15 blogging errors to stay clear of (lessons I've learned while building 3 blogs) |
It can be a rewarding and profitable, but it's not as simple as you'd like to think. There are 15 blogging errors to avoid, as well as how to fix them.
TL;DR
15 common mistakes that bloggers make, you should avoid
Building a blog can be rewarding and profitable however, it's not always straightforward. Here are 15 common mistakes bloggers make that you should not make:
- Not having a clear purpose for the blog
- Blogging without a niche
- Not thinking about the audience you want to reach
- Not setting up your web hosting and website correctly
- Inattention to SEO and Keywords in the content creation process
- Writing blog content without proper formatting
- Avoiding social media marketing
- Not guest posting on other blogs in your field
- Not prioritizing your email list at an early stage
- Not updating old content to drive traffic
- Not using Google Analytics as well as Search Console to your advantage
- Reinventing the wheel instead of learning courses or networking
- Only using one monetization method
- There is no other source of income while building your blog
- Forgetting the fact that blogging is a long-term game
If you avoid these mistakes, you'll be on your path to a rewarding and fulfilling blog career.
The process of creating a blog is similar to learning to ride a bike. You'll need to practice, and there will be a lot of falls and then, once everything is clicking, it feels euphoric.
Like riding a bike, the most effective way to be blogger is to take your handlebars, and get your feet up to the pedals. It's not possible to become an expert by reading or watching tutorials but you have to get it done without scuffs, scratches and all.
But you don't have to go it on your own.
If you're brand new to blogging or you've been around the block a time or three, making mistakes is an integral part of the blogging experience. Today, I'm pulling back the curtain to reveal 15 common blogging mistakes people make , and how to avoid them in the absence of.
After five years of experience and three blogs under my belt, I've smashed my bike tires on nearly every curb in the area. You shouldn't be too.
Make this guide an instructional set for launching your blog career that is successful. I'm eager to see where you ride.
The #1 mistake is not having a clear purpose for your blog
The biggest mistake rookie bloggers make is beginning with no clear goals.
You don't need to be able to plan everything at the beginning of your journey (no one ever does), but knowing a direction will allow you to be more deliberate in your planning and energies.
No sense building a luxury skyscraper when you really want to have a lakeside cottage isn't it?
Your blog may look different based on your desired outcomes.
Some people start a blog to promote an existing small business or a product. When you consider the fact that those who blog receive 55% more web traffic blogs can prove to be the perfect complement to other efforts to market.
Some bloggers start blogging in order in order to be their own boss and make money through online advertising. An 2020 study of over 1000 bloggers found that about 16% began blogging in order in order to be self-employed. 12 percent of them did it to earn more income.
However, the main motive behind people who blog? It's fun! The same study revealed that just over 24percent of blog owners have started a blog as an outlet to express their creativity.
These are all good reasons to get started with blogs, but the priorities you choose to pursue will vary when you're using blogging for a hobby, marketing strategy, or income opportunity.
Before you decide to commit, think about the things you hope to gain from your blog. What do you want to see success as for you? Setting a goal can prevent you from getting lost in the weeds down the track.
The second error: blogging with no niche
Let's pretend you're starting an organic vegetable garden. You need some advice which is why you turn to the internet. What website is appealing to you more: a general blog on growing hundreds of plant species or one that is specifically focused on cultivating a garden that is full of vegetables?
Most likely, you'll choose to go for the second one since it's more in line to your needs. In addition, it's possible that the author is an expert on vegetable gardens since that niche is the primary topic of their website.
A niche is the subject that is at the heart of your work. For bloggers earning more than $50,000 per year on their sites, 73% focus on serving a particular targeted audience .
A niche can provide you with some advantages.
Thoroughness: When you stick to a particular idea that you are able to write about it more in depth than you would write about a range of interests.
Status as an expert:You want to be known as "that veggie garden guru" to the eyes of your readers, but it's unlikely to happen if your blog also covers the latest beauty products, destinations for vacation as well as interior design.
Search engine advantages:At a basic level that is, when a user types the query into a search engine, the algorithm has to choose the best websites to display in the results.
If your site extensively covers one topic the search engines may view the site as more reliable and extensive than its competitors. The result? More visibility, better rankings as well as more visitors.
Simply put that, having a specific area of expertise will help keep your content consistent and establish your knowledge as well as give you an edge ahead of the competition in search results.
But picking a niche isn't easy. You probably have several interests you want to communicate with the world. What are the best way to pick only one?
Use the Passion/Profit matrix.
Think of topics that you love to write about. There's no point in blogging if you're not interested in the subject you write aboutor topics that are profitable.
For determining if a particular topic is profitable, you should ask yourself the following questions:
Have people spent on this issue?
Do people already spend time researching this problem?
After that, sketch out your plans based on enjoyment level as well as earning potential. Your best market is the "high enthusiasm" as well as the "high profits possibility" quadrant.
One caveat is this though. If you're using blogging to be a creative outlet, don't get too hung over having a specific area of expertise. Go forth, blog freely, and have a blast.
If you're seeking to earn more money quickly and increase your business On the other hand it is likely that a niche can get you there faster.
