Every successful blogger will tell you about the blogging mistakes they made in the early days of launching a blog.
Beyond those early days, there are still things that most successful bloggers (myself included) would change if we could go back in time and reverse the blogging mistakes we made during the process of growing a blog, from writing bad content to failing to drive traffic, Don't monetize our blogs and more.
There are always things you wish you had known at the beginning… or decisions you would have made differently, now that you know better.
Starting a blog on the right foot will save you a lot of time, money, hassle, and even help you avoid missed opportunities.That said, there are many blogging mistakes that both new and experienced bloggers continue to make, and I made some on my own while growing this blog with over 500,000 monthly readers.
I want to help you avoid making these blogging mistakes whether you're just starting out or trying to grow your blog, so I've created this guide.
In this breakdown of the most common blogging mistakes (and how to fix them if you've already made them), I've included some of the most common mistakes bloggers tend to make along the entire path to building a profitable blog, from the start to getting the traffic right, monetizing your site, and beyond.
My hope is that you'll avoid making these blogging mistakes as you progress through your journey.
21 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid in 2020 (and How to Fix Them)
- Using Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly instead of WordPress
- Choosing the wrong WordPress theme
- Selecting an invalid hosting company
- Choose a domain name that's hard to read (or understand)
- Using the wrong name for your blog
- Choosing the wrong niche on Blog
- Choose topics that readers don't care about
- Writing without an outline
- Writing and publishing inconsistently (creating smart habits)
- Forget about search topics
- Missing SEO Best Practices
- Forgetting promotion on social media
- Neglect the network early
- Forgetting to track your progress
- Taking too long to start building the list
- Don't waste time responding to your readers
- Don't think about how to monetize your blog upfront
- Creating content that doesn't convert
- Don't learn the more technical aspects of blogging
- Don't prioritize
- Discouraged easily (and give up early)
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and at no additional cost, I will earn a commission.Know that I only recommend products and services that I have personally used and that I am behind.When you use one of my affiliate links, the company compensates me, which helps me run this blog and keep all my in-depth content for free for readers (like you).
Now, let's delve into my guide on the biggest blogging mistakes you need to avoid this year.
Launch phase: blog mistakes to avoid when setting up your blog
Before you start your blog, there are some key blogging mistakes to be hyper-aware of when you start making big decisions that lead to potentially long-lasting consequences.
I'll look at each of these early blogging mistakes, show you how to avoid them beforehand, and what to do to fix them if you've already made any of these mistakes.
Very quickly, if you haven't started your blog yet, follow together my step by step guide to launch the right way today.
1. Using Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly instead of WordPress
I understand, getting started with a blogging platform like Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly might seem easy (and you've probably heard of it before).These blogging sites have strong marketing campaigns, and there's a good chance you've seen their ads on YouTube, through fellow bloggers, or on your favorite podcasts.
And to be fair, sites like Wix and Weebly offer free plans that make them enticing to new bloggers.
But… While these types of platforms have their advantages – namely that they are free and easy to use – they also have many limitations and disadvantages.If you're using free plans from sites like Wix and Weebly, you're also dealing with their ads and branding on your site.It doesn't create a very professional atmosphere, and free plans don't give you room to grow your blog.
As you grow your blog, you'll undoubtedly surpass Wix's capabilities (even with a paid plan).Squarespace and Weebly share the same issues.These platforms are fun to play with and even develop your writing style, but they're not a good choice in the long run.To complicate matters, it's not easy to migrate your blog from one of these platforms to WordPress if you want to take your blog's transformation into a business in the future seriously.
Instead of using these website builders, I always recommend new bloggers to launch their sites using self-hosted WordPress.
Self-hosted WordPress is a completely free content management system (CMS) on which more than 34% of websites in the world run.Your only costs for maintaining a WordPress blog are buying a domain name and a web hosting plan.You can also purchase cool plugins and themes to extend the functionality and features of your WordPress-based blog, but your initial cost is extremely low with this path.
More importantly, choosing WordPress will give you so much freedom in controlling the future of your blog, so why not using WordPress is the No. 1 blogging mistake here on this list.
When you use WordPress, you can monetize your blog without restrictions, customize it endlessly, promote it, and do anything else you want with it.It includes HTML coding capabilities for even more customization, and you can group your site with plugins that make it smooth and hassle-free.I've been using WordPress to run my blog since I started.
