How Do You Make Sure Your Blog Posts Increase Traffic to Your Website?
Blogging can help your business grow in a BIG way. According to Hubspot’s State of Marketing report, “blogs are among the top three marketing channels that deliver the highest ROI.”
Blog articles increase your website’s organic traffic. AND build a stronger relationship with your client base at the same time. If you don’t have one already, you should consider adding a blog to your site.
When you add a blog to your website (and do it right), it:
Gives your target market immediate value without the risk of having to make a purchase
Builds trust with your audience & grows your business’s authority in the outdoor industry
Addresses potential customer questions & objections
Increases your organic traffic by strengthening your website’s SEO
Generates more leads for your business
We’re gonna talk about why blogs still matter in 2024. And we’ll go over what your blog posts need to include so you get the most out of the benefits they provide.
Now may not be the right time for you to hire a copywriter to take the blogging off your hands. And that’s ok. These tips will help you save time and DIY blogs for your outdoor business until you’re ready to invest in copywriting services.
Let’s dig in!
What is a Blog Post?
Blog posts are pieces of content uploaded to a separate page on your website. This page is typically labeled simply as “Blog.” But it can also go by other names such as journal, diary, newsletter, etc.
Blogs usually act as an educational piece that addresses a specific topic. For example — this blog post covers how to make sure your blogs increase traffic to your website. They also give your target audience helpful information they can use.
Blog posts:
Address a specific topic
Are educational at the core
Typically between 600 to 2500 words
Can include other types of media (like photos, videos, infographics)
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to blogging for business, every business can benefit from having an active blog on its website. (*cough cough* yours too! 😉)
Why Do Blog Posts Matter for the Growth of Your Outdoor Business?
Blogs offer your outdoor business a myriad of benefits. And it doesn’t matter what kind of business you have. You could be a wildlife photographer, outdoor outfitter, or white water rafting instructor.
All businesses with a blog that tailors content for their target audience can see the following benefits.
Increase Your Website’s Organic Traffic
When you have a blog on your website, you increase the amount of organic traffic that gets there. There are a couple of reasons why blogs contribute to more site visitors.
First off, blogs increase the amount of pages able to be indexed on your website. AND it shows you’re making regular updates on your site. Both of these things lead to a higher Google ranking (which means you enjoy a higher traffic rate.)
Blogs also bolster your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), which is yet another way to get higher in those Google rankings.
Drive Higher Conversion Rates for Your Outdoor Business
Higher rates in organic traffic naturally lead to higher conversion rates. Every new article you publish on your website creates a new opportunity to use a call to action (CTA).
By including compelling CTAs in your blog posts, you will generate more and more leads. In fact, companies with SEO blogs generate 67% MORE new leads compared to those that don’t.
Blogs help your business:
Show authority in the outdoor industry
Nurture a trusting relationship with your target market
Plus, the rewards of publishing blog articles are compounding. The more blog posts you have and the higher the quality continue to improve the amount of conversions your outdoor business will get.
Show Your Authority in the Outdoor Industry
When you have a blog, it contributes to your business’s position as a thought leader in the outdoor industry. It shows your company’s expertise in your niche.
You become a leader in the outdoor industry — not only to your customers — but also to your fellow outdoor business owners. Blogs build your authority.
When you maintain a business blog, both customers and your peers know they can turn to YOU for high-quality and helpful information.
Build Trust with Your Targeted Audience
When you show consistency and reliability with your website’s blog posts, you earn the trust of your customers. They get to know your business’s personality and look forward to your new content.
Blogs give your customers immediate value without the risk of spending any money — giving them more confidence in your business and your products.
Address Potential Customer Questions & Objections
You can use your website’s blog as a platform to address your customers’ potential questions and objections. Your articles have the power to give them some answers and calm their fears.
🧐Pro Tip: You can use your customer feedback to help come up with some blog topics that address their concerns.
For example, imagine you have a company that sells hiking boots. You’ve gotten multiple questions from customers wanting to know the best way to care for their boots to make them last.
That question and others can easily be answered in a blog article. Both you AND your customers get the benefits from the blog post.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Articles
Those were just some of the many benefits that come with adding and maintaining a blog on your website. But to reap the most rewards, you have to get a little strategic.
You need to make sure your blogs:
Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in the right way
Are the right length (aim for at least 1500 words)
Use easy-to-read and skimmable formatting
Have engaging language and high-quality content
Include relevant CTAs
When you use these strategies, it ensures you get the maximum benefits from every article.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
How do you use SEO the right way — the way that will help you gain a higher Google ranking and more organic traffic?
By making sure you research SEO keywords before writing. And that you use those keywords in all the right places.
