A friend asked how many of my posts have over 100 comments so I decided to find out with the “Most Popular Posts” widget. It turns out that Financial Samurai has roughly 70 posts with more than 100 comments and several hundred posts with over 50 comments. In other words, every 10th post or so becomes “a whale post” which leads to a tremendous amount of recurring traffic.
In this post I’d like to share with you some strategies that will really provide a boost to your site. I’m confident that if you follow these strategies, you’ll get random folks flocking from all over to be your biggest fans, or biggest detractors. More important than seeking adoration is attracting enough traffic for growing a life sustaining blog.
STRATEGY #1: CREATE POWER CATEGORIES
Less is generally always more. If you create way too many categories your readers will start to zone out. It’s much better to be a master of a few topics than a jack of all trades.
When I say to create “Power Categories” I don’t mean limiting the number of categories to just a few topics. Although it’s probably best to limit your categories to 10 or less. What’s most important is focusing on three to five categories where you plan to go DEEP.
For Financial Samurai, the Power Categories are:
I post four times a week on average and will always alternate between these five topics + another topic from one of my other five normal categories. Over the course of a year, I should therefore be able to generate roughly 30 posts in each power category. Over the course of five years, each power category will then have 150 posts of some of the most meaty content on the web. The resulting concentration from SEO also gets magnified as search engines see a trend towards relevant keyword rich posts.
The folks who start getting in trouble are those who spread themselves way too thin. If you have 20 categories with only 10 posts in each category, it’s very hard to gain traction and compete with other blogs online who are focused. The internet has enabled everyone to become specialists in very niche subjects because it’s easier than ever to find customers. I recommend everybody take a look at the number of posts in each category and merge the bottom 25%.
Another benefit of focusing on Power Categories is making readers think your blog is only about one category despite having multiple Power Categories. For example, many readers think Financial Samurai is just a Early Retirement blog or only a Real Estate blog. When you start getting such feedback you know you are on track to creating authority. Your readers tend to think and read what they want to read. As administrator, you see the entire gamut of your traffic, comments, and post count.
If I can make readers believe my entire site is focused on Early Retirement while only having 10-15% of all my posts on the subject, then I know I’m doing something right. Don’t be shy to occasionally survey your readers to find out more.
STRATEGY #2: WRITE LIKE YOU ARE SPEAKING TO ONLY ONE PERSON
If you can make it seem like you are playing for just one person in an auditorium of thousands, you’ll be able to create some of the most enthusiastic fans. When a reader comments on a personal level, I know I’ve been able to connect with them and make an impact.
The keys to making your content speak to individual readers is to add personality, personal stories, and examples of friends who everybody can relate to. Everybody who is over the age of 35 knows Norm from Cheers. If you use Norm as an example to buttress your point, you’ll be able to reach many more people. If you use Marilyn Manson as one of your subjects, you’ll probably lose a lot of folks.
One of my most popular posts is “Disadvantages Of A ROTH IRA: Not All Is What It Seems” with around 275 comments so far. I am extremely vocal as to why I think contributing to a ROTH IRA before maxing out a 401(k) and a traditional IRA is a mistake for the majority of people. The vocal commenters who contribute to a ROTH have taken my article very personally and feel that I am insulting their decision.
They see a picture of a young man barfing on the streets and think, “What the hell?” I use simple math to buttress my point that it is highly unlikely you will make more in retirement than during your prime earning years. Yet all of this is ignored because once you contribute to a ROTH, you want to feel good about your decision.
Whether you save in a ROTH or not doesn’t really matter to me so long as you are saving. What matters is for folks to thoroughly think through their retirement savings decisions so they minimize regrets later on. Saving for a ROTH is better than not saving at all. I’ve explicitly said this in my post and in my comments to deaf ears. Despite the banter, I’ve gained a lot of followers from the post who respect me for my opinion even if they don’t agree and want to hear more about other topics.
The final thing everyone should do if you really want to make your posts seem like it was written for just one person is to respond to as many comments as possible. Responding is a very time consuming task, but it’s worth it over the long run. Comment responding is part of the reason why I like to post every other day instead of every day. At the end of each of your posts, definitely ask questions to get your audience involved.
STRATEGY #3: KEEP YOUR AUDIENCE GUESSING
Bisexuals have it best because they can mate with everyone! If you only like guys, you’ve immediately cut your potential pool in half. If you are only a debt blogger, you aren’t going to capture the interests of those who like debt or don’t have any debt. If you only write about pro Republican issues, then you’re likely going to alienate a lot of Democrats.
