How I Reached 100,000 Visitors with These 7 Rules

by NEIL PATEL on DECEMBER 8, 2014

Over the years, I’ve taught you a lot about content marketing… from what tactics others are using to showing you what’s working.

But I’ve never really opened up and shared the rules I blog by. What you don’t know is that I rarely release a blog post if it doesn’t follow 7 key rules.

So, what are these rules that have helped me grow the Crazy Egg,KISSmetrics, and Quick Sprout blogs to over 100,000 visitors a month?

Here are the 7 rules I blog by:

Rule #1: Set the right frame

In blogging, framing refers to the way you set the mood for the rest of your blog post. For example, in this post, I talk about the rules I use to grow blogs to over 100,000 visitors a month.

The reason I set the frame this way is because I already have credibility with you due to the fact that you already read Quick Sprout and already know I am a successful marketer. I also share a specific traffic number—100,000 visitors—because I know most of you haven’t achieved that number yet, but want to.

Framing the post this way will encourage more of you to read the rest of it.

On the flip side, if I framed this post by telling you that these are just 7 generic rules other bloggers are using, you would have no reason to follow them as they may not be from a credible source. Plus, you wouldn’t know the type of results you could potentially achieve by following them.

Let me show you another example of framing. My friend David used it on his e-commerce blog. He wanted to write a blog post that taught people how to generate more sales during the holiday, so he started off his post with:

Hope you had a profitable Thanksgiving.

Can you tell me the issue with this frame? Most e-commerce sites are profitable, especially during Thanksgiving. The real issue is how profitable they are and how much more money they could have made.

So, I had him switch the copy to:

What if I told you that you could have made two, if not three, times more money on Black Friday than what you pulled in? The reality is you could have, but before I go into how, let me first explain why…

Do you see the difference? Every e-commerce owner wants to make more money. Which is why they are more likely to read the second version over the original.

Framing is powerful! You just have to use it in the right way.

If you want to learn how to frame your blog posts, read this.

Rule #2: Hook your readers

Do you know what the attention span of a goldfish is? 9 seconds. And if you think that’s short, take a guess what your attention span is.

A whopping 8 seconds. That’s right… humans’ attention span is shorter than goldfish’s.

Out of every 8 people that read your headline, only 2 continue to read the rest of your blog post. Why? Because you aren’t hooking your readers and grabbing their attention.

That’s why you need to focus on writing the perfect headline. You can do this by:

• Keeping your headline to 6 words and under 65 characters (ideally)
• Using interesting adjectives within it
• Integrating negative words as they tap into insecurities
• Making your headlines personalized
• When possible, using numbers and data

When writing headlines, check out this free tool by Portent as it should make your life a bit easier.

Rule #3: Data builds credibility

If you are seen as an expert, more people are likely to follow you. But how do you get people to see you as an expert?

You use data.

It doesn’t matter if you are the source of it or you are citing someone else. By continually using data within your blog posts, you create credibility. It shows that you have done your research and aren’t making anything up.

It’s the main reason why I release data-filled infographics each week. Using data works so well that I incorporate a ton of it into my blog posts on my personal blog too. Many of those posts have links to at least 20 different sites.

By using data within your blog posts, you will help people start seeing you as an expert. Plus, others will see you are linking to them, and some of those people will start sharing your content and eventually link back to you.

Rule #4: Blog with your heart

Have you ever seen me blog about topics other than marketing and business? No. Why?

Because those are the two topics I really care about. I love them so much that I center my life around them, sometimes to a fault—sometimes, I neglect other things in my life, such as my family, because I’m knee deep in my blog or business.

I am working on fixing that, but the point is that I love blogging because I’m writing about topics I am passionate about.

That’s what allows me to write consistently and never give up on blogging. If you don’t love what you are writing about, eventually you’re going to quit, and your blog won’t gain popularity.

Plus, the quality of your content will be drastically different. People can tell when you write about something you are passionate about. The quality of the article that’s written with care and passion is a lot different from the quality of the article that’s written out of pure necessity.

Rule #5: Love your readers

Look in the mirror, and ask yourself: “Do I love my readers?” Do you love your readers so much that you are willing to do whatever it takes to make them happy?

If you do, they’ll not only stick around for a long time, but they will also support you. They will comment on your content, share it, and tell the world how great you and your company are.

I love my readers, which is why I respond to almost every comment. I also try to respond to every email that is short and to the point.

And when I screw up, I try to make things right. For example, I get over ten thousand spam comments a day, and it is nearly impossible for me to go through them all. So, some good comments get lost, and I get angry emails such as this one:

To try to make this reader happy, I donated $20 to their Go Fund Me project. I didn’t have to do this, but I felt it would make the reader happy, so I did.

I care for my readers to the degree that I will do almost anything for them. The real question is, do you?

Rule #6: Don’t repel readers with fancy vocabulary

Don’t you hate it when people talk down to you? I know I do. I especially hate it when people try to use fancy language I don’t understand to make me feel dumb.

And I’ll be honest, I don’t have the best vocabulary, and I am not the smartest person out there. I know I can learn more and continually sharpen my skills in all aspects of life.

Granted, when you are blogging, you are educating your readers, but this doesn’t mean you are smarter or better than they are.

This is why I use simple vocabulary. It makes the post feel more like a conversation and less like a classroom setting. Just as you can learn from me, I can also pick up a few things from you… which is why I prefer a conversation.

Use simple vocabulary to help increase user engagement.

Rule #7: It’s all in the list

Have you noticed that on all of my blogs—from Quick Sprout to Crazy Egg to KISSmetrics—I collect emails?

Why?

Because email marketing is a consistent source of traffic that you can control. All you have to do is send a blast to your list every time you publish a blog post, inviting your readers to check it out.

Emails are so powerful that for one of my blogs, they account for 28% of the total traffic. They are so effective that I am willing to spend $1,500 a month with these guys just because they get my emails in people’s inboxes… even though I don’t make a dollar from email marketing.

If you are going to blog, make sure you come up with an enticing opt-in such as an e-book or a course like I offer on Quick Sprout.

Or if you don’t have time to create an offering, you can always re-purpose your old blog content. Or better yet, do something like Groove.

Whatever you decide to create for your opt-in, make sure it is enticing. Without an email list, it will be difficult for you to grow your blog.

And once you are ready to collect emails, follow this post, which will teach you how to collect emails without needing a lot of technical knowledge.

Conclusion

If you follow these 7 rules, you will see an increase in traffic. And it isn’t just me who is seeing success from these rules. Bloggers like Brian Dean, who have been following in my footsteps, are seeing similar results too.

So, what are you waiting for? Why not test out a few of these rules with your next blog post?

What other rules should you blog by?