A blog is a tool to express your views on any topic you desire. It helps gain recognition in the online world and if your blog is good enough then it will yield a lot of money as well. In order to run a successful blog it is compulsory to follow the CTPM format.
CTPM stands for Content, Traffic, Pre-sell and Monetize. If the format is utilized efficiently then you will be able to have one of the best blogs on the web.
People make a lot of mistakes when running a blog and some of these mistakes can end up ruining your blog and divert readers to another website.
Some of these mistakes are extremely common so it is better to be informed.
1- Complex website design
Your blog should be simple and easy to navigate because users do not want to spend time finding their way to the content. Always have clear labels in your menu and designate areas of your website to most recent and most popular posts. This will make it easier for visitors to find content and spend more time on your website.
2- Not posting content frequently
When you start a blog you have to update the content regularly so readers visit your website frequently. The more content you share the better the chances of your posts getting ranked on search engines. Better ranking on search engines will drive more visitors to your website and good content will retain them to your blog.
Readers also subscribe to your blog so they expect regular updates. This will encourage them to read your blog in their free time and might share your content on social media resulting in more traffic. As a result, interesting content should be published every day.
3- Too eager for money
It’s true that the purpose of a blog is to generate revenue but greediness can cause real trouble. Monetization is the last part of the CTPM format because if the first three things are not managed correctly then you will not make enough money from your blog. There are many ways to earn money through a blog – affiliates, advertising, sponsored posts and so on.
You should have a complete plan for advertising, do not rush into things and refrain from filling your website with ads. If there are too many ads on your blog then there are high chances that your content is being overshadowed as a result visitors will not visit your site. This means you will have a high bounce rate which in return will affect your search ranking because Google values user experience more than anything else. If your bounce rate is high then it will think that your blog is not suitable for the readers.
4- Lack of quality content
They always say that “content is king” and it matters the most in a blog. A blog relies on content and if you do not provide quality content to your readers then you can never attract a lot of traffic, as a result the earnings will be low as well. Exclusive content is always the best way to attract readership. Focus on publishing unique content on your blog. Quality over quantity is the key. One well written interesting blog post will attract more visitors compared to 5 posts which are already available on other websites.
5- Use of unwanted ads
Most bloggers make the mistake of using third party publisher ads which are based on pop-ups. Pop-ups are the most annoying feature of a blog and users become frustrated when they click on a link and pop-ups start taking over their desktop. Users will only click on those ads which they think have relevant information. If the ad redirects them to something else there are high chances that they will not return to your blog.
Also do not opt for too many sponsored posts because they might irrelevant to your blog and users want posts regarding the blog, not the advertisers.
6- Extremely long posts
In terms of SEO purposes, long posts are encouraged but there is a limit for up 1500 words. Do not go beyond 1500 words unless you are writing a review. Users demand short and concise articles with focus on the topic. Extremely long posts will become too boring for them and they will leave half-way reading through the post.
If the topic requires a lot of information then start a series for that particular topic. This will make users stay for a longer period of time on your blog, also aim at quality content. For example, in a tech a blog you should write at least 5 posts regarding Windows instead of one 4000 words post altogether. Use images and videos efficiently because multimedia makes the content more interesting.
7- Long paragraphs
Every article should have small paragraphs so it easier to find relative content. If you write extremely long paragraphs then users will have to spend more time on finding the content they are looking. This builds a really and reputation in the mind of the reader. Some people just browse through the key points in the article such as specifications of the phone etc. So make short paragraphs and make your content scannable. Use H2 and H3 headings and bold important text in the article. This will make the content easier to read and help in SEO as well.
