Blogging Mistakes You May Be Making
The blogging world can be a complicated and competitive place. With so many bloggers contending for traffic, it’s important to avoid common blogging mistakes that are easy to make when you’re still learning.
Every blogger out there can tell you about errors they’ve made in their early blogging days. Let’s look at a few common blogging mistakes I notice on a regular basis so that you can avoid them.
This post contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure here.
It’s important to make your personal corner of the internet a high-quality place to hang out and learn something new. Here are some mistakes to avoid to help make your blog a more enjoyable place for your readers.
Blogging Mistake #1 – Using a Small Font
Font size is more important than you may think. You want your readers to click through to your site and find a post that not only answers their question but is also highly readable.
Your default font size will depend on your theme. Personally, I use 18pt but my theme default was 16pt.ย
Often you can change your font size within your dashboard under Appearance>Typography.
Otherwise, you can use the code: <span style=”font-size: 18px;”> in the HTML section of your content to make the adjustment.
Avoid coloured backgrounds and overly thin fonts. Think high contrast and easy to read. You’ll keep readers on your site longer and they’re more likely to share your content if it looks good too.
Blogging Mistakes #2 – Not Building an Email List
If you haven’t started growing your email list, get started. Like, today!
Your email list is by far your most valuable resource. As long as you nurture your list and keep providing value, you’ll have access to an engaged audience.
Your list is YOURS. You own it. So it won’t be impacted by a sudden algorithm change. Social platforms are always changing. But your list is your insurance policy against unpredictable changes. Take care of your list and they’ll be loyal to you.ย
I personally believe MailerLite is your best bet for creating and maintaining your email list when you are starting out. It’s user-friendly and free for your first 1000 Subscribers!
Sign up for your free accountย HERE.
Kate (email guru) Doster created an amazing Email Template Set and it is SO worth the small investment to help you grow your email list and keep your readers coming back for more.
Get the Email Marketing Fairy Templates here.
OR check out her Free Mini Course to see just how great this gal is!
Related Reading: Get Started With Email Marketing (to make money)
Blogging Mistake #3 – No Photos or Visual Interest
Not only does your information have to be good, but it also needs to look good! Meaning, don’t just write one big block of text and expect people to gobble it up.
If there are not enough images to break up all the text, even if your content is good, your readers are going to get bored.
Especially on mobile view. Remember that on mobile view, your text gets condensed vertically. So what seems like a reasonable length paragraph on desktop, may seem long, boring, and too wordy on your reader’s phone.
Break up those paragraphs with something visual. If the content seems long but you don’t have a picture to use, there are lots of other things you can do to give the post some visual interest.
Some great ways to break up content:
โข A related post you can recommend
โข Horizontal banner ads for an affiliate program
โข More white space (ie. shorter paragraphs with more spaces between them)
โข An opt-in / subscriber box
โข Large headings (hopefully in a bright colour that matches your branding)
โข A line break
โข Bulleted lists (like this one)
This can be a balancing act as you don’t want to make things SO busy it’s distracting. But keep things looking attractive enough to hold your reader’s attention.
Related Reading: How to Make Your Blog Posts More Visually Appealing
Blogging Mistake #4 – Using Pop-Ups
This is a personal preference. But pop-up subscriber forms are a big pet peeve of mine.
I can’t tell you how frustrating I find it to be reading a blog post, trying to learn something new, and focus on the content, only to have a pop-up box take over the screen and interrupt my thought process.
I can honestly say I have never, not once, subscribed through a pop-up window that interrupted what I was doing.
Generally, I close the window and try to find where I left off, but quite often, I’m left feeling slightly annoyed and have a hard time getting back into what I was reading.
Some may find them to be effective. This is just my personal opinion when it comes to creating an enjoyable experience for blog readers.
Blogging Mistake #5 – Not Focusing On SEO
When you need a recipe, a solution to a problem, or an answer to a question, where do you go? GOOGLE! You want to make sure Google can find your articles when users are looking for answers. Google is an incredibly important and potentially lucrative traffic source.
