5 MORE Blogging Mistakes Beginners Make

Last week I pointed out some basic mistakes that almost all bloggers make at some point or another:

1. auto-loading music
2. using a dark background with light text
3. too much sidebar clutter
4. accidental plagiarism
5. not using contextual links

This week I want to point out five more mistakes that may not be quite so obvious.

Mistake #6: Choosing an uninteresting blog name.

If you are starting a blog, please consider your title seriously. Avoid words like musings, ramblings, thoughts, mommy, etc. Trust me when I tell you it's been done. Your goal should be to set yourself apart from the crowd. Choose something reflective of your personality and niche, but be creative.

Mistake #7: Not owning your domain name.

Your domain name is the URL, or address, of your blog. For example, yourblogname.com or yourblogname.net. It's about $10 per year to own your own domain name and, like or it or not, people take you more seriously if you own your own domain name and use a .com or .net URL. Oh, and your domain name should match your blog's name. My advice is to check domain name availability as you are choosing your blog's name.

Mistake #8: Your header is huge.

Blogging is not digital scrapbooking. I see so many blogs (particularly mommy blogs) that have a header that takes up most of the homepage. The reader has to scroll down several times just to get to the content. Your readers won't tell you, so I will: I didn't come to your site to see your cute header. I came to your site to read your content. Keep your title bar simple and small. Focus on your content.

Mistake #9: Not considering privacy issues.

It's important to consider how transparent you want to be online. Do you want people to know your child's real name or where you live? For some people out there, it's a game to see if they can figure out specific, private things about your family or your life. It's creepy and it can be dangerous. I say this not to scare you, but to make you aware of the problems that can occur when you give too much information to your audience.

Mistake #10: Allowing blogging to become a chore.

When you begin your blog, you have the energy and the ideas for fifty posts. I suggest harness that energy and write those posts, then put those posts on auto-publish and give yourself a break. As you write more posts, add them to the queue. If you write your posts the day before they're published and never give yourself a break, you may end up (as so many of us have) resenting the fact that you have to write a post or you'll lose your readership (which isn't really true). Finally, remember that blogging isn't life. Many a blogger has found that she's so wrapped up in blogging her life that she forgets to focus on the people in her life. Step back every once in a while and take stock of how things are going. Adjust as necessary. If you're hitting a wall and can't think of anything to write, allow yourself to take a break (just don't apologize for it when you come back).

Further Reading:

• 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Setting up Your WordPress Blog via Flipjr.com.
• 5 Common Visual Design Mistakes via The Rapid E-Learning Blog.
• 9 Effective Solutions to 3 Deadly Blogger Mistakes via Neon Scent

Melanie Nelson writes tips & instructions for bloggers at Blogging Basics 101. She had big banners on her sites too.