If you keep an eye on your blog stats, sometimes you might notice a traffic spike on a specific post. Usually this spike comes from a link from another blog or website, linking to a meme or a social bookmark. (More on social bookmarking coming soon.)

Seeing all this extra traffic is exciting. But instead of just sitting back and enjoying the higher numbers, why not take advantage of this new traffic? After all, wouldn’t it be great to turn some of this one-time traffic into returning traffic?

When you notice this traffic spike, take a minute or two to add a few lines at the bottom of that post that’s bringing in all the visitors.

Something like this works well:

Welcome new visitors! I’m glad to have you here. If you like this post, you also might enjoy these (link to 2 or 3 of your most favorite posts). You can subscribe to this blogs feed by clicking here. (Add a link to your RSS feed.)

Here are a few SEO tips to help you get started. One caveat though – these tips are a bit more advanced and will work best for anyone who has ever toyed around with the html of your blog.

Tip #1 Make sure you’re actually tagging your keywords.

Do you spend a lot of time optimizing your content and then neglect to tag them on your webpage?  Tags are where search engines look and if there are no tags they’ll pass right by your web pages.  Here’s a quick look at tags.

There are a number of tag types including:

* Title tags. Title tags are quite possibly the most important place to situate your keywords.  Here’s what they look like – <title>Primary keyword phrase here. </title>

Your title tag is where you place your primary keyword or keyword phrase.  The sentence will describe your blog or post in less than 90 characters.

* Header Tags. Header tags are next in order of importance to search engines.  They’re ranked in order of importance and look like this – <h1>Primary and/or Secondary keywords here</h1>

The “1” designates this header as the most important header on the page.

* Meta Tags. Meta tags provide the small descriptive text found underneath the title tag on the search engine results page.  Like title tags these should be kept brief, informative and up to date.

For a Wordpress blog, you can add the meta tags on the same page where you type your post. In the right sidebar just below the “Publish” box is a box titled “Tags.”

* Alt Tags. Alt tags are used to provide a text description of a graphic.  Each graphic on your site should have a description and an alt tag.

Tip #2 Add content to your site daily.

Content is essential for traffic and a top search engine ranking.  Content is what search engine spiders look for and index – without it there’s nothing to index or rank.  Give visitors and search engines a reason to visit and index your site. Make a commitment to provide daily, optimized content and your traffic will soar.

Tip #3 Procure valuable and relevant incoming links

The more blogs which link to your blog, the more valuable search engines perceive you to be, though not all links are created equal.  Search engines give more leverage to links from sites which are popular and credible and from sites which are relevant to your website topic.

There are different types of links.

• A direct link looks like a basic website address, for example, www.yourwebsite.com
• A text link occurs when the webpage address is embedded in the text.  Readers simply click on the link and are redirected to a new website page.
• If the link is to an internal page, for example a specific post published on a blog, rather than the home page, it is called a “deep link.”

You can encourage linking to your blog by:

• Adding content to your site.
• Submitting to article directories.
• Publishing press releases.
• Commenting frequently on other blogs and building your community.
• Participating in social networking forums, chat rooms and social networking sites.

Tip #4 Be Social!

Now more than ever before, blogging is about building a community.  Social networking is a valuable traffic generating tactic.  Sites like Facebook and Twitter can be powerful tools for generating links and traffic to your site – create a profile and then post comments, links to your site and ideas which generate conversation.

Tip #5 Participate In Memes and Blog Carnivals

Many hosted memes and blog carnivals embed participating blog links into their posts. This means that your ranking goes up because of the link. As a result, your blog moves up in the search engines. (If you’re looking for memes to participate in, check out our huge meme list here. Also, visit the blog carnival hub to find specific carnivals you can submit posts for.)

For maximum results, create a traffic and SEO strategy.  Outline your plan and your goals and then take the necessary action.  Take advantage of these five traffic and search engine tips to boost your business.

And to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about SEO from an expert, check out SEO Book. You’ll receive so many tips, tricks and tools to bring traffic to your site! For anyone who participates in a CPM ad network, you know the signifigance of traffic to earnings. This might be the best investment you ever make for hugely increasing those earnings.

One of us moms here at Mom’s Blog Resource was convinced she could fix the problem on her own. So she stubbornly refused to ask for help and attempted to do what she could, which wasn’t much. Finally, she gave in and turned to Hostgator, the hosting company of the site, to see if they could help. Within an hour, one of the Hostgator techs had the site back up and running.

So if you’ve ever considered hosting your own domain, if you don’t already, but the thought of weeding through hosting companies was intimidating, Hostgator is a fantastic option. We recommend them with 100% confidence. Now, no one and no company is perfect all the time, but Hostgator comes pretty close.

