In this post, I’ll be sharing the six things you’re doing that hurt your blog. If you want to know if you’re doing things that actually hurt your blog, keep reading.
There’s more to blogging than what meets the eye. Sure, on the surface it sounds fun to spend time writing about what you love—and it is.
Let’s face it, blogging can be fun, but it is not easy! There is a level of commitment and hard work required to be successful.
Not only that, there are many simple things bloggers overlook that are actually hurting their blog, instead of helping.
Read more below to make sure you’re not making these blogging mistakes and self-sabotaging your efforts.
1. You’re Not Consistent
A common mistake that bloggers make is not being consistent. We have all heard over and over that content is KING when it comes to blogging, and that has not changed.
By creating new content consistently, you also create an increased opportunity for the community you’ve built to understand and relate to you. Not only that, having more content means that new readers have the chance to discover your blog.
Being consistent in writing new blog posts is as easy as having a plan. Writing a new blog post daily isn’t a requirement, instead, choose a rhythm that works for your lifestyle. Can you commit to one new blog post a week?
If you’ve lacked being consistent with your blog, you can easily get back into creating new, exciting content for your readers.
If you have been inconsistent because you are in need of some inspiration for blog posts, don’t worry. It happens to the best of us. One of my favorite places to head when I need inspiration for blog topics is Pinterest.
2. Your Blog Is Not Search Engine Optimized
Many people hear “SEO” and automatically become overwhelmed. Having a blog that isn’t search engine optimized is equivalent to planting a garden and never watering the seeds or fertilizing the soil.
No matter how much you plant, not much will grow in those conditions.
If you are already doing the work, why not take simple steps to help make what you’ve created easily available for others to find?
That’s what SEO does for your blog, thereby growing your community and increasing your earning ability.
Recommended Article: SEO For Beginners: How to SEO Your Blog Posts
3. Your Blog Is Not Monetized
Speaking of earning ability, if you’re putting the effort into creating amazing content for your audience, you should be able to make money.
Whether you are working directly with brands, use affiliate marketing or run ads on your site; there are many different ways that your blog can be a viable income for your family. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
4. Your Pictures Are Too Big
As you learn more about SEO, you might discover the photos you have been using are too big. This can actually be slowing down your website (which can actually hurt your SEO). If someone discovers your blog, but it takes too long to load—it is likely that you are losing readers.
Make sure that the image size of your graphics are SEO friendly and you will rarely run into this issue.
Once you’ve gotten the basics of SEO, going back to optimize your existing content will bring you better results.
5. You’re Not On Pinterest
Pinterest is a powerful tool for bloggers. Although many consider Pinterest a social media platform, in today’s climate, it is considered the visual Google—a search engine in its own right.
Bloggers who put their content on Pinterest see a dramatic increase in traffic being driven to their website from the platform.
Just like there are steps you can take to optimize your content to rank on Google, there are critical steps to make your blog Pinterest friendly.
Ensuring that others can easily pin your posts as they’re reading is key. You will also want to have your own business account on Pinterest that shares all of your content, with boards that relate to your blog’s niche.
Using available tools like Tailwind Tribes and being a member of group boards are also great ways to get your content in front of new audiences, that will help grow your blog.
Understanding exactly what Pinterest wants and gives preference to will go a long way towards growing your traffic and your blog.
Recommended Resource: MiloTree is a smart pop-up that will help you increase your followers on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest. Try a risk-free 30-day trial.
6. You Don’t Have Legal Protections
By legal protections, I don’t mean that you need to have an attorney on standby. However, there can be some consequences if your blog does not feature a privacy policy and terms and conditions.
Your readers have rights. Those rights include knowing how, when, and if you will collect their information and share it with third parties. It protects your readers.
The terms of service should clearly lay out what your readers can and cannot do with your intellectual property. It protects you.
With the recent rollout of the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and the requirement of the Federal Trade Commission to display a privacy policy, being compliant is a must.
By following these simple measures and tips, you can feel confident that you are positioning yourself to grow your blog, rather than hurt it. No self-sabotage here!