About Progress And Doubt: Finished Level 3 - But NO traffic!?
Huh! That took quite a while.
Quick recap: I joined WA back in 2016, then quit for a year (you can read more about it here) and returned about two months ago.
I was mid way thorugh Level 2 at that point and basically picked up where I left. My blog had two articles back then and I wasn't really sure about my niche selection. I struggled coming up with good keywords and didn't really know what I was doing.
Two months fast forward
I have just finished level three! That doesn't sound like a lot, taking into account that it took me TWO months. But I accomplished a lot along the way. And I feel like if you want to tick off every single checkbox and maintain a regular schedule of publishing new content, it probably takes that much time.
Here is number 20
Just today I have published my 20th blog post to That Toy Dad and that feels really good. Some I have written myself, some I have outsourced (but with close guidelines for my author)...
Overall, I feel progress. It feels like I have accomplished something and that I am moving forward.
BUT...
Yesterday I happened to register for bing webmaster tools and while being there, I also decided to check out my google webmaster tools real quick. Oh boy: I had (just EIGHT) clicks on search results in the past 30 days.
Yeah, some may say that 8 is more than 0. But EIGHT!?
- My domain exists since 2016 (even though the blog was down until November 2017, but is back up since then and indexed by google).
- I have targeted low hanging fruit keywords
- My posts are all at least 1500 words long, some even up to 3000 words long
- I got GREAT feedback from the community when I requested it.
What is wrong?
So my question is: What is wrong here? Is that expected? At the end of Level 3 Kyle suggests setting up google analytics as "by now there should be some traffic" - Not for me :-(
Any suggestions? Some hand holding? Anyone who would like to take a look at my blog and give me an idea what I could improve?
Thanks guys!
You're great!!!
Recent Comments
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Looked at your site and I liked it. It's clean, clear, and nicely done. I do have some feedback for you.
First, toys are a difficult niche. There's lots of competition from well established sites. Doesn't mean there's not room for one more, but it will be work than some other niches might be.
Second, perhaps try reviewing toys that meet specific needs. Maybe toys for boys who love trucks, toys that help children learn their colors or shapes, great toys for the pool. Find a different angle than the most popular keywords.
Third, try recommending toys that are not on Amazon. Everyone can find stuff on Amazon, but it's the toy that you don't find there that will make someone want to buy it. If you think about it, a lot of the toys on Amazon are also available at Wal-Mart. Why buy on Amazon and wait? But the toys from the other manufacturers are not available that way, and must be ordered online.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Jeannine, that's definitely valuable feedback. I'll see what I can make out of your suggestions.
One thing I noticed lately is that I have shifted the focus a bit away from toys to parenting as a dad. That is why also thought about rebranding lately: Should I add parenting to my existing blog or start new one? Do you think including parenting tips, tips for stay at home dads etc. (see the parenting section in my blog's navigation) is "okay" for a blog named That Toy Dad? Or would you rebrand when you want to shift focus?
You'd need to add some new categories, but I think you can add parenting to this one. Both Toy and Dad are in the URL after all!
I wouldn't worry about this, Chris. Things just take a while.
I can really recommend watching Philip's (skandy85) training video. It provides all the answers.
Thanks Sammy! I just watched it and it's pure gold (see my post above). Thank you for taking the time reading my blog post here and responding. I really appreciate it!
I made this training for this exact problem. Check it out! How Long Does It Take To Rank And Get Traffic?
Wow - Philip. That is pure, digital gold!!! Before watching your video I was TOO SCARED to even check out my analytics. After watching it, I decided to go for it. And I have to admit, it doesn't look that bad (see attached screenshot) - It reminds me of the stats you showed in your video and I was quite happy to notice that more than 10% of my still-getting-started traffic comes through organic search. Actual visitors! Nice!
So thank you so much for pointing me towards that training! It really boosted my motivation and lowered my fear.
Thank you, thank you, thank you... THANK YOU!!!
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I am definitely following this post because I am getting close to this point and don't have any traffic at all. I am working on building content because I am still new so I have slowed things down.