The 7 Deadly Sins of Blogging: The Most Common Blog Mistakes

Whether you blog for your business or enjoy cataloguing your life’s achievements in your very own virtual diary, you probably want it to be the best it can be, right? Well, here are a few of the most common blogging errors we have seen across the blogosphere.

We call them the 7 deadly sins:

Although it is a good idea to see what is already out there to figure out what works and what doesn’t, you should never ‘borrow’ work and certainly don’t copy! How would you feel if someone did it to you?

Prevent getting into trouble by telling your readers where the information comes from. Cite it at the bottom of the piece or just write an original piece.

Do you know who you are writing for? If you don’t then your copy will become generic and unengaging. Yes you want a lot of people to read your blog but you can’t personally speak to them all. Pick a conversation with your largest demographic and talk to them as you would a friend to make your writing more interesting.

How often do you publish articles? Do you use a programme to automate your uploads at regular time intervals? The number of articles you post should be consistent. Don’t upload one a week for a while, forget for a few months, and then shove a load up on the same day.

A publishing schedule should be predetermined and have a structure to it. Many readers will be put off if they don’t know when (or even if) you are going to post your next piece.

Being aware of SEO practises such as using keywords in your copy is great but be careful not to overkill it. Remember: You’re writing for your readers, not the robots that trawl the internet. Don’t keyword stuff! Fit it in naturally only a few times or you will look spammy. Quality content is the most important factor when writing a blog.

Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Joey tries to make his letter of recommendation to the adoption agency sound more intellectual? He ended up making it worse because they thought a child wrote it.

So step away from that synonyms button and keep it simple and to the point. Using long words won’t make you sound clever or like you know what you are writing about. Next time you write, read through it and see how you can simplify it. Don’t dumb it down, just cut out the waffle.

A blog is all about what you have to say, so make sure that it sounds like something you would say. There are probably thousands of blogs out there writing about exactly the same topics as you, so add a little personality to make yours stand out from the rest.

Your voice and experiences can make a post unique and readers will return to hear from YOU. So be controversial and speak against common beliefs with some added humour. That’s more interesting than conforming.

There is the ability to leave comments on articles for a reason – so your readers can engage with you! They can ask questions, further your point or maybe just say “well done, that was really interesting!” Make sure to reply to these comments and engage with your readers to make them feel valued and build relationships. They’ll be more likely to remember your blog and return then.

So do you have any sins to confess? Tweet us and let’s talk about it!