8 Bad Blogging Habits to Give Up in 2015

Whether you’re a blogging professional or you’re just starting out, we all make mistakes. And once you make one mistake, it can quickly become a bad habit that’s hard to break.

As blogging is often a solo activity, there’s no one to remind you that you’re slouching, pester you that you haven’t posted in a while or gently nudge to switch the laptop off at 2am. Becoming a successful blogger requires self-discipline – and lots of it. You need to badger yourself into good habits, as hard as that might sound.

Perhaps you work too hard? Or not hard enough? We’re all somewhere on the spectrum, so now it’s all about striking a perfect balance.

As the beginning of the year is a time to reflect on what’s working and not working for you, and a time for change, here’s how to break those bad blogging habits:

Inconsistent Blogging

We’ve all been guilty of this at some point – whether it’s due to illness, holidays or just life getting on top of you.

A common mistake many bloggers make is frantically posting in the early days of the blog and then losing momentum later on. Don’t let your blog look like a new toy that’s been abandoned – keep things frequent, fresh and new. And it’s not just your readers that want a bit of consistency; search engines love regularly updated sites too.

Start the New Year with an editorial plan and even a posting schedule so that your blog keeps ticking over even when life gets hectic.

“Blogaholic” Tendencies

On the other end of the spectrum is the “blogaholic”. You know who you are! These are the bloggers that are glued to the keyboard, day and night.

As with any job, it’s good to be ambitious, dedicated and excited by what you’re doing, but if you let it take over your life, your health is going to suffer.

Set yourself boundaries in 2015 – and stick to them!

Bad Blogging Posture

It seems some people were born with the posture of a catwalk model and perch at their desks with the grace of an exotic bird. The rest of us slouch.

If you’re in the slouching camp, you don’t have to stay there. There are little steps that you can take to improve your posture.

Firstly sit at a proper desk! It can be easy to get into the habit of slumping in bed or on the sofa whilst blogging but your body won’t thank you for it.

Sit with your feet flat on the floor, sit up straight and ensure your eye level is line with the screen. Try to get up often, stretch, walk around a bit and then sit down again. This will not only help you stay fresh and alert, but will ensure that you don’t slump lower and lower down as the hours tick by.

“Me me me” Attitude

Too many bloggers are happy to talk about what they’ve done, but are not interested in finding out more about what similar bloggers in their field are up to.

Be generous with your time – share the content of others you like and spend time building relationships with bloggers you think are interesting.

Remember blogging isn’t just about you – it’s about starting a conversation.

Not Replying to Comments

You’ve taken the time to write a great blog post, someone’s taken the time to read it, and not only that, they’ve left a comment. Why ignore it?

Blog comments are a sign that your content is hitting the right notes with your readers – it’s a clear sign of success. Make it a priority this year to keep on top of your comments, ensuring your blog is more of a conversation than a monologue.

Not Proofreading Posts

What do you think when you see a typo in a blog post? Annoying isn’t it? Not only does it make your blog look unprofessional, but it can give the impression that you haven’t put the time and effort required into your blog.

And most annoying of all, you probably have spent ages on it, but something’s slipped through the net. Try to read through your posts with fresh eyes a day after writing them (if possible), or get a friend to read through it for you before posting.

Checking your Blog Stats 100 Times a Day

There’s nothing worse than the kind of paranoia sets in when you start refreshing stats, emails etc. all day. It’s not only distracting, it’s obsessive.

Only check these things at certain times – and stick to it. Checking your stats isn’t going to bring more visitors to your blog, but writing great content is.

Lazy Promotion

There’s no point spending ages crafting a great blog post if you don’t spend any time promoting your work.

Make sure you get full use of every social network relevant to your blog and make the most of your blogging newsletter.

The New Year is a time for change and even if you just stop one blogging habit, you’re on the road to blogging success.

Which bad blogging habits are you guilty of? And how are you going to turn things around? Share your thoughts below.