11 Practical Things You Can Do When Your Blog Traffic Drops Because of Current Events

 

If you’ve been a blogger for more than three seconds, you have probably heard about how current events are affecting blogging traffic for a lot of bloggers. While this isn’t a huge surprise for bloggers that understand how blog traffic works, it is still something that we need to be aware of, so that we can adjust where needed.

 

Because, truth be told, this is NOT the time for giving up on your blog. This is the time to stand up and fight for what you want!

 

This article is a no-fluff and no-nonsense list of practical things you can do when your traffic drops because of current events. Although the current concern for a lot of people is the coronavirus pandemic, these tips can also apply to any season or reason that causes a dip in your blog traffic.

 

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11 PRACTICAL THINGS FOR BLOGGERS TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW

 

Many bloggers are taking a hit to their blogging traffic right now. Current events have people a bit shaken up, and a lot of people aren’t browsing Pinterest for yummy brownie recipes or looking for travel tips for their next vacay like they usually do.

 

It’s just a reality that we all have to deal with right now.

 

But another reality is that our blogging business will ALWAYS have ups and downs. We must learn to ride the wave and focus on things that we can control.

 

Here are 11 practical things you can do when your blog traffic drops because of current events.

 

1. OPTIMIZE OLD BLOG POSTS.

 

A lot of bloggers (myself included) have a lot of old blog posts that don’t get much traction. In fact, they say that about 90% of our blog traffic usually comes from about 10% of our blog posts.

 

Sometimes, this is because those popular posts serve our audience the best. And sometimes, this is because a lot of our older posts are not highly targeted and highly optimized.

 

We may not be able to control the fact that some people are spending less time on our blogs right now, but we definitely can control the quality of content that we share with the people who DO visit our blogs.

 

So, take some time this week and dig into a few of your older blog posts. Take the blogging knowledge you have gained and improve those posts as much as possible.

 

Some tips:

 

-Break up the paragraphs so they’re easier to read.

-Increase your font size so mobile readers don’t have to strain their eyes.

-Use more subheadings and bullet points to break up sections and main points.

-Improve your blog post optimization using on-page SEO techniques.

-Make sure your blog post and overall message is useful to your readers.

-End each blog post with a call-to-action.

 

One of the most practical things you can do for your blog right now is to improve the content that you already have!

 

2. ENGAGE WITH OTHER BLOGGERS.

 

Even though most of the world is preoccupied with world events and spending less time on casual blog post browsing, guess who is NOT going to stop reading blog posts and browsing on Pinterest?

 

BLOGGERS.

 

We live and breathe blogging, networking, and all things social media.

 

Even if life’s challenges slow us down or change our focus a little bit, we’re still going to be online. We’re still going to be blogging and supporting fellow bloggers.

 

So, if you need blogging support, lean into your blogging community! We’re here to cheer you on, offer support, and read your blog posts. You can join my free blogging group here for support, community, and all the pro blog tips you can handle.

 

Getting support from fellow bloggers is great, but we have to be willing to give back too.

 

So, find a few bloggers whose content you enjoy. Go read their latest blog post and leave a thoughtful comment. Chances are, they are wanting more eyes on their blogs right now too and showing your appreciation for their work won’t go unnoticed.

 

Please note: we are not suggesting that you spend endless hours reading irrelevant blog posts and leaving comments with the hope of getting more eyes on your own blog. Not at all! We’re only suggesting that you engage with a few of your fellow bloggers today, to give and receive some encouragement.

 

You can also participate in social sharing threads in blogging groups, to give and receive that same support.

 

Pro tip:

 

Find a maximum of (5) high quality Facebook blogging groups that provide daily sharing threads for your blog posts. Read and follow the rules before participating. Then, jump in and share your latest blog post under the sharing thread for that day. Include a little blurb about yourself and your niche, so that people interested in that type of content can read your post. And be sure to engage with others in the thread too!

 

Another easy way to engage with fellow bloggers: go into your favorite Facebook groups and find ways to answer questions or offer assistance to others (without asking for anything in return). If you’re helpful to others, without being spammy, you’ll grow your blogging circle and recognition of your expertise.

 

3. CREATE FRESH PINS FOR PINTEREST.

 

By now, most of us are down with the fact that Pinterest wants to see fresh pins from content creators on a regular basis. A very regular basis.

 

During the times where blog traffic is down, focus on what you CAN control, which is your own creation. Create more fresh pins for your blog posts, landing pages, products, or services.

 

I just started using RelayThat for my pin creation and it’s insanely easy to create several unique pin images in a very short amount of time. I also use and love Canva (which is free) for pin creation. Both options are pretty awesome, you can’t go wrong with either!

 

Take a little time each day to create several new pin images. And make sure you brush up on these tips for driving traffic to your blog with Pinterest too.

 

I personally try to pin a few fresh pins to Pinterest every day. Reminder: fresh pins are pin images that have never been seen on the Pinterest platform before.

