Do a Google search for “blogging mistakes” and you’re going to find literally hundreds of articles from all kinds of people around the world talking about their personal blogging blunders.

With so many articles covering this topic, one would assume that the articles that grace Google’s coveted top 3 positions would be spot on. And for the most part, they are. But if you look closely, you’ll notice that many of the top articles were written two to three years ago. A lot has changed since then, and there are new trends and some brand new mistakes to be made. Here are a few noteworthy trends to consider…

• As the use of Twitter and Facebook has blown up, we’ve seen many virtual unknowns hit it big with the viral spread of their unique content (e.g., look up David Thorne).
• Content sharing and syndication tools weren’t nearly as prevalent 2-3 years ago, thus reaching your readers was a much slower, tedious and manual process.
• In 2009, WordPress was chosen as the top open-source CMS (content management system) platform. Originally built as a blogging platform, businesses are now building entire sites with WordPress, which then comes standard with a blog and RSS feed.
• Corporate blogs have gone mainstream as companies are getting comfortable with all this internet stuff. Rephrased…companies see their competitors doing it and learn that getting started doesn’t cost much.

So, What Does All This Mean?

With the help of today’s social technologies, and perhaps some guidance from local web practitioners, it’s relatively easy to create a content marketing “machine” that will spread your message to thousands of prospects and influencers on a daily basis. Being in the right place at the right time is a salesperson’s dream. With online marketing, you’ll find that magic place…a lot more often.

7 “New” Mistakes to Avoid

1. Don’t miss out – Having a blog, whether for corporate marketing or for personal expression, gives you the tools to easily deliver your message, syndicate your content and create a dialogue with your audiences. These are core components of marketing and sales today. Don’t get left out in the cold.
2. Don’t “Blind Dabble” – Just because it’s easy and inexpensive to get started doesn’t mean you should start blogging without some guidance or a strategy. Read a few of those “blogging mistakes” articles so you understand both the content strategy and technical best practices. If you need some hand holding, seek out a social media consultant here in Kansas City.
3. Don’t lose focus – With more and more blogs popping up everyday (corporate and personal), there’s a lot of content out there, no matter the industry. The blogs that have risen to the top are typically those that focus on one topic. They become the go-to resource for that topic. Pick your bread-and-butter product/service. Become the go-to resource for that topic. Don’t stray from that goal.
4. Don’t stop – A blog is not the Field of Dreams. It could take months for you to see real traction. By then, you’ll probably realize that people are not the only ones who are reading your content. Google reads this stuff too. And if they find new stuff every time they come back, they’re going to reward you with higher rankings.
5. Don’t forget – A big part of blogging is promotion and syndication. If you have a blog and are creating good content, kudos to you, but you are still relying on your audience to come to you. Blog content promotion techniques and syndication tools help us deliver our content directly to your audience. When each new piece of content (bait) is ready, don’t forget to cast your lines into your ideal fishing holes. Bites may come quickly.
6. Don’t handcuff your employees – Fight your fear of a PR nightmare due to employee misconduct on social media sites. Companies can benefit greatly from creating social media usage policies that give employees some freedom to help spread your brand message. Each employee has their own social graph. Why not leverage them? Make sure employees understand your company’s strategic direction, your procedures for engaging the public/customers and consequences for misconduct. Empower them to be a part of your efforts. Great things can happen.
7. Don’t get caught off guard – When your blog does start to take off, make sure your website and your marketing/sales team is ready. With proper website analytics and various listening mechanisms installed, you should be able to keep a close eye on the day-to-day pulse of your website/blog’s activity, as well as the online buzz related to your company and industry. And your staff’s thoughtful response to each reader’s praise or critical comment will get you closer and closer to the critical mass you desire.