Mistakes You're Making As A New Blogger
Saturday, February 06, 2021Are you planning on turning your blog into a business right from the very beginning? Or do you want to start a blog but monetise it later on? It is possible to do both with a little dedication. Starting a blog and growing your traffic requires a lot of trial and error. For example, not adding paragraphs to your blog post or finding the right voice for your blog. To save you the trouble, here are some of the most common mistakes beginner bloggers, and how you can avoid them!
Thinking It's A Quick Way To Make Money
You probably have seen these types of blog posts where they say you can make money quickly from the comfort of your home. Unless they show proof that their methods work for beginners, they are just trying to hook you in to earn themselves money. It takes a long time to make money from blogging unless you know where to start. I started making money in the first month of blogging, but I have lots of blogging experience. I have been blogging for over 4 years, so I knew where to start. The money I made is not enough to make blogging a full-time job, but a little hustle on the side.
With ads, you only earn a few pennies depending on your page views as a beginner. This is the case with Google AdSense. You can make a reasonable amount with affiliate marketing no matter your following and based on how you market those links. But as a beginner, getting affiliate links and promoting to an audience who trust you is hard. Sponsored posts are usually for those who have a high following as they're paid, so the brand wants more reach.
Related: How To Monetise Your Blog
You're Writing Every Niche Possible
Think about it if you want to grow your blog who do you want your readers to be? As a new blogger, you may want to consider who your audience is when writing about a topic. For example, will your recipe blog feature kid-friendly recipes for families, or budget meals for university students? Picking niches that fit together well can help you pick up collaborations because you've defined your blog.
I recently narrowed down on my niche as I wrote about too many topics, and I couldn't find my voice. I have found it easier to come up with blog post ideas and get collaborations for my blog. If you're writing about EVERYTHING, to could also be hard to have a dedicated following. Some people will be there for one niche, and others for another. It means you'll need to post regularly in all your topics to keep everyone happy. Your posts may not relate, so readers will leave your site after reading the post they came for.
I recently narrowed down on my niche as I wrote about too many topics, and I couldn't find my voice. I have found it easier to come up with blog post ideas and get collaborations for my blog. If you're writing about EVERYTHING, to could also be hard to have a dedicated following. Some people will be there for one niche, and others for another. It means you'll need to post regularly in all your topics to keep everyone happy. Your posts may not relate, so readers will leave your site after reading the post they came for.
You Don't Proofread Your Content
I made the mistake of not proofreading my earlier blog posts, and it was a big task to go back and edit everything. If you have grammatical or spelling errors in your work, it doesn't look professional to readers and brands. There are lots of ways to avoid making this mistake. There's no excuse to be having errors in your work!
Firstly, you can use a free tool called Grammarly that helps you fix your grammar and punctuation as you write. I write all of my blog posts in Grammarly and make changes as I go along. Grammarly is both an app and a Chrome extension. Once you've written your post, try and get rid of all the additional writing issues. I don't use the premium version, but you can quickly pick up where to make some changes. There is usually a little yellow line underneath premium errors, so I go through and change them as I go!
It's best to proofread out loud rather than inside your mind as I found I would miss out on A LOT of errors when I read in my head. You should do this at least once to make sure you have caught all of the issues. Sometimes, Grammarly will miss a spelling mistake because the word is spelt correctly, but you've used the wrong word. For example, if I wrote I load this gifted item, it wouldn't come up as an error. Load is spelt correctly, but I meant to write love. Make sure you check spellings, even if you have written a word correctly! Another tip is to proofread the next day so that you have a refreshed mind. If you keep reading the same text, you may miss critical errors! If you aren't a fan of reading, you could also use text to speech and listen to your work.
You Don't Split Your Post Into Paragraphs
Nobody enjoys reading large blocks of text without defined headings. This could lead to a high bounce rate, which isn't ideal, but it depends on your blog post or page. A bounce rate is how long a visitor clicks on your site, stays, interacts or leaves. Overall having a high bounce rate isn't something to aim for. So what are some helpful ways to lower your bounce rates?
- Use headings in your posts. They also are a great SEO technique for ranking on Google if you add the right keywords. Heading 1 is typically the title of your blog post. I sometimes use H1 when I want to add the title with keywords to the main article. Heading 2 is the main headings on the paragraph topic to use in your post when you're writing a list. Heading 3 is typically the subheading whenever I go more in-depth on the topic (list type content).