 

Just think: if you can batch your work and create 14 fresh pins today, then you’ll have TWO fresh new pins to publish on Pinterest every day this week!

 

4. LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

 

As bloggers, we need to be constantly growing and learning new things, to keep up with changes and stay ahead of the game.

 

WARNING: TOUGH LOVE COMING YOUR WAY IN 3… 2… 1…

 

Don’t waste another moment wallowing in self-pity because of a drop in blog traffic. It’s tempting, sure, but it doesn’t do you or your blog any good.

 

Instead, take this time to improve yourself, personally or professionally.

 

Learn something new about blogging, or business, or marketing, or personal development. There is plenty of free and super affordable information out there to get you started (blogs, books, courses, YouTube tutorials).

 

The resources are endless.

 

If you need to work on optimizing your blog content for search engines, now is the time. If you need to work on your organization or consistency or mindset, there is no better time than the present. And if you want to learn how to maximize your blogging income (even in the face of trying times), you can do that too!

 

Take a little time every single day to focus on GROWTH, both personal growth and professional growth.

 

5. RESEARCH NEW AFFILIATE PROGRAMS TO JOIN

 

We talked about riding this wave and focusing on what we can control, right? Eventually, the wave comes to an end, and we need to have a solid foundation and a clear focus so that we can keep moving forward.

 

So, even if blog traffic drops during this turbulent season, we still need to look ahead and think about how we can better serve our audience tomorrow … and the next day and the next day.

 

One of the best ways to make money blogging is through affiliate marketing. And I highly recommend taking a little time to research potential affiliate programs that you can join and promote. You can find hundreds of free affiliate programs in this series on my blog.

 

Even if you aren’t actively promoting affiliate products right now, you can still join new programs and start brainstorming or creating content around those programs!

 

6. IMPROVE YOUR TOP PERFORMING POSTS

 

If you’ve been blogging for a while, you probably have quite a content library built up. But even if you only have one post on your blog, this tip is still for you.

 

It’s a good time to check out your top 10 posts and make sure that they are primed for CONVERSION.

 

And we’re not talking about SEO right now.

 

We’re talking about making sure your blog posts are ready to convert (or transform) people from a cold and distant audience into a warm and loyal audience.

 

In other words, when someone lands on your blog randomly, they don’t have any connection to you, and they don’t have any reason to visit your blog again or buy anything from you. They might be reading your blog, but they are distant readers, in the beginning.

 

We want to change that!

 

We want to connect to those readers and transform them into readers that love our work, rely on us for valuable information, and listen to our recommendations because they trust us.

 

To connect with your readers, you need to make sure that your content is useful to them, and make sure that you’re regularly inviting them into your community with your warm audience.

 

“Conversion” doesn’t always mean that you made an official sale either. It might just mean that you gained an email subscriber, a new member in your Facebook group, or a follower on your most popular social media channel.

 

Of course, sales are GREAT, but we don’t just jump into blogging and start making sales on day one. First, we serve our audience and grow a loyal readership. Sales usually come a little later, but we can still optimize our posts for sales too!

 

Today, I want you to go into your Google Analytics account, find your top-performing posts, and optimize each of them for CONVERSION.

 

To find these posts, login to Google Analytics, click on Behavior, then click on Overview.

 

Looks like this:

 

 

Make sure these posts are packed with value for your target audience, make sure they include relevant affiliate links, make sure they end with a clear call-to-action, and make sure you have an option for your readers to subscribe to your email list.

 

That leads us to our next point.

 

7. START THAT EMAIL LIST

 

Your email list is going to be one of your most valuable assets in your blogging career.

 

It is your direct line of communication with your warm audience, and it’s something that no one else can take away from you. You can speak to your people whenever you want, share helpful things, get feedback, promote products, and more.

 

If you haven’t started an email list yet, now is a good time. You can start your email list for free with Mailerlite. It’s free for your first 1,000 email subscribers, but if you use that link above, you’ll get $20 off your first payment when it’s time to upgrade!

 

To grow your email list effectively, you’ll need to do a few things:

 

-Know who your target email subscriber is and what they want from you (so that you can deliver this to them via email).

 

-Create a subscription box through Mailerlite and place it on your blog so that people can join your list.

 

-Create a great freebie that you can give to your loyal email subscribers.

 

-Create at least one automated email to welcome new email subscribers.

 

Although there are quite a few steps to this whole process, it’s definitely worth it! Take a little time to research email marketing, brainstorm some potential content ideas for your emails, and setup an email marketing service like Mailerlite.

 

8. CREATE HELPFUL EVERGREEN POSTS

 

There is nothing quite as valuable as value-packed evergreen blog content.

 

Although it is sometimes reasonable to capitalize on seasonal content and current events, it is ALWAYS reasonable to capitalize on the value that evergreen content provides for your audience.

