I think you will agree with me when I say, “It’s not uncommon to make beginner blogging mistakes when you are new.”
I had made tons of newbie blogging mistakes when I started. And I know I am not alone.
Whether you are a would-be blogger or part-time content writer, it’s essential to know the common blogging mistakes for beginners.
If you want to turn your blog into a revenue-generating asset, you should try to avoid all the common mistakes.
I have listed 39 common blogging mistakes for beginners and actionable tips on how to avoid them in this post.
Are you ready for the ride? Let’s dive in.
Pin it for later!
Blogging mistake #1 Using A Free Blogging Platform
Have you heard of this saying, “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product”?
When newbies jump into blogging with no prior knowledge, they are more likely to choose a free blogging platform (such as WordPress.com).
This is one of the most common blogging mistakes for beginners.
I fell victim to that when I was a beginner. Lesson learned, so I don’t want you to make the same mistake as I did.
Unless you ONLY blog for self-entertainment, then DON’T go that road.
There are too many restrictions on free blogging platforms, such as no freedom of monetization, no ownership of your blog, and no personalized domain name. I have also explained the reasons in detail in this post if you are interested.
Unlike traditional businesses, investment in blogging (self-hosted website) is really LOW, even for people who have a small budget.
Simple Fix: You only need to buy a domain name and a hosting provider to start a blog. Learn how to build a blog from scratch (simple step-by-step walkthroughs).
Already started on a free platform? No worries, you can migrate for FREE.
Blogging mistake #2 Not Investing In Blogging Education
No money, no risk.
It is NOT true. Period.
“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” – Warren Buffett
Many people start blogging on a whim, then pick up blogging knowledge (bite-sized pieces) here and there online, which is perfect for solving a specific problem like how to install a plugin.
Simple Fix: Consider investing in your blogging education if you keep getting the same/similar information online in the blogging world.
For example, reading blogging-related books and learning from the ‘straight to the answers’ blogging courses could provide you with blogging knowledge from A to Z.
✨ Feel free to bookmark this post so you can come back and make sure you avoid these newbie blogging mistakes at all costs.
Blogging mistake #3 Being Reluctant To Invest In Your Blogging Business
It’s not surprising that many beginner bloggers are reluctant to pay for the right tools and resources but wish to make over six figures with a blog.
Simple Fix:If you want to reap the biggest rewards, you should consider investing in hosting, web design, and other blogging-related tools/resources that could shorten your learning curve and speed up the process.
Blogging mistake #4 Choosing A Niche That You Have No Interest
There is no right or wrong niche.
However, if you choose a profitable niche that you have no passion, it’s just NOT right.
As a solopreneur, you will need to do all the heavy lifting at the start.
Without genuine interest, You are unlikely to do it for a long, long time.
And remember, blogging is a long-term game.
Simple Fix:You want to find a blogging niche that is both profitable and interesting to you.
Blogging mistake #5 Choosing The Wrong Hosting Provider
An unreliable hosting provider could affect your site big time, which you want to avoid.
For example, you could have slow site speed, major security issues, and poor customer support. These are crucial elements for newbies.
Simple Fix: A reputable web host doesn’t have to be expensive. And you can always get a massive discount as a first-time buyer.
You might want to check out this post to know why I choose SiteGround as my hosting provider and get up to 73% off (a limited-time offer) if you choose them.
Blogging mistake #6 Using An Ill-Designed Theme
Although there are tons of free and paid themes out there, you want to choose the right one that suits your blog.
A badly-designed theme can break your site and leave a terrible user experience.
Simple Fix: You don’t have to use a paid or expensive theme, but make sure the chosen theme is well-designed by professional developers (like Astra) and compatible with your site.
💡 Note: You can change your theme later, but make sure everything is fine on your site when switching to a new theme.
Blogging mistake #7 Downloading Too Many Plugins
Plugins are the greatest invention for non-techies.
It’s nice to have different features on your sitefor FREE without touching a line of code.
However, beginner bloggers tend to install way too many plugins. They think they need all of them, but they don’t.
You shouldn’t do this when starting a blog.
Did you know poorly-designed plugins can hurt your site?
Some harms are slow loading time, incompatible plugins, and security issues.
Simple Fix: When you start, try to limit the number of installed plugins to 10 or fewer.
If you have to install a plugin, always consider a multi-functional plugin (like Rank Math – an SEO plugin) before a single-purposed one.
Blogging mistake #8 Having A ‘Me-Too’ Blog
Ask yourself, “why do readers want to read your content if it’s no different from other bloggers?”
