Most of us blog because we love to write and want to connect with like-minded readers, not because we're egomaniacs who need tons of traffic and comments to feel satisfied. Still, it's a rare blogger who doesn't check her stats and feel a surge of pride when one of her posts goes viral and attracts tons of traffic. And that spike in traffic is most fulfilling when you know it's the result of quality content merging with smart online strategies. That's why I've compiled a list of post types that are proven to attract readers. Keep in mind, though, that publishing these kinds of posts probably won't work unless you're putting your own spin on a topic instead of regurgitating what's already been said elsewhere.
- The Controversial Post This type of post works best when it's inspired by a genuine frustration or counter-opinion, not just arguing for the sake of stirring up controversy (and driving traffic). For instance, fellow freelancer Lori Widmer generated a lot of traffic when she took a stand against Demand Studios on her blog. She didn't rail against this new business model because she wanted to attract lots of angry commenters, she did it to warn other writers and show them the alternatives.
- The Shout Out Post I've created posts like this in the past, but it wasn't until I listened to a podcast with Pat Flynn and Corbett Barr that I fully understood the shout out post's potential. Instead of inviting guest bloggers to contribute, Barr suggests creating a shout out post in which you link to several influential or up-and-coming bloggers in your niche. That way, it gets you on their radar, and many times these bloggers are so stoked that they'll comment, tweet, or otherwise share the link with their followers. Check out Barr's post, 17 Traffic Building Tips, for a great example of this format that also incorporates some other useful tips on building traffic.
- The List Post Search engines and readers love lists because they're easily digestible. And if you can brainstorm a whole bunch of useful tips and wow readers with an impressive number, even better (often you can pull this off by breaking down your initial ideas into smaller, more specific tips). Examples of this format are everywhere, but if you need inspiration, feast your eyes on Carol Tice's 20 Tips for Breaking Into Print Publications or my FreelanceSwitch post from way back, 50 Ways for Writers to Find Article Ideas.
- The Pop Culture Post Looking at things through a pop culture lens can be a great way to examine a tired topic in a new way. Take a look at this Copyblogger post titled Tim Gunn's Top 5 Tips for More Stylish Content to see what I mean. I employed a similar strategy for my post about Writing Lessons from Charlotte's Web - who doesn't love the word-slinging spider we read about in childhood? Not only is it entertaining to the readers who visit your blog on a regular basis, but it can also attract new readers who happen to Google the name of the celeb, TV show, book, or movie you mention.
- The Tutorial Post So many blog posts ponder big ideas like "why should we write?" without delving into the "how" of writing (or whatever topic the blog covers). That's why a well-crafted tutorial post that gets into the nuts and bolts of a project or topic can be incredibly powerful. Linda Formichelli's post on using specificity to boost your writing is a great illustration of a how-to post. It also includes a few anecdotes from Linda's own assignments, making the post more relatable and giving readers concrete examples of how to work in details.