best way to get traffic to a new blog

What's the best way(s) to get traffic to a new blog? I have one set up for my welding business for a few weeks, I would like to drive traffic to it. Originally I created for my customers to get updates, but at the same time I would like to generate new business from the blog.

Local business or internet sales?
Either way, creating unique articles for your site is the best way.
If it's for local business just include the city name in your articles.
Other than that, AdWords or paid search traffic works but can be costly.

i used adwords alot before, definitely works but like you said costly, im trying to get up there naturally like some of my local competitors. Its a local business. I didnt even think of putting the city name, not a bad idea. I will try it, Thanks!

Local is good since search engines like to give local results.
Try to include local landmarks and events in your market area.
Tell a few interesting stories about experiences you have had.
Don't try to make your competitors look bad,
just show how you do it better, faster, cheaper, whatever your niche.

using local names should help a lot

Getting your new blog social bookmarked will go a long way to getting traffic fast, then build some one way backlinks to it from high pr sites.

You could also comment on other blogs targeting the same niche as yours.

Also, you need to make sure that every new post is pinged with pinging services like pingomatic.com.

Try submitting your blog to the top blog directories too like blogged.com

Thanks for the good tips guys. Kane, I already pinged but is that done after every post? blogged.com was new to me, I just submitted my site to them. As far as the social bookmarks, enlighten me. Do you mean to let out a press release and that will help me get bookmarked and help with the backlinks?

Go with article marketing and video marketing. These 2 techniques are easy to do and can get you LONG term free traffic.

Tal

Doing some keyword research for your niche and writing articles as well as posts about those keywords will give you some natural and free traffic as well.

Tips:
1. put the keyword in the H1 as well as the url tag
ex: if you were writing about a review for the Lincoln welder
use the keywork Lincoln Welder in the heading of your post and make the url /lincoln-welder

then put your keyword "naturally" about 1 time per 100 words

this will help rank your post and blog higher on google and get more free traffic

I just came from a Webinar with Hubspot.com
They will help you set up you blog or website, and provide software with SEO Analytics. This is all great. However they charge you about $250.00 per month for this.

I don't believe small business would be able to afford those rates.

Keyword research works the best. The targeting of specific non-competitive keywords will work. And as mentioned below, the fact it is local will enhance your edge for competitiveness. I like to use the social bookmarks and basically each post you are producing can be RSS to the social bookmark of your choice. That will drive traffic too. Try to have an Opt-In on your website and have the traffic leave their email. Create your email list and pursue with emails templates and offer some services, discounts, newsletters, etc.

Publishing fresh content is key as well. Avoid repeating same ol' same ol as everybody else in the same niche. Try deviating a bit with some fresh ideas, different ways to do welding. Exploit an angle in welding not mentionned too much on the Internet.

Hope it helps out...

There's a traffic source no one's mentioned, that can help you bring targeted leads to your site, using OMGILI.com.

OMGILI is a forum search engine, you type in your keywords and it finds forum posting based around your keyword, you can even select the timeframe, how soon the post was posted.

Best way to use it is to type in a problem that someone's experiencing within your industry & you can provide them with a solution. Go on OMGILI type it in, check out the results, join the forum provide comment of value.

If you practice this method, you can generate a quite of traffic, however got to be honest it does require a bit of work & patience.


Provide value

Just try email marketing or bookmarking. That can help out for sure. Also you can make press and video releases.

Thanks guys, I think I will try the bookmarking and keyword aspects. I definitely didn't worry to much about the keywords, so maybe I need to do this a bit smarter. Also I am trying now to host the blog on my server instead of the Wordpress server, since I read a few posts about the benefits.

Jose Roman: way(s) to get traffic to a new blog? I have one set up for my welding business for a few weeks, I would like to drive traffic to it.
One way Jose, is to put a link in your signature to the blog so we can see it!
You may find the real you is more appealing than the "realmillionsfromhome" link,
or at least adds to your credibility as a real person who works hard.
Turn your name into a clickable link to your FB fan page or blog.
And put your fan page badge on your blog so it goes both ways.

Jose Roman: I definitely didn't worry to much about the keywords, so maybe I need to do this a bit smarter.
You may be smarter than you think...
On your FB fan page you included a lot of specialties and photo examples.
Those are the niche markets and long tail keywords you needed to add.
Just be sure to include them in unique articles on your blog and you're set.
And post links to your blog posts on your fan page, it shows an excerpt and link.
Good job!

Just2EZ, thanks for the good advice, as usual!. I've been meaning to change the Signature, I realize the link might be a bit cheesy. I honestly had no fanpage setup until last night haha, I've been waiting for a certain someone to finish my website and didn't really want people to go to the actual website that I built myself years ago because it just looks crappy, my new one is almost done but I got tired of waiting and made the fan page and Twitter account live last night.

The blog doesn't have any updated content lately, I have some articles I can post but is it ok to spread those same articles on other sites? Also I finally got a .com in my own name and setup a blog which is what ideally I want on my Signature but to be honest I don't feel I have set up any quality content yet (as far as marketing goes) and until I do so I don't want to send people to an empty page. In the meantime I will plug in my steel company info as you suggested.

I want to make my first business prosper to a certain level so I can say "hey, this is what I've done for myself and my system works for me everyday" (which I know it does) and have some real results and be 100% when I show off the 2nd business that I do from home. I guess I'm the type that needs to show and prove to myself so I can be relentless in my helping of others.

Jose Roman: is it ok to spread those same articles on other sites?
No, and yes, keep the full length originals for your own site with photos,
spin them into some useful articles for other sites but don't reveal all.
Use them to link back to you as the authority site.

Do you ping your Blog after you update it or make fresh posts.

You should do . . . to gain traffic.

Do a search for pingomatic and learn more about pinging your Blog.

Be seeing you . . .

Hi
Google some blogs with your main keyword and post links in them with some comments. Sure works to an extent initially and also has a lot of links leading back to your site!
Hope this helps