Blogging has so many benefits for your small business. However, just because you hit publish on a blog post does not mean you’re reaping all of those benefits. There are many common blogging mistakes that could be negatively impacting your website.
In this post I’m sharing the most common blogging mistakes to avoid for your small business.
The biggest blogging mistake is having posts that do not serve your client or potential client.
When you’re blogging you have to remember who you are blogging for. What is the purpose of your blog post?
Blogs are meant to serve your potential or current clients. Think of them as a way to build the know, like, trust factor, but also help your client have the best possible experience.
Before hitting publish, read your blog and ask yourself if you are educating, inspiring, or entertaining your potential client. If not, then try a new angle. Make sure your blog has plenty of information that will help someone know what it is like to work with you and how to make the process go even more smoothly.
Another common blogging mistake is having too much information in one post.
I know what you’re thinking, “But you just told me to have a blog post full of information!” That is true, yes. However, I often see business owners then take this to the other extreme by providing way too much in one post.
You are excited about sharing what you know, about sharing tips or information on a specific topic. So you take it too far and include everything but the kitchen sink in the post!
A good rule of thumb is 3-5 good points that all relate to the main topic of the post. If you have more to say, create a second (or third) post that you can then link to.
However, if someone sees too much information they may be too overwhelmed and click away.
Here is a quick example. If I were to write a blog post on why to have family photos in the fall, it would include something like the points below.
Family photos are great in fall because of fall colors, the proximity to Christmas for holiday cards, and the earlier sunset times for those babes who go to bed early.
Each of those points would be a main heading and would be a great post. However, if I started to include what to wear, why you don’t want photos in fall, or why you should include grandparents in that shoot I have lost track of the main point of the post.
See how each of those extra points could be their own blog post?
That leads me to the next common blogging mistake.
Lack of structure in a blog post can cause your reader to click away.
Go back to your fifth grade writing class and keep it simple in your blog posts. The structure of your blog post should be easy to follow.
I like to do the basic structure of introduction, 3 or 4 key points, and a conclusion.
Bouncing between points and ideas or not having any specific direction means it takes effort for the reader to follow along. People do not like taking effort and will lose interest quickly. Lost interest equals clicking away.
Using keywords improperly is another blogging mistake.
Your blog can be a great way to gain SEO for your website, when done properly. However, all too often, keywords are either over or underused or not used at all.
Each blog post should have a specific keyword that you are working to rank for.
For more in depth look at SEO, I highly recommend MaryBeth Bryant’s blog on SEO Keyword Planning.
Finally, avoid complex or cutesy blog titles.
Your title needs to tell readers exactly what to expect. When Google crawls your blog it is looking for specific words and phrases. You may want to be creative with your titles, however that will not help your post get seen.
When titling a blog post I like to think what would someone type into a search bar? This means keeping things simple and not using very industry specific terms that someone might not know to use.
For example, I hold my outdoor family photo sessions at golden hour. However, someone who isn’t a photographer may have no idea what golden hour is. Therefore, instead of naming a post “Why Family Photos are Best at Golden Hour” I would say “Why Family Photos are Best at Sunset”.
It may feel a bit overwhelming looking at this list of blogging mistakes. Yet the biggest mistake is not blogging at all. Just start showing up in your blog and serve your client. It is not a short term game, but you will be amazed with how far blogging can take your business.
Looking for more tips and strategies for running your small business? Check out more blogs in the Small Business Category!
Comments +