Are your posts more helpful and relevant to your audience?
It’s indeed hard to find an untapped yet profitable niche in today’s blogging world. Most profitable niches are over-saturated.
Simple Fix: You can compete with popular blogs in the same field by using different/new angles to create far better, super detailed, and more interesting content.
Blogging mistake #9 Not Knowing The Basics Of Your Readers
It’s a bit demanding to understand your target audience super well at the beginning of your blogging career.
Luckily, you can develop this over time.
Simple Fix: Know the most relevant information about your audience, such as who you are writing for and what particular problems they have, so you can answer their questions in detail and help solve their pain points.
Maybe your target group is busy moms who want to start a side hustle to make extra cash. Or perhaps you are writing for individuals who are looking for ways to stop spending money.
If you get this information, you can know their search intent (why they are searching in the first place) and search terms (what phrases they are using) to create helpful content.
Blogging mistake #10 Only Writing For Yourself
Another common blogging mistake is to be obsessed with sharing your personal life, experiences, and interests.
BUT are your readers really interested, or do they even care?
Probably not.
Simple Fix: Instead of writing for yourself, think about if your posts could solve your readers’ life problems, pain points, and help them develop new skills?
Talking about yourself all the time is one thing; adding your personality to make your content more personal, conversational, and engaging is a different story.
Put your readers first if you want more traffic, shares, likes, and comments.
Blogging mistake #11 Not Writing Consistently
This is one of the most common blogging mistakes.
Many beginner bloggers don’t take their blogging business seriously initially, so they write whenever they are in the mood.
Both Google and potential readers wouldn’t appreciate the unpredictability.
Neil Patel once said, “The more you blog, the more traffic you get, and the more customers you acquire.”
If you want to see any tangible results, you need to blog consistently.
That said, if you are the only contributor to your blog, it’s challenging to publish long-form content daily as quality long pieces require extensive research, writing, proofreading, and editing.
Simple Fix: It’s wise to have a blogging schedule. It could be once a week, twice a week, or whatever suits you.
You don’t need to publish daily, but you can still write every day to be consistent.
The bottom line: Keep writing amazing blog content that your readers will love and share and be patient!
Blogging mistake #12 Not Having Legal Pages
Legal pages are not just for your readers.
They can also protect your brand and website.
If you are doing affiliate marketing and ads placement, it’s a MUST to have those pages ready.
Don’t have them yet?
Simple Fix: Set them up now.It is one of the first things you should do when starting a blog.
Blogging mistake #13 Not Collecting Email Addresses
One of the biggest blogging mistakes for beginners is not starting email marketing from day one.
Building an email list still makes sense even if you have no audience yet.
Often, visitors come to your site, find the solutions to their problems, and then leave. And they will not come back again.
Don’t expect they will remember your site name or URL after visiting your site for the first time.
Simple Fix: Start to collect emails and send your readers valuable information if you wish to get repeat traffic and possible sales.
As for an email service provider, I personally use and recommend CovertKit.
Blogging mistake #14 Not Optimizing For Mobile Users
This is another biggest newbie blogging mistake.
They spent lots of time optimizing for desktops but forgot mobile users. You are leaving free traffic on the table.
Don’t do that!
Having a responsive web design for mobiles is important for blogging success.
Simple Fix: Optimize your mobile design.
Blogging mistake #15 Using Too Many Social Platforms
Have you tried Facebook groups, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other platforms to promote your content?
Beginner bloggers often make this common mistake.
Even though these are free promotional channels to get your content in front of people, they require tremendous time and effort.
Every blogger should know that managing too many platforms hardly yields the desired results for new sites.
Simple Fix:Instead of wasting your time on different promotional channels, why not focus on one or two platforms until you get satisfactory results?
Also read:
Blogging mistake #16 Not Promoting Your Blog Content At All
Opposite to promoting your content over every possible social platform, some beginner bloggers could go for another extreme – not promoting at all.
Without being known by the public, it’s unlikely to increase your following and readership.
And all your hard work and effort are in vain if you aim to make blogging a business.
Do you want more people to read your content?
Organic traffic doesn’t come naturally and easily.
Simple Fix:If you have awesome content that could benefit your target audience, you should promote hard and harder to get noticed.
When people don’t come to you, you go to find them.
Blogging mistake #17 Failing To Create Killer Headlines
Titles tell people what your posts are about and directly affect the click-through rate.
Some new bloggers work so hard on crafting a post but forget to write a winning blog title. Or they don’t know the secret formula to come up with viral-ready headlines.