Hostgator’s “Baby Croc” plan allows you to host an unlimited number of domains for just $9.95 per month. They also guarantee 99.9% uptime. And perhaps best of all, as we know from first hand experience, they have live chat support available 24 hours per day. They are currently running a special summer promotion off 20% off by using the code “BEACH.” This offer expires August 1st.

If you have any questions about hosting your own domain or Hostgator in general, please feel free to ask and we’ll do our best to answer.

Of all the successful blogs on the Internet, hundreds more have failed. Running a blog is like running a business website. Unless you are willing to put the time in and treat it seriously, you won’t be blogging long.

That is not to say that the failed bloggers weren’t serious about blogging. Mostly, new bloggers aren’t prepared for the work that goes into creating a successful blog. Just building the blog doesn’t mean that people will necessarily come to you. You pursue the audience and give them a reason to see what you have to say.

1.    Fresh Content – no one wants to visit a blog day after day and see the same posts. Update your blog content at least twice a week. This will be easier if you write several posts ahead of time and upload them at the appropriate times.

2.    Article Marketing – the niche you’ve chosen for your blog is one that interests you. If it is interesting you will spend more time doing it. Create content not only for your blog but also to be submitted to article directories. Use the resource box to advertise your blog so people can find you. There are tons of article directories out there. If you’re not familiar with them, here is a great list of the Top 50 Article Directories.

3.    Social Networking – these sites are everywhere. Join Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, Twitter or a dozen others and make connections. You can join groups of like minded people who are also bloggers or entrepreneurs. These communities are loyal to those in their “following,” and in addition to upping your traffic, you can create friendships with loyal supporters.

4.    Viral Marketing – this is where you spread the word about your blog. Talk to friends, family and even strangers. Give out business cards that have your blog address on them.

5.    Use RSS Feeds – RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” Readers can subscribe to your feed and read in a reader or get email updates when new content is posted. It is an easy way for them to keep up with your blog without spending all day online. Visit Feedburner to set up your RSS feed.

6.    Submit Your Blog to Search Engines – doing this allows your blog to be ranked. Google and Yahoo! are two of the most popular search engines you want to crawl your blog pages. It doesn’t guarantee top ranking, though. You’ll have to do a little more work for that. This step is becoming less neccasary though as search engines, especially Google, are huge supporters of blogs and seem to crawl blog content without any extra work on your part. A quick way to test this is to “google” your blog or some topics you’ve written about and see where you come up in the search listings.

7.    Joining Forums – as a blogger you are a budding entrepreneur. Right now you are marketing yourself to find traffic and then profit. Become a member of forums to meet new people and share ideas. You can add a link to your blog in the signature line so others can find you.

8.    Visit other blogs – show your appreciation to those who visit you by also posting comments on their blogs. It is a kindness that shows others you are not just out to advertise your blog alone. Add links to your blog in your comments. But remember to keep these Commenting Do’s and Don’ts in mind.

9.    SEO Marketing – whatever you write, use relevant keywords. Keyword density between three and ten percent is good for getting higher page rankings in search engines. Base your keywords on a research you do to find the most popular words used in search engines for your niche. Wordtracker offers a fabulous free tool for researching keywords.

10.    Social Bookmarking – submitting posts to social bookmarking sites allows others who are members of those sites to track you back to your blog. Some of the most popular social bookmarking sites are Digg, StumbleUpon, Kirtsy and del.icio.us. However, make sure you read through the terms and conditions of these sites before you submit your own posts. Some of them will penalize you if you do that, perhaps even suspending your account. It’s also a good idea to have bookmarking links on your blog to make bookmarking easier for your readers.

Using any of these ideas will start the traffic moving in your direction. It takes time but you will build the readership you want.

If you’re interested in studying an in-depth course on blogging for profit, check out Blogger’s Paycheck. The program is chock full of information, ideas, tips, and proven methods.

There is! It’s called Blog Energizer.

Blog Energizer is a fantastic blogging resource site that is filled with endless content ideas, promotion opportunities, and networking and connection opportunities.

If you have a busy life with a strong desire to keep your blog full of content on a daily basis, even when the kids are sick or you’re on vacation, Blog Energizer is the answer.

There is a ton of free content on the site that is yours for the taking. Go grab some of it and put a little energy back into your blog!

The nicest thing about the drafts of a blog is that no one will ever see them but you. Until you hit that publish button, you can play around with your drafts as much as you want.

Say you have a great idea for a blog post and a few perfect sentences already written in your mind but no idea where to take it from there. Start a draft post, add those sentences, and then let it sit until you have more time or more thoughts.

Or say you are hit with a brainstorm of post ideas. Start a draft for each idea, give them a generic title (unless you already have the perfect title) and maybe a few words to remind you what you want to write about. Next time you are ready to blog but aren’t sure what to write about, you can just look through your drafts and see if inspiration hits.

