13 Mistakes Authors Make on Their Blogs

Guest Post by Denise Wakeman.

Denise will be our guest on Profitable Social Media radio on March 26th. Details on the Profitable Social Media show page

Are you getting results from your book blog? Is it getting harder for you to spend time on your blog because you’re just not seeing how it is going to pay off? If so, you’re not alone. Hundreds of blogs are started each day and many of them are abandoned after several months because it takes time and energy to keep a good book blog going.

Make no mistake, blogs are a great tool for building community, interacting with readers, and marketing your book. And, it’s not enough to set one up and post occasionally. You have to use it effectively to drive traffic and attract readers.

I’ve discovered several common mistakes authors make with their blogs. Most aren’t using features available with blogging software. Eyes glaze over with the mention of RSS, pinging, trackbacks and permalinks. Does this describe how you feel? You may be ignoring these things, hoping you don’t really need to know. But you do if you want great results from you book blog.

Here’s a list of what I found on a recent trip around the author blogosphere:

Content:

Not posting frequently enough.
Content is not focused or optimized for the search engines.
Articles are too long.
Not linking profusely to sources. Links are the currency of the blogosphere.

Design

No author name on the blog home page.
No author photo.
No subscription form; no way to get blog updates through RSS or email.
Readers can’t leave comments or have too many hoops to jump through.
Too many categories or none at all.

Marketing

Blog isn’t listed in the 200+ blog directories.
Blog posts are not being syndicated to social networking sites.
There’s no call to action to buy the author’s book.
No contact information.

If you’re using a blog to build your online visibility, optimize it by taking time to learn how to leverage your content to get the widest reach. A blog is like any other marketing tool – you’ve got to use it effectively to get positive results.

Denise Wakeman is Founder of The Blog Squad and is an Online Marketing Advisor. Get more blogging tips at http://Facebook.com/BlogSquad. And, you’re invited to claim your free instant access to a 5-part video course on how to get the best out of your blog. Visit http://masterbusinessblogging.com

Tagged as: author blogs, blogging author, book blog, sell more books

csdaley

It is a steep learning curve. Authors should have a built in advantage of having a book out. As someone trying to be published my blog has become a way to reach out to people.
Warren Whitlock

each time you put out great content, you have a opportunity to reach new readers.. The book advantage is 500 years of society norms saying "books are precious"
Phil

Issue with Design: #5, it is better to keep the categories simple and hierarchical and use Tags to denote specific search information from within the blog it self. Allowing your readers to determine exactly what point of interest they want to search for based on a commonality instead of a rational.

The category needs to determine the content, while the tags determine what's IN the content itself. You portray of bad example of categorizing and tags in this case.
Warren Whitlock

You speak like there is a "right way" .. my experience in the online world suggest that any rules will be superseded by what users actually do
beckyholland

Excellent post. I think you should add "No pictures or graphics" to your design list. Also, "Too many typos or instances of incorrect grammar". People like pictures to break up all the text and many are immediately turned of by typos and bad grammar, assuming (perhaps unfairly) that you are unintelligent.
wendynaarup

OK, I'm guilty of most of that....except maybe the length. My blog is all over the place and now that I am in the process of publishing a book, I think I'll get more focused. This was great advice!! thx.
Warren Whitlock

Learning is acceptable.. a good attempt is always better then not blogging. You are way ahead of those who are still perfecting the plan :)
kirstenlesko

I LOVE how succinct you are. Talk about following Content Rule #3. Thanks for such an informative post with so few words.
connieragengreen

Very informative post, Denise. I am just finishing up my book, and have a blog where I am posting most of my content. I then repurpose the posts into articles. You always remind me of what I need to do to make my marketing complete, and blogging is certainly a huge part of it.
Warren Whitlock

even more than "blogging" we all need to remember that we are having conversations with real people.

I know you do a great job of that in person, as you do more of it in the blogosphere, people will flock to you
jose

Yes we are even at first we are all strangers at first we are getting to know each other across the wires and world.
Warren Whitlock

So true my friend
DeniseWakeman

Thanks, Connie, and congrats on writing your book. As Gary Vaynerchuk says, you're a "content machine!" Look forward to seeing your book when it's published.
Blog on!
jose

I was very interested in this as being new to blogging and social media wanted to know how to get resposces and how to get people to my website
Warren Whitlock

Other than adding a profile pic here :) the best advice for getting people attracted to you is to reach out and help them.

People are drawn to buy from people that know, like, and trust... The secret to being liked, is to LIKE PEOPLE and let them know it
jose

I agree I will have to get picture uploaded when worked out how too now have one mind you I wonder what people will think but I do know I should not hide faces tell a lot. I will look into this as I go along the learning of all new things iam doing
Jose
Warren Whitlock

take 2 minutes now and upload at DISQUS. It's a must. You can change it later if you don't like it
lauralyseight

Hello Denise, great insight about blogging. Thanks for sharing.
Michael Anderson

This is excellent. I have not started a serious blog yet but, this is an excellent template of what to be sure to include in my blog. Of course, now I begin to see why starting a blog is so important. Thank you.
Warren Whitlock

you are off to a good start. Commenting and discussion are as important as the blog itself
Kathleen Gage

Outstanding post Denise. One of the greatest challenges for authors is knowing the most effective use of their marketing time. Without a doubt, the information you provided is spot on.

I plan to share your permalink with my readers as they will benefit greatly from this.