Start your WordPress blog the right way
Check out my ultimate guide How to Start a Blog (sidebar).
2. Choosing the wrong WordPress theme
Let's say you choose WordPress to start your blog.I'm 100% for that!But there are still some blogging mistakes that many new bloggers fall into at this stage when launching their WordPress blogs.
The first is to choose the wrong theme. There are many free and paid themes available, but they are not all created equal.
Some WordPress themes are very limited and make it difficult to customize your blog, while others will make your new site incredibly slow with unnecessary features and code snippets.While you can always change the theme when using WordPress, it takes some planning and work on your part.
And while it's technically easy to change the theme by pressing a few buttons, you'll need to go back through your site and make sure everything is as you wish.Theme-specific settings will need to be managed manually when switching to a new theme.It may take some time and energy to make your site look the way you want.
That's why pay dividends to completely avoid this blogging mistake – and start with a great WordPress theme right from the start.
The combination I recommend to all new bloggers is the Elementor Page Builder associated with their Hello theme.Both start completely free, are highly customizable and will give you a really fast blog.Even new bloggers who don't know the code can work with this theme because Elementor allows you to use a simple drag-and-drop feature to create your blog pages.
If you want more options, check out my other recommendations here: 26 Best WordPress Themes for Bloggers.
3. Selecting an invalid hosting company
Another mistake that new bloggers often make is choosing a bad hosting company.Hosting companies allow you to publish your blog on the internet and typically start their prices at $3.00/mo to $15.00/mo for entry level plans.Without a hosting company, your blog won't be public and your content won't be readable by the world.
There are quite a few outstanding hosting companies on the market today, the best including Bluehost and Dreamhost, but be careful who you choose, because not all hosting companies offer the same features, reliability, or affordable hosting plans.
When looking for the right hosting company to power your blog, here are the factors you should consider:
- Velocity
- Features
- Security
- Support
- Track record
As I mentioned, my top picks for hosting companies have long been Dreamhost and Bluehost.
I use both with my blogs and have been more than happy with them when it comes to extremely affordable hosting that gives me all the features you need to get your blog off the ground.These two companies tick all the boxes and are both recommended by the WordPress creators themselves.
For a full review of these hosting companies (plus a few others), check out my guide on the best web hosting plans for bloggers this year.And here's a list of hosting plans that come with monthly payment options .
4. Choose a domain name that's hard to read (or understand)
Choosing a domain name for your blog is one of the many initial decisions you'll need to make.
It's not the biggest decision, but it's important.Domain names can be changed in the future, but it's a bit of an arduous process that can be easily avoided by choosing a good domain at the beginning.Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your domain name:
- Make sure it's available.You can do this with a domain registration service like Namecheap or by using a tool like SmartWP's name generator to see if your name is available today.I also recommend checking if your name is available on social media channels like Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
- Make it easy to remember. Your domain name should be easy to remember.The main reason is that you want people to be able to remember your URL when they access the navigation bar.Even if they can't remember your exact address, you want something they can search for on a search engine.
- Use a domain name that's easy to spell. Really simple domain names that are easy to pronounce, easy to pronounce, and easy to write are better than long-complicated ones.And while a funny spelling of a word can be unique, this blogging error can also mean that people have a hard time finding your site in the future.
- Avoid using domain names that are similar to other brands. This is a serious blogging mistake to avoid for a few reasons.One, you may be liable for legal action if you use a domain name similar to that of another company.Amazon, for example, takes it very seriously.The other reason is that you want your blog to stand out like any other.If your domain is too similar, people may not remember who you are.
- Use a name generator.If you're having trouble thinking up of a domain name for your blog, go to my breakdown of the best domain name generators to leverage this year.
Just as important as getting your domain name right is being sure to avoid the blogging mistake of choosing the wrong name for your blog.
5. Using the wrong name for your blog
Your domain name and blog name share similar qualities.
Your blog name should also be interesting, easy to remember, and related to your audience and niche.It should stand out from the competition, offer something unique to your industry, and create a lasting memory with your readers.
Your blog name doesn't have to be the same as your domain name, but many people use the same for both to create a consistent brand experience.
For my complete guide on choosing a name for your blog (and to avoid the blog mistake of using the wrong name), check it out here: How to name a blog.
I've also included 25 examples of popular blogs that all have creative names to help guide the right name for your blog as well.
6. Choosing the wrong niche on Blog
Choosing a niche for your blog is extremely important today.And starting with the wrong niche can complicate things for you in the future.
Since this is one of the most effective blogging mistakes I still see made every day, I've broken down some of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to choosing the wrong niche you blog about.
Niche Blogging Error #1: Blogging About Something You're Not Passionate About
You may already be aware of some blogging niches that are known to be more profitable than others.While it's certainly important to consider how your blog will make money, I don't recommend arbitrarily choosing your niche based on the amount of potential revenue alone.This is a serious blogging mistake that will send you along the path to exhaustion in a short time.
If you do not have a personal interest in your topic, it will be extremely difficult to write consistently about the topic in the future.
Your brain won't think creatively about new blog post ideas for your site if the niche is boring for you.
The best solution to avoid this blogging mistake is to choose a subject area that you are passionate about.
Such a unit will help you produce the kind of content that people actually want to read in your space, and you'll be busy enough to get through any difficult time.
Niche Blogging Error #2: Blogging About Something You Have No Expertise with
Being passionate is extremely important, but it's not the only factor to consider when launching a blog.
You may feel passionate about many things, but if you are not also knowledgeable and experienced about the topic you are writing about, your readers will soon find other resources.
Your authority on a topic is one of the main reasons why people will visit your blog again and again.They want to know that they can trust the information you're sharing, and without that trust, they won't have much incentive to come back.
That's not to say you have to be an absolute expert in your field to blog about it, but if your knowledge is very limited, be prepared to spend a lot of time researching and talking to other experts in your niche if you're following this route.
Remember that if you are not careful here, this can be one of the most harmful blogging mistakes, as it can affect your personal reputation.
Niche Blog Error No. 3: Choosing a Niche Too Few People Are Interested
This blogging error can be a bit more controversial.You want to choose a niche that you are passionate about and have some experience in, but not if there are only a few other people who share your interest in the topic at hand.
If you're not going to make money from your blog, there's no problem choosing a niche without a large audience.
Write down what you love and connect with the small community of other people who share your interests.
If you want to make money blogging, however, you need to consider the market value of your blog.
It's nice to have a narrow niche, but you don't want to choose something so obscure that people just never look for it.
If you want to know the search volume of your particular niche idea, check out Google Trends as a starting point.
Google Trends is an easy way to find out what's trending over a long period of time.
And beyond that simple check, I also recommend doing some more in-depth keyword research to validate if there's a large enough audience for your proposed niche.
If your niche has had moderate to high search volume at a steady rate over a long period of time, then it's definitely a good blogging option.
Niche-Related Blogging Error #4: Don't Choose a Clear Niche
Another serious blogging mistake that people often make when creating a blog is clearly not defining a niche.
If you're interested in a myriad of topics, it's tempting to bring them all together in one blog.
It makes sense not to want to limit yourself to a single topic, I understand.You may have many interests and don't want to be limited to writing about just one of them.
The problem is that without a focus, people won't know what to expect from your blog, which is why it's one of my top blogging mistakes here on this list.Because if you're writing about photography this week and kittens the week after, your audience will be extremely confused.
People who want to learn how to care for puppies may have no interest in the aperture settings on your Nikon DSLR.
In addition to attracting a mismatched audience, you also run the risk of falling into Google search rankings if you make this blogging mistake.
Because?Google won't know how to rank your blog, and that could potentially hurt your rankings.
An indefinite niche also negatively affects your ability to monetize your blog.It's unlikely to find sponsors when your content is always changing.They won't see the benefits of marketing with you, and you won't be able to promise the kind of audience they're looking for.
The solution to this blogging mistake though is to choose a clear niche that is (1) broad enough to create a wide range of content, and (2) narrow enough that it can attract the right kind of audience that will crave your content the most.
I obviously had to correct initially by making this blogging mistake here on my blog.
While my blog originally started with several areas of interest including hustle and bustle, independent writing, productivity, work from home, work, and blogging – I've seen negative SEO impacts of having too broad a content roadmap on my site, so I decided to focus my efforts primarily on the blogging niche.
I'm still passionate about the other topics, but my blog has been very helpful in narrowing my focus to just my No. 1 biggest area of interest where I can excel and stand out from the competition.
