Starting a blog on the wrong foot is a bit like heading off on a road trip with no map, no fuel, and no clue where you actually want to end up.
Sure, you might get moving, but probably in the wrong direction, with a few breakdowns and a dodgy service station sandwich along the way.
To avoid wasting your time and money, it’s essential to take an intentional approach.
That means picking the right destination (niche), fuelling up properly (platform + content), and actually knowing how to drive (monetization strategy and mindset).
In this post, I’ll walk you through the biggest mistakes new bloggers tend to make so you can skip the detours and hit the road running.
Picking the Wrong Destination (Niche Chaos)
When it comes to choosing a niche, the usual advice is to “follow your passion” or blog about whatever you feel like.
Sounds nice, but here’s the problem:
Passion doesn’t always mean profit.
Instead, consider traffic.
Not passion, not profit, not what’s popular or trending.
When you prioritise traffic, profit will follow.
So, how to find high traffic niches?
One word: Pinterest!
Google traffic takes months to attract and the Google Gods are very difficult to appease these days.
It keeps getting worse every year.
You’ll be doing yourself a huge favour if you promote your blog posts on Pinterest because you’ll be able to tap into traffic a lot quicker.
The catch?
Not all niches work well on Pinterest.
Sure, in a perfect world, you’d be able to wake up without an alarm clock and be paid to blog about your favourite things.
This is the reality for many bloggers.
However, some of us have to settle and put our interests aside.
Don’t let that deter you.
If your goal is to work for yourself from home, choosing blog topics that aren’t at the top of your list really isn’t the end of the world.
Anyway, let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
There’s still a chance your favourite niche is a good fit.
A simple trick to find out is to type your favourite topics into Pinterest’s search bar and see how many results pop up.
If the search results are abundant, you’re in luck.
There’s an audience craving the content you want to serve.
If not, try another.
The beauty of Pinterest is that multi-niche blogs work very well on the platform, and your topics don’t even need to tie together.
Just make sure users are actively searching for what you’re serving.
Do that and you’ll avert niche disasters!
Choosing the Wrong Vehicle (Platform fails)
Choosing the wrong platform for your blog is like picking a beat-up car for a cross-country road trip.
Sure, it might get you somewhere but it’s going to break down on you when you least expect it.
You’ll hear a lot of people recommending easy platforms like Squarespace, Wix or Medium.
They sound like a shortcut, but using these platforms is like building your house on borrowed land.
For full flexibility, control, complete ownership and maximised monetisation, a self hosted WordPress website is the only way to go.
It’s by far the best option for building a blog that can actually grow and bring in consistent income.
Here’s why:
- Full control
You own your site, your content, and your data. No one can take it away from you. If there’s one reason a WP site is your best bet, this is it! - Monetisation
See those banner ads on my blog? They bring in daily income. It’s not impossible to run ads on hosted platforms but it’s more finicky. - Cost-effectiveness
You can start a self hosted WordPress website for less than $3 per month – that’s less than your coffee habit! Squarespace and Wix have pricey monthly fees – not to mention their hidden fees for upgrades that come free with WP.
The main reason most new bloggers shy away from WordPress is because it can seem intimidating.
I must admit, I felt the same way when I got started but it’s actually not as overwhelming as it appears.
Inside my course, Blogging Blueprint (which is $0.00 if you start your blog on this page) I share step-by-step, beginner friendly WordPress video tutorials that make setting up less scary.
I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time at all!
The other platforms may seem easier on the surface but they come with so many limitations and unnecessary expenses.
Starting with an Empty Tank (Launching with no content)
Starting a blog with zero posts is like hopping into a car with an empty tank.
You can sit there all day, but you’re not going anywhere fast unless you fuel up.
It doesn’t matter how good your theme is or how shiny your logo looks.
Without content, your blog is just a pretty, empty shell that nobody will be able to find.
Before you even think about hitting that launch button, make sure you have at least 3-5 solid posts ready to go.
So, plan ahead, write those posts, and hit publish.
The more content you have, the more chances you’ll have to attract and retain readers.
No Map (No Monetization Strategy)
Money isn’t going to fall from the sky because you published a blog post.
To make money blogging, you’ll need to have a clear monetisation plan in place.
Otherwise, you may as well just be driving around aimlessly without a map, hoping you’ll magically end up where you want to be.
So, how exactly do blogs make money?
And how quickly can it happen?
You’ve got options, friend.
Your first option is to launch your blog with a digital product or service for sale.
This could be an eBook, printable bundle, course or coaching.
This way, your blog will be able to bring in income from day one because you won’t need to wait for ad network and affiliate program approvals.
Of course, developing a product/service takes time, so this might be a path you’d prefer to explore later down the line.
If so, affiliate marketing is an excellent entry point.
As an affiliate, you’ll be able to earn commissions on sales that are relevant to your readers.
To get started, simply Google ‘your niche + affiliate programs’ or ‘product/brand + affiliate program’ to explore your options.
Approval usually takes 1-2 weeks and you can massively increase your chance of acceptance by publishing more blog posts that are relevant to the programs you’re applying to.
Even better if you include some posts in your application.
Rejections happen from time to time but don’t be disheartened if you receive a rejection or two.
Keep publishing and reapply.
If you’d prefer to focus solely on publishing posts and driving traffic without developing or promoting products, display ads are the income stream for you.
Heads up, acceptance isn’t instant.
You will need to reach traffic requirements (10,000 sessions) but it’s best to apply as soon as possible, long before you hit that 10,000 mark.
It may sound far away but you’ll get there sooner than you expect.
At least, that was my experience!
My blog took three months to be approved but time flew.
I highly recommend you apply for Journey by Mediavine as soon as possible.
This way, the application is taken care of and you’ll be accepted as soon as your blog reaches traffic requirements.
Regardless of which monetization method(s) you choose, having a plan in place will ensure you don’t get stranded on the roadside without a way to fuel up.
Expecting to Arrive Yesterday (Unrealistic Expectations)
One of the biggest mistakes new bloggers keep making is expecting instant results.
Who can blame them when gurus keep making false promises?
I hate to be the one to burst your bubble if your head has been in the clouds but those crazy overnight success stories?
They aren’t real.
Basing your expectations on fraudulent income screenshots is like expecting your car to turn into a time machine and take you to the future.
You will get traffic, you will get sales, ad revenue and affiliate commissions – but not overnight.
Even if it does happen overnight, it’s not going to be thousands of dollars.
Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
My advice?
Ignore sensationalist success stories.
Many of them aren’t even true – especially the one about a blogger who was ‘ready to quit’ and then made $300,000+ within 10 weeks of launching her blog.
It didn’t happen!
I’ll be exposing this falsified story very soon so stay tuned.
Until then, please give yourself grace and time to grow.
Know that this journey takes time but it’s incredibly rewarding.
When your blog’s success snowballs, you’ll regret not savouring the moments in your start-up days.
The journey ahead of you is a long one so slow down and smell the roses.
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