Driving Traffic to Your Blog

Tips for getting more hits...

Driving traffic to your blog isn't an easy task. Ask any blogger and they'll tell you that getting hits takes time, patience, and work. You won't find yourself getting hundreds of hits overnight, or even over the course of a few months. It can take many months, if not years, to create a base of frequent visitors. 

Still, despite all the challenges, there are several ways you can give your blog a boost in traffic. Here are just a few of the tried and true methods used by bloggers all over the world.
Unique Content
Writing something that's fresh, unique, and original will give you an advantage in that there's nobody else writing what you are. You can pique the interest of readers by giving them something they've never seen or heard of anywhere else. This is possibly one of the most effective ways of driving traffic to your blog.
Frequent Updates
Now, keep in mind that making ten updates a day will not further your cause any, but it's best to update once every day or two to keep your readers coming back for more. Fresh content makes for more fresh visitors, too.
Google
Ahh, Google. Whether you love it or hate it, you need it to get a decent amount of traffic to your blog. Other search engines, too, will prove useful, but getting yourself on Google and getting a good rank are essential to getting the hits you'll need to achieve blogger success.
Technorati, Digg, del.icio.us, etc
Engines like Technorati and others are not only great resources on which you can list your blog, but they're also excellent tools for networking with other bloggers. Trade favorites/diggs/etc, add people to your friends lists, start up conversations, whatever it takes to get their attention!
AutoPinger
Pinging your blog after you post is another essential tool for driving traffic your way. Personally I use a tool called AutoPinger (http://autopinger.com) to get my pings across to various blog engines out there on the web. There are other tools of this sort available, too. Do a quick Google search if you're looking for something different, but don't neglect the power of tools like AutoPinger.
Word of Mouth
Just telling people about your blog, whether it be in person or through posts on forums or other blogs, is a great way to bring people! It's personable and shows you have a passion for what you do. 
Okay, so that was a shameless plug for my own blog, but you get the point! Do whatever it takes to get the word out that you've got a blog and you're looking to have your message heard. Don't give up too easily; remember, it takes patience. I still haven't achieved the goal I've set for my blog, and I'm not about to give in, even on slow days when my hit count seems to have hit rock bottom. Give anything and everything a try until you reach your goal!