We all make mistakes when we blog. I am no stranger to making mistakes. I remember making a guest post on a blog and if it wasn’t from the comments, I wouldn’t have realized that I forgot to give a small description for a definition I’ve written in my post. But I managed to explain to the person who commented and was satisfied.
This is just one example of a mistake any bloggers would do. So don’t worry if you are making one or two, three or more.. I think the most important thing here is to learn from your mistakes. So let’s look at a list of 10 Common Blogging Mistakes we bloggers make:
Spelling and Grammatical Error
This is by far the most obvious one. Make sure you do your spell check and proofread before publishing your post. It really is that simple. No one walks scot free from this if you don’t do a bit of checking on your work before letting your readers read. Obviously it is more pleasant for them to read rather than leaving them to decipher what you mean.
Not Deep Linking
This might not be so obvious especially for those who are new to blogging. Deep linking is part of SEO and by deep linking I mean getting specific keywords or key phrases to articles on your blog. Having deep links is a sign of a good blog. Authority blogs have lots of deep linking so keep that in your list of things to do.
Not Blogging Consistently
The keyword here is consistency. You don’t have to blog post regularly as in posting articles every day. If you post an article every three days then maintain that same frequency throughout. Your readers also would expect that kind of consistency and infrequent updates is not only detrimental to your blog following but also rankings. Gone are the days when static pages rank well.
Stealing Content
Now there is a lot of consequences from this. You might think that this is a simple cut and paste exercise and no one will find out. Eventually, someone will report you to the DMCA and Google and there goes your rankings and your so-called hard work. Small time blogs might not be so hard on your but big massive blogs will bring you some serious trouble. I’m talking serious business here so don’t go posting other blog’s content without their consent.
Have You Found Your Voice?
What is the reason for setting up your blog? What is the purpose of your blog? Have you found your own voice or are you just following the crowd? These are some pertinent questions which you must ask yourself. It is not easy to find your own voice. Remember, you don’t have to follow what other people are doing. Be unique and original. So if you haven’t done this yet, think about it.
Blog Design Malfunction
Blog design is a very important thing. A blog design should be simple but enough information to keep it going. Having flashy graphics and an overly crowded design will turn people off. I’ve seen blogs with a million things happening on their website and it just looks too crowded. I’ve got a lot of good advice to keep things simple but enough “meat” for your visitors. Try looking at Copyblogger as an example.
Poor Navigation
This really adds on to the previous point. Poor navigation just turns people off! So make sure you get people in the right direction to your content. Use categories, make use of the search function and organize your content in a simple but strategic manner. Nowadays people hate figuring out how anything works so save the effort for your visitors. They will GREATLY appreciate it when they come to your blog.
No Twitter? Facebook? or DIGG?
In the early days of blogging, this might not be a problem at all. But a website without ANY social bookmarking feature is UNACCEPTABLE. At least a Twitter button or a Facebook like button will keep you connected with other people who are interested in your content. Social networking is an extremely important part of making quick and new connections in addition to being targeted to your blog niche. So if you haven’t got it yet, get it NOW!
An About Me Page which is not really “about me”
This is often the forgotten page of most blogs often ending up with the default content the blog came with. If you have not updated your about me section then go do some work on it! Make it interesting, tell people what you do, your interests and just about anything you choose to reveal. I’m not even asking you to tell your favourite undies colour. Add additional info relevant to your blog also. See my about me page for more ideas.
Not Replying To Comments
You really shouldn’t be doing this, seriously. Having someone reading your post and leaving a comment is like gold to me when I first started my blog. You should really take care of your readers and answer their comments or questions whenever possible.
So there you go, 10 common blogging mistakes for you to ponder about. Let me know what you think of this post and drop me a line
Cheers!
Related articles On Blogging Better
- SEO Secrets for Business Sites with Ann Smarty (blogher.com)
- Top 10 Internet Marketing Mistakes You MUST Avoid! (quickonlinetips.com)
- How to Make Your Blog Posts Standout (wiredprgroup.com)
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
yahh. i agree. Some of that mistakes, i always did. Like spelling stuff. Haha..
abrablog recently posted..Get SEO juice from Squidoo
How refreshing to find a real blog that is well written and contains real advice rather than rehashed gobbelty-gook copied from all over! I read everything you wrote, which is rare for me. Thank you for pointing out aspects I might start to become blase about later on. I have not been blogging for long.
Rosanne Dingli recently posted..Short VS Long Fiction- How to Choose
hey rosanne yeah i try to write good content for my visitors and I think people are interested in real advice to help them. thx for the comment again!