For a beginner looking to avoid top blogging mistakes to stand out in the face of competition out there, read this post to the end.
Starting a profitable blog is an excellent way to build a sustainable online business. However, there are blogging mistakes that can cause a setback.
Have you ever wondered what happens after publishing blog posts with no sign of traffic? You start to feel overwhelmed and begin to wonder what could have gone wrong.
Do you know it could be one of these blogging mistakes that need fixing?
First, know that we all make mistakes. I know this because I’ve been there.
I have made some errors myself: it’s normal.
Learning is a continuous process; it never stops.
But, when you’re aware of beginner blogging mistakes and watch out to avoid them, you will be building your blogging business on a solid foundation.
So, if you’re ready, keep reading.
10 Common Beginner Blogging Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
1. Not Having A Definite Target Audience
It’s possible that when you start blogging, you find it challenging to position your content to a particular group of people.
Knowing your target audience helps you create contents that will be relevant and useful to your readers. You can offer them the best solution to their questions and problems.
Before writing the post content:
- First, find out who your target audience is.
- Then, understand them and their pain points.
- Then, use your post to address those points.
Doing this can build better relationships, credibility, and trust with readers. Thus, increasing traffic to your site and generating potential leads.
If you still have difficulty figuring out your target audience, you may join groups in your niche where people ask questions—Quora, Facebook groups, discussion forums, etc.
2. Not Setting Up Your Post Structure
The post structure by default in WordPress is set to date on the URL structure, which is a combination of numbers looking rather unattractive.
Moreover, it’s longer and does not give readers an idea about the content. Thus it’s best to set to name of the post; you can easily change this setting from your website backend.
Go to WordPress,
Click on settings, then permalink
Change the setting to post name.
Save the changes
If you have got old posts already in this structure, it’s best to get a professional to apply the changes.
3. Not Publishing Post Consistently
People visit your website regularly because of the fresh content they read. If you don’t post regularly on your blog, your audience may lose interest in your site and search elsewhere to answer their questions.
So, make a list of blog topics, have a realistic publishing schedule. And if all you can do is post once a week, ensure you stick to it.
Read this guide on how to blog consistently.
4. Not Writing In A Conversational Way
We were taught to write in formal style using excellent grammar in school, but writing blog content is different.
In blogging, you write in an informal style. Speak to your audience the same manner you do to a friend.
Writing in a conversational style creates better connections and engagement with readers.
- Use contractions – instead of do not, they are I do not know use don’t, they’re, I don’t know.
- Write short sentences and paragraphs
- Please keep it simple and easy to understand
- Use the most powerful word You
- Tell a story
- Write in an active voice often
5. Not Blogging On Your Own Domain
For a beginner, picking a blogging platform can be confusing; hence you may be tempted to go for a free platform like blogger.com, WordPress.com due to financial constraints.
But if you’re looking to blogging as a long-term business, it’s best to self-host your blog on WordPress.org.
A free domain has so many limitations.
- It looks long and unattractive – it has the name of the free site as part of the URL, making it longer than necessary.
- Limited capabilities – can only upload a few plugins and themes as compared to self-hosting.
- No guarantee – you may lose access to your blog without prior notice.
- Limited access to display ads and affiliate links
- Almost impossible to rank on Google.
Hence, hosting on WordPress.org seems to be the best choice if you’re looking at your blog as a long-term business.
If you need help setting up your blog on WordPress, check out these articles.
How To Start A Blog Step By Step
How To Build A WordPress Website In 60 Seconds
6. Not Creating Quality Content
As the famous sayings go, content is king; it’s true, “content is still the king.”
While the quantity of content is essential, creating high-quality content is more important.
Why? Writing valuable content
- Has excellent impact on SEO
- Ranks better on search engines
- Increases your site visibility in search engines.
- Help build brand credibility and trust.
- Answers readers questions relevant to the content
- Encourages engagement with readers
So don’t sacrifice quantity for quality. If you can publish just one article a week that’s valuable and helpful to your audience, go ahead and be consistent with it.
7. Not Editing Your Post Before Publishing
It’s essential to check your writing for spelling and grammar errors before publishing, as some typo errors could go unnoticed and change the context of the article.
On few occasions, it’s allowed to break grammar rules to create better conversational content. But be aware of glaring errors; it can discourage visitors to your site from coming back for more.
Good enough, there are spelling, grammar checks Apps. I use the Grammarly Pro version for spelling, grammar, and plagiarism checks. The free version is available and a great way to start.
8. Not Compressing Your Images
Many factors can cause slow website loading time; an image is one of them.
Research as of June 2021 shows that pictures make up about 23.1% of the web page. Large images slow down your website, thus impacting user’s experience and increasing bounce rates.
Readers are on your site to get the best out of your content; if your site takes too long to load, they might get tired of waiting and look elsewhere to get their problems solved.
The reason websites that load faster in less than 2 seconds rank high is because Google wants to give users an optimal experience.
Many optimization tools like short pixel, Smush for reducing PNG, JPEG, and GIF files into smaller sizes.
9. Not Building An Email List
An email newsletter is one of the most reliable and effective ways to reach your target audience.
Imagine you wake up one day only to see your traffic gone due to policy or algorithm changes on the social platforms. Your email list may be the only thing left to fall back on.
In addition, if you have a new post, products, or promos and notify your subscribers, they will be the first to visit your site leading to more traffic and sales.
10. Not Having Social Sharing Buttons
You have written an excellent post; your readers enjoyed reading and will like to share only for them to discover there’s no way to do so.
In addition, adding social buttons Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In, Pinterest, and likes on your post leads to more traffic on site.
So, create valuable and helpful content, add social sharing buttons on each post, and encourage your readers to share with others.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to have a sustainable blogging business, bear in mind that it takes hard work, time, and effort to see the result.
Yes, blogging can become overwhelming, especially when you’ve spent so much time writing content but no one showed up to read.
But don’t give up easily. Instead, focus more on writing valuable content that helps your audience solve their problems. Join discussion groups and connect with other bloggers within your niche.
If you find this article helpful, don’t hesitate to share.
Do you have any to add to the list?
Please share your thoughts with us in the comment.
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About The Author
Muslimah is a writer and blogger. She helps beginner bloggers scale their blogging business to spend more time with their families while working from home. When she's not spending time with her family and friends, you'll likely find her reading books or writing articles like this one.
Hi Muslimah, Some very good information here again. I think the best point you make is about the effect images have on loading time. I will have to check out your recommendations I think or at least read into this a bit more. Site speed is definitely a very important factor. Something I am still trying to figure out.
A fast-loading website is a must if you want more organic traffic as Google loves sites that provide a great user experience to users.
If you need any help, let me know.
All the best.