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Jan 27 2005
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Do Blogs Really Help Create Traffic?

A reader recently posed this question.

John,

Do you think a blog will create more website traffic than simply
adding the same information to the website itself?
Thanks,
Take care,
Arnold

So, here was my answer, but I’m betting you bloggers who read my
post will have some great advice. . . care to comment?

~ ~ ~ ~

There are a lot of variables involved here, but my experience is that
the blogs are currently doing much better in terms of traffic for a
couple of basic reasons.

The structure of a blog relies on frequent updates. That’s why
search engines seem to like them so. Sure, you could just update
your web site but blog software makes it so easy. The current
trend suggests that most web sites will move to this type of content
management software for entire web sites.

The other thing that helps in the traffic category is that content
created by blog software is automatically syndicated to RSS
readers. Blogs also have the ability to create a regular community
of readers or subscribers, web pages just don’t do that.

Blogs aren’t THE only tool, they are just one more very effective
one. I think most businesses need to do a combination of things
including blogging.

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Filed Under: Referral Marketing
  • http://www.butlersheetmetal.com/tinbasherblog Paul Woodhouse

    There’s a very simple answer to this – Yes.

    The very first month of the blog’s integration within the main company site saw a 500% increase in traffic. The next saw 1000%

    Since receiving some pagerank it has doubled again and the links from the blog to the main sites have also boosted their positions for respective keywords in searches.

  • http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com Derek Andrews

    John, I think you are right on when it comes to the ‘stickiness’ factor.
    If you consistently write blog entries that your audience wants to
    read, they will stay subscribed to your feed. Maybe they will
    occassionally click through to your site and look around, and some may
    even become a customer. So the secret I think is to write for your
    readers, not for the search engines, and not as a blatant ‘come to my
    website and buy something’. And of course, if you write well, readers
    will spread the word, maybe even link to your blog from another blog. I
    think it is much easier to get links to a blog than it is to a website.
    In other words, blogs are more viral.

    Derek Andrews

  • http://www.emergemarketing.com Jay Lipe

    John-
    One big advantage of a blog over refreshed web content is saved time. Posting smaller sections of copy (that are consciously keyword-rich) to a blog takes less time that overhauling web content.

    Plus many websites may not have dynamic content updating features. For smaller businesses who face this situation, their webmaster’s queue can become a further barrier to generating traffic.

    In my opinion, blogs help generate traffic better because they allow the small business owner to get out there with fresh content faster…

    Jay

  • http://www.maxblumberg.com Max Blumberg

    I think blogs are fantastic for search engine optimisation and traffic. I learned recently for example that my blog http://www.maxblumberg.com is number one on Google if you search for any of
    - Microsoft marketing strategy
    - IBM marketing strategy
    - HP marketing strategy
    etc and is number two and rising for many others.

    It is leading to interesting conversations with these and other companies. I would say that am a keen fan!

    Keep up the great blogging here John.

  • http://www.jslogan.com Jim Logan

    In my opinion, blogs are without doubt the best tool available today to drive web traffic. I’ve tried many techniques to build community on the web – landing pages, CMS, direct mail solicitation, SEO, etc. – nothing comes close to sustaining traffic than blogs.

    Beyond SEO and techniques to attract an audience, blogs provide “stickiness”; they give your audience a reason to return. Blogs give reason to believe something will be new tomorrow and the next day, and the day after that.

    Used in support of a strategy of preeminence, blogs are the most cost effective and worthwhile marketing “tool” available to most all businesses, large and small.

  • http://www.marketingloop.com/ Hendry Lee

    I’ve posted a blog comment on my blog regarding this but somehow when I trackback pinged it, your blog didn’t display it.

    So here’s the permalink:

    http://www.marketingloop.com/archives/2005/01/29/do-blogs-help-create-traffic/

    Thanks.

  • http://www.andersonservices.com George Anderson

    In my brief experience, my “Notes for Managing Anger” weblog has served to make my site international. I can see where each hit comes from and tailor my next entrys to appeal to specific vistitors.
    Yes, a powerful website and internet marketing is also useful but far more expensive.

  • http://www.vaspersthegrate.blogspot.com steven streight aka vaspers the grate

    If all you want a blog for is to generate increased traffic, or online sales transactions, at your web site…

    …you may need to understand both blogs and the web a little more completely.

    Blogs are about interacting with a target audience in a more immediate, personal, candid, informal manner.

    This in turn can eventually lead to more traffic at web site and increased sales, due to good PR at the blog.

    Some blogs are pages within a web site.

    Anyone know how to decide whether blog should be separate site or should be a page within a web site?

  • http://toprank.blogspot.com/ Lee Odden

    What’s great about marketing a blog as a separate site is that a blog can be promoted BOTH within the blogosphere (blog and RSS directories and blog-only search engines) as well as traditional search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and directories.

    If your blog is contained within pages of your main site, it’s more difficult to distinguish as a url and many directories only allow one listing per domain name.

    If you must contain your blog within your site, then use a subdomain to reference it. ex: blog.domainname.com

  • http://www.vaspersthegrate.blogspot.com steven streight aka vaspers the grate

    Lee, wow–thank you for responding to my question so quickly and expertly.

    My brain is going in so many different directions lately, I just didn’t see this aspect of blog within web site vs. blog external to web site.

    I’ll be dropping by your site soon to visit.