Niche Blog Error #5: Creating a Blog That Is a Copy of Someone Else (or in an Oversaturated Niche)
You can create a blog in a very popular niche with a large volume of competing bloggers, but your blog needs to stand out somehow, in order not to make this blogging mistake and fall into the trap of creating scripted content.
If you want to build a profitable blog, you need to provide something different, but still relevant to your readers.
Otherwise, your blog will be swallowed up by the existing popularity of other blogs.
Let's use the personal finance blogging industry as an example.There are thousands of financial blogs on the Internet.
That doesn't mean you can't write about personal finance, it just means you need to find a unique angle.It means that you need to share advice, wisdom, or methods that are not written like everyone else's.
Personal finance is a niche of strong competition to get into, but you can still do it successfully if you have something fresh to add.
Blogger Bobby Hoyt created a personal finance blog when he wasn't earning the kind of income he wanted from his teaching job.He had a lot of debt to pay from college and started blogging about his financial learnings in order to earn some extra money.
He created his own blog, Millennial Money Man, primarily to connect with other millennials on a topic he cared about.
Many millennials have heavy college debt when they leave college.Many of us also have trouble finding jobs after graduation (able to handle debt and pay new bills).Finding someone else who is experiencing the same difficulties and blogging in public has been refreshing for a growing audience of Bobby readers.
The takeaway here is that you can write in a popular blogging niche, but you need to find a new way to approach it.
Copying someone else's blog is one of the worst blogging mistakes you can make: it won't give you personal satisfaction, and it won't even lead to personal success.
Take the time to dive into a niche you're considering.Do your research and sharpen your angle until you feel addictive enough to hit the ground by running.
Blogging mistakes related to writing to avoid (when creating content) for your blog
Once you've created your blog, it's time to get to the most fun part: writing blog posts that will appeal to readers (and keep them engaged).
There is no single right way to write for your blog, but there are definitely some wrong ways to do it.Many bloggers don't know what they're doing wrong or how to fix it.There are some common mistakes people make when writing, but don't worry – they're also easy to avoid.
7. Choosing topics that readers don't care about
Learning who your audience is won't be a tremendously easy process.
It takes time and experimentation to learn what they want, though it helps to start with some inspiration for blog post ideas and content formats that already tend to work well in your niche.
My best advice when it comes to topics is to imagine what would be useful for your target audience.
What problem does your blog solve for them?What information are you providing them that will be helpful?
If the main reason you blog is to entertain people, what kind of stories and anecdotes will people want to read?
Content creation is a delicate process of matching what you want to write about to the needs of your readers, so why choosing the wrong topics is one of the most common blogging mistakes you can make.
A blog is both a place to express yourself and a place to connect with other people.That's why it's crucial to understand how your blog is contributing to other people's lives when you begin the content creation process.
8. Writing without an outline
Writing a draft can make you feel like you back in high school, but I promise it's an important step in the writing process.
Creating an outline keeps your writing on track.
It gives you clear direction and allows you to eliminate ideas that stray from your main takeaway.
If you want to know how I highlight content that cuts to the heart of my readers' needs, check out my guide to writing a draft blog post.
I also included a free template there so you can create killer content for your blog as well.
9. Writing and publishing inconsistently (creating smart habits)
How often you write often depends on how much time you can cut out of your schedule.
Some people write less than once a month for their blog and others write several times a week (some even every day).
If you're the only contributor to your blog, you probably won't post several times a day like blogs and professional publications that many writers have.You may be able to engage in one blog per week or once every few weeks.
Whether you write frequently or rarely, you still need to find a steady time to create new content.Blogging can be a form of passive income, but that doesn't mean you can expect to write a few blog posts a year and magically reach a large audience.
Here are some important reasons why you should avoid this blogging mistake and regularly spend time creating content:
- Affiliate your craft: If you're only writing a few times a year, you're not giving yourself a chance to grow as a blogger.What you are capable of now will only grow as you practice your art.
- Learn from your audience : Creating ongoing content gives you a chance to learn what your audience is really interested in.Without it, your writing will remain stagnant and won't really touch your readers, which can send you towards another blog writing mistake for the wrong readers.
- Help you with your Google rankings: Almost every successful blogger will tell you that high-quality content is the best way to rank on Google.Another way to rank well is to have a high volume of shorter-form content published on a consistent basis, which can position your blog more as a news source.
The thing I want you to take away from this blogging mistake is that you have to create smart habits.
