One question I get on a regular basis from new bloggers is “How do I grow my traffic?” But while traffic is important (traffic converts to leads which converts to sales), it is not the end all, be all of your blog’s success, especially in the beginning.

In fact, when you are starting out, DON’T put the focus on gaining traffic. 

Focus on building your authority. Focus on generating amazing content to demonstrate to your readers that you are a thought leader in your industry.

What makes content amazing? Great question. Amazing content…
… makes the reader think.
… makes the reader want to share.
… answers a question or solves a problem that the reader is facing.
… isn’t the exact same sh*t they’ve read everywhere else.

Stop looking for more traffic and, instead, focus on better serving your existing readers. Find out what they want and give it to them. Over deliver.

I’m not saying “if you build it, they will come.”

While that has worked for some people, the majority of us DO have to work for our traffic. Pretty damn hard, in fact.

However, if you start out by under promising and over delivering, I promise you, when the time comes to take your blog to the next level, it will be MUCH easier (and faster) for you to grow your audience.

Do you want to go to the restaurant that only has a few good things, or the place that everyone raves about everything on the menu?

Your blog is the same way.

The more amazing things you have on your menu, the more likely people are not only come, but to keep coming back. They’re likely to tell their friends about it. They’re likely to subscribe. They’re likely to buy.

Ask your current readers what they want.  Survey them.  Email them.  Schedule phone calls with them.  Once you’ve done that, start HELPING them reach their goals and ask for nothing in return (except, perhaps, for more feedback on how you can even BETTER serve them).