five {more} blogging mistakes you’re making

Are you making one of these five blogging mistakes? They’re actions that can drive viewers from your blog, but they’re all easily corrected.

I wrote a post about a month ago called five blogging mistakes you’re making. That post was so well-received that I decided to compile another. This list is based on a few more of my own thoughts, as well as the comments left by others on that original post. Like the previous list, this one is written from the perspective of a blog reader, not an expert blogger (because I am not).

5 more blogging mistakes you’re making

you have a subscription pop-up

First, let me say that pop-ups asking viewers to subscribe to the blog can be done well. If I click around your blog for several minutes or express interest in a particular topic, it makes sense to invite me to subscribe to your blog or to a series pertaining to that particular topic.

But please, please do not set a box to pop up 2 seconds into my visit to your blog. How do I know if I like your content enough to receive emails about it? I don’t, so I’m not going to subscribe. In addition, sometimes those pop-ups are impossible to close on the mobile version of your site, meaning the only solution is to leave the blog entirely.

the solution: if you must use a pop-up, at least set to it show only after a visitor has been on your site long enough to get a feel for your content.

your posts don’t include a date

I can think of several instances in which an undated post has kept me from interacting. Maybe you’ve posted about a great deal, or requested recommendations for places to eat on an upcoming trip, or shared about a tough time you’re going through. In all of those situations, I’m going to look at the date the post was published before commenting or sharing.

If there’s no date, I’ll refrain from doing anything, to avoid looking foolish or spreading outdated information. Dating your posts is a simple step that can help your readers be more informed.

the solution: change the settings on your blog to show the month, date, and year each post was published.

Your posts contain numerous grammatical errors

I’m hesitant to include this because I know it opens me up to all kinds of nitpicking about the mistakes on my own blog. Let me be clear: I don’t claim to have an error-free site. I’m not suggesting you can or should have one, either. I am suggesting that you proofread your posts and, if spelling and grammar aren’t your strengths, work on improving.

A few mistakes here and there are expected and acceptable. What you want to avoid, though, are posts so full of errors that readers are distracted or can’t grasp the gist of your writing.

the solution: use the spell-check option when writing posts and proofread everything before hitting publish. If you still struggle with error-heavy writing, consider recruiting a friend to look things over before each post goes live.

you don’t have share buttons

Full disclosure: I just got share buttons. I’d read a lot about how important they are and I even had a comment or two about them on the last blogging mistakes post. Installing them was on my summer to-do list. I finally took the time to do it and, after realizing how fast and easy it was, I was a little embarrassed that I hadn’t done it sooner.

Having share buttons on your site allows viewers to share your content in a variety of ways with just one click. Why wouldn’t you want to give readers the ability to share your posts on any social media channels they want?

the solution: get a sharing buttons plug-in. I use Share Buttons by AddtoAny, but I’ve heard good things about SumoMe and Shareaholic. If you’re unsure what share buttons are, check out the row of social media icons at the bottom of this post, right before the list of categories and tags.

you’re a negative nelly

It’s completely possible to write honestly about your negative thoughts and experiences and do it in a way that’s articulate and composed. Be mindful, though, that you aren’t filling your blog with more downer posts than positive ones. If you write unhappy post after unhappy post, readers might start to feel unhappy themselves after leaving your site. You might seem like an unhappy person. That’s no good.

the solution: feel free to vent, rant, and whine, but make sure those posts are small in number compared to the happier ones.

What simple mistakes keep you from reading a blog?

Don’t forget to check out the first blogging mistakes installment, as well my blogging page, where you can find lots more helpful resources.