As with static websites, the success of a blog depends on attracting a steady stream of new and return traffic. It is just that the tools for blog promotion are slightly different, a bit more diverse and on the whole much more effective.

Blogs are designed with interactivity and social networking ability built in. They are ideal both for developing relationships and marketing your brand.

However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect standard promotion techniques in favor of blog only techniques. In fact, traditional marketing activities can become even more potent with a blog due to its nature.

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Just a quick little note that we added a “prelaunch” blog, where we will be adding previews, news, samples, and posts about the official launch of Success Chef.

While you’re there, subscribe to the RSS feed or join the email list, and view the special 70-minute prelaunch video tutorial. But if you want a sample, here’s the first 15 minutes or so of that hour-long video tutorial…

Click the video above (or the “play” button at the bottom-right corner) to start watching this video now. To view the remaining 50 minutes, click here.

Just a quick message.

I’m going to post a new article later this afternoon. But I realize that sometimes I don’t broadcast an email notice to you. Either I simply forget, or I don’t have the time.

The RSS-to-email notification is still being upgraded, so until then, the only way to make sure you’re notified of any new blog posts is to subscribe to my RSS feed.

RSS feeds allow you to add the blog to your favorite RSS reader (like FeedDemon, Newsgator, etc), or start page (PageFlakes, NetVibes, YahooWeb, Google Reader, etc).

I highly recommend that you add my feed.

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An interesting question was recently asked of me in a discussion forum: “I agree with the idea of submitting articles [in order to get] a lot of targeted visitors to a site, however, I was wondering, ‘What keeps Michel Fortin writing?’ I mean, Michel, what is your 3-, 5- or 7-point formula to get an article on paper? What are [some of the specific] steps you follow?”

Here’s my answer.

1. I’m subscribed to a ton of ezines and blogs.

As an “expert” (if I dare call myself that) in my field, I must keep abreast of my industry — so should you. But the wonderful byproduct is that something I’ve read will stir a few ideas in my mind about something worth writing.

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What seems to have exploded lately are blog networks and multi-author blogs. It’s part of the whole “social” concept that seems prolific in today’s Web 2.0 environment. Take Engadget.com, TechCrunch.com, Performancing.com and others.

Because of the trend, I decided to allow guest authors to post to my blog. (If you wish to contribute, you may contact me for details.)

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Search engines change all the time and many of them now charge for the privilege of including your website. So, people often ask me how to generate traffic, beyond the search engines and with little to no cost.

Let me be candid by saying that I am not a search engine expert, nor do I play one on TV. But there are two methods that I’ve used consistently to attract thousands of qualified hits to my website at virtually no cost and with very little effort.

Granted, everyone’s different. And these techniques may not be appropriate for all people. However, let me share what works for me and what I do.

The two biggest traffic builders I use are: 1) posting on message boards, forums, blogs and discussion lists; and 2) writing, syndicating, publishing and submitting articles to ezine publishers — including my own (such as my blog, my newsletter or my website’s archives).

Now, let’s take a closer look, shall we?

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The Copy Doctor’s Profit Pillâ„¢ is my free newsletter, which I’ve been publishing since 1998.

But noticing that there’s a trend towards RSS and blogs, that my time is becoming extremely tight, that my blog is growing in popularity, and that more and more people are merging the two — or using RSS/blogs to publish their newsletters — I’m seriously thinking of merging the two.

Take Jim Edwards for example. He converted his I Gotta Tell You newsletter into a blog.

What do you think? And if so, how should I do it?

For example, should I keep TheTheCopyDoctor.com domain and main page for signups? Or should I replace the front page of my blog with a signup form currently on The Profit Pill’s website?

Or should I just leave it altogether?