Twelve tips for getting started and boosting your blog traffic

Publish exclusive content, and do it often

Your readers like the same thing you do! We're all hungry for content that provides a little something extra, that teaches us something, or entertains us. And we all want fresh content that we haven't already seen somewhere else.

How do you provide interesting content for your readers? By publishing original, exclusive material, and doing it often.

Tips for writing an original and exclusive article.

An article exclusive if you're the first to share new information. It's possible to do this, but it's not that easy. Not everyone can stay on top of breaking news every day. Here are some ways to get around this issue:

• Be responsive. If you find a news item related to your topic of choice, share it as soon as possible. Finding an article in a foreign language and being the first to translate it into your language is another way to provide exclusive content. Sharing information to which you've added your own analysis makes your content original, and this type of content is highly valued by the people who care about a given subject.
• Be yourself. It's your personality, and the way your viewpoint and experience come across in your articles, that make them original and distinguish them from the rest. It's your special touch that makes it exclusive. Your readers are attracted to it because it can't be found elsewhere.
• Don't hold back! Holding back, or constantly justifying yourself will be less appealing than if you take a firm stance. Do you have an opinion about something? Embrace it and state it clearly. Your readers will appreciate it and will come back for more of the same.

Publish regularly

To grow your audience, you need your readers to keep coming back to your blog. Be sure you're there when they show up! Entice your readers with original articles, and earn their loyalty by publishing regularly. If your readers come back to your blog and find nothing new, they'll be disappointed. It's up to you to decide how often to publish your articles based on your availability and your goals. If you're really industrious, you could even publish several times a day. In any case, we suggest you publish at least one article per week.

Let your social media activity provide content for your blog

Writing a traditional article can take you 30 minutes to an hour. But sometimes you don't have that kind of time. It's not good to let your blog go unattended at times like this. But you can keep it current with your best web content from other sites.

• Automate publication of your best content on social networks with Social Hub. The content you publish on your social media services can be shared directly on your blog.
• Repost articles from other OverBlog sites. To avoid neglecting your site, you can publish things you find and recommend articles with just 2 clicks.
• Don't forget about Flash Post! Unlike writing traditional articles, using Flash Post is more spontaneous. Rather than waiting till you have a complete, fully formed article to publish, you can share your ideas as they come to you.

Lastly, in addition to all of the other reasons for frequent publishing, Google "likes" sites that are updated regularly. This means it's also good for search engine rankings!