Kathleen
DeniseWakeman

Thanks, Kathleen! Considering the work you do with authors, I think Warren should interview you on his show (if he hasn't already!). blog on!
Warren Whitlock

HA! I was just thinking about inviting Kathleen for guest post.. and time to have her on the show
Cathy Perkins

You are so right Denise! I've been teaching these points since my days on the faculty of Alex Mandossian's Virtual Book Tour Secrets. I've taught many authors the 'art' of blogging. When they find out that they aren't in technology never-land, they LOVE it!!

Cathy Perkins
The WordPress Wizard
DeniseWakeman

Thanks, Cathy. I've also worked with a lot of authors and spoken at writer conferences. It's the technology that stops them at first but when I show them how easy it can be, most take to blogging naturally. Blog on!
Lauren McMullen

Great post Denise. Blogging is one of the most important parts of a successful Social Media Marketing plan Many authors don't see the value of a Blog because they have not optimized it and then don't get the traffic and sales they think they should.
jose

this ia fair comment love to read how other people do things and learning from others hope whenhave mote experience can do same always ready to reach out and help if i can
DeniseWakeman

Thanks, Lauren. I'm right there with you. I think a blog is the hub of all social media activity since you can go so much deeper and have more control over your content.
Warren Whitlock

I'll answer for Denise and say THANK YOU..

The largest benefit from my blogs and social media will come from ways you can't see in current numbers. I just closed a very large consulting sale from a radio interview I did 18 months ago. Until I was collecting the money, I had no idea that the person had known about me.
judycullins

Denise,
Great post, and I'm probably making some of these mistakes, but will check out your ideas with my web master and correct them right away. I love how my blog at my business site is working with Linkedin posts-LI traffic up 35% just this month!

Question, For blog posts related to book writing and marketing, I get asked to do guest blogs like this one. I wonder if Google ignores the posts after the first one (for duplicate content). If you know this, I'd appreciate your feedback on it. I do know that it's content that really gets pages on page 1 of Google.
jose

I am exactly same I have made many mistakes with the blogs so far 1 not blogging enough problem
with my business there is so much to talk about but dont want to obver do it I get enthusiastic about my products and how I canhelp people I write too much or not enough. but all the comment I read I am going to try out
Warren Whitlock

Enthusiasm is good.. but remember that delayed gratification gets the best response. The longer you put off saying "my product" the better
jose

I have not actualy mentioned the products but the service and how I can help people with help and advise
and tips generaly too many products and packages we have I love to help people andto learnfrom others
sorry about spelling mistakes typing left out letters. thankyou for your comments and will take them on
board when blogging. which be more often and adding to the social network more regular.
Jose
J L Healthcare
Warren Whitlock

Marking on social media (or anywhere) in the future is easy.. just LISTEN and LOVE
DeniseWakeman

Ditto what Warren wrote. I don't worry about that. In fact I syndicate and repurpose my content all over the place because people hang out on all different sites. The point is to find them where they are and then bring them home to your blog where they can go deep and get more info about you and how you serve your clients/customers/patients, etc.
judycullins

Denise, Thanks for enlightening me. I do follow a lot of what you do and so far, it's working well on my new blog up only a few months, but with Linkedin participation, has really raised my numbers in people coming to my site for more of what I can give them in the book writing and marketing arena.
I love the results because they are targeted. This alone saves me a lot of social networking time.

I stick to my best audience for the most part--business people who want book success.
Cheers, to you and Warren and all here.
Warren Whitlock

Thanks for dropping by Judy. I hope you will join us when Denise is on the show Friday night (or at least catch the recording on iTunes at http://budurl.com/itcr)

The myths and legends about duplicate content are way overblown. If you have posted something on your own site, been indexed and then syndicate that content elsewhere, Google will display the first entry, which is what you want.

However the whole point of guest posts it to reach new audiences.. not searchers. I would recommend tailoring content to the audience of the blog you are writing for.. even if it contains so material used before, the fresh insight is for the readers, not the search engines.

I'm happy to write new content to share on your blog. Just let me know what subject will best benefit your readers and I will prepare something unique for you.

Warren
DR LEONA WILKINS

Thank you for these helpful tips. I am an aspiring author. My book project is in the printing stage. I am new to social media and marketing. I sincerely appreciate all of the information that I have received thus far from articles such as yours. I have learned a lot and I look forward to contributing to others in the very near future. This information came just in time. I am in the process of creating a blog. Kindest regards Dr Wilkins
DeniseWakeman

Congrats on starting your blog, Dr. Wilkins...that's a big step and often where people get stuck. Look forward to seeing your blog soon!
Warren Whitlock

Blogging is good for getting your message out.. and even better for using our marketing mantra for the future.. LISTEN and LOVE.. Millions of people want to have a discussion about every conceivable topic.. Give them a chance to be heard and respond and you will do well
DR LEONA WILKINS

Thanks Warren for you comment. Believe it or not most of what I have learned structurally about social networking I learned from you. I have followed all instructions carefully starting with the first email you sent me. I look forward to working with you soon. Regards Dr Wilkins
Warren Whitlock

That's a nice thing to say.. but I know that MOST of what makes you good at social networking is the personality and experience you bring to the party.
DeniseWakeman

Looking forward to talking about business blogging on your show, Warren!
Warren Whitlock

We've been hearing from listeners of Profitable Social Media radio.. most are bloggers, and all are anxious to hear you on Friday night
Andrew Power

Nice post. FWIW - you're Twitter etc link buttons are too far to the right and don't show on a laptop browser without navigation.
Warren Whitlock

Sorry you had trouble rendering the page in your browser.. the flexibility of web pages allows for many ways to format, but ultimately a compromise. Glad you could read the post

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