Traffic is something every Internet marketer or blogger needs to survive online. It is not always an easy task and sometimes you put in a large amount of time into a post only to find out that nearly no one has viewed it. You have a great topic, an epic title and some solid content, so, where did your efforts go wrong? The Internet is a vast, busy world and with over 100 million blogs, it can be easy for your blog to go unnoticed. So where do you start? How can you attract visitors? Whether you just launched your first blog, or are struggling to grow traffic to an established one, here are some of best practices to boost blog views:

• Content doesn’t have to be in the written form only. Work towards your strengths. Go with something you are really good at. Some people are great with blog posts, while others succeed with video, audio or creating visuals such as info graphics and presentations.
• Research what’s hot. Google your keywords to see what everybody is searching for. Stay on top of your industry trending topics and create content around what people are actively on the lookout for.
• Create a simple editorial calendar to keep track of what you need to publish, when and where. A basic one should give you a bird eye’s view of your publish dates, content type (post, video, podcast, webinar, newsletter or updates) and the platform (blog, social media, email etc.) where the content will go.
• Write "Jargon-Free". Remember, you are not writing to impress your audience, you are writing so you get through to them. To do this successfully, use their language; aim to express, and not to impress.
• Write Powerful Headlines. Your blog's title could make or break your traffic flow, so slapping any old headline on it just won't do. Remember a good title can encourage readers to click on your blog, but a bad title can drive them away. Need a little blogging title inspiration? Take a look at these epic inbound marketing blog titles before you decide to create another boring subject line.
• Create and Publish Great Content Often. Updating your blog frequently with useful, meaningful content is an important step in building your blogging audience. Come up with some compelling content that will help maintain your readers' interest and keep them coming back for more. Don't forget, the frequency with which you post is important too because search engines like Google, reward consistency and useful content.
• Make Sure Content is Mobile Responsive. People do not solely consume your content on their computers-- they have their smart phones and tablets to use for reading so make sure your site is mobile responsive.
• Make it Concise. When you are writing for a web audience, remember you are competing for the attention of people who likely have several windows open in their browser. People scan on the web and you need to get to the point fairly quickly if you don't want to lose readers.
• Always Include a Call to Action. You should do this for every piece of content you publish. A call to action is when you ask your readers to take a particular action. Typically, a call to action may ask the reader to leave a comment, sign up to your newsletter, share the post on social media or click through to your sales page. Many veteran marketers forget to this, do not fall into this trap. 
• Always remember that content marketing a long, ongoing process. It doesn’t give you a measurable return on investment right away. You have to stay in the game to leverage the true power of content marketing.

Are you still stressed about blogging? Here is the take away: write a compelling headline to attract your readers; fill your blog with content that will keep them engaged; make sure sharing your content is only a click away; sprinkle key words throughout your blog so it catches Google's attention; and most importantly, promote your blog on your social media networks. Still looking for reassurance of success? Take a look at the ImageWorks LLC blogging cheat sheet: