Ever spent hours writing a Ghost post, hit publish… and then crickets.

That still small silence can sting—but it's also a golden clue. If you're not seeing traffic, engagement, or growth, something’s not clicking—and that’s where opportunity lies.

By spotting the 5 key “post isn’t working” signs early, you can fix things, boost your reach, and help your readers stay longer.

Sign #1: Tiny Organic Traffic

What to spot: Almost no visits from search engines.
Why it matters: SEO is the stealthy engine for sustainable traffic. Zero search traffic? You’re missing out.

Fix it:

• Identify low-traffic posts with tools like Ghostboard’s Posts report.
• Refresh title, meta description, headings—and add target keywords naturally.
• Rewrite for clarity, value, and stronger intent alignment.
• Promote again—internal links, social, or newsletters. Small pushes can lead to big gains.

Sign #2: High Bounce Rate & Short Sessions

What to spot: Readers come but leave fast.
Why it matters: High bounce + low session duration = missed opportunity to delight or convert.

Fix it:

• Break up walls of text with subheads (H2, H3), bold keywords, lists, emojis… make it scannable.
• Use a clear structure: intro → main points → quick takeaway or CTA.
• Insert a table of contents or summary for easier navigation
• Link to related posts (“Read next” or “You might also like”) to keep readers exploring

Sign #3: Low Engagement (Comments, Clicks, Social Shares)

What to spot: Few likes, comments, clicks, or social shares.
Why it matters: Engagement signals relevance—to both readers and algorithms.

Fix it:

• Add a clear invitation to engage: “Let me know your thoughts below!”
• Add relevant examples, quick quotes, and ask a question.
• Track clicks or scroll behavior (e.g. with Ghostboard’s Click or Scroll reports)
• Test content formats: short tips vs. long deep dives, bullet styles, anecdotes, visuals.

Sign #4: Poor Keyword Placement or Missing SEO Elements

What to spot: No meta title, description, or awkward slug.
Why it matters: These small SEO gaps and clarity pieces can cost visibility.

Fix it:

• Capture your target keyword in meta title, slug, heading, first paragraph.
• Keep meta titles under ~60 characters, descriptions ~155–160 characters.
• Add a featured image that reinforces context and improves link previews.
• Check for broken links and fix them immediately—tools like Ghostboard offer broken-link reports.

Sign #5: The Post Feels Outdated or Irrelevant

What to spot: References outdated data, dead links, stale examples.
Why it matters: Freshness = trust + SEO rankings. Users don’t trust outdated.

Fix it:

• Audit older posts every few months—update stats, dates, examples.
• Republish when updated for a refreshed publish date and promotion bump.
• Add a “Last updated” note to signal freshness.
• Clean up broken links, dead embeds, and outdated tool mentions.

Level up your Ghost blog 🚀

Start your free trial now and explore all Ghostboard features for free. No credit card is required.