3 Pitfalls to Avoid if you are Learning how to Blog

Learning how to blog is much like first learning how to ride a bicycle. You may stumble the first few times when you try it, but once you get the hang of it, you’re set for life. If you are new to blogging, you should know that there are several blogging mistakes that beginners make without even knowing it, and it often hampers their initial success. Instead of going through these same mistakes like most beginners, learn the pitfalls and avoid them. Here are a few of the most common:

Avoid these if you are Learning how to Blog

1.    Writing the same thing that everyone else writes.

There’s a lot of rehash out there in the blogosphere. Just to give you an example, type in the title of the last blog post that you wrote. You’ve probably noticed that millions of others have written about the exact same thing. Of course, this isn’t to say that you aren’t creative. It only means that when you first start blogging, you aren’t really sure what’s been covered already, so you inadvertently write the same things that everyone else is writing about. Become familiar with many different blogs and figure out a way to differentiate yourself. An easy way to cover new ground is to write about breaking news events and how they may impact your niche.

2.    Trying to break into a niche that’s either too narrow or completely saturated.

If you’re just starting out blogging, it’s likely that you’ve been inspired by other blogs and you’d like to do what they do. Many beginning bloggers try to break into a niche that’s incredibly oversaturated—like blogs about blogging. While eventually you may want to compete in this very competitive field, it’s definitely better to start in a niche in which it’s easier to get noticed. At the same time, you don’t want to start blogging in a niche that’s so specific that you’ll have a hard time finding readers at all. Just be sure that your blog reflects your personal area of expertise.

3.    Writing blog posts that are too personal, too long, and not informative.

Most people have very short attention spans, so it’s important to keep your blog posts as short as possible. Since most bloggers aren’t familiar with your personality, they don’t necessarily want to hear too many personal details about you. Seasoned bloggers have already established a level of fame in their niche, and as such, readers may want to know about their personal lives. As a beginning blogger, readers want to know from you whether or not you’re knowledgeable in your field. As such, write only the most informative and concise blog post that you can.

Avoiding these how to Blog common blogging traps in the beginning will save you a lot of frustration and heartbreak while you’re just trying to establish yourself. The most important thing to remember is to be yourself and try your best to help and inform others. Good luck!

Katheryn Rivas frequently researches and writes about a variety of topics, yet her main interests include education and the validation of accredited online universities.  For questions or comments, she can be reached at katherynrivas87@gmail.com.