10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid if You Want to Be Successful II

In my previous post, we talked about some common mistakes, as well as how to avoid them. (If you’ve not checked it, the link is right here: 10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid if You Want to be Successful.) Now, we’ll be taking it a step further by highlighting some problems that occur ― especially before publishing a new article.

So, as a beginner, it will be easy for you to avoid these blogging roadblocks if you know they are coming. What are they?

6. You provide vague, theoretical knowledge.

Well, the fact remains that there is no new post anywhere again. Someone has probably written whatever you want to write about, once before. So, what makes your post stand out to your reader? How do you make them come back is all you do is provide information that does more harm than good?

Do you want us to do something? Give us precise, actionable steps that will help us do it.  Have an idea that will make us live a better life? Don’t only tell us about it, give the way to make it part of our lifestyle. Always make sure your readers can exit your post, happy that they’ve learnt something.

7. You don’t back up your claims.

See this great example from HubSpot,

“Let’s say I’m writing a blog post about why businesses should consider using Instagram for marketing. When making an argument, which is more convincing?

1. ‘It seems like more people are using Instagram nowadays.’
2. ‘Instagram’s user base is growing faster than social media usage in general in the U.S. Instagram will grow 15.1% this year, compared to just 3.1% growth for the social media network as a whole.’”

Do I still need to tell you the answer? The second of course! Data-driven content is sure to catch people’s attention compared to fluffy, superficial arguments.

You can use data to introduce your argument or use it as proof through the body of your post. Either way, it’s a win-win.

8. You plagiarize.

I don’t understand why you think this is a good idea, because it’s not. Most times, readers always know when a post (or a part of it) is plagiarized: you don’t sound like yourself, and your choice of words seem stiff.

Worse, you can be penalized by Google, which will mean serious setbacks for your website and content.

If you really, absolutely need to copy something, the better way would be to cite your source, stating clearly and linking the website you copied.

9. You think editing is not necessary.

Even experienced writers always make sure to edit, talk less you that is just starting. Even though your post might seem fluid and perfect after writing, don’t give in to the temptation of not editing your work.

You’ll probably find typos, run-in sentences and those it’s/its mistakes that are always so common. Besides, you can also use the chance to read your post aloud to cut off sentences that stick out or don’t add any meaning to the post.

You can’t afford not to edit. It’s a given.

10. Strive for the good enough.

Lastly, you don’t have to be a great writer to succeed — you only have to be good. So, while taking time to edit, remember that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” post. In fact. There’s a sort of diminishing returns that allows the meaning of your post to be blurred as you “attain” perfection.

As much as you don’t want your post to be filled with grammatical blunders and typographical errors, sometimes one or two can slip away —and that’s okay. Take it easy on yourself. When you notice, you can always update your post.

Don’t forget, “perfect” is the enemy of “done”.

And that’s it for now folks. I sincerely hope you’ve gained some insight into how to become a better blogger. If you have any questions, or would like to clarify anything, maybe even encourage me, you can always do that in the comments. I always appreciate that.

You can also check, 10 Tips to Make your Writing More Effective.