 

Seasonal content is the stuff that is only relevant at very specific times (holiday blog posts, for example). Evergreen content is the stuff that is relevant at any time. Your readers can enjoy or benefit from it whenever they read it, regardless of the season or current events.

 

Bonus points if you can find a way to tastefully create content that is relevant now AND in the future!

 

For example, if you are in the safety and preparedness niche, you can write a post about what to pack in your emergency kit. It’ll be valuable now because of current events, but it will also be valuable anytime people search for that topic… After all, it is ALWAYS a good idea to have an emergency pack!

 

If you’re in the motherhood niche, you can write a post with simple tips for teaching kids proper hygiene. It will be valuable now and in the future, regardless of world events. These are just examples, of course, but you get the idea.

 

A word of caution: many people are worried and anxious about current events, and we need to be thoughtful of others and tasteful with our words. This is not the time to capitalize on people’s fear and pain (is there ever really a good time for that???)….

 

But it is the time to think of helpful ways that we can truly HELP our own target audience.

 

9. CREATE A HELPFUL PRODUCT OR SERVICE

 

For anyone that has been on the fence about creating their own product or service, I’m giving you permission to hop off that fence right now and get to work on your idea!

 

There is no time like the present.

 

If you know WHO your target audience is and WHAT they need from you, then you can definitely come up with an idea for a product or service that you can offer.

 

And it doesn’t have to be anything massive either.

 

I have friends that sell simple planners, short and sweet e-books, affordable membership services, t-shirts, courses, freelance services, and more! All you really need is a potential audience with a problem that you can solve, and the ability to formulate something valuable to offer them.

 

So, stop stressing about blog traffic and start thinking about what kind of value you can provide to your audience, even if that audience is small right now.

 

10. GO LIVE (SHOW YOUR FACE)

 

This is a good time to GO LIVE on social media, for two reasons.

 

Firstly, more people are staying close to home and away from crowds (in real life) right now, so it’s a good time to get in front of our people and let them see our face. Most people will still be using their phones and engaging on social media, even if they aren’t casually browsing through blogs.

 

I know it’s not easy or comfortable for most of us.

 

But when does greatness or growth ever come from your comfort zone?

 

It just doesn’t!

 

Try to think of one or two valuable tips you can share with your target audience, and then either GO LIVE on social media or record a video with your tips. These tips DO NOT need to relate to current events (and it might even be better if they don’t)!

 

They just need to be useful to your target audience and relative to your niche. Keep it short and sweet, there’s no need to prepare for hours or recite an exhausting monologue. Just hop on your phone and share something interesting, useful, or inspiring with your audience.

 

Secondly, the best time to PRACTICE going live or getting on camera, is when your audience is small or when no one is really paying attention.

 

I’ll never forget something I heard from Russel Brunson during one of his trainings. He insisted that it’s best to gain confidence on camera when your audience is small or nonexistent, because not many people are listening anyway! I love that so much.

 

The few people that are listening REALLY want to hear what you have to say, and that’s awesome. And the rest of the world isn’t really paying attention, so their opinion doesn’t matter anyway.

 

If you want to reach more people with your message right now, consider going live or even sharing a recorded video that is helpful to your audience.

 

11. CHECK YOUR MOBILE SITE

 

Last, but certainly not least, be sure to check your website on a mobile device and make sure that it is user friendly (mobile responsive).

 

If your website is difficult to navigate… if people are bombarded with pop-ups the moment they land on your page… if your font is too small or your blog posts are just overrun with an excessive amount of ads, your traffic is going to suffer more than others. Because NOBODY can stand reading a blog post that isn’t mobile friendly.

 

Remember, focus on what YOU can control. And you absolutely can control the mobile friendliness on your site.

 

Start with a mobile-friendly website theme. Then make sure you disable all website pop-ups from appearing on mobile, except for essential legal disclosures if necessary. Then work on your mobile site speed as much as possible.

 

And if you need assistance with anything WordPress-related, then reach out to my friends at iMarkInteractive. They offer extremely affordable WordPress support, audits, and quick fixes to help your blog thrive.

 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

 

I know that traffic dips can be disheartening and frustrating, but again, now is not the time to roll over and give up.

 

It is the time to stay strong and FIGHT for what we want.

 

It’s time to optimize the heck out of our blog content. And it’s time to make sure we have a solid foundation for our blog so that we can maximize our impact when people need what we offer.

 

And there you have it!

 

Just a simple list of 11 practical things you can do when your blog traffic drops because of current events. Because yes, it probably will drop, but it will also bounce back.

 

Should you try to do all of them this week? Of course not.

 

Think about the things that can truly benefit your audience and focus on one strategic thing at a time.

 

You can NEVER go wrong with cleaning up old content and creating new highly optimized content, so if you’re lost and need a suggestion, that’s what I would suggest.

 

Hang in there, bloggers!

 

And another shout out of thanks and a huge virtual hug for all of the doctors, nurses, servicemen/women, and trade workers that are doing their best to keep people healthy, safe, and as functional as possible during tough times!