How to Leverage More Visitors by Varying Your Post Types

If, as an observer of the blogosphere or a blogger yourself, you notice that certain types of posts tend to do better than “traditional” posts, there is a reason for that.  Think about your own actions and the way that people consume content today compared to that of the previous fifty to one hundred years.  Content is able to be delivered faster on the Internet than any other medium, faster than television, phone (in most cases), and print.  The type of post that I am referring to is the “resource lists” or “link lists/favorite posts”, a type of post that many have grown to dislike due to their overuse.  

A Background on Resource Lists

Taking a look at any number of “top” blogs, you will find that nearly ninety-five percent of them have utilized this form of post in their past or continue to do so.  In my opinion, resource lists are a type of post that should be used, but sparingly.  Before any blog becomes an authority, they started with no monthly visitors, no income, no posts, and only the drive and passion to create a blog that others view as a resource and source for content delivered on a daily basis. 

Back “in the day” when blogs were new, many bloggers liked to share their favorite websites and blog posts with each other, usually in the form of short posts or reviews of each website.  Today, these posts have become frowned upon, in general, as people browsing your blog want to leave with the thought that they learned something and are able to come back to new posts.  Instead of having to browse through hundreds of posts to find hundreds of resources, you were now able to view them in a single post, potentially saving hours of time.

How Resource Lists/Favorites Lists Can Break Your Blog onto the Scene

You only need one resource list to gain hundreds of visitors.  People have a tendency of following what is popular and what impacts/relates to them the most.  If you’re into web design or technology, then creating a list of your favorite technology products with reviews or a showcase of good website designs will, if utilized correctly, help you gain a significant amount of traffic.  

Before getting down to the bulk of the benefits, there are few negative aspects of publishing this type of post.  While many of these are overlooked, they are important to note.

1. New visitors don’t want to be greeted with just a resource list.  They should be able to browse your archives to find other interesting content.  You don’t want to have an influx of new readers only to find most of them only visiting your “Dugg” page, and not subscribing/bookmarking your website.
2. Bounce rate and time spent on your site will dramatically decrease, in some cases leaving a huge dent in your site average.  For instance, if you have a bounce rate of about sixty percent in the time that your blog has been active, you may see that go up into the seventy to eighty percent range if you don’t have a huge number of total visitors.  In addition, people flocking to your site only want to see the page that someone else has recommended, and will quickly leave if it doesn’t leave them with a grand impression of your efforts.
3. Creating resource lists and link lists can often be frustrating, as they take more time than many are willing to spend on them.  Plus, if you don’t create them correctly, your time spent gathering the images and links will be wasted.
4. You have to be ready before you hit the publish button.  Your blog/server must be prepared for possible down time or increases in comments.

Now, onto the benefits.

1. When you publish resource lists targeting a select group of people, it is more likely to be found beneficial.  It can also help if you target an area that you feel doesn’t have a good resource collection.  The harder it is to find the resources to place in your post, the more likely others will find it useful.
2. Social media sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, and others have become known as the main resource for large bursts of traffic, often leaving a lasting impact on your blog.
3. Readership rates and traffic levels may tip in your favor of higher levels once you have had a selection of your posts “stumbled” or “dugg”.
4. People who see the amount of work you put into creating a resource list will likely return and/or recommend your blog to others, after leaving a comment praising you on your work.
5. In a sense, creating resource lists is easier to do than traditional posts, since the content is there, you just need to gather it.
6. Resource lists add the most value to your website at the fastest rate, with news articles, reviews, and in-depth posts coming close behind.

Conclusion

Varying your post type, a topic that I have previously mentioned, but haven’t targeted, can add benefits seen two-fold on your blog.  Not only will they help create an increase in traffic (for short to medium time span), but your blog will burst onto the “scene” of other top bloggers who may link or recommend your post, further adding a constant stream of new traffic and subscribers to your list of blogging feats.