So, you are a budding writer and even more budding Bloggers. You have recently started blogging but aren’t getting the results you supposed you would get.
Well, as a beginner there are literally tons of things you could perhaps be doing wrong. Say, for example, targeting incorrect age group in your blogs. Who knows, maybe the subject you chose did not have enough readership in the first place.
As a blogger myself, I too encountered all such problems back when I started. I looked up on the internet, too, but no solution seemed viable. Having lost months, I tested with strategies, one after the other until I had run out of strategies to implement.
It was then that I decided to expand the horizon and experimented with whatever I felt would work the best. Not every experiment turned out well. While some actually did wonders, others screwed my blog real bad.
It was at that moment that I decided once I attain success blogging, I will write an entire blog to help sprouting bloggers avoid mistakes I have made.
Let’s get started right away…
6 mistakes bloggers should avoid at all costs
Not identifying your audience
If you are asked to help your cousin with his essay on “dogs”, one of the first things you should consider is whether he goes to a playschool or studies veterinary in university. In either case, the level of information you need to include would vary. While a kid would write on how playful dogs are, the vet will surely not miss the dog’s anatomy in his essay.
Anyways, you get the point, don’t you?
You need to identify your audience, their age group, the place they live, and if absolutely necessary, whether they are single or married.
When you have an insight into the person reading your blog, you can make your articles look more personalized. And, personalized articles almost always connect with readers.
Keep it short but not overly so
Remember, a visitor comes jaunting to your blog to gain knowledge. So, make sure you impart information clearly in as little words as possible. Do not overshoot.
While it does no harm publishing posts teeming with information, it is a good practice to write content which is short and crisp. However, do not get too miser using words, doing so will make your content incomprehensible.
The blog should have just adequate amount – not more, neither less.
Not knowing what to write
This was probably the single biggest mistake I had done with my blog. I jumped to whatever topic I found intriguing. Know that you are not posting contents to satisfy yourself but your readers.
Choose an area where you can write the most compelling excerpts. Select your niche. Do not try to be everything for everyone.
All popular bloggers have an area of expertise. Trying to showcase yourself as an all-rounder might make you look less credible to your readers.
Cold-shouldering SEO
You are said to cold-shoulder somebody when you deliberately reject or are unfriendly towards them.
Cold-shouldering is not nearly half as dangerous in real life as it is in SEO.
Know that the only channel of contact between you and the readers are search engines. Means, by ignoring SEO you are digging your own grave. Moreover, SEO isn’t rocket science. Deploying just a handful of techniques can bring a significant difference to your site.
Not including images, videos, gifs
Your writings could compete with Dicken’s but you are still not landing anywhere unless your blogs are appealing enough. One fun way to make your blogs appeal is by including gifs.
Also, do not refrain from embedding videos or images. Content that is engaging communicates efforts, and efforts always reward you with more visitors.
Even so, content is king. Search Engines only understand the essence of your site through its context. Hence, it is entirely up to you how you lure visitors. Even if your site features crazy videos, you are bound to have text to make search engines understand your contents. There is no running away from it.
Not being a part of the community
You are not the only one struggling in the seas of blogging. There are a million bloggers out there, each infatuated with writing and with his own niche…just like you.
But, how do like minds like bloggers and yourself connect with each other? Simple, using community forums.
This was something I had missed on for a long time and it was only recently that I realized that the troubles I had undergone could have been relieved had I been a part of this community.
Thanks to social media, such community forums are now everywhere. A few clicks can connect you with thousands, all awaiting to troubleshoot problems on your behalf.
With the tips mentioned above, you are sure to have your dedicated server flooded with visitors. If nothing of that sort happens, my fellow blogger, you need to engage yourself in some marketing – we shall discuss that too, soon enough.