Annaliese Henwood
As bloggers, whether for a business or independent, we want to see a quick and easy growth in our blog. It discourages us to see poor website traffic and low subscription rates. We put in all this effort into building our blog, so we do whatever we can to see it grow.
Unfortunately, there are a few techniques that some bloggers use to expedite the growth process that may, in fact, hinder it instead. I address 5 of these mistakes here, providing explanations as well as possible solutions to get you going on the right track.
1) Focusing On Quantity Over Quality
Why this is an issue
Yes, having a consistent output is key to a successful blog, but consistency doesn’t mean you should write, write, write and publish less-than-great content. By focusing on quantity instead of quality, you’re publishing subpar content that can actually push your audience away rather than reel them in.
What you can do about it
Don’t rush through your content. Find a publish frequency that give you time to create content of value, even if it means just one post a week. The important point here is to publish high-quality content less often rather than low-quality more often.
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2) Using a Free Domain
Why this is an issue
Yes, free is always nice, but it’s not always a good choice. When you’re trying to establish yourself with a blog, you will lose legitimacy with a free domain, such as what you’d find with Blogger and WordPress.com. Free domains are for more recreational blogs. You’ll want to avoid free domains if you’re serious about your work.
What you can do about it
If you want your work to be taken seriously, you have to make the investment in a paid domain name and hosting service. There are many affordable options out there that you can choose from, depending on your own unique needs. PC Mag created a comparison chart of several leading hosting services that I recommend you check out if you need help deciding on one.
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3) Buying Subscriber Lists
Why this is an issue
Besides the fact that it is a huge ethical no-no, buying subscriber lists can damage your brand far more than help it. Your bought list is filled with accounts that are either fake or have no interest in hearing from you.
Ultimately, the majority of your emails will end up either bouncing or going straight to spam. It won’t help your blog traffic or any other interaction, so it’s pretty much an unethical waste of your time and money.
What you can do about it
Be patient. You’re not going to find immediate surges in subscribers, even though some other bloggers say it’s possible. Their success is a rarity, so it’s best to take a realistic approach.
You should have subscription sign-up forms in places where people can easily access them. This will help your subscription rate considerably.
Also, create content of value to get people interested in learning more. The more valuable the content, the more likely people will sign up to receive notifications of new posts.
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4) Publishing Unoriginal Content
Why this is an issue
People who are looking for advice on a particular topic have already seen advice about it elsewhere. If you rehash the same content over again without any original input, you lose in the end. Your subscribers and blog visitors don’t want to be bored by seeing the same ideas published over again on your website.
You also have to be careful about copyrights and plagiarism. If mentioning another article’s content, cite the source.
What you can do about it
It does take more time and effort to write original content, but the rewards are well worth it. If you’re struggling to create original content because you’re new or suffering from writer’s block, there are ways to get around that.
For example, you can use content generator tools or subscribe to other blogs for topic ideas. These approaches are great because they give you customized headline ideas and help you discover what topics you know well.
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5) Adding Images Found on the Web
Why this is an issue
You’re basically stealing images if you just download them from a Google search. Most of the time, the images are copyrighted, and even if they’re not, they belong to someone else. If you want free images, there are ways of finding them legally, but if you take shortcuts, you risk getting into a lot of trouble.
On a different note, using other people’s images instead of creating your own can have a negative effect on your legitimacy.
What you can do about it
To find free images, such as stock photos, I recommend using the Creative Commons search service or checking out Buffer’s article on 53+ Free Image Sources.
To create your own images, there are many free ways, such as Canva or Buffer’s Pablo. CoSchedule published an article on 5 Super Easy Ways to Create Images for Your Blog Posts that I highly recommend for bloggers needing help.
Wrap-up
Summary List
- Focusing on Quantity Over Quality
- Using a Free Domain
- Buying Subscriber Lists
- Publishing Unoriginal Content
- Adding Images Found on the Web
What do you think? Was this helpful for your efforts with growing your blog?
Leave a comment with any thoughts or questions!
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