Top 10 Shameless Blogging Mistakes I Made as a PreBlogger
10 - Blogging for Google Instead of Readers
Seriously, this is one of my biggest mistakes. When I started this blog, I tried to squeeze in as much keywords I could in a post to attract the crawlers. The ploy didn’t work out and I lost a lot of potential readers. I do agree that Search Engine Optimization is important, because it is! But let that be second priority. Write for the readers and not for Google.
9 - Not Linking to Other Blogs
I thought if I link to other blogs, I would be giving away my traffic. (Yes, I was greedy and I feel sorry for it) But now, I’ve realized that to be successful in the blogging industry, link love is a must for two main reasons.
One is for your blog to get noticed! Remember, you are just starting your blog. You have zero or little traffic. Get your blog noticed by the big blogs by linking to them. Second is for your blog to get it’s own link love. Remember the saying, “Do unto others what you want others to do unto you”. 
8 - Putting Way Too Many Ads
Although this may be very tempting, putting way too many ads on a NEW blog splats the “I Blog to Earn and I don’t Care about my Contents” message accross the readers faster than they can close the browser window. I am not saying Ads are not good. In fact, Ads are the best! But make sure they do not distract the readers and optimize the ads to blend in with your blog.
7 - Not Commenting on Other Blogs
Just like linking to other blogs. Commenting on other blogs is a must if you want to be a successful blogger. For a start out blog, this is another way to get noticed by the bigger blogs out there. But most importantly, to build relationships with other blogs.
You should be genuine with your comments! Remember, you are building relationships with people. Do not spam with comments like “Nice post. Visit my blog here” or “Great idea! Heres my idea”. Although this might sound like a lot of work, you will enjoy it if you comment on topics that you genuinely love.
6 - Branding My Blog with Make Money Online
This is one of my biggest mistake because this niche is already too saturated. And more importantly, you need to be ALREADY making money online to blog on making money online. Or else, why would readers even listen to you?
There is no harm on sharing tips and techniques you have learned along the way. But on a NEW blog, stay away from this niche.
5 - Being Way to Damn Serious
I made a fatal mistake of thinking that my blog needs to be of corporate standards. Wrong. Blogging is about enjoyment. Readers only read blogs they enjoy, so lighten up. Be professional but not too formal. 
4 - Not Promoting My RSS Feeds
Like it or not, you need to have a lot of RSS subscribers to reach more people. I knew this but never really did anything about it. My Subscribe to my RSS Feeds link was just sitting in my sidebar and not getting noticed.
It is a good idea to incorporate promoting your Feeds within your posts like, “Did you find the post interesting? You may want to subscribe to my RSS Feeds to get updates on new ones. I give out full feeds. Thanks! ” This will give you a more personalized promotion and will more likedly be subscribed to.
3 - Choosing Quantity Over Quality
This one is very tempting. When I first started blogging, I was really in the pits seeing only a few posts in my blog. I said to myself, “I want to be like those blogs that have over 1000 pages in their blogs.” I posted on my blog with the purpose of just posting, and not really putting my thoughts into it. So, what happened? Potential readers were turned off with the uselessness of my posts. Always remember to Not Rush Your Posts. Quality is always better than quantity.
2 - Copying Materials without Crediting the Original Creator
I believe that we mature over time and this includes as bloggers. I was very stupid when I started my blog and copied materials to posts on my blog, thinking I could get away with readers believing it was me who wrote the materials. Bottom line, it doesn’t work! So to save you from humiliation and a forever broken blogger reputation, do not copy materials. But if every you do, don’t forget to credit your sources.
1 - Too Much Promotion But No Real Value
This is the biggest mistake I made. I tried to heavily promote my blog on social netwoking sites and directories. I even tried to repeatedly submit articles on digg with the hopes of making the digg front page. (I know, it’s shameless 
) There’s nothing wrong with promotion, right? Wrong! Remember, this was a NEW blog. So what happens after the reader sees my new blog with only 10-15 posts in its archive? They leave and NEVER come back! So before promoting you blog, make sure you have something worth promoting.
It’s natural to make mistakes, just as long as you don’t make the same mistake over and over again.
I hope you have gained more insights from my share of goofs. I’d love to hear your own goofs. Why not leave a comment below? Or subscribe to my RSS feeds for more of my upcoming posts.
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#9 - this is true.. Its one way to get noticed by other bloggers which might have a good traffic and willing to share link love
About commenting to other blogs…
I dont really comment with blogs that i have nothing to share with haha…or topics which i am not interested.
I totally agree with #1… its useless to drive people to your blog with no useful content at all.. they will just visit once and will not come back.
I’m glad you liked it AMy. I don’t really comment too if I have nothing really interesting to say. I’m afraid if I did, I’d look like a spammer. Haha.
we all learn from our mistakes, and I’ve done some of these mistakes too…
heck.. that’s why were here.. to learn as much as we can so that we can share it to others who want to learn and not go to the “wrong path”…
9 - Not Linking to Other Blogs
7 - Not Commenting on Other Blogs
I especially like these… because I used to do that.. not linking to others and not commenting on their post..
but I’ve learned that it’s a great way to communicate to the blogger and it also benefits you both…
Thats right Jaren. Now that you’ve mentioned about the wrong path. It only shows going over to the “Dark Side” (like Chow) can lead to very big consequences.
