The Top 6 Mistakes to Avoid When You Start Your Blog
January 26th, 2010
As of now, there are more than a hundred million blogs live on the Internet. However, the vast majority of them are run ineffectively. Even experienced bloggers end up making mistakes that cost them a lot in terms of lost readership. If you are new to blogging, or just not sure if you’re doing it right, read a little further to find some of the most common blogging mistakes and how to avoid them.
Advertising is a great way to monetize your site, but too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Over-saturating with advertising can basically kill your blog. It’s perfectly okay to run some small, unobtrusive ads within your content and on the borders of your pages, but if you use Adsense, along with various affiliate offers and banners, it can scare your readers off. When it comes to advertising, you should keep it clean and neat.
Another way to drive your readers away is to constantly use duplicate content. Think of it like this- why would someone single out YOUR blog if the exact same information is available from multiple other sources? Eighty percent of your blog posts and/or articles should be relevant and unique. Even if you are using something that everyone has heard before, you should take the time to put it in your own words or add your own unique commentary.
Whatever you do, don’t sell or even give away your readership’s user information. Most blogs come equipped with an RSS feed or newsletter that encourages users to provide their email address. It’s perfectly acceptable to email your readers (and to include advertisements within those emails), but spamming them or providing their information to others will decrease your readership and your credibility.
When it comes to posts containing touchy subject matter- injecting some personal opinion is fine. After all, it’s your blog. If your objective is to make money, however, you should remain neutral and civil, especially in political or religious matters. Refrain from posting provocative comments and articles. Keep in mind that no matter how good your content is, there are always going to be a few people that don’t agree with it. Don’t get into “flame wars” with your commenters. It’s not only a waste of time and energy, it can damage your blog’s credibility. If you must tell someone that their comment was uncalled-for, do it in a civil manner.
Poorly written posts are another quick way to kill a new blog. If your post isn’t written in concise language, no one will want to take the time to decipher it. If writing isn’t your strong suit, consider hiring a ghost writer, or allowing users to create and submit posts. Of those two options, hiring a writer can offer the best results, but it may be too expensive if you’re just beginning your online ventures.
Making your blog stand out is essential. The quality of your blog posts, while important, isn’t everything- invest in a good designer. You can find someone to design/code a Wordpress theme for you, or a regular CSS or HTML design. Or, you can search out a free theme (there are thousands available).
Starting a blog may seem easy, but to be successful and increase your readership, you need to avoid making some of the most common mistakes that bloggers make.