10 Mistakes New Bloggers Should Avoid

Since I was once in your shoes as a new blogger, I’ve compiled a list of 10 mistakes new bloggers should avoid. I wish someone had told me about them. In my experience, that’s normal; almost every new blogger experiences this.

Blogging is simple, but it is not easy—and far too many people get into it thinking that all they have to do is publish some content, and the traffic and leads will pour in.

Writing blogs to drive organic traffic requires planning and persistence. In other words, it will not happen without a plan and will not produce instant success.

Blogging should be a passion and can be extremely rewarding. However, it can also be exceptionally frustrating, and all bloggers agree that blogging is not for everyone.

As a blogger, you will sometimes wonder if it’s all worth it, and other times you just feel like you’re not going to make it. “I can’t think of a new topic.”

When you begin to create high-quality content, avoid these common blogging mistakes that can doom your blog and undermine your success. if you’re familiar with them, you can easily avoid them.

Must read: Personal Growth, It’s My Choice

1. Blogging on a free platform

Although free blogging platforms such as Blogger and WordPress.com are appealing, they have numerous limitations. I used Blogger for several months before moving to self-hosted WordPress.org (which is paid and not confused with WordPress.com). To be fair, it is simple for beginners to learn and simple (and inexpensive) to make the site look professional.

2. Ignoring security

If you want your blog to be perfectly secure, you must obtain a security certificate (or SSL). The use of an SSL certificate ensures the privacy of your blog’s visitors. When running a blog, it is critical to keep your website secure to:

1. Increase your blog’s credibility and gain the trust of your readers.
2. Prevent data leakage or hacker attacks.
3. Improve your search engine rankings—secure sites rank higher on Google than non-secure sites.

3. Complicated blog name

One of the most common mistakes in blog names is that bloggers choose words with no meaning or long names.

The first thing a visitor sees after landing your blog is your domain or blog name. Always take the time to consider the best blog name for your niche. After all, who wants to change their blog name again and again?

4. Ignoring SEO

Ignoring SEO and optimization is a big mistake when starting a blog. Your blog can be near the top of search results thanks to SEO. As a result, before publishing your blog, you must optimize it for search engines.

Yoast SEO and All In One SEO is by far the most popular SEO plugin for WordPress.

5. Posting irregularly

Many new bloggers give up regular blogging at the start of their journey. Beginners will sometimes write a few welcome posts and then do nothing else while waiting for the first interested readers to arrive.

When you have an idea for your blog, write it down somewhere you can find it, such as in your journal, so you can come back to it later. This also works well with quotations. If you come across something that moves you, jot it down in your journal.

6. Not focusing on a niche

One of the new bloggers’ most common mistakes is not focusing on their niche or blog topic. Bloggers in their early stages frequently focus on a wide range of issues. Don’t try to cover topics like healthy eating, fashion, parenting, and cooking on your single blog. Too many problems and giving their solution are not a good way to begin your blogging journey. Instead, narrow your focus and become an expert in that area.

7. Not collaborating with other bloggers

A common blogging mistake made by new bloggers is having too much independence. Sure, this is a good way, but sometimes (especially early in your career), it’s a good idea to seek advice from more experienced bloggers. This lets you meet interesting people, learn from your co-bloggers, and start working together in ways that will help you in the long run. 

If you’re a new blogger with no connections, you may need to take some basic steps to connect with and build relationships with other bloggers.

8. Not engaging on social media

Most new bloggers don’t engage on social media. This is a big mistake because social networking sites can help you make personal contact with people who are interested in almost any niche. As a result, you should immediately join and post articles in all groups that connect people interested in your blog. Otherwise, your readers might not take your blog seriously.

Use social media to promote your blog. For obvious reasons, it is best to begin with, Facebook and Instagram. This is the simplest method for increasing traffic to your website.

9. Lack of valuable content

There is a lack of valuable and substantive content in today’s blogs. Unfortunately, many aspiring bloggers copy content from other blogs without adding value to their own. Only use verified information in your blog posts; always credit the original post.

10. Post with no image

Images are powerful because they capture attention and are at the heart of the message you want to convey. 
Including visual elements in your blog post boosts engagement and shareability. Images in blog and social media posts get more views, engagement, and shares.

Conclusion

It’s easy to set up a Blog. However, the flood of ‘expert’ blogging advice can be overwhelming and confusing. I’ve straightforwardly written this so that you can better understand it. Avoid making these common mistakes in the first place.

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Have you committed any of the above mistakes in your blogging journey?

Image source: Canva

This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop.