So your site is built – now what? The truth is building the site is the easy part. Now you have to work on it. Don’t dismay! This is the fun and engaging part.

1. Serve

To get readers, you have to have something for them to read. Creating new content consistently and predictably will encourage return visitors. The Internet is very much about finding the “latest thing”. This means you may want plan to have a new post every week, or twice a month. Find a schedule that works for you – and keep it up. Tools like WordPress etc. can publish automatically on set dates. Just keep the content coming.

Don’t let users come across your site and find a stagnating blog section – it’s better not to have one at all. At the same time, your content has to be relevant and impactful. Watering down your posts may sink you.

2. Be Found

Search Engine Optimization tips are only the first step in getting traffic to your site. Having your video redundantly on a video serving site like YouTube, or making relevant tweets may win you new readers who are doing searches outside of the traditional search engine. Social Networking is a perfect way to make yourself known to communities in the spaces they’re most comfortable in.

Simply stated; think of Social Media sites as tools, not miracles. They can be skillfully used to target your core audience.

3. Get Entrenched

Arguably getting involved in the conversation is more  important than creating content. Podcaster / Internet Consultant / Social Media guru Gary Vaynerchuk stresses the importance of getting active in the other spaces on the web where your audience goes. “Which social media tools should I use? All of them. Your user base, and the people that care about you – you need to connect with them anyway you can, everywhere you can, and as often as you can. That is essential.”

Going to every blog, forum and site in the realm of your niche and making comments, and asking questions will show your passion and commitment. Establishing yourself everywhere leaves a nice bread crumb trail of links back to your site, and hopefully earns you return traffic.

In summary

It’s important to have the right mindset about your website and how it is supposed to work for you. Once your website is built, the work is only beginning. Maintaining a healthy site with an active community is a full time job.

Hustle!

I highly recommend you check out some of the Gary Vaynerchuk videos on the subject of building your brand / website.

• PHCC: a vlog post on the principles of running your project
• Gary Vaynerchuk podcasts on the subject of the internet and brand building
• Wine Library TV Gary’s podcast (that sees 80,000 viewers daily)