How Can I Get My Blog Posts Noticed?

When you spend hours on a really good blog post, it’s tempting to think that simply hitting the “publish” button is going to automatically bring some attention to it. But the truth is, most posts can benefit from a little boost.

Here are some creative ways to help your posts get noticed:

• Don’t rely only on Facebook and Twitter. Try alternative social media outlets that are smaller and don’t have as much competition. Tumblr and Quora are good examples. The audiences are generally young, savvy and more niche-based, so the stuff you share is less likely to get lost. Also, consider sharing your posts on a site that is targeted to a certain audience; Chef This Up is a great place to for food bloggers to publicize their posts.
• When you post a link on Facebook or Twitter, include something along with it to attract more notice. Ask a question, issue a challenge or just say something really funny. Draw people in with a comment and they’re more likely to click the link.
• Utilize shared/public boards on Pinterest. You’ll get more exposure because Pins will be shared with people outside of your fan base.
• Be sure to put important keywords in your blog post, and add relevant tags. Both of these will give your post a better place in Google search results.
• Not every post needs to be shared across every social media channel. Consider the post content and decide where will it be best received and talked about. For example, a super crafty post with lots of colorful graphics will attract attention on Pinterest, but not so much on Twitter. On the flip side, a controversial post about parenting issues can get lots of clicks via Twitter if you preface it with a good teaser, but may not fare as well on Pinterest.
• Mention and share your post in targeted places like forums and Facebook conversations with friends, family and business contacts. Placing it in front of a select audience like this almost guarantees you’ll get clicks and interaction because it will be highly relevant to the conversation.

Did I miss anything? We would love to hear your tips!