dy·nam·ic /dīˈnamik/ - Characterized by constant change, activity, or progress.
The very essence of blogs is to provide dynamic (i.e. constantly changing) content.
Does your blog do that? You really think so?
What about your sidebar?
Does it change dynamically to keep your readers glued to your blog?
The Problem
Your repeat visitors are the best kind of readers you can get.
They already like you. They came back. They want more.
They read your newly published post.
What’s next?
They leave.
Because all they see when they look around is “same old, same old”.
Same ads. Same social media widgets. Same popular posts that have been popular for months now.
Boring.
The Fix
You already see where I am going with it.
It’s easy.
Make your sidebar dynamic!
Doesn’t take long; I promise.
Here’s what I do to peek my readers’ curiosity and keep them reading:
I modify my WordPress Popular Post widget (almost) every time I publish a new post.
Just like this:
By the way, this video is a part of my new “Skinny Notes” series.
Skinny Notes are all about efficiency and results - precise and to the point traffic generation ideas that will increase your website traffic - TODAY.
Get the skinny, cut the fluff, in other words.
YOU SHOULD SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL to be the first one in the know about the upcoming skinny videos:
See you there!
The “Fat” Notes
Here are some of the video highlights:
1. I use WordPress Popular Posts widget at TGC: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-popular-posts/
2. Another idea to fully customize what your readers see: create a special category for the posts you want to be seen in the widget.
Add the selected posts to that category.
Choose it in the widget settings (see the video on how to do that).
When you’d want to do it:
If you have a few posts that are particularly relevant, but for whatever reason didn’t get much attention when they were first published, this is a great way to give them some love.
Marketing Takeaway
That’s yet another simple traffic/profit boosting tip that won’t take long to implement (I’d say 5 minutes or less), yet can have a big impact on your bounce rate as well as traffic conversion.
Thanks for sharing! Now I have a good idea on how to get more readers and learn how to up my website traffic. Enjoyed reading your blog topics Ana because I got more information.
Hi Ana,
Very intriguing idea here!
Sometimes the best ideas are the ‘obvious’ ones
sitting right in front of us!
Like a picture on your wall, left there it
becomes more a fixture and less an object that
that attracts attention!
This idea is both logical and ‘subliminally’ genius!
Now I get the ‘Duh’ you placed in the title!
You’ve awakened my dormant brain, duh! 🙂
TJ
Thanks for sharing!
Rob Calhoun says
Hi Ana,
I liked the video and more importantly, the subject matter. The popular posts plugin looks like a good fit for bringing older posts some new traffic when you use the all time setting. You can also have a couple “popular” post widgets running simultaneously. Say, what’s hot now and best posts.
There’s definitely some potential there. I also noticed the sore thumb plugin as soon as I got to your YouTube CTA.
I’m not liking the custom mouse cursor. It’s cute and all but is a pain in the butt to use.
RC
I have my doubts about the cursor as well, Rob; the season is almost over though. 😉
I was also thinking that the readers may get bored looking at your posts though you have your popular posts stuck to it.The dynamic side bar is quite interesting and it will give an appealing look to your blog post site.Finally the readers will also get relief.
I believe that adding video to your website is a great way to keep up your visitors.The popular post idea can also be helpful for them to know about the article.I have optimized my side bar and i am getting more responses.
Hey Ana, I never thought about the importance of the sidebar post. After looking at your video, I think I should start giving more time in sorting most popular post in sidebar widget. Thanks for sharing this valuable post!
Low time investment; high engagement return - why not, right?
hi Ana,
great job again.the sidebar of our website very impotant in our blog.the way that you explained very fresh n greatful thought.the above video how to boost a traffic with popular widjet is really amezing job
Thanks for the tip Ana. You said that you change up your widget about as frequently as you post. How often should you post new content to attract people to your niche?
No right or wrong answer, Jeremy. The more often you post, the less effective the posts tend to be since you don’t have as much time to put into each one of them.
In the end, if your content is great, you’ll be in a good position to condition your readers to whatever schedule works best for you.
Thanks for the reply Ana and for the tip.
You know, I’ve always known about changing things up to keep people interested which is one of the reasons I change theme to coincide with seasonal holidays and stuff. That’s easy to do as it only takes a click of the mouse.
Changing the stuff in the sidebar? Well, apart from rotating banners, that’s going to take more effort 😉
I used to use the popular posts widget but got rid of it. Maybe I should rethink that one.
Once I got the hang of it, it takes me just a couple of minutes to update the widget, Sire. I think it’s definitely worth it.
