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If you view even the tiniest of changes around you through the sieve of a perspective post, then blogging is not just passion but a way of life for you. I have been blogging for well over 6 years now, regularly for over 4 years. And in this time, it has evolved from being just a hobby to a huge part of my identity. But would I call myself a seasoned blogger or a veteran maybe when it comes to blogging? Definitely not because I’m still learning, still making mistakes.
It has been a learning experience. With each passing year, with each mistake and each achievement, I have learned something new. While, in the beginning, the mistakes were because I was new to this world of blogging, today they are mostly errors of judgment. When I look back at my initial years of blogging, I wish I knew better. But then experience doesn’t accumulate overnight, does it? Also, I’m what I’m today because of those very mistakes. Still, I wish I could have avoided some.
Today as I reminisce about my initial blogging years, let me lay down for you some of the common mistakes every new blogger makes. These are mistakes that can be easily avoided if paid a little attention to. So, here is the list. Who knows it might help someone somewhere?
Not Proofreading Posts
It probably has to do with the idea that who’s going to read the post anyway. Well, at least, I used to think so and many of my initial posts have been published without a second glance. Bad grammar and spelling mistakes put off readers which every blogger needs to take care of. Often, the urgency to hit the publish button results in an article which is far below par. This is very common among newbie bloggers and must be taken care of. Today, we have tools like Grammarly as well to help with that.
Publishing more than One Post a day
As with everything new, there is an eagerness to post as often as possible when you are new to the blogging world. The lust for being read, page views and comments, can be such. This often results in posting more than one post per day which isn’t a good strategy in terms of gaining exposure for every post. The thumb rule is to let every post breathe and mature under the blogosphere sun before you publish the next. Moreover, rushing never did anyone any good instead just caused accidents.
The thumb rule is to let every post breathe and mature under the blogosphere sun before you publish the next. #Blogging Click To Tweet
Accepting Every Book Review
This is something which I did. And I can’t even think of a reason now as to why. For those who do book reviews, the common mistake is accepting every book for review. I never said no to any book and that was wrong. I read genres that I wasn’t interested in and maybe subconsciously it wasn’t fair to the author. While it is a good feeling to be approached for review, it makes sense to review only if we are interested and can do justice to the whole process.
Accepting Freelance Assignments for Peanuts
As a new blogger, being approached for freelance work is like winning the Emmys as a debutant. And this was the feeling which made me say yes to freelance work which paid peanuts. It is a mistake every newbie blogger makes. Whether it is for posts or social media campaigns, accepting little or nothing for the work that you put in is an insult you inflict upon yourself. Unless of course, it is a social cause. So, my advice would be to not let yourself be taken for a ride, either in the name of exposure or traffic. If it is a huge client or a cause close to your heart, maybe just maybe then, exposure makes sense, otherwise, you need to be paid well for every post and every campaign.
Using Pictures without Proper Credit
I truly had no idea about the proper process of using pictures on my posts. It was only after being abused harshly on this topic by readers that I found out how tricky using any image is on the blog. You just cannot use any image. Licensing and credits are extremely important. And as a blogger, you need to be aware of that.
Blogger Vs WordPress
Don’t get me wrong but I love Blogger because I began my blogging journey on it. But it is an established fact that Blogger is not as versatile as WordPress. I wish I knew this when I began blogging. So, for all those looking to start a new blog, WordPress is where you should probably begin your journey. Yes, especially if you intend to keep blogging for a long time because you will eventually move on it like I and many other bloggers I know did.
Doing Guest Posts for Anyone who Approaches
This is something I did and I don’t think I should have. Unless the requests are from well-established sites which could actually give exposure to your new blog, it makes no sense. It is better to publish posts on your website than providing content for another site just like yours. Use and share your content wisely because, content, as they say, is the king.
So, these are the points that come to my mind when I think about what I could have done differently when I first started blogging. Hope it adds some value to your blogging know-how.
Tell me, do you have any more tips for those who want to start blogging?
7 Initial Blogging Mistakes at a Glance
Yes, initially, I used pictures without proper credit. I didn’t find it important then. Now I do.
Totally relate to the points. Very helpful post for new bloggers.
All true and valid. And I’m still stuck with blogger.
The points you make are different than the ones you usually see and I thank you for that. I am still on blogger and don’t know when and if I will make the change. Pictures are always an issue but I do understand how important it is to give proper credit. Thank you for the new awareness you brought.
I absolutely agree and I have committed few of these errors. Book reviews, accepting sponsored post for peanuts to name a few.
We have matured as bloggers and we are still learning. That’s the way to look at it.
I am always concerned about the grammar in my posts because this has never been my area of expertise. I don’t see myself doing book reviews and sponsored posts given the fact that, for the time being, I am able to blog just once a week and there are many personal stories vying to take up that weekly slot. Regarding photo usage, these days I only use Pixabay pics or either my own. Last year, I was secretly wishing for my favourite bloggers (including you) to make a shift to WordPress from Blogger as WordPress makes it so much easier following and connecting with each other. Guess what, the universe did its work 😀 This post should be very helpful for bloggers.
