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Friday, February 11, 2011

New to Blogging? - the worst blogging mistakes

When I started this blog, blogging wasn't a huge social phenomenon. At least, not as huge as making Youtube videos. However, with the growing interest in beauty that Guru's channels have arisen, and most Gurus also having their own beauty blogs, beauty blogging has reached unexpected proportions.
Over the past months, I witnessed a whole new and growing community, especially here in Italy.
When you are a blogging veteran already, you can certainly distinguish bloggers who start blogs just to get freebies, and those that have something true to say and have potential, although they still have some things to learn.

Therefore, this post is aimed to new bloggers who do have some passion and potential, but are taking some steps wrong. I think it might be useful to have some guidance, because I am one of those bloggers who adhere to the "Blog with Integrity" concept. Here are a few tips I want to share, for you to fix mistakes that you don't even realize you're making.

  1. Don't post random comments on random posts, just to leave your blog's address: that's annoying, and perceived as spamming;
  2. Don't even post pertinent comments under posts, leaving your blog's address at the end of it: that's also perceived as spamming, and a subtle way of doing it. Not classy;
  3. Don't EVER post comments like this one: "Hi, I'm a new follower/new blogger. I follow you, can you reciprocate?". That is just the most CLASSLESS thing ever. Hence the banner that I have on my left-hand sidebar, which I share with lots of other bloggers (it was created by the gorgeous Aru from Glamorous Makeup);
  4. Don't send popular bloggers e-mails advertising your blog, and asking them to follow you, just because you want their subscribers. That's just as bad as the previous 3 points. You see, if you have a blog, your profile is active already, therefore I can click on your name beside the comment and just check your blog out, intentionally! So there is no point in spamming! And most bloggers do check out blogs who comment them (at least, I do);
  5. Don't host giveaways with the only intention of gaining followers. I personally think it is a bad move to say "when I reach X subscribers, I will host a MAC giveaway". It is nice to host giveaways when you want to thank people for their support, and it is obvious that it is also nice to have some new followers thanks to a giveaway, but...why should you collect followers just for the sake of it? Isn't it more rewarding to see people take the time to comment your blog, appreciate your work and support you? Giveaways are nice, fun, and easy, but they should be handled the right way;
  6. Be original in both style and content: I know it is hard to stay original with backgrounds and stuff, but you can always make your blog more personal with sidebars, headers, fonts etc. It's not nice to see a thousand replicas of your blog;
  7. Blog with integrity: post honest reviews, don't blog for the freebies. They'll come your way nevertheless if you work with passion and dignity (we all enjoy perks, so I won't pretend like I don't).
I hope this was helpful. Bear in mind that I don't really want to be harsh on anyone, just give honest tips to people who deserve them; people who have a potential, but are just starting.

Of course, I'm open to discussion ahah...
So let me know what your "worst blogging mistakes" or "blogging pet-peevees" are :)

26 comments:

  1. *Thumbs up

    Well... I'm a new blogger but luckily I didn't do the mistake above... Phewwww...

    Oooops... Didn't mean to spam. I don't really put comment unless I feel it's neccessary. Ahem.. Maybe other don't think so.. :P

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  2. I Loved this post! Brava Lid!!! il manuale per neo-bloggers! :D
    :-*

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  3. @Thera: ahah, you're cute! I wish you all the best with your new blog!

    @Aru: speriamo che lo prendano in considerazione. mi dispiace perché ci son ragazze carine e brave, con potenziale,ma....spam, spam, spam!

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  4. Good tips!
    I'm quite new to the blogging world but already find it really annoying when people do that - it just sounds as if they haven't even read your blog but just come across you and left their address!! grrrrr.
    Sam xx

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  5. alcuni sono principi di base cui ho accennato nella blogtiquette, per cui non posso che essere d'accordo con te!

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  6. i hate comments like this: nice, come to see my blog. grrr.
    good point, love this post!

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  7. Great post!
    The spammers do my head in. A well thought out comment is far more likely to get my attention and a possible follow than a spammy one.
    x

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  8. Great post i have been blogging quite a while now and i agree with everything you said i have to admit i did make a couple of those mistakes but i am learning all the time and i hope that ppl are following me for the things i write about not for other reasons :)

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  9. Ah~ I could understand how you feel about those people leaving the blog address in their comments. Most of the time, I let it pass, tho I resent it. I'm new to beauty blogging (started on August 2010), and when I started, I have this idea of blog with substance, or in your word, with integrity. I think my blog is getting close at that and I find that very fulfilling. I admit that I used giveaway as a method to promote my blog, but I don't think that is a mistake. :)

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  10. Sono una nuova blogger e sono d'accordissimo con quello che hai scritto. Ho aperto un blog perchè posso dare la mia opinione su tanti prodotti che testo quotidianamente, e credo sia utile, perchè sono la prima a cercare review quando mi interessa un prodotto.
    Però sono completamente allergica al sub4sub e ai giveaway per racimolare iscritti; preferisco che a leggermi abitualmente siano persone realmente interessate a quello che scrivo.

