How to Get Your Blog to 100,000 Visitors and Beyond, Step 1; Pick the Right Topic

I've had a lot of requests to detail how I got 100,000 visitors (now past 150k as I write this) to Free Money Finance. While the topic is not clearly in the subject area of personal finances, it can be part of how you increase your income (and thus improve your net worth), so I'll cover it. Plus, this will serve to help out other bloggers as well as remind me of what else I need to do to grow this blog. If this isn't your cup of tea, simply ignore these posts. I post frequently enough that a new, money-related post is not far behind this one.

I'll over this topic in a series of "steps", each one presenting a simple, unique step I took to get to 100,000 visitors. I'll also try to keep the steps in the order I did them, though several happened simultaneously, so that won't be easy.

That said, here we go.

Step 1 to getting to 100,000 visitors and beyond: Pick the right topic.

This might seem to be a simple step (and maybe even counter blogging -- can't I just blog about what I want?), but it's critical. To me, the right topic is one that:

• You're passionate about -- If you're not passionate about it, you won't post regularly, you'll lose interest, and your readers will be able to tell your heart isn't really in it (and they'll go away). If you are, your readers will identify with you and get to "love" your personality. And they'll come back. And tell their friends to stop by.
• You're knowledgeable about -- You don't have to be an expert on the topic, but you need to know more than most people to get a lot of people to your site. Otherwise, why would they stop by (or come back)?
• Is popular -- Let's face it, if you want to write about the exercise habits of your hamster, not many people are likely to visit your blog. You have to have a topic that many, many people want to read about if you want to get to 100k. This isn't to say that you shouldn't write about your hamster (or anything else a large group wouldn't want to read about). If you blog for your own pleasure, then go for it -- make Hammy a star. But if you want to get to 100,000 visitors, you need a topic (like personal finances) that many people what to know more about.

Click here to read part 2 of this series.

Free Money Finance recommends Emigrant Direct.

Comments

[Dave Lorenzo]

I agree with these three points. We also shouldn't overlook picking the right name.

The name of your blog is perfect for the topics you cover. It takes a couple of months to get Google and Yahoo to index you (maybe less with your posting pace)but when they do you want your blog's name to be descriptive.

I learned that lesson with my first blog. I posted under my name and it was hard work attracting vistitors. My new blogs attracted three times the amount of traffic in the first month - mainly because they are named correctly. The name has to be related to what you write about.

I continue to enjoy this blog. It is one of my "must reads" each and every day.

Happy Hoidays!

Dave

[FMF]

"We also shouldn't overlook picking the right name."

You're the perfect set-up man. Wait for my post tomorrow. ;-)

[fivecentnickel.com]

"Wait for my post tomorrow."

Now I don't have to! ;)

[pfadvice]

Probably jumping ahead here, but never forget about getting the word out about your blog...never going to have visitors if they don't know that you exist.

[Sean]

Good series of posts, have you also been to http://www.problogger.net/.

Excellent series of articles.

[FMF]

Yep, I read Darren's stuff every day. GREAT site.

[mesoinfo]

These three points are basic to blogging. Throw in passion for excellence and you are a winner every day.

[John]

You seem to do a great job on all three counts. Good job!

[VK Narayanan]

Fantastic points! I also wonder how much time you would have taken to reach to 100,000 visiters. It also matters, isn't it?

Agree with mesoinfo. Passion towards to your niche subject makes all the difference.

vkn - a regular reader of your posts.

[Denise Olesky]

I'm just staring out with my blog - about a week in. Thank you for the step by step instruction. What you said about the simple things not being so simple when you are starting out is quite true. Thank you so much!

[payday loans uk]

Is SEO a helping tool or not in the promotion of blog or for the targeting visitors to the blog??

[Shauna]

I'm not sure my blog is something I write because I'm passionate about or because I'm ball-and-chained to (haha). Hopefully people will read it if it's interesting to them, or helps them help themself. I'm not expecting to make a profit.

Unless you're doing it for profit, not passion, why spend time on SEO?

[Dave Pen]

Lovely content and adequately written

[Marty]

Passion for and knowledge of your chosen topic are by far the most important ingredients for a successful blog. Couldn't agree more.

[www.onemillionbucks.net]

I agree... I've recently started writing a blog myself and the only way that you can keep up with it is by writing about something that you like. I view it as a hobby (although my wife sometimes views at as a nuisance... :-)

PS - I emailed FMF and he was very informative and kind in his advice to a budding blogger!