I can realate to these. As with anything in life we learn as we go along. Thank you for sharing. #mg
I agree with all the points you have mentioned Naba – specially accepting the kind of work you are accepting as a blogger. Just a free product or a free book is not enough because there is enough effort and time that goes behind a good review.
Very good points that will help all newbies, Naba.
Agree with all of these – I think when you start blogging you think it will only take a couple of months to become established but it is much harder work to get your blog out there than you think! Be patient I guess is my advice. #mg
Working for peanuts not only makes your dream more difficult to achieve but also makes it difficult for the blogging community as a whole.This unfortunately is a very difficult problem.
Very informative and thoughtful…I also like WordPress more than blogger…thank you for sharing your experience and expertise 🙂
Wise words I wish I knew when I started off.
This is such useful advice. I need to think far more about the pictures I grab from the internet and this served as an excellent reminder to me, so thank you. Alison x #mg
Some more:
1. Register a blog name and wonder what to write on
2. Expect to use blogging to make money in no time
3. Think that all their ideas can be turned into blog posts 🙂
4. Consider tech aspects of setting up a blog more imp than the creative aspect of writing posts
I guess many of us have traveled this road, Naba. But really, I have no regrets – it’s been a totally enjoyable ride, mistakes and all.
Even I have done these mistakes. Slowly correcting. Good post for budding bloggers.
Absolutely on the image thing. That is so important for new bloggers to understand because they can get sued for stealing someone else’s creative content.
Yep!! I made all of these mistakes and more!! I think we all have to learn from our mistakes and it’s these exact mistakes that make us better bloggers! #mg
Great points – wish I’d known these a while ago! #mg
Blogging is such a personal thing and so many do it differently, but for me starting with WordPress worked really well, I set myself a 3 year goal, which was I will do it for 3 years no matter what, and see where it takes me, it has been nearly 2 years and I am loving it and so glad I stuck to it. I love learning and evolving too #mg
Hope all these points are learings of every blogger. I too learnt all these by trial and error. I agree that content is the king and you are the queen. I hardly learnt the lessson of doing guest posts only for those who really mean for it. Very informative post for all begginning bloggers. Thanks, Naba !!!
Very valid points. I’ve made the mistake of accepting most book reviews, but I realized my error quickly and soon stopped.
Oh yes, can totally relate to some of these – luckily we constantly learn and hopefully then improve:-)
Yes, I’ve made some of these errors. Namely the um, photo stealing. Never anything artistic. More “meme”-type photos to make a funny point. Still, probably something I shouldn’t have done. Now I try to use all my own photos.
I am on Blogger, have been for years. I am self-hosting a new, re-branded website in January with WordPress. WordPress intimidates me because I’m so comfortable with Blogger, but I’ve heard good things about it so there is that.
Great post!
Loved your points Naba. I have learnt from experience to move away from so many of them. I started a new blog on wordpress but I continue to have a soft spot for blogger as it was my first blogging partner.
I started on wordpress as I wanted myself to be serious about it. Agree with you about accepting all guest posts. Its a informative post for all the newbies.
Loved all the points. I still don’t regret using Blogger though because it was my first platform. Absolutely loved the simplicity in it. Love WordPress now but only after learning a lot of tricks. The thing about blogging is it’s constantly changing. That’s what matters and how open we are to change.
Great tips. If it hadn’t been for reading posts like this before I started I would have made every single one of these but have thankfully avoided them, hopefully your post will help others from falling prey to them too x
#Mg
I am a newbie blogger and found this really useful. Today I have lost a vast portion of my life it seems trying to deal with a technical issue. It is still not resolved and I am exhausted by the whole thing and want to throw in the towel, but I will soldier on spurred on by your words of encouragement. In the meantime proofreading and regular posting would be my two major learning points to date. Thanks for sharing your wisdom #mg
Wow Naba- this is a great list. I feel I have made most if not alll of these mistakes.
I also thank my stars that I started with wordpress as its so damn cool for a totally clueless blogger (like me). I have been anal about spell check with my most 99% of the times and have always taken it as a positive feedback if someone spots an error – i thank and correct it promptly.
I have made the first five mistakes too..or six, I began on blogger too and only recently have begun on wordpress. The only thing that I didn’t do was guest posts. We only learn from our mistakes, but again, it makes us wish, there was someone to tell us that!
I joined the blogosphere with a Blogger blog, and at that time I was thrilled! But then later I got a chance to view the WordPress dashboard and see all the amazing features, and that’s when I wanted to get my own WordPress blog! I so totally recommend WordPress for beginners, because it’s easy to navigate, and the themes are super classy.
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All the points are so valid especially the pay part.