The third error is focusing only on yourself instead of your audience
I know it sounds counterintuitive The person in charge of the blog is not necessarily the primary person to consider for generating content. It's all about the readers.
Instead of thinking about the articles you'd like to write, focus on creating articles that the audience you are targeting wants to take the time to.
What do you need to know about the kind of content your target audience would like to learn?
Begin your market research research by searching forums on Reddit and Facebook to determine what types of concerns people are asking within your field.
It is also possible to type in keywords into the search bar on YouTube, Google, and Pinterest to see what suggestions for results show up. These are popular phrases which people actually search for You can also utilize them for ideas for blog posts.
If your company already has an audience, periodically conduct surveys and learn about their interests and problems.
In the past, I put an online survey to find out what people wanted to read about in the upcoming months. It was a great learning experience and provided me with a wealth of inspiration for my blog's content calendar.
Of course, it's fine to occasionally sharing life updates and quirky content however, the majority of your content must assist, motivate, educate your readers, as well as entertain them.
The fourth mistake is skipping the steps to set up your blog
It's tempting to rush through the process of setting up a blog however, it's best to take your time and take care of details technical from day one.
If you're hoping to blog professionally, you'll need select a platform for blogging that can meet your expectations. Two popular choices include WordPress as well as the Squarespace .
I'm an avid WordPress girl too, and am in good company. WordPress is utilized for nearly 42% of websites and is considered the industry standard for blogging.
The basic plans offered by the most popular companies like Bluehost as well as SiteGround start at just $10 per month.
Last but not least, set aside the time during the weekend to watch tutorials, learning about plugins, and reading up on website configurations.
About two years into my blog's first year, I spent an entire month updating the content and building the structure of my site after discovering that my website was not optimized correctly. In retrospect, I could be doing more research in the early stages in order to avoid this mess in the future.
5. Mistake: Neglecting the SEO process and conducting keyword research
SEO can be described as a technique for creating content that ranks well in the search results, including Google. The higher the rank of your content, the more website views you'll likely receive . 71% of bloggers say SEO is the primary source of traffic to their website.
Keywords refer to the words and questions that people enter into search engines. When people are searching on topics that relate to your field it should show up.
Keyword research could:
Find out the number of people who search for each term
Explain the specific language your audience uses to look for data
Give you ideas for helpful blog articles
If you have this information, you'll be able to produce content that's more aligned to your readers' requirements. The numbers don't lie: high-earning bloggers have 4.3x more likely to conduct keywords research than bloggers earning less.
When conducting research on keywords, I like the use of a tool that is affordable called Keysearch . Keysearch generates a list of relevant keywords to your topic and shows you the monthly search volume for each keyword.
If you've got the funds for it, then you may also check out premium research tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs However, many low-cost SEO tools can accomplish the task.
Mistake #6 Blog posts that are not written with proper format
It's more than just typing your thoughts into the form of a website, however you already knew that. These are the best ways to help your posts function well and look great.
Write about one topic in each blog post: Each blog post should cover one specific topic. Ideally, the main idea should include a phrase that you found using these tools mentioned in the preceding section.
It's crucial to present as complete and comprehensive content without unrelated digressions.
In the case of writing about how to bake a cake by hand, write the most detailed piece you can on making cakes, but just cakes. You shouldn't include sections on tarts and pies. Limit yourself to one subject per post.
Format posts for easy reading: In formatting your blog post make sure you use subheadings and headings that readers are able to scan easily. Separate paragraphs to make them only a few lines long Also, include appealing multimedia including infographics, pictures, and videos.
Always proofread your posts:Before posting, remember to make edits and revisions to your articles. Think about running your content through a proofreader and grammar checker such as Grammarly . The tool also checks for plagiarism in the Pro plan.
However, these tools cannot replace editing by humans. Always give your post a readthrough using a red pen, or ask someone else to review it before making it available for publication.
Add internal and external hyperlinks: If you're citing information or stats, make sure to include external links back to the sources.
If you've also written many blog articles on the same topic, include links to related articles within each article. The practice, known as internal linking, could show search engines that your website is more extensive than the competition.
For all intents and purposes, who is more trustworthy? A blog featuring a post about baking cake, or a site that has a wealth of content on cakes, icing and even decorating?
Mistake #7: Skipping social media promotion
Publishing a good blog post may be exhausting but you're not done yet. You also need to promote your blog post.
Truthfully, this is an area that I still have to work on at times. After finishing a blog post and settling down to sleep, I'm looking forward to taking time off. One of the things I'd like to think of is coming up with an engaging social media content to go with.
If asked about the preferred platform to publish the work they write, 42.91% of bloggers responded with Facebook as their preferred platform, while 21.07% said Instagram. Networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit as well as TikTok are all popular platforms to share your content.
There's no need to participate on each social media platform, but it's a good idea to choose a couple that appeal to you and then work to build an audience. It's always possible to expand your options in the near future.
8. Mistake: Writing content for your own blog and not guest posting
The most frequent blogging error people make is not guest posting on other sites. Guest posting refers to when you create an article on an industry-related blog. They publish the piece and provide a link to your site in the credits or author bio.