Above all, this is the blogging advice that most top bloggers need to share.You don't have to publish posts on your blog every day, but you do have to set aside time to work on it constantly.
One way to do this is to create recurring time frames in your day to work on your blog.
This could be before normal work in the morning or after putting the children to bed in the evening.
No matter what time works best for you, establishing this habit will help you be more successful with your blog.
10. Forget about search topics
You may know a LOT about your niche, but you can never underestimate how useful it is to further research your blog posts (before and during writing).
In-depth research is something that will set your writing apart from competing blogs, and neglecting to take it seriously can be a blogging mistake that negatively affects your trust with readers.
For example, in the blogging niche, it's essential that I always keep up to date with new information.
The state of SEO and what strategies are working never stay the same for years. Google changes its algorithm methods frequently, and what works one year may not work the next.By doing a lot of research and experimenting on my blog here, I remain relevant to my readers.
People will lose trust in your information if you share outdated or incorrect content.
Before publishing, avoid this blogging mistake and make sure you share accurate information.
Marketing blogging mistakes to avoid (as you drive traffic to your blog)
You've created your blog, you have a solid name, and your content is on fire.Now you need to spread the word about your blog.
This can be one of the most frustrating stages of the blog journey, because you feel like you're putting a lot of effort into it with very little return.
The reality is that if you can't drive traffic to your blog, it could be because you're making one of these key blogging mistakes when it comes to your marketing strategy.
11. Missing SEO good practices
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a key way to generate traffic to your blog.Not using SEO best practices is a serious blogging mistake, because every second there are 67 thousand searches performed on Google and 93% of all online experiences start with a search engine.
Without using SEO best practices and structuring your content so that it is easily digested by search engines, you risk missing out on a huge traffic opportunity.
Some of the most important SEO best practices include:
- Perform smart keyword research before typing
- Understanding the user intent behind a search query
- Creating SEO-friendly titles that attract readers
- Use internal and external links in all your content
- Writing a compelling meta description
- Optimizing your page's URL
For more detailed information on how to manage SEO for your blog, check out my top 10 SEO strategies for blogging, so you can learn how to drive organic traffic to your blog.
12. Forgetting promotion on social media
I've often written about how social media can be a random traffic source, because their algorithms also change on the fly.
What was free traffic on the way to growing your blog, is now much harder to reach through social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Even if this is true, you can still use social media to generate interest in your blog, especially if you're still in the early stages and trying to acquire your first readers.
If you can establish an interesting social media presence (on a network that your target readers pass through), you can increase your chances of receiving organic traffic to your blog.People spend a lot of time on social media and it's a way to increase interest in your content.
Social media also gives people an easy way to contact you, comment on your content, and send you messages.
It's free, so you don't have to pay for the opportunity to connect with your readers, and taking a proactive approach can generate some good conversations.
13. Neglect the network early
Networking was one of the best decisions I made for the long-term success of my blog.
Not only was I able to learn from other successful bloggers, but it also gave me the opportunity to connect with a similar audience.
Through my blog and podcast, I have been able to work with some of the most interesting and influential people in the world of blogging and hustle and bustle.It enriched my content, increased my audience and gave me the chance to connect with people interested in what I'm doing.Not starting this process right away is a blogging mistake you can't afford to make.
If you're wondering how to network to grow your blog, here are a few places you can find people:
- Speak at conferences or events in your niche. There are many ways to connect with people digitally, but don't forget about the opportunity to meet people in person.Speaking at a conference is a smart way to meet people interested in your niche.Even if you're not a guest speaker at an event or conference, take the time to meet like-minded people.
- Meet people in your community. Again, bloggers are often naturally inclined to contact people online.It's very important, but you shouldn't push back against face-to-face interactions either.If there's something you're interested in, try to find people in your city who are also in the same thing.There may already be a fairly large group of people who love what you love and this is a great way to make new connections.
- Social media connections. Depending on your niche, you can connect with people interested in who you are through social media.Try Facebook groups, search for hashtags on Instagram, and start conversations with similar people on Twitter.Also, try LinkedIn if your niche matches this platform.
- Niche-oriented online communities.These communities often accept more self-promotion than social media groups.Some examples of online communities are GrowthHackers and Business 2 Community.These communities give you the opportunity to network with other people interested in marketing and growing businesses.If you want to find something in your niche, try searching for your niche + social network.
