Blogging Mistakes

Blogging can be a great way to help you grow your business. You can reach a lot more people by writing consistent content that is helpful for others. However, it is not for everyone.

Blogging can be hard work. If you expect to get results without effort, you are going to struggle with your blogging. You may not get the results that you were hoping for. It takes time and dedication to see your blogging pay off.

Many business owners try to blog, but they make many mistakes that could hurt their marketing plan. Here are some common mistakes that many business owners make.

Many business owners start blogging without a plan. They think they will start a blog, publish a few online, and start seeing results. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Business owners need to have a plan. They need to define their goals before they even start. They also need to define their target audience so that all their blogs can be written for them. Then, you should determine your blogging schedule. This is important, so your readers know exactly when you will put out new content.

It is also important to monitor the results. Most small business owners start blogging and never stop. They don't look at the results. They continue putting content out there. While more content is good, you could really learn a lot about your posts if you look at the results.

You should see which posts get engagement and which don't. Are there certain topics or styles that readers respond to? If so, continue to put similar content out there. Don't waste your time writing highly technical posts, especially if no one reads them!

Your blogs need to focus on your target audience. Too many bloggers think about their audience when they are coming up with ideas but forget about them while writing the content. Every word and thought needs to be about your target audience, or you will lose them. 

Make sure that you talk in words that they understand. Explain things so that it will be clear for them. Though you might have a good way of fixing something, would they? Or would they fix it another way? Make sure you give them options that will work for them, not just you.

Blogging is often not a priority for most business owners. You are busy. We all are. When blogging is new, finding time to fit it into your schedule is easy. But what about a few months from now? Do you have time to write your blogs during your busy season? If not, are you going to find a way to make it work?

If you are too busy and likely to give up, you might not want to start a blog. It is not going to help your business if you grow loyal readers and then quit blogging. Many business owners try to write blogs ahead of time, so they have some to fall back on when busy. You could also outsource your blogs to give you more time to focus on your business.

Readers will not write blogs with bad writing. Even if you do catch the eye of some potential readers, they will quickly click away if your writing is not good. Because of this, if you are not a good writer (or struggle with your grammar), you will need some help.

If you have a few employees, one of them can help you with your writing. If not, you may consider hiring someone else to write your blogs (or at least have someone else edit them)!

Many business owners don't use their blogs to their full potential. Though blogs are used to help people solve their problems and bring them to your business, they are also used as a way to build relationships. You need to respond to any questions and comments that you get, even if they are negative. This shows your readers that they are important to you. It goes a long way to making your customers happy.

Many bloggers tend to make their blogs too promotional. Though your blog is there to help you grow your business, you won't win people over if all you write about is you and your business. People don't search for your products. They are searching for solutions to their problems. In order to be found, your blogs need to give them valuable information on what they are searching for.

If you have loyal readers and start doing too many promotional blogs, you may lose them. Many unsubscribe because they feel like all you are trying to do is sell them something.

Too many business owners struggle with their blogs. They know that they need one, but they don't really know what to do. They blog here and there, as they have time. They are not consistent. They also don't look at the results to ensure that they are giving their readers the information that they need, in a way that is pleasing to them.

You need to have a plan and a schedule before you even start blogging. Then, you need to stick to it. If you need help, get it. Someone can write one or two blogs for you (or all of them if you don't enjoy it)!

Once your blog is set up, you should try to use it to its full potential. Really connect and communicate with your readers. They will really enjoy it and, when they need something, they will come directly to you!

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbrea.