Every moment of the day the Internet is abuzz with user searches. Millions of people worldwide are at their computers right this moment looking for recipes, searching for old classmates, researching holiday destinations or trying to finish their homework. People are so thirsty for information, in fact, that Google alone reports it handles more than a billion questions a day. Why not tap into some of that frenetic activity to draw traffic to your own website or blog?
Of course, if your business sells light bulbs, people who type “light bulbs” into the search bar will naturally be aimed in your direction. But there are other ways to draw browsers to your site, browsers who may become devoted customers. One way is to pair some of your creative content with search topics you know are currently trending.
Watch the calendar
The holidays make ideal topics for articles and blog posts. Almost any business or product can be tied to an upcoming celebration. Are you an accountant? Run an article about budgeting for Valentine’s Day jewelry. Do you own a housekeeping service? Offer tips on getting a home ready for a Saint Patrick’s Day feast. Do you sell children’s clothes? List fun, easy activities that kids can do while awaiting the Easter bunny. And if you can’t think of a direct tie-in to your company or products, you can always simply state that you’re in a holiday mood, so you’re posting your employees’ favorite eggnog recipes. People will be charmed by your “let’s set business aside” attitude. And once you’ve drawn them to your site, there’s a good chance they’ll stay awhile and look around.
Mind the seasons
Every season offers its own topics of interest beyond the official holidays. Winter spells skiing for many people, for instance. Consider a review of the most popular ski resorts. Spring, on the other hand, speaks of gardens and flowers and weddings. Offer tips on starting tomato plants indoors, decorating with silk flowers or make-your-own wedding favors. And don’t forget other yearly events: the Super Bowl in January, for instance, Mardi Gra in February, Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby in May. By tailoring your topics to these trending interests, you’ll draw the attention of the thousands of people who are intrigued by them, many of whom may end up at your website.
Events, news and celebrities (not necessarily in that order)
Need more ideas? Watch the news for other topics of interest. Are the Olympics coming up? Use that as a blog post theme. Is Angelina Jolie starring in a new movie? Talk about her philanthropic work. Is the flu especially bad this year? Offer tips on the importance of hand washing. Anything that touches on the subject and gives some real value to the reader is a worthy website topic.
If you simply don’t trust your own judgment when it comes to choosing what will catch the public eye, check out Yahoo’s landing page. The search-engine giant lists its top ten most-searched topics every day. While some trends will vanish as quickly as they come, the list will give you a jump-off point for getting inside the public mind.
Kate C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
