Blogging is an activity that is nothing more than writing interesting content. Of course, what you write is very important when it comes to blogging, but half the time is a struggle marketing content.
If you are a blog writer or a content or content marketing writer, marketing your latest work or posts will take up the majority of your time.
Promoting content can be tricky. There are tons of advertisements and promotional websites asking for a consistent amount of money to promote your new and old blogs and keep them circulating. However, this can be very expensive if you are new to the world of blogging especially if you only have limited funds.
If you want traffic to enter your content, the first time you should highlight some reasons why you can’t get the traffic you want on your blog. There are several of them:
There is no proper promotion
Weak marketing
Lack of search engine optimized (SEO) content
Often times, bloggers don’t realize the value of promotion and how much it can benefit their engagement. Here I have listed 21 ways to promote a free and effective blog in 2021
1. Email List
Having a list of subscribers to your blog via email is an increasingly conventional way of reaching your target audience. Email lists help you get organic followers for your blogs who have already provided their emails, giving you approval to receive your content.
This is a proven method when it comes to getting conversions and targeted marketing. So start building your email list. You could, for example, set up a flashy lead magnet to empower your audience to leave their email and become your fans. You can check out this proven email list building strategy.
Email your list every week, every month, or just as you publish something new.
2. Pinterest
Pinterest is one of the most influential social media platforms, Pinterest is a source of ideas and topics that are widely used by readers. Because it has aesthetic appeal, people turn to Pinterest to collect ideas. Pinterest can help you to promote your blogs and posts in a way that fits perfectly with Pinterest content.
Form Pinterest pins or create idea boards to present your content on the platform.
To make promotion effective, pin it frequently and add a compelling description and call to action (CTA) to inspire click-throughs. You can also use Pins in your blog posts, which can increase the number of repins.
Get inspired by the Boostapps example. They incorporate a bright design and SEO optimized descriptions.
3. Instagram
You can use Instagram indirectly to promote your blog by adding a photo to your feed for each new post and directing readers to the homepage URL in your bio.
You can use the images that you have used on your blog on Instagram to create more interesting content. Make efficient use of Instagram’s caption options to write compelling content that entices readers to open URLs.
4. Facebook Community
Your blog is likely targeting a specific audience. One of the easiest ways to get access to people who are interested in your content is to join the Facebook community for your particular niche and promote your blog here.
Answer questions that people in the community may have and direct them to your website for more in-depth information. The key is to help and provide value.
5. Twitter
A catchy tweet that summarizes your latest blog post can entice people to read more about what you have on your blog. Make sure to retweet your tweet a few times so that it moves to the top of the newsfeed more often.
But don’t just log in and promote your blog once a month – you need to be persistent and share helpful tips with your audience at least a few times per week.
Also, tweet at the best of times. According to CoSchedule research, different social media platforms have different optimal times for publishing. You can get more engagement by posting with the best timing in mind.
6. RSS Feed
RSS is a platform that acts as a hub for a large number of users around the world. You can use RSS feeds to increase the chances of new readers seeing your content as posts appear around the world.
7. Commenting on Blogs
Ask people to comment on your blog posts if they like the content. A side effect of blog comments is a little extra traffic. If there are comments on a blog stating how well written or well-researched are, people are likely to see your other work too, and maybe even subscribe.
8. Commenting on Quora
Quora is used to leave reviews or ask questions, and it is one of the most popular forums. You can easily promote your blog by asking questions that are relevant to your blog niche. When you answer these questions, they are not only answered for one person but for many others who have similar questions.
The view count below each comment on Quora can tell you how many times people saw your answer. There is a chance that if you promote your blog, your traffic will increase.
9. YouTube
YouTube is a great platform for promoting your blog through videos. It has more than 2 billion users! As video content is becoming one of the most popular digital marketing tactics, it provides a great opportunity to expand your audience as well as use your target keywords in video format.
If you regularly post YouTube videos or have an understanding of YouTube Advertising, you will get a significant increase in traffic to your blog.
10. Keyword Optimization
SEO is essential for any promotional content. You can target your audience by selecting words that they might use to find a specific niche. Research the words you can use and tailor your content accordingly.
Keywords are scanned by search engine crawlers, and then search engines display them to users searching for that word.
Look at the on-page SEO checklist, do proper keyword research, and don’t forget about search intent.
11. Use Pictures
An image attracts attention. Most humans are visual learners and images appeal to them. According to Buffer, using visual content makes it 40 times more likely to be shared on social media.
People tend to skim articles and focus on the images to tell them what the article says, so choosing the right, copyright-free image is very important. Add images to your blog posts as well as other content.
12. LinkedIn
Create a professional LinkedIn group for your blog to target a specific audience or seek out influencers who might be interested in collaborating with you. Use status updates as another way to promote your blog.
13. Bloglovin
This platform is one of the easiest ways to promote your blog for free. Submit your blog to these sites and get followers looking for content in your niche. And every time you publish a new post, your followers will be notified via email. They can also find your latest content on the Bloglovin home feed.
14. Podcasts
Make your content more engaging and engaging by creating podcasts around it. Talk about new things that are going on with your blog, things to do with your content and make a connection with your audience, finally putting your product in for promotion.
15. Online Forums
Join online forums to promote your blog in a bigger way. Many online forums have active involvement. People with similar interests talk about solving problems and ask for advice. People trust others just like them, so online forums are great communities for spreading the word.
Find the one closest to your niche and use that platform to promote your blog subtly. You’ll find bloggers, influencers and social media personalities discussing topics of mutual interest.
16. Social Media Plug
Use social media plugins, such as buttons on your blog that allow readers to share your content on social platforms. This will get your blog promoted in many different circles.
17. Infographics
As we discussed earlier, humans are visual learners. Infographics are the most popular type of content – and they’re very easy to share.
If your blog is all about something that might be a little complicated, use infographics to make this concept easier to understand and digest. They grab the attention and interest of readers and have proven to add value to blogs.
18. Free eBooks
If you have the time and energy to include your blog, you should consider writing a short eBook – specifically one that will be available to all of your readers. This can act as an all-encompassing guide on the topic they want to study, and they don’t have to read multiple blogs to get the information they’re looking for.
How does it work? EBooks or other free benefits are a powerful lead magnet – your visitors will be willing to leave their email to get them. You can share useful information while providing a link to your blog post on the lead magnet. Multiple benefits!
19. Yahoo! Answers
When you type a question, you often see Yahoo! Answers appear as the first link. You can promote your blog by searching for questions related to it and then providing useful answers to those questions as well as entering your blog.
20. Partnerships
Your blog is most likely talking about something that you can use as a way to collaborate with other blogs in the same niche. If not, maybe you can find an interesting angle that will allow you to collaborate with blogs that are not too similar. Partnerships allow their traffic and yours to see both content, which is sure to increase the traffic from both – it’s a win-win. You can try to:
Mention the famous influencers and experts in the article and let them know. They might share your content with their audience. Participate in collections in your niche. Host or attend joint marketing activities with your partners and affiliates. Organize blog posts in an interview format. Participants are likely to promote such posts.
21. Blog Syndication
If you are connected to multiple blog platforms, you can expect blog syndication to work in your favor. Blog networks like the Huffington Post or Forbes will allow popular bloggers to post their blogs.
Here’s a detailed content syndication guide you can refer to for some tips.
Conclusion
This blog post includes a lot of practical information and advice. You don’t have to use all of the methods we listed above. Instead, make sure you stick to a few of them and use them consistently and strategically to promote your blog.
Just find the ideas that will work best for you to promote your blog.
Good luck with your content distribution tactics!
