7 Things Bloggers Get Wrong About Starting a Website
And how to fix them
Starting a website can be an exciting and profitable venture, but it’s not without its challenges. For many bloggers, the road to building a successful website is paved with mistakes and misconceptions.
I’ve made just about all of them.
In this article, we’ll look at seven common things that bloggers get wrong when starting a website, and provide detailed explanations, examples, and solutions to help you avoid these pitfalls.
1) Choosing the Wrong Niche
One of the biggest mistakes bloggers make when starting a website is choosing the wrong niche. They may select a topic that’s too broad or too narrow, or one in which they have no genuine interest or expertise.
Example: A blogger might decide to create a website about health and wellness. However, this niche is incredibly broad, making it difficult to stand out from the competition.
Alternatively, they may choose a narrow topic like “healthy recipes for picky eaters in Austin TX,” which may not have a large enough audience to sustain the website.
Solution: To find the right niche, take time to brainstorm and research your interests and areas of expertise. Look for a subject that genuinely excites you and has a sizable, engaged audience. I like to use Google Trends over a five-year period.
It’s also helpful to examine the competition to see if there’s room for your unique voice and perspective.
2) Ignoring Website Design and User Experience
Some bloggers underestimate the importance of website design and user experience. They may prioritize content creation, leaving the site’s design as an afterthought, or even worse, settle for a free or low-quality theme.
Example: A blogger creates a website with an outdated design, slow-loading pages, and a confusing navigation menu. Visitors quickly leave, frustrated with their experience.
Solution: Invest time and resources into creating a visually appealing, user-friendly website. Consider hiring a professional designer or using a high-quality, customizable theme. You can start with a simple and fast theme like Astra.
Make sure your site loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and looks good on both desktop and mobile devices.
Hosting matters a lot, so try Bluehost, Hostarmada, or WPX.
3) Focusing Too Much on Monetization From the Start
While monetization is an important aspect of running a website, some bloggers prioritize earning money over providing value to their audience. This can lead to poor content quality, spammy ads, and an overall lack of trust from readers.
Example: A blogger starts a website and immediately fills it with ads and affiliate links, before even publishing any valuable content. As a result, visitors are turned off by the overly promotional approach and never return.
Solution: Focus on creating high-quality, valuable content first, and then gradually introduce monetization methods. Build trust with your audience by providing them with genuine, useful information.
Once you’ve established a loyal readership, you can start to monetize your site more effectively, using ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing in a way that doesn’t detract from the user experience.
Thankfully, this process can happen pretty fast.
4) Neglecting SEO and Keyword Research
Some bloggers fail to invest time in search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword research, which can greatly impact their website’s visibility and traffic.
Ignoring these crucial aspects of online marketing makes it challenging for potential readers to find your content.
Example: A blogger writes an in-depth article about “The Benefits of Yoga for Mental Health,” but neglects to include relevant keywords or optimize their content for search engines.
Consequently, the article doesn’t rank on Google, and the target audience never finds it.
Solution: Familiarize yourself with the basics of SEO and keyword research, and implement these strategies into your content creation process.
Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to identify popular and relevant keywords in your niche. Optimize your content, titles, headings, meta descriptions, and URLs to improve search engine visibility and attract more organic traffic.
Try the RankMath plugin for easy (and free) SEO help. For more robust SEO direction, it’s hard to beat Surfer SEO.
5) Inconsistency in Content Creation and Posting
Many bloggers underestimate the importance of consistency when it comes to publishing content. An irregular posting schedule can lead to a decrease in website traffic and reader engagement.
Example: A blogger starts out by publishing three articles per week but then becomes inconsistent, posting sporadically or going weeks without new content.
Readers lose interest, and traffic dwindles.
Solution: Develop a realistic content calendar and stick to it. Determine a posting frequency that works for you — whether it’s once a week, twice a month, or daily — and commit to maintaining that schedule.
Consistency not only helps keep your audience engaged but also signals to search engines that your website is active and relevant.
If you need help with consistency, try ChatGPT or Jasper AI (Formerly Conversion AI/Jarvis — not an affiliate link).
6) Failing to Engage with the Audience
Some bloggers focus solely on content creation and neglect interacting with their readers. Building a community and engaging with your audience is crucial for creating loyalty and fostering long-term success.
Example: A blogger publishes a thought-provoking article about mental health, but doesn’t respond to comments or questions from readers. The lack of engagement makes readers feel ignored and decreases their interest in the website.
Solution: Make an effort to interact with your audience and build relationships. Respond to comments, emails, and social media messages promptly and thoughtfully.
Encourage discussions and feedback, and use this input to improve your content and better understand your audience’s needs and preferences.
7) Underestimating the Importance of Networking and Promotion
Finally, some bloggers underestimate the importance of networking and promotion, assuming great content will automatically attract readers and traffic.
However, in today’s crowded online landscape, promotion and networking are key to gaining visibility and building a following.
Example: A blogger publishes a well-written and informative article but doesn’t promote it on social media, email newsletters, or other channels. As a result, the article receives minimal traffic and fails to reach its full potential.
Solution: Make a concerted effort to network and promote your content. Build relationships with other bloggers, influencers, and industry experts in your niche.
Use social media, email marketing, and other online platforms to share your content and reach a wider audience. Consider investing in paid advertising, such as Facebook or Google ads, to increase visibility and attract more readers.
Parting Thoughts
As I said, I’ve made each of these mistakes.
Launching and maintaining a website over the long haul is not passive or easy but it’s easier and more reliable than many other side hustles — at least, in my experience.
You don’t need to be perfect with these 7 tips.
But knowing them, reminding yourself of them, and applying them will help you succeed where other bloggers fail.
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