Squeeze More Juice Out Of BlogRush

BlogRush is being written all over the Blogosphere. From what I have observed, there are more pros than cons with this blog syndicaton network system that's supposed to get you more traffic which is what every blog needs.

Having installed the widget on this blog since last Saturday, I feel a need to write about BR again. I'm beginning to get this idea about what the free BlogRush service is really all about. You can take my word for it or leave it.

#1 - You have to understand that it's all about web traffic generation (as obviously stated by John Reese of Income.com, the man behind the launch of BR). But you must have a strategy to drive that traffic.

#2 - Optimize your blog once you have the BR widget installed.
What does that mean? Basically, it's all about getting the attention of bloggers who are looking at the five post headlines on their widgets.

If you're looking at the widget, which headline would you click on first? Your right, it's the most compelling headline as related to your interest that gets the first click...and off you go to visit Blog X.

Assuming you're not the only person who's attracted by that headline, then there'll be more visitors to Blog X - just because of that compelling headline. So we must give credit to Blog X for being so clever with catchy headlines.

This is the advice given by BlogRush: "You can dramatically increase your click-rate (visitors sent to your blog) by learning to create more effective blog post titles."

Yes, that's your strategy. Write compelling headlines for your posts. Write headlines that sell and you'll see the "rush" to your blog. Personally, I think this is the most important aspect of BlogRush.

One more thing to remember...

Look at the headlines in the widget and you'll notice that you should not write long titles - about 7 to 8 snappy words at the most will be just right to show a complete headline in the widget. Avoid words with too many syllabus like "improvements," "conference," "implementation," etc. Most importantly, avoid the over-hyped phrase "How to make money online" or something to that effect in the post title. I guess most people are sick of it.

Also avoid label headlines because they look dull, boring and unimaginative. Do you ever see any label headlines in newspapers? Here are some examples of label headlines:

Google PageRank
Paid Reviews
SmortyMy Best Friend
PPP Conference
Wonderful Day

The art of writing compelling headlines is not everyone's cup of tea. But it can be learned once you have observed how others are writing their headlines, especially the ones that make you say "Wow!"

#3 - Get categorized in the right niche. When you sign up with BlogRush you need to place your blog in a certain category or topic, i.e. automotive, business, entertainment, computer & Internet, lifestyle, writing & literature, news & media, personal diary, etc.

The trick here is to place your blog under a topic which you think could create greater exposure. It need not be quite relevant to your blog. At this stage it's not easy to tell how this will work out but, I guess, you'll have to test it out. If one topic doesn't seem to generate much exposure, you can always try another one.

This is one area where BR could have a more comprehensive list of categories because some blogs could neither fit in here nor there if you get my drift.

#4 - Location of the widget is crucial. If the widget is "hidden" far down the page then it's not likely to get much notice from visitors. Ideally, it should be "above the fold" but some bloggers are so dead set against this idea. Like it or not, it has got to be up there.
One final thought

Following this optimization approach to get BR traffic is well and good, but if you don't post often enough the traffic may slow down until you start to post again with greater frequency. And remember, write compelling post titles and as always maintain quality content (Yeah, as if it hasn't been mentioned before!)

At this point, the BlogRush people are making efforts to deal with some early glitches in the system. I think it's fair to wait a while before jumping to conclusion.

Of related interests:
BlogRush making waves on the Internet