MY ACCOUNT
Checkout
Courses + Products
SHOP

Resources

5 Must Haves To Increase Blog Traffic

Ask Anything

filed in:

If there is one thing I have learned about blogging, it’s that I’ll never be perfect at it. I’m constantly telling you all about my many spelling errors.. it drives my momma CRAZY! And the truth is, there is actually a lot that I could be doing to help grow and maintain my blog but life just gets in the way sometimes! I was recently asked if I used TAGS on my blog posts for SEO purposes and my response was “Well, I used to!!!”. And that’s the truth! I used to tag every wedding with descriptive key words and I did this religiously!

However, as life became busier and the business has become more demanding, I have dropped that aspect from my blog posts. It’s not because they aren’t beneficial, they are! And I should probably start re-implement them!! :) However, as I started thinking about these blogging questions, I realized that maybe I should do a post about the “Top 5 Must-Haves for Every Blog Post”! There is so much that goes into creating great posts and so I’m only hitting on the basics today! I wanted to share some simple blogging 101 tips that some of you may find helpful! A few of these may seem super basic but sometimes the easiest fixes are the ones that make the biggest differences!! So enjoy!! Here are some of the MUST HAVES for every blog post if you’re wanting to increase traffic and engagement!!

5 Simple Ways to Increase Blog Traffic:

1. Custom Permalink : 

This is the EASIEST adjustment to make on your blog! … Especially in WordPress! You can just click on the permalink to edit it! I recommend changing it to something that will help your blog be found in Google Searches! So, if you’re blogging a wedding that was shot at Pippin Hill, you may want to make your permalink : www.katelynjamesblog.com/pippin-hill-farm-wedding-venue-charlottesville

2. Category:

No matter what you’re posting, you can always find or create a “Category” to label and store your post under! When you’re on someone’s blog and you’re searching for a specific post, it can be really frustrating when their categories are not accurate. Having 34 posts under the “Uncategorized” tab probably isn’t the best way to create a site that’s easy to navigate! :) I would recommend putting EVERY post in a “Category”!

3. Renamed images that reflect the topic that you’re blogging about:

When you’re blogging, it’s always a good idea to rename the images that you’re going to use in the post! This will increase your chances of having your images pop up in related google searches!! I do this through BLOGSTOMP! (If you’re not already using Blogstomp, give it a try! It’s a blogging life-saver!!) If I was blogging a summery wedding at a farm in Richmond, I would probably name the images something like ” Classic Richmond Barn Wedding Venue”. If you don’t want to highlight the venue, you could use other descriptive words like “Mint and coral summer outdoor farm wedding”.

4. One image (preferably that relates to the topic or has text about the topic):

This is a MUST HAVE for Pinterest marketing! Think about it, if you want your blog posts to be pinned and shared, we need to give them something to PIN that clearly draws people into the post! If you don’t include a great image that ties into the post, this diminishes your chances of it being pinned!

5. Purpose:

Last but not least, this seems like a no-brainer! However, this is commonly overlooked in blog posts! Sometimes blogging can just become another day-to-day thing that we do and we forget that in order for it to be worth reading, we have to work hard on the content!! Make sure that EVERY single blog post has a purpose! You want to ensure that your posts are life enhancing in some way, shape or form! This is where great content is born!!

FREE_RESOURCES_FOR_PHOTOGRAPHERS_2066

Thanks for reading!

— Katelyn

Free Posing Class

Free Posing Class The KJ Way

Your sessions should be working FOR you not against you!

READ MORE
Education

Welcome to your Lightroom Classic Starter Guide video!

Lightroom Classic Beginner Guide
READ MORE

Lightroom Classic Starter Guide Everything You Need to Get Started!

Youtube
5 Essentials to Turn Pro

5 Essentials Beginners Need to Go Pro and make your photography business a success!

I’m breaking down the MUST-HAVE ITEMS that every photographer needs to be successful at the start of their career! 

READ MORE
Youtube

Danny + Megan A Biltmore Estate Wedding

Oh where do I begin? This wasn’t just another wedding for me. This was a legacy KJ Wedding and I have been looking forward to it ever since my first email from Danny and Megan!

READ MORE
Weddings

I’m really excited about this YouTube video because I know that it resonates with ALL photographers who photograph PEOPLE!!

10 posing red flags
READ MORE

10 Red Flags in Posing And how to fix them!

Youtube
How to Serve a Client Who Isn't a Perfect Fit

Ep. 33 | How to Serve a Client Who Isn’t a Perfect Fit And make it a great experience

Have you ever walked into a client experience and realized “oh wow, this is not what I was expecting?” ….

READ MORE
The Katelyn James Podcast

READER FAVORITES

"Best money I have EVER spent on education! ... and I've spent a lot!”

- Kara Abbey, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"I love all the lessons I'm learning from KJ All Access! Thanks Katelyn!”

- Shannon Drummond, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"I find very few educational resources worth it ... this one is!”

- Kate gansneder, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Recently signed up for KJ All Access and it's EVERYTHING!”

- Kassidy Mowery, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Being able to see behind-the-scenes of Katelyn interacting with her clients has been SO impactful!”

- Angie mcpherson, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Recently signed up for KJ All Access and it's EVERYTHING!”

- Kassidy Mowery, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"SO worth it! It's amazing the amount of knowledge you get out of them!”

- Brittany Lowe, ALl ACCESS MEMBER

"I learned just as much in one All Access as I did in a whole course! SO GOOD!"

- Joanna Krueger, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER
10 Steps to Starting Your Photography Business
Helping a friend survive a season of Infant Loss
How to photograph a first look in Harsh Light
OUR KJ COUPLES REUNION
A Lake Como Destination Wedding - Greg and Kate
A Letter to the Go-Getters fearful of Motherhood

The KJ blog
must-reads

The KJ Blog is where you get to know me, where you meet our KJ Couples and see their beautiful wedding days, where I have been building an archive of education for over a decade and where I let you see a peek into our life, our home, and hear about our purpose! 
don't miss the
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ

YOUTUBE

Join 93,000+ others and learn, grow and get connected via our Youtube Channel! This is where I'm constantly sharing new content, talking all things gear, business, tips, tricks and letting you into the behind-the-scenes of our everyday life! 
MORE FREE EDUCATION + CUTE BABIES ON
WATCH NOW

"I have invested in all of KJ’s education!

The way she teaches makes so much sense and I’m so grateful for her! My business will be forever changed!"

- Renee Nicolo

"KJ education has been life-changing

 It has elevated my work so I could quit my day job and work from home with our baby boy!"

- joanna k.

"I'VE INVESTED IN SO MANY RESOURCES... 

and none compare to what I get from KJ!"

- LAUREN M.