That list is incredibly helpful... thank you! I will definitely be checking out the tutorials on your blog.

Just so everyone knows, I signed up for reddit about two hours ago and have seen a surge of traffic (at least for my blog haha). Its really easy and has definitely given me a bunch of hits!

Have you verified your blog ownership with the major search engines yet? See here if you haven't > http://en.support.wordpress.com/webmaster-tools/
There are 10 factors that may expedite the indexing process found in this post > vhttp://www.onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2010/01/21/omg-i-cant-find-my-blog-on-google/

Assigning categories and tags to your posts > http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/tags-29?replies=26

There is no single best way to increase traffic. There are many approaches but the bottom line is that there is no such thing as passive blog promotion . The reason I’m emphasizing this is because many new bloggers assume that if they blog readers will just happen (build a blog and they will come). Well, this is not the case.

The forum search box contains lots of traffic promotion and increase readers threads.
http://en.forums.wordpress.com/tags/increase-traffic
http://en.forums.wordpress.com/tags/increase-readers
See also >http://en.support.wordpress.com/five-ways-to-get-featured-on-freshly-pressed/

Here are 25 basic steps to take to increase traffic to your blog:
1. Structure a reader and search engine blog;
2. In blogging content is king create unique, high quality content so publish fresh content frequently;
3. Learn basic SEO so you can use keywords effectively and apply basic SEO to your headlines, blog and posts;
4. Make your blog posts look professional;
5. Create at least 4-6 pillar posts and continue to create pillar posts;
6. Select and link to appropriate anchor text;
7. Leave meaningful comments on related blogs;
8. Encourage comments on your own blog;
8. Develop relationships with other bloggers so you can build a blog readers’ community around your own blog;
9. Support the blog centered communities on related blogs by commenting on them and promoting posts from them;
10. Link to authoritative sources in your posts;
11. Deep link to your earlier related posts in your new posts;
12. Assign appropriate categories and tag your posts with care;
13. Link to related authoritative blogs in your blogroll;
14. Provide RSS feeds for subscribers;
15. Having a well designed theme is important, evaluate your theme for effectiveness, and if required, create a new header, make improvements or replace your theme and reduce page loading time;
16. Avoid cluttering your blog with widgets that lack reader value and slow page loading time;
17. Buy your own domain and domain mapping;
18. Verify your blog with the three big search engines.
19. Get organized, use an online to do list by developing a blogging workflow;
20. Join social networks and social media sites like Facebook and use Ttwitter, Friendfeed and other other Free RSS directories to promote your blog posts;
21. Promote your blog through forums, online groups, and selected directories;
22. Develop a social media time management strategy and stick to it;
23. Submit your latest pillar article to a blog carnival;
24. Become a guest blogger on sites with higher page rank than your own site.
25. Create newsletters and/or ebooks for your subscribers.
I have tutorials on my blog linked to my username on how to do all of the foregoing.

x

I'll help you out :)

I know exactly what you mean about the stats obsession. It'll get better the longer you blog. I like your blog. Short, sweet and to the point. Some other bloggers could learn a thing or two from you, myself included!

Welcome!

Give me a blink of bliss and let me see one statistic increase.....Refresh......Zerooo......... Oh well, at least I tried!