Now that you have successfully published your artist blog and have tested your dedication to frequent blog posting, it's time to get your blog exposure on the web. Using blog-specific online marketing techniques, you can promote your blog to a target audience and build quality traffic to it - for free.

7 Steps to Build Traffic to your Artist Blog

1. Submit to Blog Directories

• A list of the top 35 blog directories with direct links to submission pages and inclusion requirements is available at The ARTrepreneur. Keep in mind that the process of submitting to directories is always long and tedious, but will absolutely prove its return on the time investment, especially considering that it's free online promotion for your blog.

• Create a record of submission document for your blog to keep track of submission dates, member registration information, etc. Many of the better blog directory sites require a reciprocal link or tracking script to get listed, so work with your technical support person to place a reciprocal link on the page.

• Make sure that the information you submit to the directories is consistent. Meaning, always submit the same title and description for your blog. The title you submit should be the title tag and meta description for your blog - both written using optimized copy rich with your blog's keywords.

  (See Part 1 of this series for tips on writing optimized copy for your blog)

• Bookmark Ping-O-Matic - a site that lets you ping many blog sites with one click: http://pingomatic.com/

• Identify your keyword phrase. Is it something people actually search for? If not - phrase it differently. For example instead of using "The Dorm Diet" for a title, you might consider "Lose the Freshman 15" since freshman 15 is a very popular searched phrase. (source: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)
• Blog Entries should be at least 300 words l
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  blog directories with direct links to submission pages and inclusion requirements is available at The ARTrepreneur. Keep in mind that the process of submitting to directories is always long and tedious, but will absolutely prove its return on the time investment, especially considering that it's free online promotion for your blog.

• Create a record of submission document for your blog to keep track of submission dates, member registration information, etc. Many of the better blog directory sites require a reciprocal link or tracking script to get listed, so work with your technical support person to place a reciprocal link on the page.

• Make sure that the information you submit to the directories is consistent. Meaning, always submit the same title and description for your blog. The title you submit should be the title tag and meta description for your blog - both written using optimized copy rich with your blog's keywords.

  (See Part 1 of this series for tips on writing optimized copy for your blog)

• Bookmark Ping-O-Matic - a site that lets you ping many blog sites with one click: http://pingomatic.com/

• Identify your keyword phrase. Is it something people actually search for? If not - phrase it differently. For example instead of using "The Dorm Diet" for a title, you might consider "Lose the Freshman 15" since freshman 15 is a very popular searched phrase. (source: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)
• Blog Entries should be at least 300 words
  Being a Skilled Listener
  Whether you are a corporate executive trying to manage hundreds of employees, a marketing or sales rep trying to land a new client, or even an entry level gofer just struggling to appease a demanding boss, it is almost impossible to succeed without developing effective communication skills. In fact, effective communication skills are fundamental to almost every successful business interaction- a fact acknowledged by the plethora of courses and seminars offered teaching people how to persuasively convey their ideas and get what they want.However, all too often we forget that communication is a two way street, and that in order to effectively communicate we must learn not only to be a good speaker, but
  to get listed, so work with your technical support person to place a reciprocal link on the page.

• Make sure that the information you submit to the directories is consistent. Meaning, always submit the same title and description for your blog. The title you submit should be the title tag and meta description for your blog - both written using optimized copy rich with your blog's keywords.

  (See Part 1 of this series for tips on writing optimized copy for your blog)

• Bookmark Ping-O-Matic - a site that lets you ping many blog sites with one click: http://pingomatic.com/

• Identify your keyword phrase. Is it something people actually search for? If not - phrase it differently. For example instead of using "The Dorm Diet" for a title, you might consider "Lose the Freshman 15" since freshman 15 is a very popular searched phrase. (source: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)
• Blog Entries should be at least 300 words
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  y of letting blog directories and search engines know that you have updated your blog. By sending a ping to each service, you let them know that a new post has been published so they can come check you out.

  • Bookmark Ping-O-Matic - a site that lets you ping many blog sites with one click: http://pingomatic.com/
  3. Optimize each blog post for search engines Getting visibility in natural search for a blog post is no different than getting visibility for a web page. The same rules of "writing for search" apply - meaning keyword rich titles, content length, optimized hyperlinks, alt tags, etc. Here are quick tips for optimizing each of your blog posts for higher rankings in natural search results:

  • Identify your keyword phrase. Is it something people actually search for? If not - phrase it differently. For example instead of using "The Dorm Diet" for a title, you might consider "Lose the Freshman 15" since freshman 15 is a very popular searched phrase. (source: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)
  • Blog Entries should be at least 300 words
    Top Ten Traits of Strategic Thinkers
    Want to become more strategic? Add these traits to your collection of skills and watch your success soar!1. Maintain a self-responsible attitude.Strategic thinkers live by the saying, “if it is to be, it’s up to me”.2. Capitalize on strengths and minimize weakness.Understand your core competencies and use them to your best advantage. Partner with others who excel in the areas where you are less proficient.3. Effectively use intuition.Rather then a flighty notion, strategic thinkers consider intuition to be the product of past experience, observations and projections. From this vantage point they are able to develop sensitivity to probable solutions.4. Have a
    h titles, content length, optimized hyperlinks, alt tags, etc. Here are quick tips for optimizing each of your blog posts for higher rankings in natural search results:

    • Identify your keyword phrase. Is it something people actually search for? If not - phrase it differently. For example instead of using "The Dorm Diet" for a title, you might consider "Lose the Freshman 15" since freshman 15 is a very popular searched phrase. (source: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)
    • Blog Entries should be at least 300 words long.
    • Your targeted keyword phrase should appear 3-5 times in the entry (once in the title, in the summary and throughout the blog)
    • Use the keyword phrase in any hyperlinks you have in the blog as well as in any bulleted list.
    • Use ALT tags for your images
    4. Build Links to Your Blog A link building campaign is the best way to get quality and relevant traffic to your blog. These methods, although time consuming, are the best ways to get links pointing to your blog.

    • Link to your blog from the main page of your site.
    • Use your blog as often as possible in the "related links" area of articles published on your site.
    • Post legitimate comments on other blogs with related topics and include a link back to your blog with your signature.
    • Offer to exchange links with other similarly themed blogs and websites.

    5. Promote Bloglet Bloglet is a free service for people to sign up for an email alert each time their favorite blog publishes a new post. It's perfect for people who have not jumped on the RSS bandwagon just yet, or for those that never will (sorry mom!).

    • Set up a Bloglet subscription form on your blog and invite everyone to subscribe: http://www.bloglet.com
    6. RSS Feeds Set your blog to display RSS feeds and submit your blog's RSS feed to the major RSS feed directories online. Go here for a list of the top RSS directories: http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-submission.htm

    • Make sure you have an RSS feed URL that people can subscribe to. Test your feed here: http://feedvalidator.org/
    • Use the same submission guidelines listed in step 1 above (Blog Directory Submissions) to have consistent results.
    7. Email Signature

    • Use your mail program to create an email signature file that will be included in every email you send. Keep it short with your name, email address, blog title and URL. This little trick will work wonders!
    • Become an active member of a relevant online community forum and add your blog title and URL to your signature line at the bottom of each message you post.