SEO can seem confusing and overwhelming. The hardest part is being patient! It takes time but can really pay off in the long run. Once you know how to write well-optimized posts, the traffic will come.ย
Do as much research on SEO as you can. It is so important to learn how Google, and other search engines work. It is well worth investing in some professional SEO training.
I found Easy On-Page SEO by SEO expert, Debbie Gartner to be a fantastic resource. This lady knows traffic! She gets around 350,000 page views a month! You can and will learn from her.
The eBook is very affordable and you get a lot of bang for your buck.
Check it out HERE.
Invest in SEO and you will not regret it! And if you can’t afford the full course right now, at the very least, take Debbie’sย Free SEO Intro Course.
Related Reading: Honest Review of Easy On Page SEO
Blogging Mistake #6 – Stretching Yourself Too Thin
There is a LOT to learn when it comes to blogging. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel like there’s just not enough time to do everything.
I often see new bloggers using every social media platform they can to get their face out there. And that’s okay! However, you don’t want to stretch yourself too thin.
It’s better to be on only a couple social networks and be highly engaged, than to be on ALL of them and not have enough time to give them the attention they need.
It may serve you better to be on only a couple social platforms so you have more time to focus on content, site quality, SEO, and email marketing.
Don’t exhaust yourself trying to do it all. Focus on the most important tasks and grow from there.
Blogging Mistake #7 – Not Getting to Know Your Audience
As you grow your email list, spend some time getting to know your audience better so you can keep providing value to them.
Try an interactive quiz using Interact.com. People love a good online quiz. It can help you learn more about your subscribers and ensure you’re serving their needs.
Or simply ask your audience where they need assistance. Send out a simple email to your list and ask them what they’re needing the most help with.
You can then split them into groups so you know what emails to send them. And of course which ones will not be useful to them. When you know what they want you can serve them better.
This will lead to fewer unsubscribes and a much more happy, engaged audience. Related: Engaging Your Audience by Carly Campbell
Blogging Mistake #8 – No Pinterest Friendly Image
I see this one quite often and it’s so frustrating. Especially if I really like the content and want to share it!
Pinterest is a massive source of traffic for bloggers. It’s so important to make your post Pinterest friendly. Most importantly, you need to have an attractive, vertical “pin” image!
I’ve noticed this one repeatedly while participating in Facebook Group blog sharing threads. I find a link to a post within my niche, only to get to the actual post and find nothing but square or horizontal images to pin.
Both of which are big no-no’s in Pinterest land. Pinning those images would make me look like a total newbie. ALWAYS have a vertical image suitable for pinning.ย
P.S. Grab some FREE Pinterest pin templates HERE.
Blogging Mistake #9 – No Legal Pages
I think the legal side of blogging is something that gets put on the back burner quite often. It can seem scary and overwhelming to get all the right legal pages in place.
However, it IS necessary! You need a privacy policy, disclaimers, and terms and conditions pages available to your readers. You may also need affiliate disclosures, and to make sure your site is CCPA and GDPR compliant.
If you are providing consultations it’s SO important you have appropriate disclaimers/disclosures on your site. You may need to set up a legal agreement, depending on the services you offer.
If you haven’t set up the legal side of your blog yet you can start with this free legal course below by blogger/lawyer Lucrezia Iapichino at Blogging for New Bloggers.
I highly recommend Lucrezia’s Legal Bundle Value Pack to fully set up your legal pages.
But if you’re not totally sure what you need, the free Legally Blogs course is a great place to get started.
UPDATE! For Black Friday week, save 40% on any legal course or template in the Blogging For New Bloggers School!! Use code: BLACKFRIDAYWEEK
Related: Does My Blog Really Need a Privacy Policy?
Blogging Mistake #10 – Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
You always want to be providing the best quality and highest value possible. Poor grammar and spelling will make you seem less credible and less professional.
These small mistakes can hurt your blog, even if your content is good.
If this is something that doesn’t come naturally to you, I can’t say enough good things about Grammarly (it’s free, so check it out!)