- Try guest publishing. Another way to network is through the guest blog.You can create content for other people's blogs, and of course, create backlinks to your blog in the process.This is a terrific strategy to reach a similar audience with the same kinds of things.
I can't tell you enough, how important it is to start networking with others in your niche very early.Otherwise, you'll make a blogging mistake that will leave you struggling to gain traction for your site in other ways.
14. Forgetting to track your progress
New bloggers may not realize the need to monitor their progress from the start.
It may not seem as important when you only have 12 visitors (including your mom) coming to your blog, but collecting these statistics will be crucial along the way.
For one thing, you won't know what it is and doesn't work on your blog if you're not keeping track of all the data today.You might have a single post that gets a lot of traffic, but you won't know it without using the monitoring tools, which is why neglecting to use the right monitoring tools is a big blogging mistake that there is no excuse to make.
There are many tools I recommend to bloggers, but for tracking purposes, here are some of my favorites:
- Google Analytics : This analytics service is free and ready to be used by anyone.It tracks a ton of information about your blog, including web traffic, where the traffic came from, what pages they visited, how long they stayed, and more.
- MonsterInsights: MonsterInsights is a WordPress plugin that works with Google Analytics.It's a nice plugin to use because you can track your information all from your WordPress platform.For this, a free and premium version is available.
- SERP Robot: This is a really accurate tool that tracks Google's ranking of your blog posts by keyword.In other words, you can enter your blog's URL and then enter a keyword you want to rank for.SERP Robot will let you know how much your blog posts rank for that keyword.
For more tools to use on your blog, check out my full list of the best blogging tools this year.
Blog mistakes to avoid when communicating with readers
Communicating with your readers is one of the most rewarding parts of blogging.
It's a way to start your blog, so it's not just a one-way conversation with your audience.It also gives your audience a way to provide feedback.Here are some blogging mistakes bloggers tend to make with communication.
15. Take too long to start creating the list
When it comes to building your email list of blog subscribers, you can never start too early. Email marketing is an incredible tool for bloggers, and underestimating its power (even at first) is at the top of our list of blogging mistakes here.
If you're not familiar with listing construction, you might be wondering what I'm talking about.
Building a list simply means gathering a list of email subscribers for your blog.
The emails you send to your subscribers can include additional content, free resources, or simply updates on new content on your blog.
Even a page as simple as an email newsletter like this can be a compelling offer for readers who want more than what you have to say.
No matter what you send to your subscribers, the point is that you have a group of people interested in your content.They are exactly the audience you want, because they follow you by choice.Without an email list, you miss a huge opportunity to not only grow your audience, but increase your impact on them.
Still not convinced?Do you think email is dead?Here are some enlightening statistics about email marketing that will help you understand that ignoring it is a dangerous blogging mistake.
- Email is expected to be used by 3 billion people by 2020.
- Social media has an average engagement rate of 0.6%, while email has an average open rate of 22.86%.
- Although social media apps like SnapChat and Instagram are very popular, according to a survey, Millennials use their emails more than other generations.
- Blog posts are 3.5 times more likely to be shared on social media by my email subscribers.
- Email marketing has an ROI of 3800%.
If you're just starting your email list and keeping your blog on a budget, I suggest using a free plan on MailChimp.It's free for up to 2,000 subscribers, and there's a plugin you can use for WordPress to easily transfer new subscriber information from your blog to your email list.
If you already have a good email list or if you expect to quickly exceed 2000 subscribers, my number one recommendation for an email list building tool (and much more) is ConvertKit.
Although ConvertKit is not free, I have been able to get a lot more out of what I have paid over the years.
For a more detailed explanation of my email marketing strategies (and tool decisions), see here: ConvertKit vs AWeber vs Mailchimp: Which is the Best Email Marketing Tool for Bloggers?
16. Don't waste time responding to your readers
Some bloggers will say they don't have the time or energy to respond to their readers.
But here's the thing… I understand it as a blogger, you can't do everything and you have to make some tough choices about how to spend your precious time.However, taking the time to respond to emails, messages, and tweets from my readers was one of the best investments I've ever made.In fact, not finding the time for this is a blogging mistake you make at your own risk.
Why is it so important to respond to readers?Here are some of the reasons why replying to comments and emails helps your blog:
- It builds relationships. When you take the time to respond to people, it makes them feel appreciated.This is a good way to build a relationship between you and your audience.They're wasting their precious time visiting your blog, and it's a good way to let them know that you appreciate it.
