So many bloggers start a blog and expect traffic to just come to them.
But it doesn’t work like that unless you have a decent advertising budget or already have a following.
Doesn’t matter if you’re blogging on Substack, WordPress or just have a landing page up with affiliate links.
You need to market your work.
You could write the most useful, high-value blog post in your niche…
But if no one sees it, it might as well not exist.
A blog without a marketing plan isn’t a business, it’s just a diary with a nice layout.
“But good content should speak for itself!”
No, it doesn’t.
Remember, you’re up against:
- Big-budget sites with full teams
- Niche competitors posting daily
- AI-generated spam that floods Google
- Short attention spans and scroll-happy readers
You’re delusional if you think you can just “write great stuff and people will find it”
Why You Need a Marketing Plan For Your Blog
Here’s what a real marketing plan does for you.
- Gives you a strategy on what to promote, where, and how often
- Saves you time by focusing effort on what actually works
- Builds predictable traffic instead of waiting on SEO alone
- Establishes authority by showing up consistently
- Turns random visitors into loyal readers or customers
This is how you stop blogging in the dark and start building a machine that actually brings results.
You know what most people do? They publish a post, then stare at Google Analytics like it owes them something
Or they throw links on X or Threads and call that “promotion”
You’ll get one or two hits from that, as social media stifles links and even with a big following is a complete grind to get results.
They then get discouraged, say “blogging is dead,” and start looking for another next side hustle
None of this is about bad luck or unfair algorithms.
It’s about not having a process that brings your content to the people who actually want it.
What Your Blog Marketing Plan Should Include
Content Promotion Strategy
Your content deserves an audience. So go and get one.
Pick 2–3 platforms based on where your readers actually hang out.
- Facebook Groups: #1 in my book. Groups are great for quick wins.
- Reddit: The #2 place to find real audiences and test ideas
- Pinterest: If you’re in food, home, travel, DIY, this is gold. Think visually appealing and how-to guides.
- Forums in your niche
- Email: Direct line to your readers. Highest ROI of anything
- Social (Optional): Only if you can commit, because as said, it’s a total grind. But Pick one platform and own it to give yourself the best chance.
- Bonus: Do videos. Doesn’t have to be long form, just do some reels.
Don’t try to be everywhere, and don’t waste hours chasing vanity metrics on Instagram if your audience is in forums.
Email List Strategy
Your blog audience is rented. Your email list is owned.
If you’re not collecting emails, you’re giving up the best way to bring readers back.
You need:
- A lead magnet (checklist, mini guide, swipe file, just make it relevant)
- A landing page and opt-in form (simple > fancy)
- A welcome sequence (at least 3–5 emails that tell them who you are and how you can help)
- A regular email rhythm (once a week is plenty if you’re consistent)
Repurposing Strategy
You don’t need more content.
You need to squeeze more value from what you already wrote.
Turn every blog post into:
- 3+ Reddit comments or threads
- 5–10 tweet-style takeaways for your SM platform of choice
- A short LinkedIn post
- 1–2 newsletter segments
- A lead magnet or resource
- A video reel
Analytics & Tracking
Guessing is for amateurs, you also need to track:
- Traffic (What’s working? Where’s it coming from?)
- Your Content (What’s working and what isn’t? Find out exactly what resonates the most with your readers)
- Time on page (Is the content actually good?)
- Conversions (Are you turning traffic into leads or sales?)
- Top referrers (So you can double down on what brings people in)
- Bounce Rate (Yes you need to track this, but no a high bounce rate doesn’t automatically = bad)
Data isn’t optional.
Consistency Plan
Momentum builds trust.
Ghosting your audience destroys it.
Decide on:
- How often you’ll post
- Where you’ll promote every time
- What days you’ll send emails
- How much time you’ll dedicate each week to pushing content
Write it down. Stick to it. Adjust it over time, but never stop.
Most blogs die not because they weren’t good…
But because the writer just quits after 3 months of blogging.
Pros and Cons of Having a Real Marketing Plan
Pros
- You stop wasting time on random ideas
- You get actual traffic, not just impressions
- You can grow faster than just relying on Google
- You build relationships with your readers
- You finally feel like you’re making progress
Cons
There’s only one: It takes effort.
That’s it.
If You’re Serious About Blogging – Stop Winging It
This is the reason your content isn’t getting seen.
This is why you’re stuck in the “why is nobody reading my stuff?” phase.
It’s not your niche.
It’s not your writing.
It’s not the algorithm.
Well, maybe it might be those things…
But it’s also that you’re playing the game with no playbook.
Maybe you believed the fake blogging gurus and went in to blogging thinking it will be easy money and everything will just land on your lap.
Nope.
Create a marketing plan.
Keep it simple, but commit to it.
And watch what happens when strategy meets consistency.
Because if you want to grow, content alone isn’t king, distribution is.
