Showing posts with label The Dos and Don'ts of Blogging. Show all posts

Blogging: The Dos and Don'ts of Blogging

Whether you're a seasoned writer or a newcomer looking to start your own blog, knowing the key principles that make a blog successful is crucial. While the creative freedom of blogging is what draws many in, there are certain practices that can make or break your content’s impact.

Disclosure: The FTC Disclosure Provision is a law that requires influencers to disclose when they are being paid to promote a product or service. So please know that if I'm not making money through affiliate links/sponsored content on the post you're currently reading, it's an oversight on my part and will be corrected soon. Read the full disclosure about all the legal stuff here.

I've been blogging for a long time and have learnt a lot over the years. I always try to share the knowledge I've picked up along the way with you, my readers, here on the blog to show you ways to grow your blog readership.

For this post we're going to be looking at the do's and don'ts of blogging. The stuff that you should be doing and the stuff you really shouldn't.

You might also like: Things That Should Be In Every Blog Post

The Do's of Blogging

1) Find a catchy title.

What you name your blog post matters. The title should give a good idea of what the post is about and include keywords.

2) Offer original content

Write your own content. Make it personal. Give it your voice. People come to your blog because they like how you come across.

3) Proofread

Check every post before publishing... and then check it again as there are always errors that make it through. Trust me on this one!

4) Give credit where credit is due

If you quote someone, reference an article by someone else, or if you got the idea for a post from reading someone else's it's good practice to give them credit in your blog post. A simple shout out and a link to their content will do.

5) Keep it legal

There are several laws bloggers need to be aware of. Including disclosures on posts is just one of them but if you don't want to risk a heavy fine they are very important.

It's not just about the legal side of things though. If you work with sponsors, get free products etc... you should be telling your readers. It adds to the honesty of your site and makes you more credible.

6) Be consistent

When it comes to blogging consistency is key. Readers like to know when they can expect new content and come back because they know the quality of your posts is of a certain standard.

7) SEO! SEO! SEO!

Did I mention SEO? Those of you that know me even a little bit know that I'm a bit obsessed with SEO. I have good reason to be though. Optimising your SEO is one of the best things you can do for your blog. Do it right though. Don't just stuff your posts with keywords. You need to be doing it correctly.

You might also like: Ultimate Guide to SEO for Book Bloggers

The Don'ts of Blogging

1) Don’t use other people’s stuff without permission and credit

Plagiarism is not good! Never steal other people's content.

2) Don’t give up

Building a blog takes time. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

3) Poor readability

Readers will click away from even the best content is it's too hard to read.

4) Don't digress too much from your main point

Readers click on a post for a reason. Have a clear idea of what your blog post is about and focus on that. You can always do separate posts about the other things that come up along the way.

5) Don't neglect older content

Yes, putting out new content is important but don't forget about your older posts. Refreshing older posts, improving SEO and updating graphics and links can bring in a lot of new traffic and makes sure Google continues to see those blog posts as fresh content.

You might also like: Want To Increase Your Blog Traffic? Ways To Upgrade Old Blog Posts

6) Don't be too text heavy

A long post of just text can be off-putting. Break up text with images and video.

7) Not sharing your content

It's not enough to just write a blog post. You need to let people know it exists. Don't forget to share your posts on social media.