Take it from this grammar nerd who saw a big improvement in her writing skills after installing it. You won’t be sorry.
Blogging Mistake #11 – No Social Sharing Buttonsย
If you don’t have social sharing buttons on your posts, you make it that much more difficult for your readers to share it.ย Aim for social share buttons AND social follow buttons. A popular choice is the Grow plugin by Mediavine for social buttons.
I have also used the jQuery Pin It Button for Images plugin (which is free, btw).
It adds a “Pin It” button over images on your blog making it easier for readers to pin that nice vertical pin ๐ย
While I do recommend the jQuery plugin, I am no longer using it, simply because I got the (amazing) Tasty Pins Plugin, which has its own pin button built-in.
Read more about Tasty Pins HERE.
Blogging Mistake #12 – Too Many Ads
Lots of bloggers make a chunk of their income from ads. A common blogging goal is to be accepted into the big, high-paying networks, like Mediavine or Monumetric.
Some ads are ok. But when there are SO many ads it’s distracting from the content, this can make people bounce off your site pretty quickly.
I personally don’t have ads on my site because I just don’t like the way they look. They can be distracting and obtrusive. I want my readers to have the best experience possible.ย
Ads can slow your site speed as well, which is another reason I choose to avoid them. So if you do choose to place ads on your blog, do your research about which networks are best for site speed and be mindful of how they may impact the user experience.
Blogging Mistake #13 – Not Investing in Blogging Education
Free blogging courses tend to give the basics. An introduction to a subject, if you will. But more often than not, you get what you pay for.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some great free courses available out there. But anytime I’ve spent money on my blogging education, I’ve always kicked myself for not doing it sooner. There is a reason the pros are charging for their skills and strategies.
The information in paid courses is generally valuable stuff, and therefore, should be paid for! You wouldn’t decide to become a nurse and expect to learn those skills for free. No, you’d pay for the education that will potentially pay your bills in the future.
Blogging should be no different. You are investing in a future business. You should expect to put some money into your training.ย
Having said that, not ALL paid courses are created equal. Do your research before purchasing a course. You can ask around in Facebook groups for feedback or find reviews on Pinterest.ย
Related Reading: Best Blogging Courses to Help You Make Money
Common Blogging Mistakes: Conclusion
Don’t stress if you’ve read this post and realize you’re making these mistakes. I used the words “common mistakes” for a reason.
Blogging is a never-ending learning process. Platforms and algorithms change. What works at one time might not a year down the road. Technology and strategies will always be evolving. Keep learning and you’ll keep growing!ย
If you need an objective outsider to review your blog for mistakes, I can help! Check out the details of my Full Blog Audit Service for more info.
You may also like:
7 Common Pinterest Mistakes to Avoid
Brilliant Blog Comment Tips
20 Ten Minute Blog Tasks
Like This Post? Pin it for Later!
If you feel like you now have a huge to-do list to tackle, grab my Free Blog Goal Sheetย
Wow. This was an amazing post to read. Encouraging because Iโm doing most of these as a newbie, but also great specifics for things Iโve been wondering about. Thank you so much for the great info! I feel like this was a cheat sheet to the test!
You’re so welcome Rachel! I’m so glad you found it helpful ๐
These are all so important, and some of my biggest pet peeves! Totally with you on the pop-ups . . . literally have *never* signed up for anything because of one. One thing I have started to do recently is reading drafts of my posts on my phone before I publish. It really makes such a difference to see the paragraphs and headings and photos as they will appear on a mobile device {where most of my readers will be seeing my posts}. Thank you for sharing. โค
I think it’s really easy to forget how our posts will look on mobile view! But so important to check.
I really struggle with number two. Iโve been working on my SEO and Pinterest. I have decent time allotment for Writing and social media, but I just donโt know what to email my followers. The interesting stuff is what Iโm blogging so what do I email????
This is my next step, for sure. July maybe. I do have MailChimp set up and an automatic welcome message. Maybe I use email for challenges…idk.
