We were all amateurs at one point, and we’ve made a few mistakes to get to where we are and we’ll probably make some more along the way. But, there are a few mistakes I have seen often and have done myself before that are really easy to fix.
Centering Text
I am guilty of the centering of text when I first started. Depending on your theme it can look aesthetically pleasing to you. But, centered text is harder to read, especially in lengthy body copy.
The fix: Left justify your text. The easier your body copy is to read, the more people will read your posts.
Pulling Images from Google/ Copy and Pasting Images
I am very guilty of this from the beginning. It came from general laziness and pulling images from Google searches to copy and paste into posts. This is bad for a couple reasons. 1) if the image is deleted from the source, it will be broken on your page. 2) if you don’t credit the image it’s theft and copyright (thus, credit your images or add a disclaimer on your site).
The fix: Taking your own images is a good step. If you don’t have the resources to do so regularly, use stock photo resources like Pexels. If you need something specific, use Google but cite where you got the image. Put a disclaimer on your site about images if you don’t own them. Upload them to your site directly, do not copy and paste.
Not Posting on a Schedule
If you want to be serious about blogging (or any content creation) you need to set a schedule and follow it. When you’re not on a schedule there is less incentive for readers to come back regularly. And being on a schedule helps build a habit.
The fix: Make a content calendar and stick to it. Having a calendar helps create a consistent schedule and planning content.
Not Replying to Comments
Replying to comments is a great way to connect with other bloggers, get readers to come back to your site, and establish trust from readers to believe your content. Not replying to comments can give the vibe that you don’t care what your readers think.
The fix: Set a chunk of time to reply to comments on posts. Whether it’s the day after it posts or a few hours, having a set time will encourage you to go through and read what your readers have to say.
Do you have a fix for a mistake? Let me know in the comments below.
Really enjoying the series Michelle. One of the biggest mistakes I notice is walls of text (obviously discounting literature or books in blog form). If a post doesn’t use regular H Tags, I struggle to get to the end of the post.
Very true! It is usually recommended to make posts as skimmable as possible, so using headings helps with that
Three posts in and I’m definitely guilty for using images from Google searches. I’ll have to work on it!
It is definitely hit or miss, especially with what we write about. For games, screenshots are fine. I’ve used ones from google for games I can’t get mine own screenshots of. It is a use your best judgement thing really.