So you’re just deciding to get started marketing your business online.

You’re excited because you know there are countless numbers of new customers out there in internet-land,

…eager & excited to buy your products & give you money, right?

You hear about how guys like Rand Fiskin have created 30 million dollar per year businesses using blogging.

Having your own home on the web, where people can find you, hear your voice & taste your value,

… Just,

…………makes,

……………………Sense.

So, you make a decision – I’m gonna do this.

Almost instantly,  you begin to hear a million different ideas from a million different people, on what do to AND what not to do.

You’re a bit confused because in a sea of different random opinions, It’s easy to drown, isn’t it?

Hey, I get it.

I’ve been there.

And here’s a shocking little fact.

In some areas, I’ve been following & giving OLD & outdated advice on how to get the best results blogging.

Well today, my friend, you’re in luck.

I happen to be at an event in Las Vegas where I just heard some tips from someone who actually KNOWS some things about blogging that might shock you.

Yesterday I heard Neil Patel, blogging & split testing expert drop some nuggets that seriously, shocked me.

Here they are.

Bombshell Blogging Blunder #1 – Some Tricky SEO Strategies No Longer Matter

Outdated SEO Trick #1

When I first got started with my blog back in 2009, the goal was to get ranked on the search engines as fast as possible.

In order to do this, I was taught, you have to please Google.

One of the things I was told, was to bold, underline and italicize the keywords I was trying to rank for so google would know.

In fact, I’ve been doing & teaching that ever since.

Would you be surprised to know that this no longer matters?

At all.

Wow.

Finally, we can forget about screaming, & whispering the keywords (with a wink & a smile to our readers).

Focus on good writing and use the emphasis tricks for actually emphasizing what you want to say to the reader.

Outdated SEO Trick #2

The Google robot still reads your content from top to bottom so putting your keyword up at the top of your content is still a good idea, but having it in the last paragraph of your post –

(like formerly taught), no longer matters.

Blogging Bombshell Blunder #2 – Making Your Post Too Short

The inspiration’s flowing as ideas pour out onto the page like water running downhill.

You’re feelin’ it.

You confidently say to yourself, under your breath,

“Arianna Huffington – eat your heart out”.

Then, you glance down at the word count and see your pushing 800 words.

You start to feel guilty as you tell yourself you need to wind it down because no one wants to read a long blog post.

WRONG! 

Take heart my blogging brotha (or sistah).

Google LOVES long posts.

Don’t stop .

Keep writing.

Pour it on.

According to Neil, you wanna make your posts at least 2,000 words if possible.

Isn’t that great news for all of us the long winded peeps out there?

Blogging Bombshell Blunder #3 – Speaking AT your readers versus TO them.

Remember when you were in high school or college?

There was always that one professor who was SOOOOOOO boring.

The monotone voice.

The stats, figures and calculations shooting at you from a dry, one directional speaker?

I know i’ve been guilty of this myself in the past, and for that I’m sorry.

I just didn’t know any better.

(that’s why we come to events right?)

Anyway, when your writing your posts, use the words YOU and I.

This will give your posts the sense that you’re actually having a conversation with your readers.

That’s what you want right?

And another tip for having a conversation in your content…

Ask questions throughout.

Say things like…

Right?

Don’t you?

Isn’t that the truth?

It’ll be like you’re having an actual conversation with your readers because they’ll be hearing their answers to your questions inside their head as they read.

Blogging Bombshell Blunder #4 – Being Too Positive

This one can be a bit tricky because, in personal development and home business, it’s drilled into us..

Be positive, be positive, BE POSITIVE.

According to Neil, negative headlines outperform positive ones BY FAR.

So, when you’re writing your headlines – use negativity.

Notice the title of this post?

“7 blogging mistakes that could be Killing your business”

Killing, really?

Well no, not really, but ‘killing’ has a nice negative ring to it, doesn’t it?

2 other quick headline tips…

Keep your headline word count less than 6 words if possible because the Google will cut off your title in the search results if it’s too long,

and…

Use POWER words in your headlines.

Words like..

Shocking, Crucial, Mind-Bending – Jaw Dropping, AMAZING… (you get the point, right?)

Blogging Bombshell Blunder #5 – Leaving Your Readers Hangin’

When you’re post is finito,

wrap it up.

Sum it up.

Recap the main points.

Put a bow on it.

Don’t leave me hangin’ broski.

You remember all those writing lessons you learned in High School English class don’t you?

Introduction, body, conclusion.

Even if most of the stuff you’ learned in school hasn’t proved super useful, YET…

It’s time to cash in on that one.

People wanna feel like they’ve had some closure on the subject after eating the mental meal you’ve so graciously prepared for them.

Give em’ the desert they’re looking for.

Blogging Bombshell Blunder #6 – Failing to ask a question at the end of your post.

You’re masterpiece is finished,

….you email it to your list.

You post it on Facebook.

You tweet it.

You wait.

Nothing happens.

Trust me, I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit.

When you’ve taken the time to pour your soul into something and no one cares enough to leave a comment.

Let’s be real .

It’s a major bummer.  

There’s one sure fire way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

Remember, when we blog, the goal is to have a conversation with our readers, right?

Who are the best conversationalists?

The one’s who ask questions & get the other guy or gal talking.

You remember the book “How To Win Friends And Influence People?”

I remember first testing out some of the tips in that book and being amazed by the results.

I’d go to parties or family get togethers and do nothing more than ask questions & listen.

My wife would hear comments from people like..

“Man, you’re husband is so fun to talk to.”

It was hilarious because literally, I’d sit there, ask questions,  listen, and do nothing more for like 30 minutes or an hour.

All of a sudden I was the best conversationalist in the room.

Well, I’m guessing the people reading our posts, are people too.

& just like most other people,

… they wanna to share their thoughts, opinions and feedback with you.

They wanna know that you someone actually wants to hear their point of view.

So, finish every post with a question.

And according to Neil Patel, you’ll get better results by italicizing that question.

So there you have em’ my friend.

The Top Six Bombshell Blogging Blunders That Could Be KILLING Your Business…

• Outdated SEO strategies like misplaced keyword emphasis

•  Making your posts too short

• Speaking AT your readers versus with them.

• Being too positive (sorry Zig)

• Leavin em’ hangin

• Failing to ask a question at the end.

So my friend… I’m curious.

What do you think about this list?  

Did you know about em all already?   

Any of them surprise you like they did me?  

Any big ones that I missed?

Can’t wait to hear hear below.