How to increase blog traffic?

[alwoodruff]

I've seen photogs attempting to increase their blog traffic by rewarding you with something if you subscribe to the photog's blog posts (by either email or reader). I can't remember who it was (or any of the details), but it got me thinking.

Does anyone have any ideas that they've successfully implemented?

[kayumangi]

Do you mean commenting on another photographer's blog and then leaving a url back to your site?

That only works if the other photographer's blog allows follow tags / backlinks but if done correctly it is a very nice way of piggy backing on the more popular photographer's blog, although I don't think he/she will be happy about it, so thread cautiously =)

[alwoodruff]

I was thinking more along the lines of rewarding someone with a prize if they subsribe to my feed (whether by email or reader). My goal would be to get people more faithfully keeping up with me.

[toverman]

I'm interested in knowing more, too!

[alwoodruff]

One idea I've heard someone use is rewarding people (with what, I can't remember) for linking their blog to the person's blog (if that makes sense) so in theory, their blog's getting visibility to more viewers outside their normal network.

[kayumangi]

Linking back happens in two places:

1. You post a comment on another photog's blog and you add your url there.

2. They put your blog's url on one of their posts.

If the latter happens, you'll normally get an incoming link list (like the one from Wordpress) when you go to your blogs admin page. From there you'll know which person linked back to you and thus you can give them their reward, whatever that is.