- Encourage people to comment more often. If people know they can ask you questions and will actually get an answer, they're much more likely to take the time to comment, interact with your material, and share it with others they know.
- It gives you time to think about what people want (and need) from your blog. Going through comments individually helps you learn a lot about your audience.From their comments and the conversations they lead, you will begin to solve the most pressing problems your readers face.
What are the kinds of things people ask over and over again?Answer these questions with a comprehensive blog post.
If you don't already have content to meet their needs, you know what you need to add to your content program.
Blog mistakes to avoid when monetizing your blog
Learning how to make money with blogging is one of the most crucial steps in your blog journey – and it's the most frequent subject area where I ask myself readers' questions in the field today.
Many bloggers want to make money from their content, but aren't sure how to do it.Here are some blogging mistakes I see people make when trying to monetize a blog.
17. Don't think about how to monetize your blog upfront
Many bloggers think they have to wait until they have a lot of traffic to start monetizing a blog.
I understand.On the surface, it seems a bit silly to try to make profits when you only have a few people visiting your blog every day… But not taking the potential of initial revenue seriously is a blogging mistake that can take you down the path of never really understanding the best ways to generate revenue from your content.
That's why it's important to start experimenting with monetization as soon as you have traffic to your blog:
- Create the opportunity for early sales. Even if your visitors are few, there is still a chance that someone will buy something from you.Your audience can be small, but it can also be very engaged or come to you with a very specific problem that you can solve for them.Take a hands-on approach to starting conversations with your readers, learning from them, and coming up with one-on-one solutions where you can load for your time.You might even abandon the idea of a more passive business model (such as courses, books, or software tools).
- Your content could go viral. The Internet can be a strange and surprisingly interesting place.Sometimes there is no concrete explanation for why a certain content becomes very popular.Your blog may not get much traffic today, but suppose you write a blog post that suddenly goes viral.If you've taken the time to optimize it for a certain affiliate program, online course, or physical product, you may be able to make some profit from the sudden wave of visitors.
- Get started with monetization methods right away. Monetization may seem like a foreign concept to new bloggers who have bowed their heads in content creation mode.How can I make money from my blog?Who will pay me?What will happen if I start looking for earning opportunities?The best way to understand this is to start experimenting early.
If you start testing your way to making money from your blog at first, it will look the same as anything else you learn to do.
For more information, check out my in-depth guide on how to make money blogging this year.
You don't have to select the absolutely perfect method from day one, just as you won't know everything about WordPress from the first day you start blogging.It's all part of the learning process, and you won't ruin your blog by trying different ways.
As your blog grows, you'll learn what works best for both your content and your readers.
18. Creating content that doesn't convert
Another blogging mistake I see with those looking to make money from their blogs is that the content is often not very convincing (or useful to readers).
Even if some readers come to an article on your blog… It is possible that they do not feel obligated enough to finish the content or take any action after them.
First, I suggest promoting ONLY products and services you believe in. Your writing will be more genuine and you won't feel like you're trying to sell your readers on something you don't really think is great.Instead, you'll feel like you're telling a friend about something you think will improve their life (when you don't have any personal experience with it).
This may mean that you have to turn down some opportunities, but in the long run your audience will trust you and respect your opinion more.
The continuing opportunity to build trust with readers, in the name of quick profit, is one of the worst blogging mistakes you can make for the future profitability of your blog.
The next step in creating high-converting content is to think about what action you want your reader to take.
Do you want them to subscribe to your email list, make a purchase, share a blog post, or click on the affiliate offer?Whatever it is, adapt your writing to this goal.
After choosing your goal, you'll want to use something called a funnel method.
A marketing funnel is a series of steps your reader will take before reaching the final conversion point.Here is a basic summary of the funnel method:
- Address your reader's pain points.What problem do they have that your product will help you solve?
- Determine why you can help them.What makes you an authority on the subject?What experience do you have?
- Show them how your product or service can help. Provide a complete overview of why your solution will work.
- Call to action. Include your call to action so your reader knows exactly how to get the product or service you're promoting.
There are many different ways to use the funnel method to monetize your content, and it's not a strict formula you need to follow.The main point here is that your writing should give your readers a compelling reason to buy something or take a specific action… and a good reason to trust your guidance on that move.
