• Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Sign Up For My Newsletter
  • Contact

Parenting From The Heart

a place for parents who aren't perfect but are trying their best

  • Pregnancy & Babies
  • Parenting Toddlers
  • Young Children
  • Tweens and Beyond
  • Education
You are here: Home / Blogging / How I Have Increased My Blog Traffic By 240%

November 21, 2015 By Alana Pace 29 Comments

How I Have Increased My Blog Traffic By 240%

 

I am my own worst critic. And in being my own worst critic, I constantly think my blog stats are improving minimally at best. Recently, I went to update my media kit and decided to compare all of my numbers to three months prior. As it turns out, my blog traffic had increased by 240%! I had no clue. So I decided to head to Periscope and talk about what I’ve done differently. Because everyone was so receptive to what I shared, I thought I would make it into a post in case it may give others some insight, help, or new ideas.

In three months, my blog stats have increased as follows:

Unique monthly viewers: ↑ 240%

Facebook followers: ↑ 126%

Twitter followers: ↑ 121%

Pinterest followers: ↑ 220%

Instagram followers: ↑ 145%

Periscope: ↑ 712%

Drastically increasing blog traffic is no easy feat. By fine tuning what you do, using social media better, getting on Periscope, and following certain tips for Facebook reach and Pinterest, you can make a big difference in your stats.

How I Have Increased My Blog Traffic By 240%

Paying it forward. Paying it back. And interacting with others content on their page. Read a good post? Share it, tweet it, and on twitter, tag the person. It only takes me a couple of extra seconds, but it means a lot to the author of the post or the owner of the content. They seem to typically pay it back. And, when the roles are reversed and someone shares my content, I try and pay them back as much as possible in the hopes of continuing a relationship of support. Also, the more people who share the same post, the greater everyone’s reach is on Facebook. Win, win.

Formatting my photos. All forms of social media are not created equally. At all. The ideal photo for Facebook is 470 pixels wide by 246 pixels tall. But that isn’t “Make or break” for Facebook success (as far as I’m concerned). Pinterest, however, is pertinent. Lately, I have been using a photo formatted for Facebook at the top of my posts and one for Pinterest in the body. Scroll through your Pinterest newsfeed and observe the format of the majority of the photos. Also, take a look at how vertical photos appear on your feed. By ensuring most of my posts (especially those that make the best pins) have a vertical photo with large text, I have generated substantially more traffic to my blog. The ideal size for Pinterest is said to be 735 pixels wide by 1102 pixels tall. However, I have had great success simply using vertical photos and have found a ratio of 9:16 for my photos (for instance, 1500 pixels wide × 4034 pixels tall) has looked really good on Pinterest’s feed.

Taking well-lit photos and editing them. The vast majority of my pictures I’m now taking outside or with lots of natural light and are staged with a nice, neutral backdrop. I have yet to actually make a backdrop for my photos but am planning on following these tips from An Uncomplicated Life Blog. Even with good lighting, I edit my photos lighting in an app called Tadaa. Then, using either PicMonkey or Phonto (an app on my phone), I add text for my pinnable image.

Participating in more pin for pin groups and being really picky about what I pin. Pinterest is about aesthetic, hence me editing my photos more. It also doesn’t serve me well to pin content that isn’t pretty and generally appealing. Fortunately, I’ve found some groups that allow you to choose what you pin or select something different from a given blogger if it doesn’t work for my brand. In participating in these groups and group threads, I have found my Pinterest interaction and, therefore my blog traffic have increased substantially.

Expanding my Facebook reach. By following these tips, my blog’s Facebook, which has just under 1,100 followers is reaching more than 6,000 people each week.

Using Periscope. If you look at my stats at the top of this post, my greatest growth has been on Periscope, then my blog’s visitors, then Pinterest followers. The largest factor in my traffic based on the Google Analytics of my blog has been as a result of Pinterest. Even though I haven’t had many direct clicks from Periscope through to my blog, I have no doubt Periscope has played a big role in my blog’s success as of late. The reasons are threefold (that I can infer at least). One, the sense of community I have with the bloggers in my network is far greater than it ever has been. People I already felt were unbelievable supports of my work have become even more involved in my blog as I have with theirs. Additionally, I have “met” so many other wonderful bloggers and non-bloggers who have shared, commented on, and given me invaluable feedback on what I’ve done or am working on. Two, it is a wonderful medium to share ideas that I have thought don’t have the gusto to make it into my blog. Many of these scopes end up in my blog as a result of viewers requesting to be able to refer back to what I’ve done in print. Three, a strong community has led to greater interaction and followers on my Twitter. I can’t pretend to be remotely good on Twitter, but I’ve seen the most interaction in my account’s existence since joining Periscope. This is because scopes post to my Twitter and Twitter handles and Periscope handles are typically the same (there are some very rare exceptions).

