We all make mistakes. I've made my fair share of them. But then again, making those mistakes has taught me so many lessons. Lately, I've seen a lot of bloggers jump in and say, oh I got this covered! They want to sell a product, launch a business, or take over the world but their blog still doesn't have some of the basics.
While, yes, you should focus on your blog and want to grow it, don't forget some of the basics!
– Not having a great blog design.
We are a visual society. When you land on someone's blog, you want to see something that interests you. At the very least, you'd like it to look clean! There are inexpensive templates you can buy on Etsy or go the designer route. If you do this make sure you have a good idea of what you'd like your blog to look like. (Hint, I'd wait until you've been blogging at least a couple months).
– Not establishing my social media.
For weeks upon weeks I didn't get a Facebook page. For a couple MONTHS I didn't have a Twitter. Now, I realize how silly that was. We all start at 0! We can all grow. Sometimes we just need help to do it.
– Not Using SEO
I worked in Social Media and marketing and used SEO daily for clients. But did I use it on myself? Nope. cough, lazy, cough. SEO can make a huge difference for being discovered online. Use it! Check out SEO for bloggers. 3 super simple tips.
– Not listening to my Mom
Yes, y'all. My mom would say things like, “I don't like that post.” And I'd roll my eyes and tell her to lay off. But she was right. Having someone to talk about your blog (like your mom or a blog friend) is so important.
– Not asking if YOU cared.
Now, I know I don't ask this to you (my readers!) but when I used to write posts I used to not really write with my audience in mind. That by no means implies that you shouldn't write authentically, but you want to write posts that people read, right?! So, make sure the post you are writing about is relevant to your readers.
– Not spending time and effort on images.
Like I mentioned, we are so visual. I shudder in horror at some of my first post. Filled with tiny, grainy images just makes the viewer want to click out of the post. Bonus points? Be consistent with images and graphics. Someone who kills at this? Olyvia. Seriously love Erika's blog.
– Waiting to start a newsletter.
If you're one of those people: get excited. I'm going to be doing a whole series on the blog about how to create one. It's going to be IN DEPTH. And it's going to be free. But seriously, start a newsletter. You can go with free- MailChimp or more intuitive (and in my opinion, easier to use) Convertkit.
– Not seeking help.
I thought I could do it all, or figure it out. You can, to some extent, but I wish I had bitten the bullet early on and did a consultation. When I finally did, it opened my eyes to things I didn't realize before and made a huge difference.
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