I like to send my list occasional freebies and let me them about really great offers/discounts other bloggers are offering on products I recommend. Sometimes I’ll link to posts if it’s relevant. If it’s still something you are struggling with down the road I’d look into that email template pack I mentioned in the post. Meera Kothand is a pro when it comes to email marketing. Thanks for the comment!
Really useful tips! specially for new bloggers like me, thanks! BTW I hate pop ups too, so annoying
Thanks, Maria! I hope you found some helpful info ๐
I come across blogs with too many ads all the time and it drives me nuts. For the small amount they make it would better to have a cleaner layout that is attractive and easy to use. Yes to the font as well!! All of these tips are great will save your Pinterest.
Aren’t pop ups the worst?! Glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comment ๐
I totally agree with you on all of these. I do not have an email list, so I guess I should get one. I don’t like pop-ups either. Thanks for the tips.
Pop Ups stink! And yes, get on that email list! It takes time to build a valuable, loyal list, so it’s best to just start asap!
wow great tips, some of them i have never really thought about them. i don’t like pop-ups either. yeah too many ads is annoying although I do understand that’s how they make money but is like youtube when they have 5 ads in one video
This is often very helpful for a starter . I merely bookmarked this post for future reference. Keep sharing this kind of helpful post. Thanks for sharing. Itโs a awfully touchy subject.
I’ve read many blogs about blogging mistakes but yours is by far the most convincing! You have a unique voice, I can tell. Thankfully I’m now over all the other mistakes except for the e-mail list haha. I’m very guilty about not having an e-mail list and now I clicked the MailerLite and registered! Thank you so much! Now I can get started.
http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Awesome! Good for you for getting started. I love MailerLite. I started email marketing with Mailchimp but didn’t like it. Thanks for the comment and the kind words ๐
As always, great post!
I completely agree about breaking up your content. I’m glad you mentioned it because you reminded me that I should always check my mobile preview. Too often I just focus on my PC since that’s where I edit.
I also agree about the no vertical pins pet peeve. It would be nice if everyone had a legit pin you could schedule into tailwind!
The popups point is interesting. We don’t have any yet but were probably going to head that way once we have a freebie. Do you have any thoughts on converting subscribers with and without popups?
Thanks so much! I find embedding a sign up form in the side bar or within the post to be way less obtrusive for the reader. Your email service provider should offer the option to add a form right into the post. This way the user has to scroll by it, but their train of thought isn’t interrupted by a pop up. Sometimes adding it to the bottom of the post is helpful. This way if they liked what they read they can sign up for your freebie or subscribe to get similar info. It’s just a little less pushy and presumptuous in my opinion. Of course, you can always try a pop up on your site and see if it’s working. Everyone will have different results ๐
There’s so much great advice in this article! I like how you explained why they were blogging mistakes and then followed up by providing solutions to fix them. So thanks for sharing all this useful information!
You’re so welcome Miranda! I hope you found some useful tips!
I totally agree with your #6! Stretching yourself too thin was a huge blogging mistake that I made and burning out is absolutely where you will end up. Once I pulled back on how many places I was showing up, and reduced my goals it became so much easier and more enjoyable!
I’m glad you agree Kari ๐ This is the reason why I still haven’t created an Instagram account for my blog. I use it for my client’s businesses but don’t feel the reward will outway the added work at this point for my own. Different platforms work well for different niches as well. It’s important to research which social platform your niche tends to generate traffic with. Thanks for the comment!
This post is so helpful! I’m glad I can refer back to it from time to time to help keep my blog in check ๐
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment ๐
There are SO many articles on how to blog, but I decided to spend my time on this blog for a few reasons: 1. NO ADS!! This makes me so, very happy! I click out of sites all of the time because I am overwhelmed by ads and pop-ups. 2. This site is so clean and easy to read. I love it. I am just starting my blog and have a million things to learn, but learning from a site that I really love looking at seems to be a good place to start. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words! I hate ads too. They infuriate me while I’m trying to learn something new. Good luck with your new blog. I am launching a new product just for beginner bloggers in the next week or two. Stay tuned ๐