This post is all about blogging mistakes to avoid and how you can start optimizing your posts. This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
When I started blogging in 2018, I jumped right in without hesitation. I just wanted to start. I went onto WordPress.com and GoDaddy (only hosting site I knew about) and signed up for all the free stuff I thought I needed.
ALSO READ: Free Blogging Tools for Beginners to Grow (2023)
My blog traffic was so sad for years! It wasn’t until I quit my job to pursue my blog full-time that I got serious about doing everything I could.
BLOGGING MISTAKES TO AVOID
Blogging Mistake No. 1- Not Understanding Your Audience
Last year, I hired a blog growth manager and she had me fill out a client persona. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a great practice to help you focus on the ‘who’ of your blog.
When writing a blog post, it’s best to know who you are talking to. If you are trying to talk to everyone, then you are talking to no one.
Understanding your audience’s needs is going to help you tailor your posts to help answer their questions. That is what will get you return visitors and have people hanging around your blog longer — all things that Google loves.
Here is an example of a buyer’s persona. Visualize your ideal reader down to what they do for a living and the hobbies they enjoy.
Download this free Canva template to start building your dream buyer’s persona.
In this example, we can see that Isabel may need a new wardrobe, preferably affordable. She’ll probably be working in an office so business casual to business professional attire is a must.
She also enjoys being social and getting out. Maybe some cute date night outfits for the weekend. Write it all down so you can really visualize the person.
Blogging Mistake No. 2 – Not Picking a Niche and Sticking with It
As a fellow blogger with multiple interests, I know the struggle to stick to one niche, but trust me on this one. The goal here is for Google to recognize you as an authority on a topic.
When you become the authority, your DA (Domain Authority) increases. A high DA makes it easier for your posts to rank higher on Google.
If you are writing about everything under the sun, then it’s going to take longer for Google to pinpoint what your blog is about and whether your content is the best for its customers.
Remember, Google wants to provide the very best search results when a person Googles something.
That is why being niche specific will help you in the beginning. You can definitely branch out later, but you want to be known for that one thing first and then all the rest.
Blogging Mistake No. 3 – Not Using an SEO Strategy
This is another mistake I was doing when I first started blogging in 2018. I looked to other bloggers, influencers really, that had blogs to see what they were doing.
What I noticed were diary-style posts that were, maybe, 200 words long. This is accompanied by a ton of pictures. There would be a big block of words and then pictures.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is structuring your blog so that it’s easy to read and so Google can easily identify what your blog is about.
Nowadays, I do keyword research in order to pick keywords that will be easier for me to rank for. Remember that phrase we mentioned in the No. 2 mistake, domain authority? This is why that is important.
If there are two blogs writing about the same topic and they are optimized, chances are Google will rank the blog with the higher DA.
We’ll chat more about SEO in a later post so be sure to sign up for The Blogging Breakdown newsletter so you don’t miss it.
Some of my favorite tools for keyword research are:
Blogging Mistake No. 4 – Not Sticking to a Posting Schedule
My posting schedule did not exist for 4 years after starting my blog. I worked full-time which had me commuting 2 hours to and from work. I would get home just in time to start dinner, help the kids with homework, clean, and then, maybe, work on my blog for an hour before bed.
I used every free time, including my lunch hour, to work on my blog, but it’s hard to stick to a schedule with so many other priorities — I get it.
It wasn’t until I quit my job to work on my blog full-time that I started noticing the increase in pageviews. I made a commitment to publish 3 blog entries, new or republished, every week.
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There have been weeks where I can only complete 2, but I make sure something is going up EVERY week. Google likes consistency. So, even if it’s just once a week, be sure to stick to a schedule that you can keep up with.
As bloggers, we’re tasked with so much. From photography to copywriting and marketing and promotion, it’s A LOT! Your schedule doesn’t have to be overwhelming but should be consistent.
Blogging Mistake No. 5 – Not Promoting in the Right Social Channels
I don’t know about you but I am so overwhelmed by all the social channels available today. As a one-woman show, it can be A LOT and sometimes I just want to throw in the towel.
The one thing I realized early on, is that every social channel serves a specific purpose. If you want to get followers and connect with people, then Instagram and TikTok are your best friends.
ALSO READ: Become an LTK Creator and Successfully Grow Your Audience
If you want to grow your blog, Pinterest is your ride or die. Think about it, how many times have you clicked on a link on Instagram?
Probably not a whole lot if you knew that it would take you off Instagram and to another site. You’re there to have fun, maybe learn something, and see what your favorite influencer or celebrity is up to.
However, on Pinterest, you’re there to learn something. When thinking about the audience on Pinterest, they’re thinking, ‘What’s in it for me?’
They want to know how to make those yummy enchiladas or where to buy that outfit in the picture. Because Pinterest pins are linked to a URL (hopefully your site) it helps drive major traffic!
Pinterest and Google are my main traffic drivers. It’s why I devout a lot of time to make sure my posts are SEO-friendly and that I have a ton of pins directing back to my posts.
This post was all about blogging mistakes to avoid to start growing your blog.
