Blogging has become big business around the globe. When you hit your Google search box, you are likely going to get the information you searched for from a blog. In Nigeria, We have the likes of Linda Ikeji and others who are outstanding bloggers that have given us the idea of what blogs could make for the blogger.

But, a lot of newbie bloggers have a hard time making it to the top. It is not because they can’t but because they don’t understand how to get through the first stage of blogging.

If you are a blogger reading this post, it is time to go through those common mistakes that could stop you from making money blogging.

Blogging should always be taken as a big business because the world as it is runs on information. This means if you can gain access and distribute information as fast as possible, you will take the big bulk at the end.

You should consider it fortunate to get this list because some old bloggers had to pass through most of these mistakes before they were able to find their way out of it.

So sit tight and read through this post taking not of each mistake and how you can avoid them.

13 Mistakes New Bloggers Make and How to Avoid Them

The common mistakes new bloggers make are as follows:

1. Not Taking Blog as a Hobby

The number one mistake that any new blogger would make is not taking their blog as a business. This mistake is made with the common idea that blogging is all about writing blog posts.

If your blog is not a business, then it may not become a business. It is a fundamental mistake that can affect your blog’s growth and success. When you check your Google result, you may discover that those blogs that appear on the first page are not just blogs but are blogs owned by those who have taken it to be their business.

Your blog is a business that needs your full attention. Don’t take it as a hobby and it will get the full attention it needs from you.

2. Trying to Compete with Established Blogs

When it comes to blogging, competition is as real as the air your breath. It is even tougher for you when you want to compete with established blogs. This is why the meet-too blogs are so common.

You need to make your blog unique, this will not only engage readership. It will also give you an edge over other bloggers.

If you find yourself in the same niche as an established blog, don’t fret, just make a tweak in your niche and you are good to go.

3. Putting Money First, and The Blog Second

Money is an important motivator for all bloggers. After all, who doesn’t want to make money? The mistake of putting money first, then your blog second is a move to shorten the life span of your blog.

Your blog does not exist because of you. It is obviously because of those that will read its content. Guess what, your readers don’t care if you make money or not. They care about the information that you are publishing on your blog.

Putting money first could deter you from making that money. Put your blog at the forefront and you will make the money as your blog keeps growing.

4. Not having Clear Goal for The Blog

Goal setting is an important part of achieving anything in life. Now that you are a blogger, you need to set goals and plan for your blog. One horrible mistake a blogger would make is to just publish articles without taking much taught about what you want to achieve within a period.

This mistake can lead to frustration if you don’t understand that lack of goal could demotivate you as a blogger.

Set a workable goal that you know you can achieve. Keep building up and you will be surprised at the speed of achievement your blog will experience.

5. Poor Understanding of Your Audience

How will you get to give your readers what they want? Will you just make a guess? This is one of the troubling mistakes most new bloggers make.

You readers have their own needs, when you don’t give it to them they will turn to the nearest blog that is doing that. You must understand that part of making your blog unique is by meeting the needs of your readers.

Let your blog become a stopping point to your readers. You may not be able to keep all readers. But a good amount will make you successful.

6. Lack of Social Media Marketing Skills

You will be making a gross mistake when you don’t know how to market your blog through the various social media outlet available.

You need to understand that the various social networks have their uniqueness. You are expected to follow that uniqueness.

It is not a rule, but a necessary guide that will help you to gain more success than you ever expected. For example, Facebook appeals to the younger generation, LinkedIn appeals to career and business networking people while Twitter is more of making short messages.

You can’t use all the social networks in the same manner. Make your plans on how you will be generating posts that will be unique to the networks that you want to market to.

7. Writing Without a Planned Schedule

Writing and publishing your blog post is one thing, doing on a planned schedule is another. This is where a lot of new bloggers make the mistake. Your readers may grow to understand how often you publish your post. This will give them an understanding of when to expect your post.

But, when you don’t help them to understand how often you have planned to publish a new post on your blog, it may give them the feeling of expecting your post anytime possible, which is not good.

Google also loves to know how often you will like to publish a post. It is a good search engine optimization tactics.

My advice, create a calendar that will help you to meet up with your blogs post publishing.

8. Failing to understand how to measure blog’s growth

How do you measure your blog growth? Is it by the number of clicks, engagement, social media shares? Failing to understand how to measure your blog’s growth could blind you from making a sound decision that will help your blog to succeed.

When you know how to measure your blog’s growth. It will help you to make improvements in areas that are weak and add more effort in areas that you are already making.

9. Poor Networking Skills

The taught that you can generate all the glossy number of readers alone without the help of others is a mistake that I see new bloggers making with their blogs.

Some bloggers have been in the business before you came. Reaching out to them is a way of adding value to your blog.

Networking is a common way to gain more readers. It is a necessary part for you to network with other bloggers and influencers in your niche. You will enjoy the win-win benefit.

You can network by guest posting on their blog for free, adding comments to their blog post, and mentioning them in your blog post.

10. Wrong method of Monetization

When it comes to making money online, the list will never be complete without mentioning how blogs make money.

Do you know that monetizing a blog is something you need to strategically look at? It is a common mistake that all blogs make money through the same channel. You may be in the same niche, but make money through a different channel.

This is a mistake that can slow your blog’s making money opportunity. You are expected to understand your reader’s need, then extend the solution you are giving through a form of service or product that they have come to trust your ability to deliver.

Read now: Real Truth about Making Money Blogging

11. Not Building a Team Building

Ask successful bloggers, you will get to know that they did not get there on their own. Please stop making the mistake of thinking you are going to make your blog to become another big blog business in Nigeria when you are not ready to form the team that will make it successful.

This does not mean you can’t start the blog alone, it only means your blog would need more hands as it grows.

While it is great for you to start your blog alone, you can employ the hands of freelance writers to assist you in creating content. This should be done when the blog starts making money for you since you should pay them for their services.

12. Poor Branding of Your Blog

What makes your blog unique? If you can answer that, then you have escaped this mistake commonly made by new bloggers.

You need to note that the same content written by different bloggers in the same niche will still have uniqueness. This is why you need to take a step further and make yourself and your blog unique.

Stop imitating other blogs. Start adding uniqueness to your blog. This is why you need to brand your blog. When you get new readers and returning visitors to your blog, they should instantly find a difference in your blog when compared with other blogs in your niche.

Always remember this, people love to talk and share their experiences when they can relate to your blog as a brand.

13. Lack of Effective Communication

Why will a blogger add a contact us page without know that they have the responsibility to respond to the reader’s queries? This is a big mistake that could make your readers feel that you are not serious.

When readers comment on your blog, you must and should respond. This is not an advice but a necessary part of your blogging business that would return more readers to your blog. I have even read comments on blogs than blog posts.

When your blog has a contact us page, it is your responsibility to make sure your reply to the questions that your readers are seeking for. This is very important for your blog’s growth.

Conclusion

Now that you understand some of the common mistakes that new bloggers make. We hope you will apply the solutions under each mistake listed above. This would reduce the possibility of you making such  mistakes when you start  your own blog. And this will ultimately facilitate the growth of your blog and in building authority blog niche.

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