General blogging mistakes to avoid when running your blog
To wrap up this list of blogging mistakes, I have some more general missteps that new bloggers tend to make, as they start and grow their blogs.
19. Don't learn the more technical aspects of blogging
Not everyone is a tech whiz and you definitely don't have to be to start a successful WordPress blog.
That said, it's incredibly helpful to learn some of the more technical aspects of blogging, if nothing else, so you can troubleshoot and fix problems that arise on your blog from time to time.
The more willing you are to invest in learning the mechanics of blogging, the more you'll be able to customize your blog and fix any unexpected issues that arise.
You don't have to know everything from day one (or even learn everything), but as time goes on you'll be glad you took the time to learn how to make simple changes to your blog.
Thankfully, there are tons of helpful resources to guide you both here on my blog and elsewhere online.
20. Don't prioritize
Now that I've given you a long list of blogging mistakes to avoid… I would understand if you might feel a little overwhelmed.
There are many moving parties involved in running a profitable blog, and looking at them altogether can feel like climbing a mountain.
That's why I want to make sure that as a blogger you can't manage all the time.
Realistically, even if you worked full-time on your blog, you simply couldn't keep up with everything on this list 100% of the time.
You have a personal life that matters, a family to spend time with, and you may have a full-time job in addition to your blog.You can't expect to spend all your time blogging.
Therefore, you need to choose what is most important to you.
- Perhaps responding to your readers is not yet in your cards.Or maybe you can choose a specific day and time that you dedicate to answering questions, instead of trying to rewrite everything immediately when it arrives.
- Maybe you just have time to email your subscribers once a month or once every few months.
- You can choose to check your analytics every few weeks for a report instead of monitoring it daily.
- To create truly amazing content that has a chance to rank well in Google searches, it may take longer.
As long as you're sticking to a schedule and a clear list of priorities that tie into your most important goals, give yourself time.
You're the most familiar with your blog and personal needs, so don't make the blogging mistake of trying to do everything.
Set your priorities and don't worry about meeting every potential need of your blog right here, today.
Remember, blogging is a long game.Create a priority list and analyze it in the weeks and months ahead.
21. Discouraged easily (and give up early)
Blogging can fill your heart with the feeling of success… And other times, it can make you feel very low.
If you've compared your blog to other blogs in your niche, you may find yourself wondering if your site will ever be as successful as others.
These feelings of doubt and discouragement derail many bloggers from continuing to pour hard and dedicated work into their blogs: the landing is right here at the end of my list of blogging mistakes you can't afford to drop.
Here's the truth: not everyone will have overnight success with blogging.
In fact, most new bloggers will take 3 to 6 months of constant effort before they start getting a significant amount of readers and a pinch of revenue coming in.
When I started my blog, I had no idea how to make money from it.After spending a year of time, energy, and intentional work alongside my daily work, I finally started generating a small amount of revenue from my site.The level of success I was able to achieve took over 6 years to develop and aggravate on itself.
If something isn't working with your blog, be prepared to be flexible.Get ready to learn.Experience.To fail and try again.
What you start doing today doesn't have to be the way you do things forever.
Do your research, listen to advice from other successful bloggers, and take time to try new strategies.
Use the triumphs of others to inspire you to work harder and learn more… But don't let it crush your enthusiasm or let you go.
You can make your blog a success, but it will be a challenge and I can guarantee you that it will take a steady effort for weeks, months and years to come.
Final Thoughts on Biggest Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
Everyone makes some blogging mistakes when they're just starting out, and even if you follow my guidance carefully, you'll probably make one or two decisions that you wish you had done differently later.
But that's okay.
We all make blogging mistakes, even those of us who have been making it for years (myself included) 👋
However, with this guide to help point you in the right direction to avoid some of the most expensive blogging mistakes, my goal is to accelerate your progress and ignite your enthusiasm.
Use my over 6 years of blogging experience to help you create a better prepared blog to start rushing and start attracting more readers, faster.
For a more complete guide on starting a blog (the right way), read my ultimate guide on how to start a blog this year.
It's a actionable step-by-step tutorial packed with easy-to-understand information, even for brand new bloggers.
Are you ready to get started and avoid making these kinds of blogging mistakes in your business?
What blogging mistakes did I miss?
What are some blogging mistakes you've made during your trip?
Someone we haven't talked about here that you want other bloggers to warn about?
Enter your mistakes in the comments below 🙂