I’ve been accused of arguing both sides on multiple occasions and that’s fine by me because that’s exactly what I like to do. One of Financial Samurai’s main goals is to welcome diversity so we can better understand each other to become better people. Imagine not speaking another language, never leaving your town, and having all your friends look and speak like you. It becomes very difficult to branch out if you don’t have more perspective.
I’ve always thought Capitalism was better than Socialism. I believe in a meritocracy where those who work the hardest receive the greatest reward. But when I learned about continued big government legislation and retroactive taxes I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. As a result, I wrote “Socialism As A Means To A Brighter Future” to help argue the other side. Furthermore, I decided to take a two week business trip to Holland, Belgium, Norway, and Denmark to understand more about the happiest people on earth who all so happen to come from Socialist countries. What I found were low crime rates, extremely high tax rates, a less stressful way of life, and genuinely happy people. You can read more in, “Learning From The World’s Happiest People.”
As a result of my trip and the feedback from my “Brighter Future” post, I’ve come to accept that big government is here to stay by doing my best to join the majority. Now I have ardent Socialists and Capitalists both visiting my site and sharing their perspectives on their ideologies. Nobody is ever 100% one way, so the various posts I have arguing both sides helps soften up rhetoric.
If you keep your audience guessing, you’ll create an addictive urge for your audience to always wonder what you’re up to. I’ve got folks who hate everything about me from my race, to my views on wealth, to my writing style, but they keep on coming back for more. So long as you have tremendous amount of content that back’s up your thesis, you should be able to convincingly make a case in either direction. In the process, you’ll be able to capture more readers who will appreciate what you are trying to do and add their own viewpoints you may have never thought about before.
THREE STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR SITE
My three strategies for boosting traffic and creating a more exciting type of blog aren’t for everyone. I have a lot of respect for low key sites which produce neutral content that ruffles no feathers because many of them are crushing it. Such sites also appeal to a wide variety of search traffic visitors because there’s nothing that could turn a reader off.
It’s been around six years since I started Financial Samurai and Yakezie and I’m actually earning a good passive and active income stream online now. The online income stream has allowed me to pursue other more interesting things, such as consulting for various financial tech startups, traveling around the world, and spending more time with family.
I never thought I’d be able to quit my job in 2012 just three years after starting Financial Samurai. But by starting one financial crisis day in 2009, Financial Samurai actually makes more than my entire passive income total that took 15 years to build. If you enjoy writing, creating, connecting with people online, and enjoying more freedom, see how you can set up a WordPress blog in 15 minutes with Bluehost.
Once you make enough money online, I’d use a free financial tool like Personal Capital to manage your finances. It’s all about protecting your wealth in 2015 and beyond!
Updated on 3/2/2015
Best,
Sam
The categories tip is a good one. I think I have a few too many categories and need to narrow down to a handful. Focusing on small houses and diversifying my very general “personal finance” category might help. Great tips, Sam!
I have read your website time and time again. I also have learned over the time in doing so that you have 22 categories. You might want to place a super category section to differentiate. That being said, I truly understand what you mean when you say it’s best not to be the jack of all trades.
I’ve been streamlining my categories to tighten it up. On mixing it up? I try to do this in my headlines whenever possible, but nobody beats arguing the opposite side of an argument like Sam Dogen!
Mix it up and mix it down! You’ll have a ton of fun in the process!
Of these three strategies I’ve used the first one the most. I like having a mix of topics but I try not to stray outside of my main categories. I have a few sub categories that I’ll use from time to time as well if they are a better fit. I’ve used strategy number two a couple times and it does tend to stir things up a bit and generate more comments. I’m not sure I’d be any good at strategy number three but I’ll keep it in mind. :)
Thanks for sharing these tips. I wish there were more powerful methods to boost the traffic. But I am satisfied so far.
My blog is new, but I am trying to work on all of these strategies myself. I personally like your extremely sarcastic posts that have everyone jumping out of their chairs to want to strangle you. The comments on those posts are sometimes pretty hilarious.
There is no sarcasm on my site, only truth.
I agree sticking with 5 or less categories helps to provide a focus. I try to stick with those, but include an interesting perspective or viewpoint. It is my way of either keeping them guessing or provide an interesting twist. I try to pick a subject within the category that I can personalize more than someone else.