- My bounce rate has lowed ever since I added content tables. This is your headings put together for context before the actual content. It allows them to have the choice to find what they need when they click the heading link. I use the WordPress plugin (and it's free) "Easy Table of Contents" for creating my tables.
- Separate your paragraphs into 3-4 sentences. If you check out Neil Patel's site (or an example of one of his posts), you can tell that his bounce rate is low due to his paragraph spacing along with him getting straight to the point.
- Make your paragraphs easy to read. Getting straight to the point is what readers are looking for.
- Add in photos or your opt-in page in the middle of each space. Adding pictures with alt-meta descriptions can help readers stay on your page as they don't have to just read the text.
You Don't Have The Topic Knowledge
Knowing about your niche is really important when writing blog posts. I talk a lot about sustainability or business. I put a lot of research into every blog, and cite statistics I use. One mistake that new bloggers make is not researching the topic enough, or not writing enough about it (under 800 words). An SEO technic to rank on Google search engines is to provide external links from resourceful and accredited sites. It can also help to boost your DA score. Google is more likely to move you to the top ranking page based on how knowledgeable you are about the topic and how helpful your post is to readers.
My advice is to be informative but also get straight to the point. When you're writing up your blog post, try and be in the position of a reader. Ask yourself if you've answered the question and backed up your points. People recommend 1000 and more words. My top most viewed posts on my site are usually 1500-2500 words. Keep in mind when writing up your next blog post is to not think about the word count. Sometimes you don't even realise you've written over 1500 words because you're so into writing and putting as much information into your post.
You Lack Individuality & Personality
You need to add a bit of personality to your writing as there are so many bloggers out there. You need to find your voice. Advice is to try to write the way you speak. If you need help, ask family or friends about what they think of you personality-wise. I was told that I had a humorous and sarcastic personality, so I try to add those little bits to my writing. It's also not a good idea to copy the style of other bloggers. People will realise and stop following your content.
Nowadays, people are more likely to trust and purchase from you based on how relatable you are with them. Don't be afraid to show behind the scenes of your blog. Blog posts about your struggles and how you overcame them are appreciated, as readers can connect with you. When I first started my blog, I was scared and afraid of being judged. When creating a blog, add your own personality to it because you'll find readers who will enjoy your post. You want people to like your blog for the real writer behind it!
You Blog For A Week & Disappear
It's understandable when you blog for a while, and you need to take a break for a while. If you're a new blogger, what is the point of starting a blog if you're just going to post one or two articles and leave your site? If you want to be a blogger, it takes a lot of time and dedication to grow. Rome wasn't built in a day. If you don't like it, that's fine. If you expected to be rich and famous overnight, maybe blogging wasn't for you either. It isn't a get rich quick scheme. Don't feel disheartened if you aren't getting followers instantly.
Your blog won't grow if you just stop posting all of a sudden. It also won't get better if you only have one blog post. You can grab great backlinks and grow your DA organically if you continue posting quality content. DA is a search engine ranking developed by Moz which shows a score. The higher your score is, the more likely your blog will be higher on Google search engine pages.
Try to post 1-3 blog posts a week. I typically do 1 post a week, but if I have a lot of time or a guest writer on my site, I post two blog posts. Posting too much can make you burned out, but posting less can turn your site into a deserted island. You should also be regularly updating your old content. Don't forget the posts from when you started! Refreshing them and giving them life can boost your traffic.
Your Blog Is Unappealing & Hard To Navigate
You need to have good content, but your website design is another huge factor! Your website design is the first impression your visitors comes too. A mistake that new bloggers make poor blog design, which leads to slow loading speeds. Unless the content is ground-breaking, people are more likely to click out and onto another website based on a few factors:
- Too many pop-ups. You can do a pop-up for your opt-in page but leave it for a certain amount of period. For example, you can add the pop-up when your visitor scrolls through half of the page.
- Ads scattered everywhere. Having ads block the ACTUAL post or click-baiting it in the first paragraph is a turn-off. Try to put at least a few ads separated throughout the text or in your sidebar.
- Your page looks outdated. People are likely to bounce out and look for a site with a modern website theme. The first looks are everything. If your page looks old, I'm going to assume your content is outdated too.
- It's not responsive. My top visitors use mobile rather than desktop or tablet. You can check how people are getting to your site by using Google Analytics. It's best to find a website theme that is responsive to every device.
