Get more traffic, and become a better writer at the same time.

I'll start with an example: My most visited post is a collection of free images. Yet I didn't use the word "free" (I overlooked the obvious) when I first wrote the post. Later I noticed someone who found it by searching for "free vertical wallpaper." Once I saw that, I rewrote the post to include the word "free" where appropriate.

Add words to articles you've already posted from time to time

So here's my advice: Whenever you see someone using words to find a post that you didn't use in that post, consider adding those words to the post. You'll get more traffic from the search engines, and more of it will be people actually looking for what you have to offer.

To keep it simple, take a look at this live tracking of visitors to this blog. Scroll down. See the word in pink? Those are the keywords visitors typed into search engines to find this blog.

You could also look through your site analytics for keywords to add, or do keyword research in advance with the aid of a tool (the pro method), but a simple starting point would just be to sign up for the free visitor tracking service from feedjit and take a look at your live results from time to time. Easy and fun!

Learn from your readers

Of course, this is another way of listening to and learning from your audience. And that always makes for a better writer! People will share concepts relevant to what you are writing about beyond simple synonyms if you'll listen to them.

Another advantage to reviewing the keywords people are using to find you is sometimes you'll realize there is more to be said on a particular topic. Yesterday my wife noticed dozens of new visitors to her blog coming from the keyword PhotoFunia (it's cool--take a look!) She immediately expanded the post they were coming to, and more people have now begun visiting additional pages on her blog.

Watch how people are finding your site, and your readers will have helped you learn what you have to share that can help them, making you a better and more popular writer!