Simple Fix:Want to learn actionable tips and examples to write click-worthy blog titles? This post should do the job.
Blogging mistake #18 Forgetting To Use Data To Support Your Claims
Another common mistake in blogging for first-time bloggers is not using data to back up their arguments.
Facts and numbers are not just convincing in academic essays; they are also influential in blog posts.
Although it does take time to find the most relevant data for your content, it’s worth all the effort.
Simple Fix:Next time you present your ideas, don’t forget to add compelling data to your posts.
Blogging mistake #19 Ignoring Readability
This is another common blogging mistake to avoid for beginners.
Ignoring the readability of your blog posts is a big turn-off for your potential readers.
No matter how insightful the article you have written, few people will finish it if it’s hard to read (i.e., poor formats and complex languages).
“Nobody likes to read. They just want the information. If they could download it to their brain, they would.” – Tim Soulo
Ask yourself the following questions.
- Are your posts easy and pleasant to read?
- Do you write like the way you talk? Do people find your words engaging and personal?
- Do you use H1 and subheadings (H2-H6) to make your posts more readable?
- Have you tried to write in short sentences and paragraphs?
- What about the white space, line space, fonts, and other format-related issues?
- Do you use complex words (like jargon) instead of plain English?
Remember: Pro bloggers can deliver complicated ideas using simplified languages and friendly formats.
If your posts are hard to read and digest, you are wasting online space and your readers’ precious time.
Simple Fix:Want to improve your blog posts’readability and see the difference immediately? Check out these actionable tips.
Blogging mistake #20 CaringToo Much/Too Little About Word Count
When new bloggers know the top 10 pages are usually longer posts (over 2000 words) on Google, they ensure every post’s word count exceeds the threshold.
It’s OK to write long-form content when you try to cover the topic fully, but don’t write for the sake of word count.
Even you get lucky with the ranks, you surely won’t stay there long. Google will know when readers don’t like your content.
Word count matters, but high-quality content comes first. Most of the time, they go hand in hand. The more helpful information you provide, the longer the post.
With that said, if you can answer all the questions and provide your readers with great content within 600 words, don’t make it 1000 words. Be clear and natural.
On the other hand, some bloggers ignore the word count completely and churn out short articles every day because they believe freshness and frequency are the keys to ranking.
They are, but they are not the only ones.
Simple Fix: Focus on producing compelling content consistently to your potential readers.
Blogging mistake #21 Not Having Call-To-Action (or Too Much)
It’s not uncommon to make this newbie blogging mistake.
Some beginner bloggers can’t be bothered to add a call-to-action phrase, whereas others simply forget.
You have finished a long-form article, but don’t tell your audience what to do next – a big waste of your time and online space.
Why?
That should go back to the purpose of your post.
Every post should have a clear goal in terms of traffic, leads, and sales.
For example, do you want them to
- read more related articles?
- buy your recently published ebook?
- sign up for your blogging course?
- subscribe to your newsletter?
- simply follow you on social media?
Simple Fix: You can tell your readers what you want them to do next in a simple, clear, and concise way.
For instance, if you want to increase following, you can write,
- Like this post, pin it for later.
- If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to share it and follow me on Pinterest.
Bloggers usually insert the call-to-action phrases at the end of a post; you can also insert them within the post or anywhere you see fit.
However, don’t make your site look spammy by inserting call-to-action buttons everywhere.
Blogging mistake #22 Being Too Ambitious With Categories
When people start blogging, they tend to include too many categories as they think more topics could reach a WIDER audience.
Yes and no.
Too manycategories with thin content would only keep your audience away from your blog.
It’s hard to go in-depthfor first-time bloggers with eight categories or more.
Say you need at least ten posts for each category, then you need 80 posts to start with if you have eightcategories.
And ten posts are not enough to cover a category fully.
On top of that, if you don’t blog regularly, you probably don’t even have ten articles for eachcategory.
Get what I am saying.
Simple Fix: You want to start with a few categories (like three to five) and go deep as a beginner blogger.
Expand later to reach more audiences.
Blogging mistake #23 Not Linking To Other Content
Have you linked (internal links) the most related articles to the post on your site so readers can explore further?
Not only can your readers stay longer on your site, but you will also make search engines happy as they will understand your site structure better with internal links.
For example, when you cover a big topic like ‘How To Start A Blog,’ you would have more than one post for sure. Then you can link other relevant posts to this post.
Also, don’t be afraid to link external resources (external links) if you believe they will benefit your audience.