Guest posting can be a profitable move for two motives.
First, you gain valuable links back to your blog.
The backlinks you get from search engines tell them that your website is more trustworthy. 94 percent of blog entries do not have external links, so if you have some while your competitors do not, you could get an advantage on ratings.
In addition, you will gain an increase in exposure for your area of expertise.
If you post a blog article on a website that has a large viewership, you're getting the chance to reach people who may become loyal readers and fans.
If you're not sure how to locate guest blogging opportunities, you can try reaching out to creators who you admire within your field.
73.3 percent of bloggers permit guest postings on their site Therefore, why not submit a thoughtful request to someone who has inspired you?
Mistake #9: Not growing your email list
An email database can be a huge asset for successful bloggers. Bloggers who earn more than $50,000 per year from their blog are more likely to prioritize their email list than those with lower incomes.
In the most fundamental sense the email list you have is an easy way of communicating to your customers without having to worry about funky social media algorithms or platforms disappearing in a flash. (Anyone else remember Vine?)
In this case, the creator Natalie Sisson built her list of email subscribers by offering a free book that teaches you how to use your knowledge and skills. Her brand is about helping others create successful online businesses, this product will appeal to her target market.
A lot of bloggers claim that one of the biggest blogging mistakes was not growing an email database earlier. Be ahead of the game and build your email list right at the beginning.
To get ideas for your email list to get inspired, sign up for our email list below.
No mistake #10: not making changes to old content in order to make it more relevant
The process of updating old posts is equally important as creating fresh material. 38 percent of bloggers have updated their older content, and one case study also observed that updating old content led to an increase of 106% in traffic for those posts.
Since it's usually faster to update an old blog post than to write a new one, this is a great opportunity to get more visitors and with less effort.
When you create the editorial calendar try to include content that is always relevant. Evergreen posts stay relevant long into the future so long as they're regularly updated.
A post like "50 best journal prompts" doesn't expire, but a post with information about the upcoming events within your city has significantly shorter time-frame.
If you create quality, high-end content that can be updated every year, you're conserving your energy and time in the near future.
One of the mistakes is not Utilizing Google Analytics as well as Google Search Console to your benefit
Google Analytics and Google Search Console are essential ingredients in your recipe books for blogging. These free tools tell you the keywords that your blog posts rank for and what posts receive the highest in traffic.
Prior to using these tools, I didn't know which the content that I was reading resonated with my audience. I was relying on my assumption.
As I began making use of these tools I soon realized that a particular topic that I blogged about was driving the bulk of my Google page's traffic. Knowing this, I created more content about that topic in order to serve my readers better.
The two Google Analytics and Search Console can be used for free, and there are plenty of tutorials on the internet that teach you how to setup them. When you've completed the process it, you'll get access to the richest source of information.
The #1 error: Blogging on your own and reinventing the wheel
Bloggers often face unfamiliar challenges. Community and training courses are a great way to help.
If you're a beginner or just starting out, a "how to begin your blog" training course can save you many hours of YouTubing scavenging the web.
Early on, I took one of these classes and came across strategies that instantly increased my monthly page views from the dozens to the thousands.
If you're at a higher level in your blog's journey, you should consider enrolling in advanced classes like SEO, email list development, and affiliate marketing to increase your understanding.
It's equally important to establish your blog's community. Finding everything on your own is difficult, and I guarantee you it's essential to find bloggers who understand on the days when you accidentally break your website or send a half-finished email to everyone on your list.
The support of a community can help help you stay on the right track, help you get answers to your questions, and can make your experience enjoyable.
Mistake #13: Only trying one way to monetize
Sponsorships Companies pay for you to advertise a particular product or service to an audience. In contrast to affiliate marketing, you are paid a flat amount instead of a commission.
When you begin to see steady traffic, you can experiment using these various methods to determine what compliments your goals and audience.
If you're thinking of selling digital items We can explore other avenues to earn money while establishing your blog.
Misstake 14 Doing not have a different source of revenue while you build your blog
To get your blog to the point where it consistently pays the expenses takes period of. It's true that 49.51% of bloggers earn less than $2,000 each month through their blogs.
To ensure you're building a blog with longevity Give yourself some financial padding.
The purpose of blogging is to be enjoyed So, give yourself some the space to breathe financially when beginning your journey.
Mistake #15: Forgetting that blogging is a lengthy game
The final mistake bloggers make is forgetting that blogging takes time. On average, it takes full-time creators of content around three years to start earning a substantial income from their blog.
There are a number of posts out there about people who made buckets of money in a matter of days, but don't feel discouraged when this isn't your journey. This certainly wasn't my experience, and it's normal for things to take time to develop and change.
Commit to the long-term blog, and enjoy the process. You'll learn so much and open yourself up to a world of opportunities-financially, creatively, and professionally.
In essence, it's 100% possible to earn a living blogging about a topic that you are passionate about. You need a plan, dedication as well as time and a healthy tolerance for mishaps, but you can make it happen.
Take a deep breathe, put on your helmet and begin the pedal. As you fly down the road with the breeze in your hair, I hope you see me cheering in the distant. You're not alone, and you're in good hands.