You’ve read all about how to become profitable with your blog. You’ve chosen a niche, and you’ve started to write content. You’ve opened your AdSense account and even signed up for a few affiliate programs. But you’re just not making the money you thought you would — and may not even be making any money at all. What gives? Here are a 5 common mistakes that bloggers make that could be keeping you from turning the profit that you desire:
Incorrect Keyword Usage
Your keywords are critical to how well your blog ranks. They are what customers use to find your site. Choose the wrong keywords, or use them incorrectly, and your site won’t show up in the listings that your target customers are shown when they search. Make sure you do good keyword research, and then make sure you use them appropriately on your blog. Typically, keywords should be used in the title, the first 100 words of your blog post, and then ever 100 words throughout your post. Don’t use your keywords too often, or your page could be flagged as spam.Inconsistent Posting
Did you post every day one week, but then dropped out of site for another two months? Inconsistent posting is a sure way to lose readers. No one wants to return to your site day after day, not knowing whether there will be new content there. Even if you only post every two weeks, you should make sure that you do it consistently so that readers know what to expect and will return as needed for the new content.
Stale Content
No matter how consistent you are, if you are only posting once a month or less, your content will quickly grow stale. Your site will become less attractive to both search engines and readers. The less often you post, the lower your site will rank with search engines. Make sure you are posting often and that you are posting interesting and engage content. Even if you are posting regularly, if you are posting boring or useless content, your ranking will suffer just as much.
Personal Content
No one wants to read about your cat — unless your blog is about cats. While sharing personal information can often make your blog stand out by showing off some of your personality, there is a fine line to walk, and you have to be sure you don’t cross it. Keep your blog on the topic at hand, and don’t bore your readers with information about what you ate for lunch or all the cute things that your kids said that day.
Improper Linking Strategy
Simply submitting your blog to a directory is not enough to get the highest rank possible. Use a diverse strategy that includes directories, guest posts, forum and blog comments, press releases, and more. Also be sure to use internal linking to get more notice for your older content, and to keep driving traffic to all your posts.
Whether you’re a veteran blogger or you’re just starting out, you can fall prey to these common blogging mistakes. Make sure that you avoid making these blunders and you’ll watch your blog readership and your search engine ranking grow.