- Your site is slow. People are going to bounce out if your site doesn't load. You can check out your site speed through PageSpeed Insights.
You Don't Follow Trends or Seasons
I wished I knew this tip ages ago but follow up with what is trending! You can go on Pinterest trends or Google trends, search trending topics and create a blog post on that. Make sure it is in your niche, so your readers have consistency.
You can also do this by using an SEO keyword research tool. I use Ubersuggest or Answer The Public. It allows you to know what keywords people are searching for and how low the competition is. By finding the right keywords, you can add it to your blog posts.
Related: Fall & Blogtober Content Ideas!
You Aren't Promoting Your New Posts
Who will read your new blog post if you don't share it? When I first started my blog, I thought that people will suddenly find my blog. The truth is, unless you have the best SEO, no one will discover your blog without promotion.
You can create social media pages for your blog such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube. When you make a page, consider who you're trying to target. For example, women mostly use Pinterest, which is helpful for beauty or lifestyle bloggers. Food bloggers also thrive on Pinterest. You can also share your blog post on forums like Reddit or Quora. You can link to your blog post, but make sure you give a decent answer too. Don't say click here to find the answer, as that will impact your traffic negatively instead. It's almost spammy.
You're Stealing Content or Plagiarising
Just don't even consider it. Plagiarising or copying work is a horrible idea and can likely get you sued from the original owner. If you use blog post ideas from another blogger, credit them or ask permission. Don't take images that aren't yours and definitely don't copy and paste their work. If you want to learn more about the legal side of blogging, I did a whole post on it!
- When taking a snip-it from another blog post, be sure to quote it with a link to the original post.
- When using external information, you can add mention that it's based on research. Make sure you credit where you got your information from.
- If you want to use a picture, ask the original photographer. If they say no, leave it.
- When using a niche blog post idea, credit where you got the idea from. It's nice to be noticed for your content.
Author Profile:
Ellen is the creator and writer of an Australian lifestyle blog called Zyrakuma. Her blog features posts on personal development, branding and blogging tips. When she's not blogging, she's either binge-watching YouTube videos or drawing. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest @zyrakuma.
14 comments
Great post for beginners. I am a big one on making content easy to read. I won't lie, I've jumped straight out of a blog that is a mess of content, no paragraphs, no images!
ReplyDeleteRosie
This is such a useful post for new bloggers! I definitely think an appealing design and easy to navigate are key factors as if I can't work my way around a blog easily I won't be staying on it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTash - A Girl with a View
Thanks for sharing, these are good tips to realise your mistakes that your making :)
ReplyDeleteNic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
This is such a good post, when i was a new blogger id never proof read my post and now im going over broken links i see so many silly mistakes and im like noo why would i not just check it before posting!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a great read! When I first started out I didn't proofread many of my posts as well as not being constant. As you said it's a learning curve! Thanks for sharing x
ReplyDeleteYes to all of these! I think it's so important for new bloggers to know it takes longer to make money from a blog than you think. And, I agree about well-researched post, breaking it up and finding your niche xx
ReplyDeleteVery good advice here! I have made some of those mistakes along the way, for sure. And I still have trouble making my posts long enough. I may need to just decide to only write once a week or so.
ReplyDeleteThese are all great tips/things to avoid as a blogger. It's definitely not a get rich quick scheme - I wish! xx
ReplyDeletemia // https://beautiful-inspiring-creative-life.com/
Needed to hear this! Thanks for sharing, great tips!xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I just installed the table of contents plugin you recommended- excited to try it out!
ReplyDeleteVery helpful, indeed! I am about to get back into blogging after a mental health break and I wonder whether or not my blog meets the criteria of a successful one. I will definitely use most of those tips of yours to improve my blogging skills. Thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post!! So informative and was very easy to read, thanks for the great tips!! Xx
ReplyDeleteMrssleejones.com
I’m sure I’ve made a few of these mistakes in the past, definitely in my first year of blogging! I used to forget to proofread and when I would do back I saw so many mistakes, thank god for grammarly!x
ReplyDeleteI love reading about what mistakes to avoid as a new blogger. I learned after my first post that the length of the paragraphs was important. Thank goodness for that because it saved me a lot of rework. I still have updates to make to ensure I'm on solid ground and am so appreciative of the guidance and insight from seasoned bloggers. So, thank you.
ReplyDeleteCassie | letsgrowmom.com