even though you’re in different niches you have similar goals, challenges, etc.

  41. This is awesome Brian. I wonder how long it do take you to arrange such a skyrocket article. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Gary. I don’t keep close track but these posts do take a while!

  42. Lovely ideas here, I am taking notes. Nice

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Yomi. Please keep me posted on how things go.

  43. Thanks, Brian. Your blog posts are so simple and clear. In your experience, which technique makes the greatest impact? Where would you prioritise your efforts for the greatest return?

      1. I started scheduled updates within one of my blogs in August.

        42.3% more users came in September, though it would be because of google September update.

        Then I saw this month’s traffic, It’s 17 October and the traffic has already over what it was overall in August.

        Never seen such hike, gonna update other blogs.

  44. Hey Brian, thanks so much for this. Obviously these are all excellent tips! But after reading the book “The One Thing”, I realize that only 20% of these tips will have (roughly) 80% of the impact! If that’s the case, which 1 or 2 of these would you recommend I focus on? Some context: I only started a couple of blogs about 7 or 8 months ago. There isn’t a lot of traffic (yet).

    Thanks again for all the work you do and the top-tier advice you bring to the entire community πŸ™‚

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      You’re welcome, Rod. It’s hard for me to say because those 20% depend on your blog, your niche, your staff etc. But in general, I’d say #3, #5 and ##18 have the biggest long-term impact.

  45. Aqsa Avatar Aqsasays:

    Super awesome tips, Brian. I’ve just started to focus on my online business and I’m sure these ideas will help me to succeed in my mission. Thank you so much for always providing great content. Much appreciated.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Hi Aqsa, no worries. I hope this helps with your new project.

  46. How do you find broken links to use for blogger outreach emails? That’s a great idea!

  47. Hello Brian,
    Always a great read.
    Incidentally I am right now trying to establish the best day/time for my posts.
    I read somewhere that Monday morning wasn’t the best time. So i think I can understand why you may have found that Tuesday morning works.
    In fact I think thanks to this post, I already have my answer now as to the best day/time for my weekly posts. I had earlier experimented with Friday evening but that didn’t get many engagements.
    Thanks once again for these awsome posts and your great insights.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Happy to help. Yes, that’s been my experience as well: most “best times to publish posts” aren’t super helpful. It really does depend on the blog.

      1. Awesome post as always. Kudos. On the timing part what if any recomendations would you have on beat times to send outreach emails? For us no.9 on your list is working great but think if we got the timing right it would work even better πŸ€”

        1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

          Thanks Alex. In my experience, the early afternoon is best. Their inbox is cleared out. So yours shows up right at the top.

  48. KD Avatar KDsays:

    My company is tiny and a seo guy with some experience assigns my duties.

    I’m an infant that was born yesterday in this digital solutions – digital marketing field.

    Writing and Music are my core passions.

    I am an intern content writer.

    From now on, I will make it a point to leave comments on other blogs. I regret not having known this earlier as I’ve already done tons of research (read lots of blogs) in just a few days of joining.

    Hope you don’t mind these long ramblings of mine.

    Thank you.

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Happy to help, KD. As long as your comments are legit, honest and valuable (like this one), comments can help you get on other blogger’s radar screens.

  49. Brian, love the simplicity of your writing πŸ‘Œ

    Two questions:

    1. When you script your videos do you read from a teleprompter or how do you go about utilizing your script?

    2. What do you think about services like Quuu Promote and others which get you lots of social shares. Do you think its effect? If so, do you think it is effective immediately after publishing or waiting a certain period of time?

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Matt. 1. I usually read from a telepromper. 2. I’ve tried them and they seem to help a little. But nothing beats good old fashioned outreach!

  50. Brian, that’s amazing, I’m definitely going for the LinkedIn post and updating the old content on the blog as well. By the way, does Linkedin Company pages have an option to post an article or is it just on personal profiles? Haven’t found the button yet πŸ™‚

    1. Brian Dean Avatar Brian Deansays:

      Thanks Jure. I believe that feature is only for personal profiles.

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