6 Tips You Need to Know to Explode Your Blog Traffic Now!

I realized that I’ve been blogging in some way, shape or form for 10 years now! I started mostly contributing to other publications before dabbling on my own site. and finally really starting to take it more seriously just a few years ago. Social media and blogging has been absolute whirlwind this decade, and the market is more saturated now than ever before. It’s a jungle out there guys! Becoming an influencer is more competitive than ever. Especially since you will be competing with influencers that buy followers and likes. And while it may seem like it’s near impossible to be successful as a blogger, there are just a few tips you need to know to build your audience! Keep reading for my tips on running a successful blog in 2020!

Find Your Audience & Cater to Them

The most important thing to know about being a blogger or social media influencer is that you have to serve your audience. If you think about your role as a content creator as essentially being in customer service, you will find it much easier to attract an audience!

People follow influencers and read blogs because they want information and inspiration that will enhance their lives in various ways. Think of how your voice and content are unique and what you have to offer. It doesn’t have to be highly specialized, in fact, you want to remain approachable. But you do need to establish what role you are playing as a figure in someone’s life. The most successful influencers are able to connect with their audience in a way that builds loyalty. It’s tempting to fall into Instagram trends and follow what you see other successful influencers do but it be authentic and you can’t keep up a façade forever!

Develop a Content Strategy for Your Blog

Content strategy is what makes managing a blog and social platforms possible without going crazy! Start in the spirit of the point above, catering to your audience. Go over your social media demographics to examine what types of people follow you. Think about things like gender, location, and even household income. I used to include more luxury items and high-end travel in my content before I realized that most of my followers were not luxury consumers! Based on analytics about my audience’s average income, I decided to focus more on affordable fashion and content that was aspirational but still accessible.

This is also where you decide what types of content you cover and what you don’t. Even if you focus mostly on fashion, you need to define a niche that you focus your content on. It can be red carpet, fast fashion, shopping guides, celebrity style, or something that feels authentic to you! Determine your style guidelines and what platforms to focus on as well. I would never be the person to do a dance video on TikTok even though that’s what goes viral. But I have found that my hair videos are my most successful types of content on the platform so that is where I focus.

You also need to think about your style and visuals. Do you like neutral tones or pops of color? Detail shots or everything pulled out and far away? Establishing some framework on your visual style will be hard at first but will only make your content creation process easier down the road. And you can pivot if something is no longer working for you! I used to love manually editing my photos but recently started using presets and they are amazing. They make it so much easier to maintain a consistent feed and I’ve already seen a boost in engagement!

Set an Operating Budget to Invest in Your Business

Running a business costs money! While it may be a challenge to shell out money for something that isn’t turning a profit, you won’t be successful in any business venture without investing in it. Set up a budget with what you can reasonably afford to invest as a total, then allocate from there. At a minimum you need to cover your site hosting and domain and any costs associated with creating content.

If you do outfit posts and street style shots that can mean a photographer that you work with. That can add up pretty quickly, but you can subsidize your costs by teaming up with friends or other bloggers for shoots, or booking via platforms like Snappr or SweetEscape that match you with an affordable photographer in your area. And you can also master the art of the self-portrait! This is pretty much my go to strategy for last-minute campaigns when I don’t have time to enlist a friend or the brand wants complicated usage rights so I need to own the copyright. If you are confused by that sentence, check out this post on

Your niche may allow you do leverage stock imagery instead of having to shoot all your content, so your cost would be investing in a subscription to a stock site.

You will also need to allocate some funds for things like social media ads, tax prep (business expenses make it way more complicated than a traditional return), and additional support from consultants when needed. I’ve purchased courses on driving traffic and have outsourced some content updates to SEO specialists to help increase my traffic. While you may think of running a blog as a one woman show, never be afraid or embarrassed to enlist help! You can’t excel at everything and it’s unreasonable to put that much pressure on yourself.

Budgeting gets easier as you start monetizing your blog, so focus on getting over the initial hump. Once you start landing paid campaigns you can dedicate a portion of each to reinvest in your business.

Manage Your Time Like an Entrepreneur

Time management is essential! I manage my blog, have a full-time job, and am planning a wedding, so trust me I am a pro in this area! If you work full time, carve out time in the mornings and evenings to focus on business. I have gotten in the habit of getting up an hour early so I have time to work on my blog or social media before I have to head to the office. I also dedicate at least 30-45 minutes a night to blog work, and usually half a day on weekends. That time is allocated between working on current content, shooting and editing for brand campaigns, and pitching for new projects. I try to avoid spending time at work on personal business, but if you have more flexibility take advantage! It will get in the way of your social life a little, but after you establish your routine it will all fall into place. You can also think about incorporating time with friends or your significant other into your work flow. My fiancée and I had our first photo shoot together, where we shot 3 looks in different locations then had drinks at the last spot. If you are planning a brunch date with friends, pick a place that is Instagram friendly so you can get someone to take a few snaps of you.

Make use of apps like Evernote to draft blog posts or social captions while you are commuting or waiting in line. You will learn how to optimize your routine to be efficient in running your business. And if you can allocate more to your budget, think about what freelance help you can enlist! I often turn to consultants for SEO because it’s essential but I don’t have the time to dedicate to an SEO course for bloggers or training.

Don’t Fall for Hacks That Promise Instant Success

It can be really tempting to focus on hacks to gain more followers or easy tips and tricks to boost your blog traffic. You can definitely hack your way to some short-term gains, but you can’t hack your way to long-term success! I get emails and dms almost every day about services that will help you boost your Instagram and get more followers and engagement. These services almost always rely on tactics that are banned or frowned upon by Instagram and brands that work with influencers. Do yourself a favor and focus on the path to organic, authentic success. It will take longer but be worth it in the long run.

Stay Focused and Be Persistent

Remember that success as a blogger or influencer is a long-term goal! Most people do not have overnight success in any of their ventures. Instead of comparing yourself to other influencers with huge followings and a ton of brand deals, think about how you can stand out from the pack and gain your own success. Remember that it’s a marathon not a race, and getting their will take time, effort and strategy on your part. Try to stay focused and engaged in what you are working to build, and not get discouraged.