Learn Blogging SO5E3: Blogging Mistakes To Avoid

Blogging is getting more exposure in Nigeria, Africa and the world in general; so also are blogging mistakes. The lesser your blogging mistakes, the faster your blogging progress.

I so much believe in the power of blogging and always encourage young persons to blog. This is reflected in my article on 30 reasons students should blog, how to start a new blog, making money with Google AdSense and 15 blogging mistakes every new blogger should avoid.

Beginner mistakes can cripple blogs in their first year. For new bloggers and those who have the desire to go into blogging, this article will help you understand the common beginners blogging mistakes and how to fix it.

15 Blogging Mistakes Bloggers Should Avoid

1. Lack Of Direction:

Are you really blogging or you are just blogging? I have asked this question before. Many beginners go into blogging without having a clear vision of what blogging is about and what to expect in blogging.

Are you blogging because you heard there is money in blogging or you just want to show people that you can write? Think about it.

The first blogging mistake you should avoid is lack of direction. Know yourself, know why you are blogging and define your target audience.

Apart from knowing yourself, know the top bloggers in your niche. They have something that will take you years to discover. Don’t start the journey alone; you definitely need some persons to succeed in your blogging career.

2. Copying Content From Other Blogs:

When was the last time someone said to you “Your blog is different?” Be careful of comparison and plagiarism. There is a unique content within you. There are topics within you that no one else has written. Focus on them and become an authority in your Niche.

There is a saying that more than 80% of bloggers copy and paste. The good news is that we still have 20% genuine bloggers. Be among the 20% that are real.

There is no way you will go far when you start a blogging journey with plagiarism. Always do plagiarism check (not really important)  before you publish your article. If the content comes from within you, then there is a high chance that it is unique.

3. Blogging On Free Blogging Platforms:

It is unprofessional to continue blogging on free blogging platforms like workpress.com and blogger.com. It also limits you in many ways.

Get a good cheap hosting and domain name for a start. I always recommend Namecheap, iPage or Hostgator for new bloggers; the support they offer is very encouraging.

How you start blogging can determine how far you will go and how you would end up.

Recommended: Onpage SEO and how to create quality content

4. Your Writing Is Too Stiff:

You were not forced to write the post, why then been too stiff or serious? One of the blogging mistakes of new bloggers is that their writings are too stiff or official.

Feel free while writing, be personal and also write the way you talk. Write it the way you feel it. Your village people won’t fight your blog if you create funny articles. You don’t need a big head to move ahead.

5. You Feel Too Big To Reply Comments:

Show readers that you really care about them by responding to their comments as soon as possible. You can reply your visitors and convert them into loyal visitors.

As much as possible try to ask them questions and give suggestions. This will make your comment section interactive. Nothing gives commenters excitement like engagement.

6. Not Growing Your Email List:

Blogging is not just about getting new visitors daily. It is about keeping them.

Grow your email list of subscribers you can share your new posts with. One of the first things to do in your new blog is to place a subscription box in your sidebar as well as follow button in your comment box.

Yo don’t need to pay to accept subscribers and sent them daily or weekly emails. There are free email subscription services. You may want to start with Google Feedburner.

7. Not Monitoring Your Traffic:

As a new blogger, create a webmaster account and verify your site with google. Submit a sitemap and install google Analytics. You can even submit your new posts to Google using the new Search Console. It will help you take note of your progress so far.

If you are a WordPress user or wp beginner, the Jetpack plugin will be of great help to you. It has many modules; such as Website statistics, email subscription, contact form and so on.

A better alternative is for you to download Google Analytics Android App from Google Play Store. Check here for A-Z steps to set up Google analytics on your pretty new blog or see the important features of Google Analytics here.

8. Not Having Plans To Monetise Your Blog:

Don’t blog just to get money. Blog for passion. However, as time goes on, it is necessary you turn your passion into profit. Monetise your blog in any way possible. Google Adsense can add more sense to your blogging career.

9. Not Making Your Site Mobile Friendly:

Most persons that surf the net use mobile phones. When your site is not mobile-friendly it will give visitors a bad experience. Make your website design simple and mobile-friendly.

10. Writing Meaningless Articles:

Your articles should be meaningful and at the same time focus on problem-solving. Blogging is about impart and problem-solving. Pick a problem or challenge around and work on providing the best solution. Also, make your articles clear and readable.

11. Not Having Social Presence:

Increase your social presence by creating a Twitter, Facebook and google fan page. You can even create a youtube channel if you have video content. Explore other social platforms to promote your blog.

12. Improve Your Page Load Time:

Visitors are likely to leave your website if it loads too slow. Improve your page load time. You may want to checkout the top speed optimisation plugins for wordpress.

13.Neglecting SEO:

Neglecting search engine Optimisation is a big blogging mistake. Optimize your articles to rank very high on Google and other search engines so as to get strong organic traffic to your blog. Follow my blogging and SEO Guide.

14. Using Misleading Title:

Let your title agree with your content. Using misleading titles may be your worst blogging mistake. Also ensure to use the right h2, h3 and h4 heading tags in your content.

15. Not Having A Mentor:

Others On The Series....

Must Read: Complete season 1 of my blogging series
Important: Full Season 2 of my blogging series
Recommended: Complete Season 3 summary
Read Also: Season 4 of learn blogging and seo
RECOMMENDED:Latest on the series
SO5E1: Best image optimization plugins
SO5E2: Checkout how your blog looks