Best of all, when you use your draft section, you’ll never have to worry about losing a handwritten list of thoughts or not having them with you when you sit down to blog. All of your ideas will be there already, just waiting for you to finish them.

We do this at Mom’s Blog Resource and it really is a great way to keep track of posting ideas.

There are an unlimited number of template resources available to bloggers. This is wonderful because it allows us to create an unique look without needing tons of code knowledge. It also allows us to change the look of a blog whenever we want with very little effort.  However, it can sometimes be daunting to wade through all of the options out there.

That’s where DreamTemplate – Web Templates can be a real life saver.

When you sign up with DreamTemplate – Web Templates, you pay a one time fee for a year’s subscription and recieve unlimited access to over 4,000 templates. Additionally, your membership includes access to three other sites that help with blog design and customization.

Check out DreamTemplate – Web Templates and see how they can help you build your blog!

What is HARO you ask? HARO is an acronym for Help A Reporter Out. The brainchild of Peter Shankman, HARO is a wonderful source that connects average people with media sources and vice versa.

On the HARO website, you can enter your name and email address to be added to the source list. Then, you will begin receiving thrice daily emails from Peter Shankman and HARO. These lists are filled with queries from reporters and other media sources looking for a qoute or more detailed information.

Some of the media sources that use HARO include:

• National magazines, such as Parents, Reader’s Digest and Ladies Home Journal
• Local newspapers
• Television entities such as FOX, The Mike & Juliet Show and Dr. Phil
• Large blogs and websites

And that is just a very small sampling. The opportunities are endless.

Here is an example of a query you’ll find in an average HARO email:

7) Summary: “Me” Time

Category: General

Name: ———

Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Title: Freelance writer

Media Outlet/Publication: Redbook

Anonymous? No

Specific Geographic Region?  No

Region:

Deadline: ————————–

Query:

“Looking to hear from women (mid 20s – mid 50s) about your
15-minutes of “me time.” This is time you carve out for yourself
each day to get a second breath. So, 1. when is your “me time” (I
need an actual time i.e. 7am, 3:15pm, or 1am, for example) 2. what do you do–play guitar; deadhead flowers in your garden; play with your dog, whatever? Finally, what does this little blast of time do for you? Do you emerge calmerer, inspired, rejuvenated, joyful or what? Please include your name, age, city/state & one more thing: I also need a photo of you! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDS!”

Responding to a query is as simple as sending an email. It’s a great way to get your name out there.

If any of our readers have previous experience with HARO, we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Basics: Family Review Network is run by a group of blogging moms who work directly with PR agencies and companies to line up product reviews. Then they pass those opportunities on to all members of the network. Some campaigns are open only to a limited number of bloggers, but that is always acknowledged up front.

Some of the review campaigns that have run through Family Review Network include:

• Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaner
• Eye Buy Direct prescription glasses
• Skin MD lotion
• Zenses for Nintendo DS
• DaBib
• Nature’s Source cleaning products

The Logistics: Network reviewers are allowed to apply only for those campaigns that they are interested in. Once that happens, and if they are selected for that specific campaign, reviewers are given the opportunity to choose when they will post their review. Each campaign in assigned a specific timetable – usually running between 10 to 14 days. Many of the review campaigns often include a giveaway.

The Requirements: Currently, as of 4/20/09, Family Review Network is not accepting new reviewer applications. When they are, that information will become available on their site. We’ll also be sure to let you know when the application process is opened again.

Commenting is like leaving your calling card at someone’s blog. Many times, it is your chance to make a first impression. And remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Here are some general things you should and should not do when commenting:

• Do keep your comments thoughtful. If you are going to comment, make sure that you actually read the post first. Don’t leave just a two-word “great post” or similar comment.
• Don’t leave spam comments. A spam comment is when you just troll for people to come visit your blog. Spam comments look something like this. “Love your blog. You should come visit my blog and enter my giveaway or read my newest posts.” However, if you’ve written a similar post that you think the blog’s author would enjoy, do feel free to let them know about it and include a link.
• Do remember that comments are public. Don’t say something in a comment that you wouldn’t want others to read.
• Do act like an adult. Differing opinions are wonderful and most blogs can benefit from a little healthy debate. But be respectful. Don’t attack the writer, use inappropriate language, or insult other commenters.
• Don’t share personal information. If you know the blogger personally and they keep their blog somewhat incognito, don’t mention real names or locations without permission first. Do remember to respect the privacy of the blogger.
• Don’t take it personally if your comment gets deleted. A blogger has a right to do what they want on their own blog. If you really have something important to share or to add to the conversation, do go ahead and try again with a re-written comment.

Do you stick to any certain personal rules when commenting? Have you ever commented just to “get credit” for the comment? How do you feel when you receive comments like that?

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.