Getting people to view your wargames blog

This post was inspired by a recent post on a blog that I can't now find, but it's something I've been musing on for a while.

I've seen a number of posts on blogs and fora bemoaning the decline of people viewing blogs and the perceived move over to social media, usually Facebook - a move which one can sense is typed in many cases through gritted teeth.

Some have even gone so far as to say that blogging is dying. Now I think there probably is a general decline in blogs from an unsustainable high of a few years ago when every man and his collection of 3mm Hittites were setting them up, but the idea that blogging as a whole is dying is pretty demonstrably untrue.

Now I for one would be sad if the many people I follow stopped blogging. I'd be even less happy if they shifted over to Facebook.

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of social media and I think the growth of Facebook Groups in particular has been a real benefit to hobbyists, but Facebook is completely hopeless for any sort of archiving. It is still very much a "fire and forget" medium - so if you see someone post a tutorial, or nice colour scheme or useful link - it's next to impossible to find it again even 24 hours later, never mind weeks or months after the fact.

I also like the sense of connectedness and contact you get from a blog - you see the personality (sometimes too much of it) when reading through a blog in a way that gets lost in the more "pub lounge" conversation of Facebook.

So, given that my real job involves telling people how to get more traffic to web pages I thought I'd give some very basic advice that may lead to a few more people looking at your posts.

At a very basic level there are two ways that people will find your posts.

• Search
• Links

So to increase views you should consider both of these.

Search

Search Engine optimisation (SEO) is big business. Making sure your page features on the first page of Google is a dog eat dog world and there are all sorts of tactics and techniques to apply that need to be constantly modified as Google tries to stay one step ahead of the people manipulating the system.

Fortunately we don't have to worry about any of that.

Google's job is to match people up with the things they are looking for. A search engine that doesn't deliver what you're after isn't a very good thing. So when writing up your blog posts you should think about making it as easy as possible for the Google to show your page to the person searching.

Titles

One of the key things Google will use is the title. So make sure your title is as straightforward and explanatory as can be. I love a good pun, really I do, but Google doesn't do puns. So if your post is about painting 6mm Spartans call it "Painting 6mm Spartans", not "Fiddling with Little Greek Boys".

I know, it's dull and not nearly as funny but Google will show it to more people.

Also think about your own searching. If you search for Warhammer Battle Report you are much more likely to click on the post titled Warhammer Battle Report than the one called Hot, Hard Dwarf on Elf Action (though I might bookmark that for later when the kids are in bed).

Keywords

This just means including the words that people might be looking for in the words on your post. Make sure you write Napoleonics, and not just Naps. Also include synonyms, so if it's a battle report include AAR maybe even 'after action report'. Include the full names of relevant armies and game systems - write out Flames of Glory (if that's your particular vice) not just FoG.

Think about what people might be searching for, or about your own searches, and make sure those words are in there somewhere. Make sure those words are (if possible) in the title and the body copy. Don't assume knowledge, because Google hasn't spent 30 years memorising the contents of WRG 6th edition ancient rules - even if you and the person you're writing the article for has done.

Links

Creating links to your posts will, almost inevitably increase traffic. People who didn't know about your blog are likely to click it and then, if what you write is interesting, they might come back or even follow you.

However just a link on its own isn't enticing. You need to put a few words, and ideally a picture or two to encourage people to click through and view your posts. As with titles a fairly straightforward description of what people can expect if they click is best. Some internet users are obsessed with the idea of fake links that will immediately lead to their entire bank account being drained by a Nigerian prince, their wives and children sold to the highest bidder and a life of ongoing penury. So something reassuring and plausible will help them overcome this.

Some people (and forums) even get annoyed if you don't put at least one picture and a bit of explanation - it's sort of good internet manners to at least put something on the forum you're using.  Likewise avoid the forums and groups that insist you post all your words and pictures there. They'll only get cross if you don't do it, so best to just steer clear.

Social Media

Social media. especially Facebook is great for increasing traffic to blogs. The bulk of my referrals (where people come from to get to my blog) is Facebook these days. Especially since the (alleged) Puffin Bummer blocked me from TMP.

All the above about links is also true of social media. Though Facebook and Twitter will automatically preview your post if you don't add any pictures. I mix and match, sometimes it's just the link, other times I add some pictures and occasionally (usually for specific painting posts when the pics really are the only content) I just add the images to the Fb group and don't bother with the link - that way you're participating in the community without always expecting people to click away - which is a good thing to do and has the added benefit of making people better disposed to you when you do post a link.

So there you have a few simple tips that may increase traffic to your blog. It's not intended to be exhaustive and nor is it really "pro SEO advice" - just some things I try and bear in mind when creating content writing on my blog.