Identify Your Keywords & Longtail Keywords Before Writing
Do some keyword research before you start writing your article. You want to find one main keyword and then choose around three to five longtail keywords/phrases.
For example:
Keyword: camping
Longtail keywords: camping sites, camping chairs, camping van, camping gear, camping list
The goal is to find keywords and longtail keywords with a high search volume, but low to medium SEO difficulty. Low SEO difficulty means there’s less competition and more of a chance for you to rank higher on searches for that keyword.
There are countless SEO tools you can find on the internet. Some are free, and others you pay for. (I use Ubersuggest.)
SEO Keyword Placement
Not only do keywords matter, but their placement in your blog post matters as well. Pay extra special attention to using your keywords in your headings.
Use keywords in your title (H1), section headers (H2s), and subheadings (H3s and H4s).
⚠️WARNING: Keyword stuffing — randomly adding the same keyword over and over again anywhere you can — in your article has consequences. You’ll hurt your Google ranking if you do this. Not to mention make your post super annoying to read.
Sooooo… just don’t do it. 🙅🏿
Yes, Your Article Word Count Matters
According to Wix, in 2024 the ideal blog post length will be between 1,500 to 2,500 words.
Blog posts of this length encourage your site visitors to spend more time on your page (either by skimming or reading). It also increases your chances of gaining backlinks and social shares.
Benefits of the 1,500 to 2,500-word count:
Viewers spend more time on your page
Generates 77% more backlinks than blogs under 1000 words
Generates 56% more social shares than blogs under 1000 words
Improves SEO
As we said before, SEO benefits are compounding, so the more space you have in your article, the more opportunities you have to seamlessly incorporate your SEO keywords and longtail keywords.
Easy-To-Read & Skimmable Formatting
Think about the stuff you Google every day. You probably type it in the search bar, click on a website, and quickly scroll through the article to make sure it has what you're looking for. All BEFORE committing to reading it.
I know that’s what I do. 🙋🏼♀️You might also skip right to the spot that has the information you actually need instead of reading the entire thing (most of your readers are doing the same thing).
That effortless skimming experience is brought to you by… great formatting! If a blog post doesn’t have easy-to-navigate formatting, they’re more likely to click away because it’s TOO MUCH WORK to find what they need.
Use Headings & Subheadings
Use headings and subheadings to clearly state what you’ll talk about in that section. Show them where to go to find the content they're interested in.
By providing clear headers, you help your readers identify right off the bat what your article will cover. WITHOUT them losing interest and clicking away.
Use Font Variations & Bulleted Lists
Use bold, italicized, underlined, or capitalized text to make certain words and phrases POP. You can use this formatting strategy to direct your reader’s attention to what you want them to see.
Bulleted lists are another great way to hold your readers’ attention. You can use them to summarize main points, give examples, and give an overview of what’s next.
Engaging Language & High-Quality Content
Kind of a no-brainer, but… If your writing is boring, dry, and/or difficult to read people will just close out and go to a better resource. (Thank you, next.)
Remember, this is an opportunity to connect with your audience. So use conversational language. There are no bonus points for pretentious words or textbook verbiage.
Additionally, your articles should always contain well-researched and accurate data that’s relevant to your audience.
Let’s say you own a campground in Tallahassee. Your target audience (the people who you want to book stays at your campsite) doesn’t care about your home renovation journey.
That’s not what they’re going to be searching for when they would benefit from coming across your business. Instead, they might search for “best campgrounds near Tallahassee.” Think about what your potential customers will be searching for and use that as a guide for blog topics.
Include Relevant & Clear CTAs
Be sure to include a relevant call to action in your article. Every piece of content is an opportunity you don’t want to miss to engage your audience. Be clear and tell them exactly what you want them to do.
You can use CTAs to direct your readers to:
Sign up for your email list
Check out another blog post on a similar topic
Purchase a new product
Go to one of your other platforms (YouTube, socials, podcast, etc.)
If you don’t have a clear CTA, your readers will more than likely exit your page without following through with what you ultimately want them to.
Grow Your Outdoor Business with a Blog
Having and maintaining an SEO blog on your website gives your outdoor business a leg-up.
Now you know how blog posts benefit your business by increasing organic traffic, generating leads, and building a positive relationship with your customers. And how to use blogging strategies to increase your blog’s success.
Your business has a lot to offer your audience. They WANT to gain value from your business’s niche expertise in the outdoor industry.
Hiring a copywriter to write your blog posts:
Saves you boatloads of time & energy
Gives you expertise so you don’t have to teach yourself things like SEO
Let’s you focus on other areas of your business you like waaay more
Want to learn how your business can benefit from copywriting services? Book a free 20-minute discovery call by clicking the button below.