Simple Fix: Remember to add internal and external links while writing a post.
Blogging mistake #24 Not Taking Enough Time To Edit Your Post
Editing is a crucial part of writing persuasive copy.
It’s not surprising to spend more time editing than actual writing, speaking from experience.
Many new bloggers only do the final basic check, such as spelling and grammar.
These are important, but they are not enough.
You also want to check out your format, style, tone, logic, facts, and stats.
Every little step you take before publishing would make a huge difference.
Simple Fix:Make sure your content has been polished and looks as professional as possible.
Read on: How Grammarly Can Help Your Writing
Blogging mistake #25 Not Repurposing Your Content
Do you only use words and images in your posts?
Have you considered adding videos, slides, or infographics to your posts?
The different audience has their specific preferences. Some people may enjoy videos far more than simple words.
Simple Fix: If you want to reach a larger audience, consider repurposing your content in other formats.
Blogging mistake #26 Aiming For Perfection
One of the most common blogging mistakes is trying to be perfect with everything.
In the end, you just exhaust and disappoint yourself because there is no such thing as perfection.
Ouch, it hurts.
Perfection shouldn’t be an excuse for procrastination.
“Aim for completion, not perfection.” – Maja Jovanovic
Being a completionist would make your blogging life so much easier.
Have you spent too much time choosing a perfect domain name (I have. Guilty) and designing your web page?
Did you know you can change your domain name and design later?
Ask yourself, what is the most important to you when it comes to blogging?
Is it to make your target audience’s life easier, healthier, and happier by providing valuable content?
Simple Fix: Focus on consistently creating compelling content for your readers; you then don’t have time to think about other stuff. Worry about everything else later.
‘Wasting’ your precious time on the most important things.
Blogging mistake #27 Not Updating Old Content
Beginners often ignore this common blogging mistake.
When hitting the Publish button, they move on to the next.
Well. Publishing is only the beginning.
Simple Fix: Monitor the performance of the posts and keep updating the old content.
For example, you need to update the information when something changes (like price). Otherwise, you risk losing trust and credibility by providing outdated information.
As for some high-performing pages (receive consistent traffic and leads), you want to keep optimizing them or adding new information to hold the position on Google.
Blogging mistake #28 Not Learning Basic SEO
New bloggers can still grasp the basic SEO knowledge to increase the chance of getting FREE organic traffic from search engines.
When you have learned how to do basic SEO(on-page and off-page SEO), you will
- do keyword research (long-tail keywords).
- know the search intent and search terms (we talked about these earlier).
- generate viral-ready blog ideas.
- create irresistible articles using best practices
- generate a massive audience.
- write better and more efficiently.
- do content development.
- build quality backlinks to get more traffic.
Simple Fix: Learn basic SEO.
Blogging mistake #29 Not Analyzing Your Competitors
This is a common blogging mistake every beginner should avoid.
When you start blogging, you need to know who you are competing with. Then you can think of strategies to do better.
Simple Fix: Here are some tips.
- Find out 5-10 competitors in your field.
- Analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
- Know their content strategies and marketing channels.
- Learn from their successes and failures.
- Check what they have that you don’t have.
- Figure out what you can do to outrank your competitors.
Blogging mistake #30 Always Checking Your Website Stats
When content creators hit the Publish button, they can’t help but check the stats all the time.
Don’t feel guilty for this one.
Trust me; you are not alone.
I understand because I was one of them, even though I knew that was a waste of time in the beginning.
A simple fix is to find ways to increase traffic.
That said, you also want to review your stats, just not every minute or every hour.
How can you monitor your performance?
You can use free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to get the data.
These are powerful tools to know tons of information about your website performance.
Simple Fix: View your site stats periodically and make adjustments accordingly.
Blogging mistake #31 Not Giving Credit To Other People’s Work
Plagiarism is a big thing in the blogging world. It’s a common blogging mistake you never want to make.
Whenever you cite other people’s content in your posts, don’t forget to credit them.
Your site could get penalized by Google if failing to do so.
On top of that, you could lose trust, authority, and credibility from your audience when being caught.
Simple Fix: Have plagiarism check before publishing.
Blogging mistake #32 Not Engaging With Your People
Few people like to leave comments without responses, neither do your readers.
Interacting with your readers could help you build a strong tie with your community.
You want to answer their questions, respond to their comments, and read their feedback.
They are the final receiver of your work. So never ignore their voices.
Simple Fix: Have plagiarism check before publishing.