YYeaahh right..
Everybody has its own mistake.. Mine I’ll share later.. not now too busy..
“” Copying Materials without Crediting the Original Creator “”
This is bad..Always credit the originator.. For me.. As long as it is the blog where I first saw what I want.. I ll link to him even he is also linking to others.. Got it..
I alway call it
Hat Tip from so and so..
Copying materials without crediting the original creator could really ruin your whole web reputation. Hehehe. That’s why we need to set it straight from the beginning and that’s to credit your sources.
hmm nice post…well i guess all of us have our blogging-related mistakes…
I’m also guilty of mistakes #9 and #7…hehe just like in real life, i seldom make the first move, unless the post is really interesting for me…
my biggest mistake probably is posting ultra-personal entries that don’t make sense to anyone but me…i’m thinking of deleting those posts…
#9 and #7 seems very popular. Haha.
On your ultra-personal entries that don’t make sense to anyone but you, I don’t think you need to delete those. But just don’t post new entries on those topics anymore. Hehe.
im new at this stuff, so i’ll keep those things in mind :>
very very nice post.. very informative..
and hey, im commenting because..
7 - Not Commenting on Other Blogs
Hahaha. That’s right. Glad you liked it.
[...] of McBilly.com lists down 10 of his "shameless" blogging mistakes as a preblogger. Now that he knows [...]
These are sooo true… Great post!
i was browsing on one of the pinoy blogs earlier when i see these words on his/her sidebar
Lovelinks
“………BlogRoll me first.”
I just find this so wrong
Wow. That’s a very good example of a link greedy blog. He’ll learn the lesson soon enough.
hahha
blogroll me first… hahaha….
going to the “dark side” already,,,
I agree with everything on your list and I’m guilty of some of them, too. But I’m doing my best to do something about them (I just installed the Top Commentators plugin, that’s one way of giving out link love right? hehe). Nice blog you got here! I just subscribed to your feed.
so far the ever popular #7 is on top…
as most of us are guilty with #7…
how about a “comment train”… that should give us a boost… on our readership…
use the “force” hahaha… don’t go to the “dark side”.
halu
I’m from Bacolod too.. kita ko comments mo sa page ni Joni.. 
Thanks for sharing, i used to be so serious about blogging because I also want to earn extra moolah out of it but until now parang wala lang.. hehehe 
but i still love blogging with or without extra income 
Hi Jireh. Joni shared your blog to me when I asked for some bloggers here in the visayas. hehe. Oh I know what you mean. It’s like your very motivated in the beginning because of all the success stories on blogging. Anyway, thanks for dropping by.
yeah…these are really true….
and now the worst part of it, my adsense has been terminated…god…just when i need money badly…
nice blog…are you pinoy?
Thanks man. What did you do that got your adsense terminated? There are a lot of alternatives. Have you tried widgetbucks? It’s also a CPC program which pays you per click. A very good adsense alternative, in my opinion.
Oh and Yeah, I’m pinoy and proud of it.
[...] A blogger should learn his mistake in order to succeed , That is why Mc Billy shares it to us in his post ” Top 10 Shameless Blogging Mistakes I Made as a PreBlogger ” [...]
Wow! This is a great post! Some of the tips there were like describing me. haha
*You just got another feed subscriber. hehe
Haha. Thanks a lot Allen. See you around.
Great post. I’m guilty on some of them.
Are you sure only some of them? Haha.
Great post McBilly.
Yes, I’m guilty at #6 - Branding My Blog with Make Money Online but I will try to brand it the way i want it to be. Maybe some are lucky and some are not.
#7 & #9 mistakes are on top and should be avoided.
Yeah Charles. Luck kind of makes a vital role in being successful in the make money online niche. Plus as what Allen stated, those in those niche already knows the ads and will probably click less compared to other niche.
I have the exact same sentiments about linking up. Those who may never in their lifetime visit your blog will be able to do so just because your link is present in a blog that they frequent.
That is so true Woobie. And not only that, you can also build relationships with other blogs by linking up to them.
Hi,
Many thanks for these very useful Tips.
Cheers!
all of which are my mistakes..to date hhehe..
Hahaha. Hi Rodelio. I guess you better start fixing those mistakes. Hehe. Just one step at a time.
yah right..
trying to figure out where to start still.. got lots of stuffs in my head.. tsk tsk tsk.. so i guess i had to keep my pace.. and fix stuffs! anyway, lesson learned and chalk that up to experience instead.. im just having fun doing this new hobby i.e. blogging.. 
[...] to, but if you open your rss reader and try to skim your subscribed blogs, you might find an interesting article that could forever keep you away from going back to your [...]
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
[...] that I actually think I screwed everything up. In the same thought that Mcbilly had in making his Top 10 Shameless Blogging Mistakes, I present to you my list of 7 blogging sins and what to do about [...]
Wow, I was ready to make many of the mistakes you listed here all because I was going to the darkside of blogging and worried about traffic and not quality. Thanks for directing me back to the lightside….
I’m glad to hear that Jay. With great quality contents, the traffic will eventually follow. Have a great new year buddy.
Hi McBilly,
These are really an eye-opener especially for newbies like me. Will observe those in my blogging activities and cross my fingers to be a successful blogger like you.
And yes, I’ll be coming back to read more tips from you. =)