Are You Making These Business Blogging Mistakes?

In a world that has grown to be centered almost entirely on the internet, business blogging is rapidly becoming a mandatory component of any marketing strategy. Aware of this fact, most companies have launched their own business blogs, but many fail to properly develop their latest technological tool. The reasons for this are many, ranging from time constraints to a perceived inability to learn new things to a belief that business blogging isn’t actually all that effective anyways. Regardless of your reasoning, the truth is that, when used properly, business blogging and other similar trends can draw attention to your business, help you to acquire new customers, and turn your existing clientele into diehard fans. It may seem complex to learn an entirely new way of attracting an audience, but in fact maintaining a blog is not all that different from maintaining a personal relationship. In fact, the five most common and fatal business blogging mistakes bear a striking resemblance to errors nervous couples make when trying to strengthen their connection.

Mistake #1: Fact Flooding

Just as you would not offer the same information about yourself on a date as you might give on a job interview, you should not post the same information on your blog as you do on your website. Reserve hard facts, press releases, and company statistics for your corporate site. Although your blog should be based on factual information, allow it to incorporate the opinions of your employees. Use your blog to define your company’s personality. Nobody wants to date someone who spits out boring data the entire meal, and nobody will want to read your blog if it is just a bunch of regurgitated facts from a newspaper. Spice it up, make it exciting. Don’t be afraid to take a risk.

Mistake #2: Not Committing

If you’re interested in someone, you will reserve a certain amount of time and energy for them. Do the same with your blog. Abandoning your blog, just like abandoning your significant other, is one of the most fatal mistakes you can make. No matter how much else you have on your plate, plan ahead so that you have time for what matters. Just as you schedule dates in advance, write down the days you plan to post on your blog and begin to prepare in advance. That way, if something comes up unexpectedly you will still have time to service your blog. Bottom line: if the blog matters to you, you will make time for it.

Mistake #3: Hogging the Ball

Blogging, like a conversation with another person, is a multi-party exchange. If one person dominates the conversation, or “hogs the ball,” the other parties lose interest and move on to something, or someone, more accommodating. Your blog should be a conversation. You should encourage feedback from your readers and also listen to their comments and validate them with responses. People will be much more likely to read your content if they feel that you care about their opinions and are willing to discuss your own views. Nobody wants to date someone who makes themselves the center of the universe and never allows anyone else to speak, and nobody wants to read a blog that doesn’t make room for multiple viewpoints either.

Mistake #4: Hiding What’s New

Humans, men especially, are notorious for trying to hide their feelings behind masks of security and stability. This instinct, as well as the imbalance in the quality between women and men, has created drama in relationships for centuries. If something happens in your life, whether good or bad, you should share with your significant other. Make it easy for them to learn about what’s new with you. Don’t make them pull it out of you. The same is true for your blog. If people can’t easily access the new information, they will move on. A site with nothing new only serves a purpose for so long, and eventually people will find a site that easily gives them access to interesting and updated information. Remember: you don’t have a monopoly on your product. If your readers want the latest information and you don’t have it, they will go somewhere else. You need to give the reader’s a reason to come back for more.

Mistake #5: Picking Out a Wedding Ring Before You’ve Gone on a Second Date

Everyone knows that when one party’s expectations exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances, it can be a destructive misstep. Fantasizing about a beautiful wedding or your honeymoon in the Bahamas before you’ve met each other’s friends is just plain impractical. Blogs are no different. Don’t expect your blog to gain followers and become an instant success overnight. If you do, you are bound for failure and are very likely to give up easily on your new endeavor. Be patient, give it time, and try to keep your expectations realistic.

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