Starting a new blog today or in the new year? Stepping into the world of digital marketing can be a daunting experience. While you might be interested in the latest marketing trends and are eager to apply them to your new blog, there are other factors to consider as well. There are several digital marketing errors that could set your new blog back.
As a newcomer, you may only get one chance to make a good first impression on your readers. No matter what you plan to market, there are several common blogging mistakes you can avoid.
And of course be sure to have the right digital tools to help you along the way. These mistakes might cost you time, money, and clients.
Table of Contents
The Big 7 Digital Marketing Mistakes
1. Failing To Plan Before You Launch Your Digital Marketing
Creating an engaging blog connected to your business can be a creative and enjoyable endeavor. However, one of the most common mistakes most new bloggers make is to rush through the process.
New bloggers do this so they can launch their content as soon as possible.
To create a blog that will attract as many readers as possible, it is important that you plan out its details first.
The planning process does not have to delay the launch of your blog. Give yourself enough time to consider the factors that might make it successful.
You can ask yourself a variety of questions, such as who your readers will be, what kind of content they will be looking for, and how you plan to reach them.
Planning both short and long-term goals for your blog can help you feel more confident about its quality.
2. Ignoring Mobile Convenience
As you map out your blog, your top priority may be quality content presented in such a way that it grabs your reader’s attention and gets them interested in your product or service.
However, failing to optimize your blog for mobile users may lose readers before they can even get to your site. Recent statistics show that the number of mobile shoppers has risen steadily in the past five years, and if your blog is not mobile-friendly, you could be shutting out potential customers.
Likewise, be sure all your social share buttons work well on mobile and not just on desktop! I’ve seen too many mobile sites where the share buttons cover the content or are hard to use.
Before you launch your blog, it is a good idea to test it for mobile capability. Loading speed and ease of use on mobile devices are usually two factors that customers want most. However, do be careful if on public wifi.
They are important when they view a website on their phone or tablet. Therefore you may want to focus on those two during the testing phase.
However, this is one of the biggest digital marketing errors one can make even as we head into 2025.
If you are not sure if your website or blog is mobile-friendly check out the Google mobile-friendly test here.
3. Misunderstanding Your Audience – A Big Digital Marketing Mistake
Quality content and clever on-site advertising might not amount to much if you fail to target the right audience. Using the wrong type of language or missing the mark in realizing who you are trying to reach can plunge your blog into anonymity.
Finding your audience and understanding the type of content they might be looking for can be one key to the success of digital marketing via your blog.
If not misunderstanding your audience could lead to fatal digital marketing errors.
Going to the source can help you understand your audience better. Ask your current readers what kind of content they want to see on your blog. Or how you might improve it.
This can show them that you are interested in their wants and needs. It will make a better and more meaningful connection with the people supporting your small business.
4. Ignoring Customer Communication
It is now easier than ever to make your own website and customize it to the needs of your small business. However, how you use that site to reach out to your customers can be one of the cornerstones of your success.
When readers leave a comment on a blog post, it is important to respond promptly. Respond even if they have a complaint about the content.
Responding thoughtfully and taking the time to thank a reader or doing your best to resolve a complaint can go a long way in building positive customer relations and your online reputation.
If you ignore comments and emails you could be missing one of the big digital marketing errors.
5. Not Doing Keyword Research From The Beginning
If you blog without doing keyword research, it will be harder for your blog to be found in the search engines and generate more traffic to it.
Therefore, starting to do the research before you hit the publish button will help you reach a more targeted and engaged audience as well.
You can learn from my mistakes as I didn’t do the keyword research from the beginning and have to redo it for each blog post I’ve published as I update them. (There are over 700 blog posts here on Inspire To Thrive.)
6. Not Starting An Email List
Not starting an email list for your new blog is like building a house without a front door. You’re missing out on a direct line to your most interested readers. An email list gives you control over your audience.
Unlike social media followers who can vanish with an algorithm change, email subscribers are a stable asset. They’re more likely to see your content and engage with it.
Plus, emails offer a personal touch that strengthens your connection with readers. They can help drive traffic, boost sales, and grow your blog’s reach.
Ignoring this tool means leaving potential loyal readers untapped and letting valuable relationships slip through your fingers. Ask yourself, can your new blog afford that?
7. Ads Everywhere
Have you ever landed on a blog to see ads popping up everywhere that you could not even read the blog? Yes, been there and moved on quickly.
Putting ads everywhere on your new blog can backfire big time. Readers come to your blog for content, not to be bombarded with ads. When they see ads all over the page, it’s a huge turn-off.
It makes your blog look cluttered and unprofessional. Plus, it can slow down your site, which is a big no-no in a world where everyone wants everything fast.
Ads can also make it hard for visitors to focus on your content, driving them away. If you scare off readers, you’ll struggle to grow your audience and boost engagement.
Instead of slapping ads everywhere, start by building trust and a loyal following. Quality content comes first, ads can wait.
In Conclusion: Digital Marketing Errors to Avoid
Creating a blog to boost your small business can be fruitful and create buzz about your products. However, careful planning and taking time to consider your audience can increase your chances of success.
It will avoid making these digital marketing mistakes.
I’d love to know in the comments below which of these digital marketing errors you made when you started to blog. Or if you can add more to this list of digital marketing errors.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls: FAQ for New Bloggers in Digital Marketing
Why is keyword stuffing bad for SEO?
Keyword stuffing makes your content look spammy and can lower its quality. It might get you penalized by search engines, which hurts your site’s ranking. Focus on using keywords naturally and prioritize valuable content for readers.
How does ignoring mobile optimization affect my blog?
A blog that’s not mobile-friendly can drive away visitors who use smartphones or tablets. Mobile users expect seamless navigation. A poor mobile experience can increase your bounce rate and hurt your search engine rankings.
What happens if I neglect my audience’s needs?
Neglecting your audience’s interests can lead to lower engagement and fewer returning visitors. Write content that addresses their problems and answers their questions. Keep your audience in mind with every post to build a loyal readership.
How can skipping email marketing strategies impact my blog?
Skipping email marketing means missing out on a direct line to your audience. Emails allow you to build relationships and keep readers engaged. Leverage this tool to promote new content and drive traffic back to your blog.