If you’re timid of scoping and want to get started, please check out Scoper Support on Facebook. If you’re interested in joining the Facebook group I help run that includes a quality pin for pin thread, please email me with your parenting blog’s URL.

What are some of your best blog tips? I would love to hear your insight!


 

Filed Under: Blogging Tagged With: blog, blog groups, blog traffic, blogger, blogging, google analytics, mommy blog, social media tips

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « DIY Distressed Frames, Shelves, and Furniture
Next Post: ABC Christmas Ornaments »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin Finnegan Soto says

    November 21, 2015 at 11:26 pm

    Awesome info here!!!! I need to seriously work on my Pinning skills 😉

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 22, 2015 at 12:04 am

      If ever you want some tips, I’m happy to help ❤️

      Reply
  2. mamabyfire says

    November 21, 2015 at 10:14 pm

    This is such great info! Thank you so much for sharing! Now I can’t wait to implement everything! Off to pin!!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 21, 2015 at 10:17 pm

      You’re the best!!!! Always so kind ❤️❤️❤️

      Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    November 21, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    Great tips my friend! You are right on the money! You missed one big reason you’re doing so well…you have awesome content that keeps people coming back again and again! And you’re just so relatable! Your blog is easily the one I have connected with more than any other just by being you! I expect continued growth. You’ve really found your groove!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 22, 2015 at 12:04 am

      I love you!!!! Thank you so much!!!!

      Reply
  4. Sarah (Ruffles and Rain Boots) says

    November 22, 2015 at 12:10 am

    Congratulations on your growth! A plan is a wonderful thing,and a good plan can’t be replaced. I check all my blogs’ stats, but I never even look at my Periscope followers – you just gave me a “duh” moment. Off to document…

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 22, 2015 at 12:12 am

      I want to see yours! Now granted, huge growth came from going from next-to-nothing to something….

      Reply
  5. Twitchetts (Twitchetts.com) says

    November 22, 2015 at 2:39 am

    So glad that your blog is growing it’s reach because you have such Great content!!! These are great tips! I really need to work on my Twitter too. I didn’t even have Twitter before periscope ?

    Reply
  6. stepmomsareus says

    November 22, 2015 at 3:58 pm

    These are some great tips. I never even thought about periscope. Guess I need to create a account for it. I thought periscope is all about live streaming videos. I am still learning how to do my blogging. I barely have any visitors and so far I don’t have any followers which is really sad, but I have been only doing my blog since the end of September. I know everything takes time. Thanks for the tips. Do you know of any great books on blogging too?

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 22, 2015 at 4:14 pm

      Thanks so much for reading! I tend to just search Pinterest for tips. Followers will come slowly and surely with consistency and good content. And yes, Periscope is live streaming.

      Reply
      • stepmomsareus says

        November 22, 2015 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks, my blog is http://www.stepmomsareus.com any advice about it would be greatly appreciated.

        Reply
  7. Heidi says

    November 23, 2015 at 4:14 pm

    Congratulations on your aweosme growht and thanks so much! I need to do a few of these things better for sure!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 23, 2015 at 4:19 pm

      Thanks for reading, Heidi ❤️

      Reply
  8. Shann Eva says

    November 23, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    That is so awesome! Congratulations on all the growth! I’m still working on Pinterest and my images…it’s my biggest struggle. Your Facebook reach is awesome too, so I’m going to have to read that post. Thank you so much for all the tips.

    Reply
  9. Stefanie / The Monarch Mommy says

    November 23, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    That’s amazing! Thank you for sharing these pointers! They’re really great!

