6 Things We Thought We’d Love on Our New Blog, But We Really Hate
Embarking on the journey of running a new blog can be filled with excitement and anticipation. But beware, some things you expect to love might just end up on your hate list!
Starting a blog is always a mixed bag of emotions – there’s the thrill of building something from scratch, the joy of sharing your passion, and the anticipation of connecting with readers worldwide. However, with experience comes insight, and sometimes those features or strategies we thought would win our hearts actually turn out to be less appealing in practice. Here’s a candid look at six things that, as an experienced blogger, I initially loved the idea of—but now, frankly, I can’t stand.
1. Constantly Chasing the Latest SEO Trends
The Love: Staying on top of SEO trends seemed like a no-brainer; after all, everyone wants to rank high on Google.
The Reality: SEO is an ever-changing beast. Once upon a time, chasing every minor trend and algorithm update appeared to be the secret sauce to online visibility. However, I quickly discovered that this approach can be a maddening time-sink, and it often leads to a disjointed and somewhat inauthentic blog presence.
Best Practice: Instead of chasing every SEO wind, I’ve learned it’s better to focus on creating high-quality content that naturally incorporates keywords and provides real value to readers. Long-term strategies like evergreen content, good user experience, and link-building are far more sustainable and effective.
2. Obsessing Over Real-time Analytics
The Love: Watching real-time analytics was like a sport—you see the immediate reaction to your work and adjust on the fly.
The Reality: Fixating on real-time data can quickly devolve into an obsession. It’s easy to become paralyzed by the minute-by-minute performance of your posts, causing undue stress and overreaction to natural fluctuations.
Best Practice: Set aside specific times for analytics review, perhaps weekly or bi-weekly. Invest time in understanding trends over time and base your content strategy on long-term data, avoiding knee-jerk reactions to short-term changes.
3. Using Every Available Plugin
The Love: I wanted to turbo-charge my blog with all the bells and whistles—plugins for SEO, social sharing, speed optimization… you name it.
The Reality: Plugins are fantastic tools, but each one adds a layer of complexity to your site. Too many plugins can slow down your site, create security vulnerabilities, and sometimes they just don’t play well together.
Best Practice: Be judicious with plugins. Only use what’s essential for your blog’s functionality and regularly audit your plugins to ensure they’re all necessary and up-to-date.
4. Trying to Please Every Reader
The Love: The concept of writing content that appeals to a broad audience seemed like a no-brainer for maximizing reach.
The Reality: The “please all” approach dilutes your brand and makes it hard to develop a loyal readership. Not every topic is appropriate or interesting to every reader, and that’s okay.
Best Practice: Focus on your niche and the specific interests of your target audience. Quality content tailored to a specific audience builds a more engaged and faithful community than generalized content ever could.
5. Scheduling Daily Posts
The Love: The plan to churn out content daily was born out of a fear of losing relevance and wanting to keep my audience constantly engaged.
The Reality: The daily grind quickly becomes unsustainable, leading to burnout and a decline in content quality. What’s worse, your audience might even start to tune out due to content overload.
Best Practice: Develop a content calendar that is realistic and prioritizes quality over quantity. Consistency is key, but that doesn’t mean you have to post every day. Find a rhythm that works for you and your readers.
6. The Monetization Rush
The Love: The moment the blog was live, I wanted to monetize— affiliate marketing, ad networks, sponsored content—you name it, I wanted in.
The Reality: Rushing to monetize can spoil the user experience with intrusive ads and inauthentic sponsored posts. It can also potentially deter a loyal readership if it feels like making money is more important than delivering value.
Best Practice: Develop a monetization strategy that feels organic to your blog and consider your readers’ experience above all. Build trust first; the opportunity to monetize effectively will follow.
Conclusion:
In the blogging world, there is often an enthusiastic rush to embrace all that’s new and impactful, but experience has taught me that a dose of skepticism is healthy. Remember, it’s not about grabbing every shiny tool or jumping on every trend; a successful blog requires a strategy that’s as thoughtful and unique as the content you create. Focus on what truly resonates with your audience and what sustains your passion for blogging. The rest, as they say, will follow.
Starting a blog is a journey with many learning curves. By being aware of these common missteps, you can refine your approach and ensure that your blogging experience is as rewarding and enjoyable as you’ve always hoped. Stay true to your voice, be patient, and don’t forget to enjoy the process. After all, isn’t that what we all thought we’d love when we started our blogs?
