20 Mistakes That Beginner Bloggers ALWAYS Make

So you want to start a blog?

Let me start off by saying congrats!

Blogging is such a great tool to share your voice, get creative & make some money while doing it.

There are so many things I WISH I knew when I started blogging back in February 2014. I have learnt so much over the years and today I'll be sharing all of the mistakes I made as a beginner blogger + how YOU can avoid making them!

Blogging Mistake #1: Not Having Clickable Titles

You may have just written the best blog post EVER but it will be all for nothing if no one clicks on your post to begin with. This has been such a huge learning curve for me over the years. When creating a title, answer these 3 questions:

1. Is it solving a problem that your readers have?
2. Is it specific to what is being discussed in the post?
3. Is it relevant to your audience?

👉 Examples of some of my crappy titles (I'm warning you, they are bad):

Daydream Part 1 - This title doesn't tell people what the post is about nor why they should click on it.
My Sunday Night Rituals - While this title at least indicates what the post is about, there is nothing drawing the audience in. A better title would have been: 10 Habits to Add To Your Night Routine.
Organisation Tips - Very vague.. not sure exactly what I'm getting if I click on it.

👉 Examples of some of my CLICKABLE titles:

What NOT To Do in Europe: 33 Travel Mistakes to Avoid - Explains what the post is about and I know there will be lots of examples.
Best Travel Apps That You'll Actually Use - This indicates that there will be valuable advice in the post.
How To Start a Bullet Journal - This is actually my MOST viewed post of all time. A lot of people were asking questions about my bullet journal on Instagram so I knew it would be relevant to my audience.

Blogging Mistake #2: Not Picking a Niche

Repeat after me: Pick. A. Niche. I spent years blogging without a strategy - some days I'd post about fashion, then DIY, travel, inspiration, blogging tips, mixtapes, cooking... See the problem yet? People didn't know what they were going to get when they came to my blog - it was all over the place.

When creating your own blog, make a list of all the topics you are interested in and then narrow it down to 2-3.

Blogging Mistake #3: Font Size Too Small

There's nothing worse than opening a blog post, only to then have to zoom in to try and read it.

👉 Pro Tip: Use size 16-20px

Blogging Mistake #4: Not Writing Enough

This largely comes down to a lack of planning. Instead of doing what I used to do - taking photos and then trying to come up with something to say about them - try planning your post first. The way I try and structure my blog posts is:

- Hook the reader

- Context (if needed)

- Bulk content - split up into headings and subheadings

- Wrap up

Blogging Mistake #5: No Pinterest Friendly Images

Pinterest is such a valuable tool for increasing traffic to your blog. Always try and include some pinnable images throughout your post.

Blogging Mistake #6: Spelling or Grammatical Errors

Proof read. Proof read. Proof read.

That's all.

Blogging Mistake #7: Not Defining a Target Audience

Are you writing your content to new mums, university teens or some other group? Write that down and keep it top of mind every time you write content. It will become clearer who your target audience is once you choose a niche.

Blogging Mistake #8: Not Posting Consistently

I can explain...

Consistency = Key. Make sure you establish a posting schedule to continue to drive traffic to your blog.

Blogging Mistake #9: Trying To Learn Everything At Once

As a new blogger, you will make mistakes. It doesn't matter how many blog posts you read or research you do, it's inevitable. The best thing to do is to just get started and you will learn as you go (I still am learning so much and I have been blogging for over 7 years).

Blogging Mistake #10: Not Interlinking Content

This is a big one and what I mean by this is that you link related blog posts in every post that you make. This keeps people on your blog for longer, increases the chances of them subscribing or making a purchase and helps them better connect to YOU.

You may notice in tip #1 I linked to 6 of my old posts!

Blogging Mistake #11: Not Repurposing Old Content

Repurposing content is great for a number of reasons:

1. Gives you the chance to redeem 'less' successful content

2. Helps you reach new audience members

3. Helps you reach new audience members

4. Allows you to link between posts

Blogging Mistake #12: Not Having a Call to Action

What is your goal for your blog? Want to grow you audience? Increase engagement? Increase your email list? Ask your audience to do these things!

👉 Pro Tip: Tell people why they should take action. For example, offer a freebie for people that sign up to your mailing list.

Blogging Mistake #13: Not Marketing Your Content

I know the feeling all too well of spending DAYS writing a blog post only to have 2 people read it (thanks Grandma & Grandpa). You need to promote your content in order to drive traffic to your blog. This could be through Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram or Tik Tok.

Related: 9 Ways to Share Your Blogposts

Blogging Mistake #14: Not Optimising for Mobile Users

These days, so many people are accessing content via their phone and there is nothing more annoying than opening a website where you have to scroll side to side to read it. Having a mobile optimised site makes for a much smoother experience and increases the chances that readers will stick around.

Blogging Mistake #15: Not Writing to Solve a Problem

The main goal of your content should be to help solve a problem. When you do this, you become a resource that people will come back to again and again.

Blogging Mistake #16: Not Using Pinterest to Drive Traffic

While I have been an avid Pinterest user for years, I have overlooked it as a blogging tool until recently. It can drive a ton of traffic to your blog. Remember to set it up as a business account. If you already have Pinterest, it's super easy to turn a personal account into a business one.

Blogging Mistake #17: Not Using Enough Visuals

Visuals are great at breaking up bodies of text. Ensure you post high quality images.

👉 Pro Tip: Don't like taking photos? Use Unsplash for free stock images.

Blogging Mistake #18: Not Taking the 'About Me' Page Seriously

It's your chance to share who you are with your audience. Write about who you are, what you do and what the blog is about. You can see my About Me page here for inspiration.

👉 Pro Tip: Include a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) as well as recommended blog posts

Blogging Mistake #19: Aiming for Perfection

I always come back to the quote, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started." It doesn't matter if you are a blogging newbie or a seasoned professional, there will always be ways your blog could be better. Just start and you will naturally improve over time.