One of the biggest challenges for new bloggers and online business is getting traffic to their websites. And it’s a challenge that you’ll want to overcome quickly because without traffic you can’t really achieve much.

You need traffic to build an email list, establish yourself as the go-to person in your niche and make sales. You need website visitors who will engage with your content and become loyal fans who share and recommend you everywhere.

But when you’re just starting out, where do you get all that traffic? It takes time to build authority, gain popularity, and rank on the first page of Google.

Yes, paid ads are an option, but you need to make sure to set them up carefully so that you don’t end up attracting the wrong kind of subscribers and readers, i.e. people who have no interest in the majority of what you blog about and who would never be interested in your products or services. Plus, when you’re just starting out and your blog isn’t making money, ads may not be the best use of your funds.

You could also focus on turbo-charging your site’s search engine optimization, and while this is important, it takes time to build authority, gain popularity, and rank on the first page of Google.

So what can you do to start getting more eyes on your website?

Guest Posting

Everyone needs content. It’s the one thing that remains consistent among all content creators—there is never enough. That’s where you can help.  By guest posting on other blogs, you can get in front of their audiences and leverage some of their traffic. You’ll normally be allowed to include a link to your blog, so if readers enjoy your guest post, they can click over to your blog to find out more about you and read more of your posts.

• To get the best results with your guest posting, you’ll want to:
• Apply to guest post on sites that are in a niche that’s relevant to yours and has an engaged readership.
• Create custom content designed with your host’s unique audience in mind. Don’t just regurgitate old content and send it out in a dozen directions.
• Provide stellar value with actionable ideas and strategies not found everywhere else.
• Inject your personality so those new to you will instantly connect with you.
• Offer a compelling reason to click through to your website or blog for more information.

Get Interviewed

Getting on the interview circuit is a fantastic way to demonstrate your expertise and attract readers to your site. What are you going to speak about, you ask? Simple – answer questions about what you know. Your interviewer will often provide questions ahead of time or you’ll both agree what the interview is going to cover, so don’t be afraid of not knowing the answers!

Even if you are just starting out, there are still plenty of opportunities out there no matter what your niche. Look for interview and speaking opportunities on:

• Podcasts
• Other blogs (written interviews, audio clips or video interviews, depending on the blog)
• YouTube
• Facebook Live
• Local events
• Industry conferences
• Telesummits

Start by reaching out to your peers, colleagues and podcast and blog hosts you most admire. Get the word out with your friends and business associates and share in Facebook groups you belong to that you’re looking for opportunities. During the interview, don’t forget to mention where people can find out more about you and your products or services.

Partner Up

Another way to “borrow” someone else’s audience is to find a partner (one who already has traffic and an email list) and schedule a free event with them. This is a great way to gain exposure and start building your own email list.

Here’s how it could work:

• You (as the one with the small list) create a compelling free training that leads naturally to a low-cost, no-brainer product.
• Setup an affiliate tracking system such as SendOwl, aMember, or SamCart.
• Offer your best affiliates a good percentage of profits in exchange for co-hosting your webinar and bringing their traffic along for the ride.
• This is a win/win for both of you—you gain traffic, exposure and sales while your affiliate gets a nice commission. Just make sure you have a good funnel in place so that any new subscribers you gain will benefit from all that you have to offer.

One of the most important things you can do when you’re starting to build your own audience is to put yourself out there and be open to opportunities.

In fact, this is something you need to do no matter how popular your website gets. And the tips mentioned above can be used by bloggers and online business owners at every experience level. Each time you publish a guest post, appear on a podcast interview or collaborate with another blogger, you have the chance to gain exposure and demonstrate your expertise to a whole new market – so go for it!

Have you tried any of these methods to get more eyes on your site?