Coming up with new contents for our blogs can be difficult, but any idea is not “good enough.” There are a few common blogging ideas that you may think will actually improve your business, push sales, and grow your audience but will actually hurt your business in the long run.
Here are ten of the worst blog content ideas that you should ditch immediately:
1. Using your blogs as a sales pitch opportunity
Sure, one of your main goals of your blog is to grow your sales and introduce readers to the products or services that you’re offering, but your posts shouldn’t read like it was pulled straight out of the sales team’s mouth. Instead of enticing your readers to make a purchase, it will encourage them to close out of your website and read something more interesting. There is nothing with dropping links to your products or including a call to action at the end of a post, but be sure to provide some useful information as well.
2. Not writing an accurate heading
No one wants to waste their time thinking they’re going to read one thing and it turns out to be completely different than what they believed, so don’t try to lure readers in with headlines that aren’t accurate and enticing. If your topic isn’t attention grabbing, don’t write about it. Creating a false headline will not only push people to leave your site quickly, they’ll remember you were deceiving and not want to come back.
3. Not creating a piece that can be skimmed
As much as marketers hate to admit it, readers skim blog posts more often than they actually read them. Our readers are busy and they won’t waste time reading a piece that won’t benefit them. Some marketers wrongly believe that creating a piece that can’t be skimmed by ignoring headlines, bulleted lists, or other formatting options, will help them get more actual readers. Unfortunately, this will only push readers away more quickly.
4. Writing posts that aren’t relevant
When you have an idea about something, you may think your blog is the perfect place to share it. But if it isn’t directly aligned with your company’s beliefs, values, and purpose, your blog isn’t the best fit. This will only confuse your readers and push them away. You’ll need to stay focused on all of your content.
5. Creating content to appeal to new audiences
If you want to expand your audience, drafting new content isn’t the best way to go about it. Until those new individuals are on your site, you’re only wasting your time. Your blog should serve the purpose of keeping current customers interested and returning while also drawing the attention of potential customers already in the demographic of your target audience. If you try to use your blog to appeal to a completely new group, you’ll find that they may not even know your blog exists – and your returning readers will stop coming back.
6. Not covering a topic you’ve already talked about
When it comes to blogging, many people are scared to approach a topic that they’ve already covered. They may feel that there is no use because people could already read the blog you’ve posted, but the truth is that once the post is up and passed around, it only has so long of a life. Eventually, it will stop getting shared and won’t grab as much attention. If you can approach the topic from a new angle or go in depth on a few of the points, you can attract readers of the first post to your page all over again.
7. Not having a personality
Businesses falsely believe that they need to remain strictly professional at all times. While this is true, your blog shouldn’t read like a formal report. Instead, you should create a personality that will be engaging and interesting for your readers. If your target audience includes finance professionals, write like a finance professional. If your target audience includes teenage girls, write like a teenage girl. Blog posts are meant to be informational and educational, but that doesn’t mean they need to be boring.
8. Not coming up with original content
It is perfectly acceptable to play off the ideas of other companies, bloggers, or writers, but it isn’t okay to completely steal their topic and research. If you want to use another’s post as inspiration, do so with the idea that you’re only going to use it as a launching pad for your own information. Not only will copied content push readers away and ruin your reputation, it could even get you in legal trouble.
9. Not making a connection
Even if you’re the expert, you shouldn’t act like you have nothing to learn from your readers. If you write with a feeling of superiority, you won’t get many readers on your blog. Instead, look to make a connection with the people who visit your site. A great way to get their opinions is to ask for their thoughts in the comments section.
10. Ignoring what your readers want
Just like the clients and customers of your company, your readers are always right. If they want you to cover a certain topic, you should do your best to cover that topic. If you don’t, there are a million other blogs online willing to put in the work. Instead of only writing about what is in your head, consider what is popular, what information is missing, and what you can contribute to the conversation.
When brainstorming blog content ideas for the website you created, be careful not to fall into these awful habits. These 10 common practices are a sure way to lose readers for your blog.