Read & write

Have you ever been jealous of blogs that just seem to succeed? If you have, you're not alone. Most blogs turn out to be failures from the start, but yours doesn't have to be. Don't ponder about how to fix your blogging mistakes, keep reading and find out!

 Most bloggers make the mistake of running a blog that's all about them. It may come as a surprise to you, but people don't care about your personal life, your problems or your products and company. People do care about solving their problems and getting access to insider information. You can keep your blog afloat if you provide your readers with challenging and helpful information.

Tone down the selling nature of your blog, even if that is your intention. People don't want to read your marketing messages or be shocked by the amount of ads displayed on your blog. Blogs that are successful from the start gift readers with knowledge and valuable content, as well as keeping the ads minimal. When displaying ads, ensure that you are promoting free content such as a newsletter subscription.

Always put useful information in your blog and offer valuable content that others aren't. If you understand the importance that your blog isn't all about you, don't fall into the trap of posting random content. Consider what readers in your niche would find valuable, and blog about that. Cover all aspects of your niche and the more valuable content you add, the higher your number of readers will become.

Give your content the full potential for readers to share between friends and family. If you have great content and readers are happy, provide options to effortlessly share. Choose relevant and popular sharing buttons that can help you expand to even more readers.

Engage your readers in a conversation when they respond to your blog. There is no bigger turnoff to your audience than when you don't respond to anything they say. If you have ever been to a store where the cashier is talking to friends or texting, then you know the feeling. Reply to all comments and you will find that your loyal fan base will undoubtedly increase.

You need to give your visitors a reason to return. Most of the visitors you receive to your blog consist of 80% first-timers. That means your blog is not living up to its full potential. Offer perks for return visitors such as free newsletters, ebooks and/or video tutorials.

Shine some spotlight on your blog on outside professionals in your niche. Professionals will have a widespread range of knowledge that they can share with your blogging audience. For example, you can interview authors, peers or even other experts. By choosing to involve others, you can build a wider web of professional help and gain more loyal followers.

Blogging isn't easy and many first-time bloggers fail because they really don't understand how people work. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, research what not to do before you start. By choosing not to ignore the warning signs of failure, you are setting up for success!