4 Easy To Make Blogging Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Do you struggle to cover all of the topics you want to?
Are you delivering the hard sell?
After a wonderful holiday break, I am back to blogging on Mondays with all sorts of blogging tips and tricks. While I was on my hiatus, I was researching new topics and I really wanted to focus in on how to become a better blogger.
During my research, I stumbled across blogging mistakes. Now there is a lot of information out there on mistakes you can make as a blogger, which to me feels a little overwhelming. However, I feel like it is so important to push yourself and continue to grow and become a better blogger.
Today, I thought I would share 4 blogging mistakes that are super easy to make. We will also review how you can fix them.
- The Hard Sell
I remember sitting in my 10th grade marketing class – which I loved. It was the first class of my day, and somehow I was always excited for it. This is where I first heard of the hard sell. In blogging, however, if you have not yet gained the trust of your reader, they will most likely not care about what you have to say about your amazing product.You can fix this by simply building trust with your readers. You build trust by offering free information, like, how to(s) and steps. After you have built their trust, they will seek out your opinions and tell their friends about you.
- Quantity or Quality? I have said before, ideally you want to be posting blogging articles 3-5x a week. I get it, especially if blogging is part time. It is so easy to lose the freshness when you are trying to produce so often.
You can fix it by research and planning. What a boring answer, I know. But, I also know that with writing for multiple blogs 3x a week, that if I’m not planning and researching I face losing my freshness.
Here is what I do:
- Take time to do the research
- Use bullet points on the key points of what I want to say
- Let it sit
- Come back and write the blog articles.
I know this sounds simple, but it took a while for me to figure out that planning and letting it sit was such a huge part of my writing process. Now, even while doing this process, it saves me time and keeps the freshness locked in.
- Losing the Intent
It is easy to want to attract as many people as possible to your blog. Sometime while we are trying to do that, we lose the intent of the blog post’s purpose.You can fix it by defining some prime points about your blog. Ask yourself, what 3 subject do I want to be addressing in my blog? After that, target your research and your articles towards those subjects.
- Forgetting to Check Grammar
I cannot tell you how thankful I am for my editor! No matter how many times I proof read my articles, she’ll take one look and find a comma I forgot. It is so easy to miss those silly commas! We have all read those articles that have sentences that do not make sense.You can fix this with a second pair of eyes. Having someone else – even a family member – reread your article will help to catch those nasty commas or other grammar mistakes. If you do not have access to a second pair of eyes, then let the article sit and come back make your eyes the second pair.
All these mistakes are super easy to make and even the most professional blogger may find themselves forgetting commas. If you want to read about more mistakes blogger make check out this article by Social Media Examiner.
Your Turn
Have you ever come across one of these? What is a blogging lesson that you’ve learned that you would share with a blogger that is just starting out?
Nice article Christine. You are so right about do the research, then let it sit. I find that the hardest thing to do as I am so sure, at the time of the idea, that I know what the reader wants to read. After it “sits” for a while that sense diminishes a bit and makes for better organization.
Thanks for such good information.
Sheila, Thank you for commenting! I would have never guessed that the secret to success would be letting it sit. 🙂
Thank you, this is clear and helpful. This helps me realize it is better to not hit publish so fast.
You are most welcome, Carolyn! I’m glad to hear that you found it helpful.
~ Robin
I self edit right now and I am really going to have to change that. I want to find an editing partner, they check me I check them….anyone?
Kerry, thanks so much for commenting. An editing partner is a great idea, I love it. 🙂
Super post! I see SO many blogs that are all about selling and use soft and hard sells to get there. I think it’s the wrong place and wrong time to sell the majority of the time. I also notice these blogs seem to have a lot of grammar mistakes, too. It tells me perhaps that sales people shouldn’t be blogging. Or that people should use spell check (but I guess that doesn’t always help with grammar and diction).
In any case, this a a good reminder for both savvy and not-so-savvy bloggers. Thanks!
Brooke,
I agree with your “wrong place and wrong time”. Blogging is a different type of marketing. Thanks so much for commenting.
Thanks for the blog. I just started blogging a few months ago and I really struggle with it. I think my problem is that I read so many wonderful blogs and feel very inadequate. I think I need to remember to write to the novice not the professional blogger which I sometimes do. Thanks for the tips!
Heather,
Blogging is great because the best work we can do, is the work that truly reflects who we are. Good luck to you as you explore and thanks for the comment. 🙂
Great post. I know I need to spend more time in the research & editing phases – I’m a “pound it out when the ideas hit” kind of girl. Reminders like this are great for me.
Carrie,
I am the same way, I feel like if I don’t get something written down I’ll lose it. My problem is when I don’t let that sit – I make way to many mistakes. 🙂 Thanks for comment.
Christine – this is a really useful post. It also took me a while to get the ‘let it rest for a while’ – a bit like baking bread. It really does make a difference. We are trying to plan our Blog posts more (well, start planning that is :)) this year, and these points will really help.
Caroline,
Thanks so much for the comment. I’m not sure if you feel this way but for me planning is my path to stress-free blogging. 🙂
Great read. Smart points that many of us need to be reminded of from time to time. I’d like to add in a 5th. Failure to fact check. I so often see numbers and claims with little to nothing to back them up. If you’re going to post percentages, you have to link to a trusted resource.
Mallie, great addition. You are absolutely right that facts should be checked by more than one trusted resource. Thank you for chiming in!
Hi Mallie,
I love your 5th addition. You are so right, failing to fact check is a big blogging mistake. For me a big part of writing blog articles is having the information and research to back it up. Thanks so much for sharing.
Great article and thank you so much. Blogging is a big part of my website. I know it’s very helpful for SEO’s so I do try to write one at least once or twice a month. I do need to do more and that is my goal. I am in retail so of course I want to add the sales part like linking to my Jewelry. This is easy as most my blogs are about Jewelry which has so much to tell. I have mostly kept Blogging about Jewelry and not stray off and that is where I keep myself on track. Should I be adding other subjects~that is what I am not quite sure about in my business?
Cheers Cindy
Cindy, I’m so glad to hear that you like Christine’s article. Best practices for blogging show that we should keep within our niche. It should be fine if the subject you are writing about is related to your jewelry business. I love your article, Jewelry and Ancient Ireland History. Perhaps you could write more history articles? I would love to read more about the Smoky Quartz, the National Gem of Scotland.