Unethical Rookie Blogger Mistakes to Avoid: Part 4

Happy Monday! Today’s post goes out to all bloggers out there, from newbies to seasoned veterans. The blogging industry is one that’s evolving every day, and with that comes new best practices. The tips I’m sharing today are universally helpful for people in all stages of the industry, so there’s something to learn for everyone here. Keep reading for unethical rookie blogger mistakes to avoid, Part 4!

Don’t skip out on utilizing Instagram and Instagram stories, but don’t rely on them either.
Instagram is a tricky component of blogging. Though it’s completely separate from your blog, it’s a great (and sometimes necessary) tool for driving traffic to your site, interacting with your readers and further building your audience. I think it’s so important to be frequently active on your Instagram feed and stories to peek interest and remain relevant, but this is often coupled by bloggers wrongly going cold on their blog, as if it doesn’t even exist. I’m one to go unseen on Instagram far before my blog, so this is something I’m always working on, as I’m sure most everyone else is too. Think of your blog as the motorcycle and Instagram as the sidecar. Both are used to reach your goals, but the sidecar (Instagram) can’t move without the motorcycle (blog).

Try not to take long breaks between posting.
I know it’s hard, things come up sometimes and we can get burnt out, but the best way to stay relevant is to be consistent. Even if it’s just one blog post a week, it’s better than long stints of nothing. I’ve found the best way to avoid these gaps is to write posts in advance (if possible) and stock pile a few that you can post on days when you simply don’t have time to write something new — great fillers are Q&A’s, life updates, favorites posts, etc.

Don’t follow the crowd.
There’s so much of this in the blogging industry. Have you ever seen a picture and thought, “wait, I’ve seen this before!” — well, you probably have. I can’t even tell you how many pictures I’ve seen over the last month of girls holding a leaf over their eye with a punny fall-related caption. Once one person does something, tons of others fall right in line behind them and it makes Instagram feel extremely repetitive and drab. Though it may seem like regurgitating what everyone else is doing is easy and safe, in the end, it’s not worth it in my opinion. Though you may be successful when recreating other’s work, it’s not going to give you a unique voice in the blogging community. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box, even if it takes far more brainstorming and creativity on your end to do so. You’re more creative than you think!

Don’t be inaccessible to your audience.
I think we all have a bad habit of going MIA online sometimes, but be sure you’re checking your emails/DMs and responding to comments on as regular of a basis as possible, within reason. It can be difficult to keep up with these things on overwhelming days, but strive to set aside time to do so as soon as your schedule allows. Accessibility is so important in blogging/social media careers!

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I hope this was helpful! I’m always here to provide help and guidance, so don’t hesitate to reach out. If you enjoyed this post, you can read the other parts in this series below:

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, check out my house updates on my Instagram if you haven’t seen them already (ft. our new sectional couch, large area rug and dining set) & have a great day!