This is my first time on your site Ana. What an experience! Thank you for some awesome ideas and for the ebook! I was introduced to you today on the Content Warfare podcast and I am now filled with new ideas about blogging and building a community. Your ideas on funneling traffic to the ultimate goal has really opened my eyes. Thanks for the great information.
You are so welcome, Keith, and look forward to seeing you around.
Do I love blogging? Yes. Do I post frequently? Yes. Does my blog get traffic? Yes. But its not the returning kind. I am going to follow these ideas and overhaul my posts to see if it provides better result. However, a very informative one! Cheers! 🙂
This is a brilliant idea, Ana. I’m slowly overhauling my blogs (focusing on two right now) and this is something I was wondering about. Aside from redesigning one of them completely, how was I going to keep people’s interest and get them to other posts?
I’m going to try this, and see how it goes. Thank you for the link to the free plugin! I’m all for buying plugins if they’re worth it - but only if I absolutely must. 😉
Doing little things could sometimes make all the difference in the world, Lindsey - like changing your sidebar a bit.
Plugins can certainly add functionality, but also slow down our blog and drain our pockets. 🙂
Why i like you Ana is because you’re dynamic in nature, always exploring new things that will add some more value to your blog unlike most of us.
Talking about the popular post plugin, what about a theme that already support Popular,Latest and Tag widget like mine, how do you go about that?
And, i have some very interesting posts that i published on the early days of my blog that was not given much attention, I’m currently thinking on renewing/republishing them now but i don’t know if that is the best thing to do. Please whats your candid advice to this?
Thanks for sharing friend.
BTW: I’m still waiting to read your Oct income report.
Here’s what I’d do, Theodore: create a special category and add the posts that you think need to get some love. Then choose that category in the widget settings (there are some settings you can adjust, right?).
Working on the income report…
Ana,
I noticed that your comment luv plugin no longer work on smart phones when clicked on unlike before.
You may have to check it out.
Will take a look; thanks!
Pretty useful “duh” moment :).
It’s always the simple stuff that gets the biggest results, isn’t it? The advice that, once you hear it, it’s like …”Oh yeah..that makes sense.”
I’ll have to implement this and test it out. Although I don’t think my sidebar links to other posts get too many click-throughs (then again this might be the reason why).
Ana,
I couldn’t agree with you more that your site has to remain fresh. Even if you keep the same general options but change the way it looks.
I always have a link to my Social Tools Book but sometimes I have an image link, sometimes its text, etc…
The look is different, but still gets people to take the actions I want them to take. It takes work but like you said, it keeps the returning readers interested.
Thanks!!
Ryan H.
Ana,
Most popular posts are an awesome way to keep people on your blog.
Just in the last couple of months I myself was bored with my sidebar. So I decided to make it dynamic too. I added a little box for my videos, now every other week or so I change that video. This is so simple, I already have these videos published on my YouTube channel and most likely somewhere on my blog.
~Allie
Really great idea, Allie; I should probably think about adding my latest video there as well.
I didn’t think about this idea before.
That I use popular post widget as a way to promote my new posts using special catogeries. Really amazing way Ana.
Waiting for more from you.
Ana,
I use the WP Popular Posts plugin, it’s a good way to get more clicks on your posts.
Aside from that, I’m always tweaking stuff in my sidebar and my site in general. Testing is the only way to see what REALLY works.
Nice vid!
P.S. I don’t know what you did, but that shaking widget in your sidebar is so dope. Share! 🙂
Not you too, Dewane… 😉 Take a look at PS of the post. I am going to make it blue…
https://trafficgenerationcafe.online/loves/sorethumb/
I have no idea how I overlooked that….haha!
Thanks for highlighting that for me.
Now that I’m thinking about testing…..
It would be interesting to see how people respond to your views count vs. comment count for popular posts. I’d imagine (and I’m only guessing here) that you use views because that number tends to be higher than your comment count. I think it would be an interesting thing to test.
Just a thought 🙂
Comment count is not as reliable, Dewane; at least on my blog.
Check out this post: https://trafficgenerationcafe.online/promote-your-blog/
However, it’s far from being the most popular post; I use it specifically as a landing page from my Twitter visitors.
Hey Ana,
Purchased the Sore Thumb plugin as per your recommendation and I’m loving it! It’s working like a charm already!
Thanks for the suggestion!
And thanks for contributing to the Hoffman family mortgage fund, Dewane!
Hi Ana,
I think our website sidebar is also an important part of our website on which we don’t really focus on much. But its really one the main area where we can catch repeating visitors such as facebook fans & email subscribers.
I liked your moving facebook fanbox which attracts the attention . How you have done that? Any plugin or Thesis Magic?
Take a look at the PS in the post, Rahul. 😉
https://trafficgenerationcafe.online/loves/sorethumb/