When I started, my blog was all over the place. For the longest time, “personal finance” was a category. I’m finally starting to branch that out some more. Frugality would definitely be a power category for me. The other categories I’ve managed to decide upon are debt, financial skills, and net worth. Now I have to go back through 150 posts in the “PF” category and assign them to more directed categories.
You’ll find the process to be exactly like getting rid of clutter at home: awesome!
Some I do follow, like keeping the post longer, having a few limited power categories. Responding to comments, etc. But I fall in to that category who like to keep things neutral. Naturally I face less criticism.
Sounds good. Can appeal to lots of people just as well being neutral.
Great tips! I just ran a survey with open ended questions instead of multiple choice, and I got some great feedback. I’d like to revamp my entire site and utilize some of your strategies, especially fewer categories and writing to just one person. I need to add a little controversy, too. :)
I think you’ll enjoy the controversy because it’s like a pulse check on your audience. Whenever you’re getting bored, or you feel your audience is zoning out, throw out a zinger.
I used to have far too many categories, but I consolidated many of them like you recommend Sam. My new site does not have as many posts as the one I sold, so it should be easy to keep things nice and consolidated as I go.
Right! My inventory shows that I am not too bad with strategy 2; acceptable with 1 and hopeless with 3. Off to get my categories in order and learn how to keep people guessing.
Going back and assigning my posts into more specific categories is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I’ve also noticed that asking questions at the end of posts does help with engagement. I’ve seen the comments my posts receive rise significantly since I’ve started doing that.
Sam, thanks for the tips. For a new blogger like me, I need em’. Will keep the strategies in mind and experiment to see what kind of topics appeal to the masses out there.
Great tips here Sam! I haven’t sat down and planned out my blog and writing strategy in a while because I feel like I’m always behind. Coming up with Power Categories and really planning my next 10 – 12 posts at a time would help me get moving, I think, and really help focus my efforts. I do feel a bit scattered at the moment.
Now that tax season is over, you have all the time in the world to plan! Good luck.
Great tips Sam! I think the categories idea is a major one. I started using an editorial calendar recently in order to better streamline my posts/thoughts as well as to help me plan out what I want to focus on. It has been a great help thus far and need to work more on tightening it up a bit.
Great tips! I think I am little too disorganized on my site. My blog reflects more lifestyle choices rather personal finance.
Definitely focus on 3-5 categories in lifestyle too. It’s applicable across all genres.
Great tips Sam! Right now, we are in the process of trying to focus our blog more. One of those steps streamlining our categories.
You mentioned somewhere you frequently get a lot of negative comments. I’m surprised to hear this. Why do you think this is? Is it strategy #3 in the works?
Hi Sam
These are very valuable points, I think I’m still in the process of finding my own voice/style on my blog so I’m not sure what my “power categories” might be but I like what you say about putting your personality in your writing. It’s what’s going to hook people and get them invested as a person, instead of just a page full of writing – whether they agree or not!
Thanks for this!
Lindsey
Definitely bring in that personality if you can, although if you want to make lots of money from your blog, going the neutered route with very bland content might be a better way. Gotta find your own mix!
Nah, it’s not my nature to play middle of the road for very long. I’ll get my writing legs and then I’m off to the say-it-like-it-is races. Cheers
I added a category several months ago and have been trying to focus my writing among 5 categories on my site. The next step is to organize some of the older posts so they fit better within the categories.
I’ve got to do the exact same thing. Good luck!
Your good ideas mean more work for me. I have no idea how many categories my blog posts might fit in to but they are definitely all over the map. I will attempt to categorize them. I write about everything that I think personal finance is about but I need to see which of my posts have the most readership and focus on those categories.
How to get that first ad on a blog would be greatly appreciated post from you.
I’d check out Google Analytics and see which are your top 25 most visited posts for the past 6-12 months. You should be able to glean at least 3 categories from there. Once you got that down, we can then discuss ads. The forums should have plenty of such discussion as well.
Nice post. I especially like the category tip. This will allow me to focus my efforts to the core areas I want to speak to. Your other tips are also quite good and they will impact my approach. Thanks as always.
No problem Steve. Give em a go for several months and see how it goes. At the very least, tips 2 and 3 might shake you out of a comfort zone and let you discover new things!
I have a pf blog but at the same time I’m learning so much about blogging and Internet marketing, I mean how can you not right? And I’m tempted to just write about what I’m learning… Maybe I should start another blog. Do you guys think its not good to add personal life stuff if its not related to my niche?