    Reply
  10. Cindy Calzone (Hometown Queen Bee) says

    November 23, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    Great tips! That is amazing how much more traffic you can generate by doing a few specific things! Taking notes and will apply what I learned! I need a boost!!

    http://www.HometownQueenBee.blogspot.com

    Reply
  11. workingmommagic says

    November 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    great tips here!! I also have noticed an increase in my unique views and for me, I think Periscope has helped bring me new readers. 😉

    Reply
  12. mommyinsports says

    November 23, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    I was wondering if periscope was helping with traffic. Oh if only there were more hours in a day, thanks for always sharing your insight!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 25, 2015 at 2:16 am

      I wish there were more hours in a day too. Boy do I ever…

      Reply
  13. Mommy A to Z says

    November 24, 2015 at 2:37 pm

    Congrats on the amazing growth of your blog! You deserve it! And I love the tips. I’m going to try sharing more content. Starting with this!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      November 25, 2015 at 2:17 am

      Thank you so much! And thank you for sharing <3

      Reply
  14. Kimberly Cox says

    November 25, 2015 at 11:33 am

    Great tips!!!! I’ll definitely be coming back to this one as my blog grows <3

    Reply
  15. shastalilies says

    November 28, 2015 at 2:24 am

    Thanks for the tips! I’ve only been at this a few months and still have a lot to learn. I am not familiar with periscope. I’ll have to check it out. http://goodthingsrealized.com/

    Reply
  16. Sue Parke says

    January 8, 2016 at 7:26 pm

    Awesome info, Alana! I remember reading this a while back. I just bookmarked it to reference back to and I shared!

    Reply
  17. Jill says

    January 8, 2016 at 10:18 pm

    These are really great tips! I love it when other bloggers support each other!

    Reply
  18. emhunter83 says

    August 6, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    Great tips. I hope I will have the same outcome. Thanks so much.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar


Hi! I'm Alana. When I'm not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids. Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions. Read more here.

Stay up to date

Join me on Instagram

parentfromheart

Alana-Parenting From The Heart
Yes 👏👏👏 via @DissociativeDiaries Yes 👏👏👏
via @DissociativeDiaries
Every. Day. Via Matt Beaudreau Every. Day.

Via Matt Beaudreau
I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I had two under two so much of my life was spent thinking I’ll be happy when…

I’ll be happy when they sleep through the night.

I’ll be happy when my husband doesn’t have to work such late hours.

I’ll be happy when I look and feel like myself again and not a feeding troth 😬😬😬

As it turns out this struggle with finding happiness isn’t unique to me or parenting. 

Collectively our mental health is suffering, but there are many research backed ways to improve happiness. (Link in bio to read more).
♥️♥️ via Heather Shumaker ♥️♥️

via Heather Shumaker
THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry) THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry)
👣 via @creativechildmag 👣

via @creativechildmag
via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤ via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤
Though there are countless people who understand t Though there are countless people who understand the importance of positive, responsive parenting, the idea that young children should self-soothe remains a prevalent belief.

Though this ideology is well-intentioned, it actually goes against what we know about human development.

Babies come into the world highly dependent on responsive caregiving not only for nurturance and protection but also to foster social and emotional development.

While it may seem that leaving a child to cry will help her learn to cope, it actually floods her brain with cortisol. She doesn’t learn to self-soothe but instead to shut down.

Though it may seem counterintuitive to some, independence is fostered through responsive care. The less stressed a child feels, the safer he feels to explore his world. The less stressed he feels, the more appropriate his emotional responses become.

This is first seen in late infancy but pervades through childhood and adulthood.

Have any questions about these findings? Feel free to comment below or send me a message!
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love
via @unconditional_parenting. via @unconditional_parenting.
via The Outnumbered Mother via The Outnumbered Mother
❤❤❤ ❤❤❤
😂 😂
So often independence and attachment are thought t So often independence and attachment are thought to be mutually exclusive.
However, research shows that in order for children (and adults) to be independent, they need to feel safe and secure within their closest relationships. In childhood, this means having caregivers who respond to distress and both emotional and physical needs.
In adulthood, people who have responsive and caring partners feel more stable and comfortable being independent.
So hold and comfort those babies.
Hug and respond to your kids.
Love and hold space for the adults you are closest to.
Attachment fosters independence.
Absolutely this. Via Living FULL Absolutely this. Via Living FULL
🙏🙏🙏 (Couldn't help but laugh at that last 🙏🙏🙏
(Couldn't help but laugh at that last one)
via Scary Mommy
Love this so much! via Nourishing Our Children Love this so much! via Nourishing Our Children
Yes 👏👏👏 via @DissociativeDiaries Yes 👏👏👏
via @DissociativeDiaries
via Domari Dickinson via Domari Dickinson
🙏🙏🙏 (Couldn't help but laugh at that last 🙏🙏🙏
(Couldn't help but laugh at that last one)
via @scary mommy
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Footer

Privacy policy

Terms | Conditions | Privacy Policy

Let’s Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Looking for something?

Copyright © 2022 · Market Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Infinus

1 shares