Blogging mistake #33 Not Interacting With Others In The Blogging World
Blogging is an interactive activity.
New blog sites need lots of public exposure, so people know your online presence.
The simple mistake beginner bloggers make is not connecting with other bloggers in your field.
It might work without networking if you started a blog ten years ago or even earlier.
But we have way past the era when online resources are hard to access, and helpful information is limited.
Simple Fix:
- Get yourself out there to make some friends.
- Network with like-minded people.
- Gain the exposure that you deserve.
You want to be proactive to make yourself more visible and build strong connections in the blogging world. For example, try guest posting, leave genuine comments on other bloggers’ posts or become a freelance writer to build your reputation.
Blogging mistake #34 Not Developing The Mindset Of A Successful Blogger – You Can’t Afford To Wait
This is one of the most common blogging mistakes for beginners.
If you think blogging is a get-rich-quick scheme, keep your day job.
You could have tried so hard to run your blog, but still, sometimes, the result didn’t come out as expected. Again, you are not alone.
Simple Fix:My advice is to be patient and try harder until you see positive results.
Blogging mistake #35 Placing Too Many Ads Using Google AdSense
Although ad placement is an easy way for beginner bloggers to make money, they contribute very little to your blogging income.
Let’s face it. You wouldn’t get much out of AdSense when you have little traffic.
But too many ads (especially the intrusive ones) would slow down your site speed and irritate your visitors, which leaves a poor user experience.
Simple Fix:Try to limit the number and position of your ad placement on your site. Or, don’t use it at all at the beginning.
Blogging mistake #36 Joining The Amazon Associates Program Too Soon
If you do a little bit of research on making money blogging, 10 out of 10 bloggers will tell you about affiliate marketing and how to become an Amazon affiliate.
Indeed, it’s a great affiliate program for new bloggers.
However, unlike other affiliate programs, you have to make three qualified sales in 180 days as an Amazon affiliate. If not, your account will get closed automatically.
It’s pretty challenging for many new bloggers as there are so many things to learn at the beginning of the blogging journey.
On top of that, you might also get sidetracked by other commitments in life when you start blogging.
Simple Fix: Join the Amazon affiliate program when you have consistent traffic.
Further reading:
– The Common Affiliate Marketing Mistakes You Should Avoid
– Why Your Affiliate Applications Get Declined And How To Fix Them
Blogging mistake #37 Having Copyright Issues (Images)
Beginner bloggers could accidentally use unauthorized images from third-party resources.
You want to be very careful when using stunning images from external sites; even some are available for commercial use.
If you are unsure, check the source and find the owner to ask for permission before using them.
The last thing you want is to be involved in legal issues when blogging.
Simple Fix: Want to play safe? You can
- shoot the image yourself.
- purchase stock photos from legitimate websites.
- cooperate with/hire a graphic designer or a photographer.
- shoot the image yourself.
- purchase stock photos from legitimate websites.
- cooperate with/hire a graphic designer or a photographer.
Blogging mistake #38 Not Selling Your Own Products/Services
You don’t have much control when selling other merchants’ products/services.
For example, they could kick you out of their program if you break their rules. Or you might lose commission with disqualified sales.
Simple Fix: You can create and sell your own products/services and get all the profits you deserve.
For example, you could sell
- ebooks,
- online training courses,
- digital printables,
- Pinterest pin templates,
- t-shirts,
- mugs,
- and more.
Be creative and earn the credit.
Blogging mistake #39 Not Thinking About Branding From Day One
If you think branding is only exclusive to the big companies, you are very much mistaken.
A personal brand is an intangible asset that will bring unlimited business opportunities.
Every individual can have their own brand.
Simple Fix:Before starting your blog, you should think about creating your personal brand.
If you want to earn a living from your blog, consider building your reputation and brand (brand story, logo, favicon, color palettes, fonts, and writing style) in the most profitable way.
Final Words – Common Blogging Mistakes For Beginners
You are bound to make (tons of) mistakes at some point in your blogging career.
If you haven’t started your blog yet when reading this post, you are ahead of the game as you already know the common blogging mistakes for beginners.
Already started and have made some of the mistakes?
I am with you. It’s not too late to make tweaks to your blog.
Mistakes are not scary as long as you respond fast and fix them promptly. No biggie.
Now you know these common pitfalls of blogging and try to avoid the mistakes at all costs.
Have I missed any beginner blogging mistakes? What blogging mistakes have you made, and how did you fix them? I would love to hear from you in the comments. 😊
If you find this post helpful, don’t forget to share it and connect with me on Pinterest.