There are so many things to do with a blog, both in terms of design and textual content, that sometimes bloggers (particularly the newbies) get overwhelmed with the options and in desperation to make some extra cash, they make plenty of mistakes. If you are not very clear on the essentials of successful blogging, you can easily get into trouble and make your blog look unprofessional or less professional to readers. Given below are 8 bad practices that can ruin your blog’s professionalism immediately. Find out whether you are making these mistakes.
Don't Make These Mistakes on Your Blog
#1. Displaying Excessive Ads 
Most of the time, it’s quite difficult to resist the temptation. There’s nothing wrong with making money from your blog. However, you need to be a little more careful while placing ads on the blog. Excessive display of ads doesn’t only ruin the professional image of your blog, but it’s also a bad practice from Google’s point of view. So, don’t get tempted. Observe moderation.
#2. Not Using Social Media Sharing Buttons
Definitely, you want readers to share your blog’s content on social media platforms. But you should never distract them with too many or large-size social media buttons. It’s advisable to choose only those social network buttons that are popular with readers. You can certainly go with Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Google+ and LinkedIn share buttons.
#3. Picking Colors That Hurt the Eye
Colors have to play a vital role on the web. Some colors are quite easy to the eye while others may hinder reading. For example, pink and yellow colors make reading a blog very difficult, which is not professional. Blue, sea green, orange and gray are some of those colors that soothe the eyes. So, choose colors for your blog carefully.
#4. Having an Ugly Sign-up Form
The appearance of the sign-up or subscription form is an important part of the overall design of a blog. Whether you want to increase the number of blog subscribers and drive more traffic to your blog, you need to design a sign-up form which immediately impresses the readers.
#5. Leaving the About Us Page Incomplete
A lame or incomplete about us page reflects truly badly on the reputation of your blog. On the other hand, a well-crafted about us page can easily enhance a blog’s professional image. Readers will be interested in hearing your story only when they know a couple of things about you. Tell them who you are!
#6. Not Updating Regularly
In order to grow your blog and make money from it too, you need to develop a consistent publishing schedule. Readers visit your blog on a daily basis, looking for something fresh and interesting every time. If there’s long gap (a week or more), readers will take your blog very lightly. They will return to your blog only when they see you publish regularly.
#7. Annoying Readers with Pop-ups
Nothing annoys blog readers more than pop-ups. Intrusive ads like these can immediately ruin the professional image of your blog. Readers visit your blog because you offer them valuable content. Don’t use anything which interrupts the flow of reading. This is highly unprofessional.
#8. Using a Confusing Blog Layout
What’s the overall look and feel of your blog? While creating a layout for your blog, you should always consider the kind of audience you are seeking, as well as their specific requirements. Layout requirements may vary from one niche market to another. Always choose a blog layout which is clear, well-defined and professional. A good idea is to do some layout testing and find out what works best.
What other mistakes can make a blog look unprofessional; please feel free to share them in the comment section below!
