Blogging is often approached as generally a simple undertaking – and it is, if you’re conscientious and know the rules. But of course, as in any other part of life, it’s easy to make mistakes when blogging, and leaving them unremedied can be costly. That’s why it’s important to know where bloggers commonly misstep.
Here are 3 of the most common blogging mistakes bloggers make and how you can avoid or fix them. Not making such mistakes in the first place is good practice, but acknowledging and fixing errors can also help build improved relationships with readers and customers.
- Pushing SEO Too Hard: If your blogging is focused entirely on improving your web ranking, it will show, and readers won’t be receptive. That’s because even though SEO has become more complex – it isn’t all keywords all the time – it’s still writing for robots and not readers.Instead of focusing on SEO, keep your eye on content and then make sure that content follows the right rules in terms of issues like links and mobile accessibility. Doing great content the right way is always better than just taking the SEO road.
- Focusing On The Competition: Knowing what your competition is writing about can help you know where to focus your work in terms of messaging, product-related writing, and post volume, but remember that you aren’t writing for the competition. If your work is always a one-off from that other company’s blog or trying to take down a competing brand, readers will notice. Specifically, your readers will notice that they aren’t your priority.Instead of trying to double down on whatever your competition is doing, assess where their strengths and weaknesses are and see what you can do to build up your work counter to those points. Show that you’re a better brand to work with by focusing on your work and improving your content. That’s content that will motivate readers.
- Posting The Wrong Content: Posting the wrong content doesn’t always mean posting things your readers aren’t interested in or that falls into the SEO trap described above. Rather, it might mean grabbing that unproofed draft you had open or the wrong file all together – and then not realizing it in the hustle and bustle of the workday. What do you do?Luckily, unlike trying to recall an email, fixing an incorrect blog post is much easier since you can delete and edit posts. Still, it’s worth trying to build in that extra check when posting to make sure you have the right blog. If you do post the wrong content, replace it as soon as you realize, and acknowledge the mistake. An early reader may have caught the error and being upfront about it is the best approach. A commitment to proofreading can also help prevent this problem.
Your blog doesn’t have to be Pulitzer Prize winning work to benefit your business, but it does need to abide major blogging norms, specifically serving quality content targeted to your audience. When your blogging demonstrates an investment in your customers and readers, it will take you far.