If you try using Google to search for “blogging advice,” you’re going to turn up more results than you know what to do with! That’s why I decided to write a blog post on things that you should never do when blogging.
If you know me, then you know that I listen carefully to all advice. I love to hear things from other perspectives. After all, that’s the best way to grow as a writer. It also means that I hear some pretty bad advice from time-to-time. Let me share some of the worst advice that I’ve ever heard.
“Blogging is Easy so Just Write”
That might be the worst advice I’ve ever heard! Seriously, who in their right mind would think this to be true?
I’m not saying that an individual shouldn’t start a blog as a hobby and just write from the heart, but readers are not going to just flock over to read it. They need to be motivated.
First of all, blogging is not easy. It’s a form of art that requires planning and dedication. Just because you clicked on the “PUBLISH” button doesn’t mean that readers are going to find your blog. That’s where marketing becomes a vital skill.
Blogging requires you to research, write a post, edit, and then after all of that you can finally publish it.
“You Have to Post Every Day to Be Successful”
Are you seriously trying to make my head explode? Because that’s what posting every day would lead to – massive head explosion of near nuclear proportions! It wouldn’t take you long to figure out that this is just not feasible!
I mean, you can find bloggers who post every day. They eventually run out of content and their blog quickly turns into a boring snooze-fest.
Save your audience from the nuances of filler posts. Set a goal for how much content you can realistically spin out and then stay consistent. For example, I could probably post more than once per month but with all of the other obligations in my life, I cannot commit to more than that goal.
Blogging is about quality, not quantity!
“Keep your Posts Short”
Vs.
“Write Long Posts”
This is yet another highly debated area where experts love to debate. The fact is that there is no “perfect” length for blogging. The only rule is that you should write until the idea is clearly articulated. After that, you should stop writing.
If you follow that one simple philosophy, then your posts are going to vary in length. That’s okay! Just keep your readers engaged.
“Focus on SEO Optimization”
or
“Focus on Writing Great Content”
It’s usually one way or the other. The truth is that you should find a balance between SEO optimization and great content. Make no mistake, writing great content should be the highest priority but you can’t forget about SEO either.
Find your voice and then sprinkle in some keywords so that search engines can find it. Don’t rely solely on one or the other. Great content is a very subjective term. What you might see as great content might not be so great to certain readers.
Success in blogging seems to be linked more with consistency and reachability that it does anything else. Take some celebrities for example. There are several celebrity blogs that flat out suck. Their content is lacking and their SEO use is marginal at best. However, they are a huge success because they have an established audience (reachability) and they are consistently posted (consistency).
“There are Too Many Bloggers so You Shouldn’t Bother”
I hear this same type of limiting belief in every area of business. It’s probably the most damaging advice you will ever receive. Look, never make a decision based on saturation of a market. You are a unique person and you have a unique personality. Therefore, anything you create is going to be original.
You can also find ways to address common issues in a unique way. Blogging is a lifelong process. It takes time, consistency, and planning to be successful.
Stop following bad advice and just follow your passion.
- Always proofread your posts before publishing.
- Sprinkle in keywords so search engines can find it.
- Create a posting schedule and stick with it.
- Follow your passion!
- Brag about new posts on social media.
If you follow those five steps, then you’ll be just fine. Keep blogging my friends!