Top 6 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid

Blogging as a career is seldom seen as a job that does not require the most effort. Most people conclude that a blogger makes money by sitting in front of the PC, writing all day. But that can only be farther from the truth. Successfully making a living from blogging requires far more thought and effort than you might think.

If you’re a seasoned blogger or someone experienced in content marketing, then you know what the work behind blogging entails. If you’re new to this and would like to try your hand in blogging and make a career out of it, then this fact should not deter you from pursuing blogging. While it does require more work than you think, carefully planning ahead will prove to be a great help.

Common Blogging Mistakes

For experienced and beginner bloggers alike, it’s important to trace back your roots and start cultivating best practices and avoid blogging mistakes so they don’t become a habit in the long run. To help you spot these must-avoid practices, we’ve listed down most of the commonly done blogging mistakes you should take note of and avoid in the future.

1. Your tone of voice is too formal

Remember that you are writing a blog post and not a thesis or dissertation. Avoid writing in a tone of voice as if you’re writing a technical article so your blog posts don’t come off as too stiff. Always take note that you are writing for your reader’s enjoyment. It should be fun to read while being informational and/or educational to your readers.

With that said, your writing style should be something that emulates the way you talk. Write as if you’re having a chat with your reader.

2. You stray from the topic too much

This is another faux most bloggers tend to do. Although it’s ideal for bloggers to have their own unique personalities displayed in their writing, doing it too much may do more harm than good when it comes to gaining your readers’ attention. Avoid straying from the topic too much through making personal experiences as examples or talking about a different matter, as much as possible. Always make it a goal to make your point throughout the whole blog post and deliver it gradually.

3. You talk about yourself too much

For beginners, this may sound a bit too harsh, but you have to understand that starting means that what you should focus on is what you can bring to the table. That means that you have to prove yourself first and get them interested in you. You have to understand that most readers will not care that the article is written by you, only that your blog is written to help, teach, or educate them on a certain topic.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to entirely suppress your personality. Inject some aspects of personality into your writing and be consistent. In time, your writing style will be something that your readers will be able to identify you with.

4. You do not make use of data when writing an argument

If you want your argument to stick, you have to prove to your readers that what you are writing about comes from a verifiable source. When writing an argument to prove your point, it is vital to lay down your facts and your data. Always make it a point to use data from sources with authority in that particular area, as well.

5. You only write what interests you

This is another mistake most bloggers do. While writing topics that interests you is good, as it shows how passionate you are about certain topics, do remember that you are also writing for the readers. With that in mind, you should create blog posts that resonate with your readers and what they need.

First of all, your goal in writing should be helping your readers – you have to give them value. But before that, think about the larger goal at hand. Whether it’s to gain subscribers, followers or you want your blog to aid in the growth of your business, then your goal in writing should align with that.

6. You are unorganized

Most bloggers tend to write in a “brain fart” fashion. This means that they write whatever they think about, whenever they think about it. This tends to make your blog seem like a journal with sub-par content instead of a blog written to express yourself by helping out your readers. Unless it’s something that aligns with your blog and business goals, you have to stick to your editorial calendar. It’s also good to write your blog posts by preparing an outline to help you organize your thoughts and stick to a content type you think will benefit your readers.

What are your tried and tested recommendations to make your blog stand out? Share in the comments below!