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  11. Sono daccordo con te. I commenti di questo tipo mi irritano, e spesso chi li lascia non ha mai letto il tuo blog e poi scompare. grr

    Gran bel post, molto utile.

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  12. Impossibile non essere d'accordo su ogni singola parola! ^-^

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  13. I love your list.
    I actually installed an add-on for my blog to allow people's most recent blog posts to be linked when they comment on my blog, and yet some people are still annoying enough to post links to their blogs in their comments. Those comments immediately go into moderation and if they made a legitimate comment, I delete their link, if it's just 'follow me' i delete the comment.

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  14. assolutamente d'accordo cara..
    quello che odio di più è il sub4sub (quanto fastiosa è la frase "Iscritta, ricambi?").. insomma, è così infantile!
    :D

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  15. Hear, hear! I've been blogging for a good while as well and never thought of doing any of the things you mentioned... but they irritate me no end when I see the others' spam when commenting on my blog. I do believe however that true bloggers recognize such actions as wrong and appreciate those who retain their integrity. x

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  16. Premetto che non credo ci sia un modo 'giusto' o 'sbagliato' di tenere un blog ma il bello di leggere un blog sta nello scoprire la personalità e quindi l'originalità di una persona. Ecco io sono d'accordo con te Lydia perchè mi sembra di vedere tantissimi blog-clone, tutti su blogger, tutti con gli stessi badge ma alla fine solo pochi riescono a farsi veramente notare.

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  17. Tutto davvero giusto, la penso come te.

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  18. bel post!sono convinta che per chi è alle prime armi come me serva molto una linea guida...:)io comunque ho già accettato di seguire la blogtiquette!:)

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  19. OMG! I enjoyed reading this! LOL! Gave me a good laugh because I see so much of these examples going on. Thanks for the post.

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  20. Yesss!! lol
    Example :
    Great post!
    http://insertblogname.blogspot.com

    Like what are you even thinking?! Because you posted that, I'm NOT going to visit your blog lol..

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  21. Post molto interessante!!
    Anch'io sono nuova in questo campo ma queste semplici regole che hai elencate le ho sempre ritenute ovvie non so il perché>.<
    alla fine il nome stesso porta il link del proprio blog, quindi perché insistere? -.-'

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  22. Ahaha..ma quanto hai ragione? =P
    Il ''farò un giveaway al raggiungimento dei 100 iscritti'' poi..
    Scommettiamo che se metto in palio la Naked gli iscritti si creeranno 10 account fasulli a testa per sbrigarsi in fretta e furia? XD
    E non parlo dei ''veri''iscritti,ma di quelli che partecipano soltanto a giveaway a commenti per sperare di vincere :P
    Un bacione bella,ti ho taggata qui:
    http://lookingup-makeup.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-sette-segreti-tag.html
    Non so se hai già risposto,ma dovevo elencare i miei 15 stylish blog e il tuo è tra questi <3

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  23. I'm new to beauty blogging but not to blogging in general... the mistakes you mentioned are quite easier to make in this beauty blogging thing. I tried to be patient with the sub4sub comments but I think I'm reaching the limit!
    The things you wrote are all good tips, but I think it should be common sense! If a new blogger has some surely won't be so carelessless! if she /he does commit the mistakes i believe she/he won't care about your tips, unfortunately!

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  24. Ahaah I see this post is quite popular, huh? I take it I am not the only one annoyed by such behaviour. LOL.

    Anyway, I think that nowadays there are some potentially good bloggers who make those mistakes. THey must think it is just the way you should do things because of the general trend.
    Better educate them now :)

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  25. Sono una nuova blogger e credo di non essere incappata in questi errori!
    Appena aperto il mio blog ho letto i principi della Blogetiquette, li ho "sottoscritti" e credo (o spero) di averli sempre rispettati. I tuoi consigli sono di buon senso e penso siano facilmente condivisibili (soprattutto l'odiatissimo sub4sub)!!;)

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  26. Condivido in pieno.
    Il sub4sub poi non lo sopporto, se ti fa piacere mi segui e viceversa: non ho bisogno che mi appiccichi il link al tuo blog nel mio, se voglio vado da sola a guardare il tuo. Sembra che questo però non sia chiaro a tutti.

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