8 Beginning Blogger Mistakes to Avoid
Blogging requires a significant amount of attention to detail in order to be successful. Writing a blog is not just about publishing all of your random and rambling thoughts, it is about catering to an audience who will return to view more of your content. To be a successful blogger, it is important that you study your audience so you know who you are talking to, what they want and when they want it.
Once an audience has been identified, cater to their needs by providing blog posts on the topics they want to know more about. Establish a niche and build authority in this field of expertise. It can be about culinary arts, photography, public speaking or nature-related topics; choose a topic that will catch the reader’s attention that you are also passionate about.
Example: Sparksight Video Blog! Our expertise is video production.
Not all bloggers succeed. Those who have committed common blogging mistakes at the beginning end up not seeing their page take off. People were immediately turned off or lost interest. This is painful, but blogging is surprisingly a cut-throat world. If you can’t capture the interest of your audience, they have tons of other options out there. They can just close your site and find something more interesting to read.
Voice
Most people tend to be very formal when writing because they are concerned with the technical aspects instead of just letting the thoughts flow. Let your ideas come out and develop a written voice. A blog “voice” should be informal, conversational, natural and consistent. Readers can tell if the blog writer is too stiff, nervous or holding back information, but having a good blog “voice” can help you overcome these judgements.
Editing
Before publishing anything, make sure that you have thoroughly edited and proof-read your blog post. Check the grammar, spelling and order of words. Make sure nothing is offensive and double check the facts. It is better to only publish quality content a few times a week than publishing messy blogs just to get something up there.
On the other hand, avoid being a perfectionist. This does not mean you have to be obsessed with every single detail of your site.
Publishing
Blog entries should be published with the right timing. Plan to post a blog entry during a time where most of the target audience is online. Try to engage to your followers too. If you have social media accounts, promote the link to your new blog on your profiles so that more people can find your page.
Blog readers might comment on your blog or on your social media pages asking questions or sharing information. It is best to be reactive to online engagements and participate in the conversation about your blog.
Consistency
Managing a blog page requires consistent maintenance. A blog author should have a clear schedule set for writing, editing, publishing and engaging with the audience in order to retain the existing fanbase. Avoid procrastinating. Having a clear schedule can help you keep focus and use your momentum to keep on going!
To avoid all these blogging mistakes, read the infographic below. Succeeding as a blogger does not happen overnight. With patience, determination and hard work, it is possible to be a popular blogger.
Got your own blog? Drop a link in the comments section and we will be happy to check it out!
