Mikela Sanders Account Manager Bayshore Solutions

I’m sure we’ve all seen them on the web…THE BLOGS THAT REALLY, HONESTLY, DON’T BELONG.

Blogging is about sharing quality information with readers. It’s about creating an online community where everyone is giving. Unfortunately there are a lot of bloggers that get blogging wrong. Instead of offering valuable insight and information, they fall into bad habits and lose sight of the true purpose of writing a blog. Below are ten ways to drive people away from your blog. 

1.       Talking about me- Talking about your company and how you’ve got it going on is not quality content. People don’t want to hear about you 24/7. They want to learn and grow from content. Blogging isn’t about selling, it’s about sharing quality information. A great example of a person who gives to the community (we’re talking about the blog community here) is Seth Godin. He’s an amazing writer and marketer, but on his blog he doesn’t just sell himself, because he understands what blogging is about.  Instead, he shares marketing tips that are valuable to the marketing professional.

2.       Not allowing comments- the whole point of a blog is to create a community where people can share ideas, concerns, opinions, etc. People want to be able to interact with your blog, which means that you should allow comments. If all you want to do is toot your own horn, then don’t start a blog.

3.       Not responding to comments- People want interaction. When people comment on your blog by leaving a question you should try and respond back with pertinent information. If you only check your blog once a week for comments you may be missing valuable opportunities to interact with your visitors and build relationships that encourage regular readership.

4.       Having the CEO write the corporate blog- CEO’s are great but they shouldn’t be the only person writing on the corporate blog unless they’re extremely dynamic individuals who have a personal brand (like Oprah). Have people writing on your blog that can relate to the reader.

5.       Advertising too much- Blogs are about content, and while it’s okay to have ads on your blog they should be relevant to your users. It’s just unacceptable to me that I land on a cooking blog for moms and there’s a huge banner ad on the top of the blog for a men’s dating service. I’m not a man and this isn’t a site for men! If you’re a blog owner and you’re selling ads, make sure that the ads are targeted to your audience. This is not only for the user experience, but also for the benefit of your paying ad clients.

6.       Being boring- The tricky thing about blogging is that you want to engage readers so that they’ll keep coming back. Sometimes that can be hard, but it’s necessary. Don’t get stuck in a rut and start blogging about the same thing every day.  Be creative!

7.       Being wrong and not admitting it- Many bloggers will post something that’s controversial (which helps them to stay away from #5 of this post and keep things interesting.) Unfortunately, sometimes posting something controversial can mean that you will be proven wrong. If this happens, admit it. The people that follow your blog will appreciate your honesty.

8.       Not relating to the reader- When I land on a blog posting that says it’s going to teach me how to change my tire but then uses all kinds of car words that I don’t understand, I get lost and I look for a blog that I can understand. You get my drift…

9.       Inconsistency- If you disappear for two months and expect your readership to be happy with you when you return, you’re wrong. If you have great content but aren’t consistent then people will look elsewhere.

10.   Talking about me- okay I know this is repeated but seriously stop talking about yourself unless you’re a brand people want to know personally like President Barack Obama.

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