There are plenty of mistakes that first-time bloggers make because they are unaware of the ins-and-outs of content marketing. Here are six things to avoid when blogging according to business owners themselves.
- Not Adding Optimized Images
A representative from European Denture Center states, “One thing I’ve learned about blogging is the importance of adding optimized images.” Adding high-quality, properly sized images helps break up long chunks of text to aid in the reader experience. This directly affects search engine rankings because making your articles more reader-friendly with images lowers bounce rates. Bounce rates and time on page are both affected by how pages are laid out, so adding images throughout your blogs (especially long ones) is beneficial.
- Posting Inconsistently
Another blogging mistake to avoid is posting inconsistently. A representative from College Athlete Advantage says, “We have learned that posting blogs on a regular basis has helped increase organic traffic to our website.” By publishing content regularly, you build credibility with potential customers, Google will crawl your site more frequently, and users will be more engaged. Creating a content calendar to plan out when new blog articles will be posted is helpful for developing a routine.
- Choosing the Wrong Topics
An employee of Qwick shares, “When writing content, you must choose relevant topics and target keywords with adequate search volume.” You want to position yourself as an expert in your industry through your blog content. Choosing topics that no one is searching for won’t help you gain any organic traffic or new customers. Use a keyword research tool like Ahrefs or Surfer to help you find relevant keywords to target in your content.
- Being Too Self-Promotional
Trupath, a manufacturing recruiter shares that one mistake to avoid is being too self-promotional in your business’s blog content. A Trupath representative recommends, “For most blog articles, you should stick to a call to action at the end of the piece.” Including a call to action in the conclusion of an article is the most seamless way to tie in your brand without being overly self-promotional.
- Not Providing Value for Users
Cruise America, the nation’s largest RV rental company is no stranger to blogging. The company posts over 20 articles per month on average. “One thing we’ve learned through the years is that providing value is key to any blog post,” a Cruise America representative said. Businesses should aim to provide readers with some kind of value in every blog. For example, in a lot of Cruise America’s blogs, the company shares tips about where to stay near a specific national park.
- Not Following SEO Best Practices
A representative from A World For Children, says “SEO or search engine optimization is vital for blogging for your business.” Not following SEO best practices is one of the most common blogging mistakes people make. Do your research or work with professionals to ensure you are following best practices. This will help you get the most organic traffic and generate the most leads.
Now you know the top blogging mistakes to avoid when writing for your business! We hope you feel more prepared to improve or launch your blog. Just remember to keep these tips in mind when working on any blog posts.