In this episode, I talk about increasing blog traffic in response to feedback from the listener survey and and email exchange with Lindsay Lewchuk from Knit Eco Chic. I'm listening to episode 48 & am a bit bummed that she wouldn't get into particular dollar amounts.  I've got content on my site (content I'm proud of), but I have very little traffic...  I know I haven't done any SEO but am completely lost online with how to do it & what to do.  I want to budget for this, but have no idea.  Do you have any insights of which company I should be looking at and how much I need to budget for it?  Is it really as simple as the yoast plug-in (which makes absolutely no sense to me)? Lindsay was previously a guest on Episode 12, where I interviewed the organizers of the Indie Design Gift-a-Long (you can see how 2015's Gift-a-Long is going here on Ravelry) and in Episode 26, where we talked about niche marketing and eco-conscious knitting. (She also shared a great tip in Episode 47: Best Advice for Yarn-Related Businesses.) This post contains affiliate links. Here are my suggestions for increasing your blog's traffic. First, focus on strategy and measurement. Clarify your blog's purpose in relationship to your entire business. Begin tracking your blog's traffic. (I recommend using Google Analytics. My blog is a self-hosted website with InMotion Hosting and I use the Google Analytics by Yoast plugin.) Analyze what you've tracked, and make changes as appropriate. Some of the tactics I've used to increase my blog traffic in the past year include... Establishing an editorial calendar. Posting more frequently and focusing on specific types of posts based on my goals. Adding subscription options, including an RSS feed subscription and a weekly email newsletter (with links to that week's blog posts) subscription. Guest posting on other sites. Participating in link parties. (See below for a list of link parties.) Linking your blog posts to projects and stash on Ravelry, and sharing those projects and stash in groups. Sharing old/archived posts on social media daily. Changing social media schedule, frequency, and/or platforms based on analysis of blog traffic. Submitting links to referral sites more regularly (especially the growing network of Prime Publishing sites). Joining private blogging groups where you can share information with other bloggers. Attending blogging conferences, reading blogging books, and/or taking online blogging courses to further develop skills. Listen to the episode for more details. If you're focused on improving your blog and increasing traffic, you may want to listen to these prior episodes: Episode 4: 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging Community Episode 23: Diversifying Your Income and Boosting Your Blogging with Tamara Kelly from Moogly Episode 32: Journey to 100k Monthly Blog Visitors with Sedie Maruska from Yarn Obsession Episode 48: Website Strategy and Working with Digital Marketers for Your Business with Carol Lyn Rivera Other resources mentioned in this episode: Pretty Link Lite WordPress plugin (free) ProBlogger podcast (especially the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series) (free) Elite Blog Academy (paid online course) and How To Blog for Profit without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup (paid ebook or print book) Attending blogging conferences. I've personally attended BlogHer, the #WeAllGrow Summit by Latina Bloggers Connect, and New Media Expo. Link parties that I participate in regularly: Knitting Love Link Party - knitting only - co-hosted by Underground Crafter and Jessie At Home Tuesday PIN-spiration Link Party - crochet, knitting, DIY, and food - co-hosted by The Stitchin' Mommy and Oombawka Design Crochet Linky Ladies Community Link Party - fiber arts - co-hosted by Crystalized Designs, The Hooked Haberdasher, Pattern Paradise, and The Purple Poncho. Link and Share Wednesdays -