Writing a blog is a fantastic way to indulge in a passion while generating income. While it can take time for a blog to become profitable, it’s a side-hustle that appeals to a lot of people and has the potential for a high return on investment.
How to start a blog – The key to running a blog is to learn from the mistakes of others. Here are five things to avoid when running a blog so that you’ll be successful in the long run.
Writing Without Purpose
For many people, writing a blog is a form of journaling. These bloggers share their insights and stories, thoughts, and emotions. While this personal approach certainly has a place in blogging, there are boundaries to keep in mind. When monetizing your blog, you need to balance the personal narrative with purpose.
How to create blog – When you create content, do so with the reader in mind. What do they want to learn or hear from you? What topics are relevant to trends in your niche right now? Consider the goals you have when crafting a post, from making a connection to educating to creating conversions.
Writing freely is a fantastic way to get the creative juices flowing and become a better writer. However, it doesn’t mean that everything you write should be on the blog.
Letting Potential Leads Get Away
Having a lead magnet and way to capture emails should be in place from day one on your blog. If you don’t have something in place to capture leads, you’re letting money fly out the window. This is an essential component of boosting traffic to your blog, even if you aren’t ready to monetize.
So why do you need emails if you aren’t selling?
Consider it this way: if your audience finds you and likes your work, they’ll plan on coming back. However, the noise and distractions of the millions of other websites will inevitably get in the way. With an email address, you can send a message that says, “Hey friend, we posted this thing you might like.” You build a relationship, and you boost your traffic— everyone wins.
Being Cheap
A blogger wears many hats. Sometimes too many. When running a blog, being budget-oriented is a necessity for long-term success. However, there’s a big difference between being frugal versus being cheap. It’s this inability to know the difference that leaves many bloggers working in silos, unable to expand and monetize.
When building a blog, don’t make the mistake of failing to reach out to the experts. Use one of the many expert blogger resources created by Today with Jay. Pay a virtual assistant to create your graphics and post to social media for you. There are endless options available that you can scale to your budgetary needs.
Posting Sporadically
Consistency is key when it comes to blogging. When running a blog, avoid posting sporadically and stick to a regular posting schedule. This makes it easier to plan your content and creates a routine for your audience. Your readers will know when to expect new content and stay tuned.
Posting sporadically also makes it more challenging to schedule social media and use automation to streamline your efforts. The more consistent you can get, the more your blog will run like a business.
Focusing Solely on SEO
SEO should be a major component in your long-term blogging strategy, especially if you hope to be successful with your monetization efforts. However, it shouldn’t be the only focus. Actions like keyword stuffing will derail your efforts eventually, as Google is continuously working to combat black hat SEO efforts.
Instead, focus on creating long-form, high-quality content that answers your readers’ questions and adds value to your blog.
By avoiding these five common mistakes, you’ll set yourself up for blogging success now and in the future.
