Misconceptions are super common in almost all fields of work. This stands true for online working and blogging as well, despite it being around for decades.

If you are new to blogging, you already must have believed some of these blogging myths that I am about to talk about. And if you are an experienced blogger, you know which ones of these misconceptions you have.

Blogging is growing to become more and more popular every day. Unfortunately, not all blogs end up being a success, and the reasons for this are numerous. One of the most common reasons for this is that bloggers lead with misguided information that is just not true.

Blogging is not relatively easy to explain to a lot of people. If you are familiar with the world of blogging, you may get frustrated with trying to make people understand that there is a lot more to blogging, than one thinks! Most people hardly know what blogging comprises of! But you have nothing to worry about because this is where I come in. Here are some blogging myths to help you understand which of these misconceptions you may have had!

Myth 1: “Blogging is Just Writing”

There is no denying the fact that blogging, in fact, does require a large amount of writing work. Apart from writing emails, email newsletters, blog posts, brand pitches, etc., there still is a lot more writing work that goes into blogging. It also includes writings several posts regularly and continuously.

Many writers passionate about writing get into blogging, but they do not realize what else this blogging entails. It involves many other factors such as affiliate and email marketing, search engine optimization, continuous research, extracting media, working on social, and so many more.

I am not telling you all this to frighten you about blogging. But if you want to start blogging just because you have a passion for writing, you will see a lot more to blogging than you initially expected. However, you have nothing to worry about because once you start blogging, you will naturally start learning and getting familiar with all aspects of it.

Therefore, while blogging does involve a lot of writing, but it is not only writing. However, if you think you are better off just focussing on your writing instead of getting caught up with all the other aspects of the blogging, then go ahead. You can always still do what you want to do!

Myth 2: “Making Money Is A Time Taking Process in Blogging”

This myth is one of the more common ones, and it is high time we address it!

“Blogging takes so long to make you money.”

“Is the money you make off blogging even real money?”

If you had heard people say this when you told them you wanted to start blogging, do not believe it! Most people fail to realize that most bloggers start with the idea of monetizing posts gradually. This is unrelated to the amount of money that they can make out of it.

While it is true that it may take you a little time initially, but it does not mean it will take you a year to make a penny! Working on your blog for a rational number of hours every week could result in a decent income within the first couple of months. This stands true even if you are a beginner to blogging.

Indeed, you may not be able to earn a full-time income from blogging in the starting stages, but many blogs did make it happen in a shorter, realistic period.

Myth 3: “Blogging Involves Making  A Large Investment”

It is tough to decide where to start on this because of how many ways this is wrong!

Well, a lot of you must be thinking why you need to invest money to make more money. That precisely what an investment is. Investing a small amount of money and generating an income out of that is what happens here. If you start a blog, you can shed hundreds of bucks because of the various expenses you need to cover. And it would help if you did this even before having written a single sentence.

While there are many paid services out there that you think you need, you can also use free tools and templates. The only foreseeable costs you will need to cover are getting a hosting plan and the name of your domain.

Don’t get me wrong; you can still make money from blogging without investing any money. But looking at it practically and strategically, it is much harder to make money when you haven’t invested any to start with. Moreover, many advertising networks will not allow you to display ads unless you have a self-hosted blog, costing you some money.

Figuring out what your goal is before starting your blog is essential. This way, you can estimate how much time and money you are required to invest in your blog.

Myth 4: “Is Blogging Even A Real Job?”

If I had a penny for every time, I heard someone say that, I would have enough money to give up blogging! This may not seem like a real myth buster and might be more about perspective, but it still needs to be discussed.

Many people who do not have too much knowledge about blogging think blogging is an easy job and does not consider a real one.

We are sorry that we don’t have to catch a subway to the office every morning; it still doesn’t mean blogging is not a real job!

But again, this is a common misconception that, honestly, I had as well. I thought to myself, “The only thing I need to do is write well.” Once you are well-seasoned with the blogging industry, you know how untrue that sentence is!

If you are going to be a blogger, you must be prepared to work hard enough for your blog to succeed. As great as the idea of working from home sounds, you still need to make sure you are productive for most of your day, right from the second you wake up until you sleep next.

I think it is essential to list down a few things that bloggers do apart from writing:

• Networking and collaborating with various other bloggers
• Learning how to design a website and making it attractive to readers
• Being active on Pinterest and posting up to 30 times a day
• Keeping track of all of the statistics and algorithms to see which area needs a boost
• Understanding and executing multiple Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies to increase traffic
• Getting high-quality media for the blog
• Displaying ads and partnering with brands for sponsorships
• Fixing errors and managing traffic to the blog

Does it seem like quite some work, doesn’t it? This is how much blogging is underestimated. Next time somebody tells you that blogging is not a legitimate job, you know what to show them!

Myth 5: “Only Experienced Writers Can Run Blogs Successfully”

Surprisingly, even though a large part of blogging is writing, you do not need to be a professional writer to get started on your blog. You do not need to have a Master’s degree in English literature to produce engaging and entertaining content. After all, you are a blogger, not a best-selling author.

All you need to learn how to do is express yourself and get your point through to the readers. It is easier if you have a decent grip on the language you are writing in. Knowing your language thoroughly is a great plus point and gives you an edge over the others.

One of the most significant aspects of blogging is the casual writing. This way, you can use it as a personal creative outlet to allow your thoughts to flow out as words. This does not mean you can sound too informal without sounding sophisticated or professional, but posts are so much easier and fun to read if they are simple and understandable.

You need to understand that blogging is not just about writing your part. You must ensure that your content is clear and informational for your audience to read. If you notice, some of the best bloggers on the internet today are not always the best in terms of writing. Most of these bloggers started to write and progressively got better over time. Patience, regularity, and knowledge are incredibly essential characteristics for bloggers to possess.

Don’t stress on making every sentence of yours perfect. All that matters is if you are writing form your heart and mind!

Myth 6: “Blogging Can Be Competitive”

Many people get intimidated to start blogging because they feel like every topic has been written and read about already. They think it is futile to write about things that have already been published.

“Who is going to read my blog with everyone else’s out there?”

If you’ve thought this, let me tell you why you have got nothing to worry about. Firstly, blogging is a highly collaborative field of work. Bloggers are super helpful to one another and offer necessary advice regarding blogging as well.

Secondly, blogging is fantastic because if another blog with the same niche topic has lots of readers and high traffic, you can still expect to receive the same traffic in due time. Therefore, a website getting a large amount of traffic will not decrease the traffic to yours.

Therefore, if you wish to write about something that has already become popular on another website, you can go right ahead! As long as you have great content and other requirements, you will get the traffic you need.

Every blogger adds an element to their articles, which makes them unique and personalized. Continue to write original content without comparing yourself to other bloggers, and you will be simply fine!

Myth 7: “Bloggers Have to Write Every Single Day”

As much as I agree that blogging involves a significant amount of writing, you still do not have to write continuously every day to be a successful blogger. Don’t get me wrong- if you enjoy writing every day, you can go ahead.

However, writing every day could result in a writer’s burnout. It will become a duty that you have to perform instead of something you like to do out of passion. Hence, instead of pushing yourself to write every day of the week, you can set more realistic and healthy writing goals. I recommend creating about 2-3 posts every week because this also ensures quality and inspired content.

Suppose you are not able to create content that often, don’t beat yourself up! Wait for your passion for firing you up for your next post. Relax and only write when you feel like expressing yourself. As a matter of fact, the majority of the blogs don’t even post daily unless they are news channels. You can post 1 or 2 posts every week on average, and you will still receive a significant amount of traffic.

I agree that if you have sufficient time and resources, publishing new content regularly is a good way to increase traffic. But if you are a beginner, you should start by posting 1-2 posts weekly.

Once you start blogging, you will understand how regular you can be with your posts. All you need to make sure is that your post is consistent. Remember that in the end, it is all about quality and not quantity. Don’t try to get many readers with several posts that have not been updated in a while. If you have just started, you can post once or twice a week to keep your blog alive and engage your readers.

Myth 8: “Shorter the Posts the Better”

There are so many bloggers, articles, and forums that claim that creating shorter posts is better for your blogs. However, if you see successful bloggers that post long blogs and are extremely successful now, you wouldn’t think the same. For example, Pat Flynn, Ramsay of Blog Tyrant, and Yaro Starak are all pro bloggers popular for their long posts posted regularly.

Speaking of the industry average for content length, generally, posts that are 1000-2000 words long so well. You need to understand the correct balance between in length of the post and its quality. It needs to be lengthy enough to cover your topic as well as be engaging fully.

Be careful not to annoy the readers by going on and on without making a lot of sense. There is no point in writing so much if you still have trouble getting your point through to the readers. Please get rid of unnecessary words and phrases, and make sure your posts get to the point it promised. If a particular reader finds your blog post useful and informative, they will most likely read the entire article A-Z, even if your post is more than 5000 words long.

Talking about your readers’ attention span- yes, it will be a low attention span. However, if your content is resourceful, well-written, and interesting, readers will enjoy visiting your blog to read your posts. Just keep your content relevant and simple to read as well to understand.

Myth 9: “Forget About the Search Engine. Write for Yourself”

As profound and contradictory, it sounds to what we discussed earlier- You cannot forget about the search engine!

I, too, believe that if you want to approach content writing, this is what you need to keep in mind. But what I mean is, if you are going to publish blogs, you still need to do a keyword search.

You cannot write articles without being aware of current trends and what is becoming popular and marketable. Your geographical location also makes a difference in the content you write.

Optimizing your content and referral traffic is exceptionally essential for your blog. If you are away from your blog for an extended time, these will save you. You will be able to receive a large amount of traffic just through referral links and search engines. Also, keep in mind not to stuff your post with keywords and use them out of context. Make sure the keyword sounds in flow with the rest of the article when used.

If you are a beginner, you may have a hard time knowing when to post content that builds a community or content with a higher probability of ranking well. This is a balance you will find eventually once you regularly start posting.

If you are away from your blog at some point, you will still receive traffic, whether you have updated it or not. You will continue getting readers as long as your post is on one of SERP’s top websites. Factors such as time, knowledge, skills, circumstances, level of determination are all how each piece of advice works for different golfers.

When you receive specific advice from seasoned bloggers, you must keep in mind their status, authority, and integrity in the arena. The same advice may not benefit you in the same way for the online fame and status that you currently hold.

Just make sure you are continuously writing keyword-optimized posts for your blog that will remain evergreen and relevant in the future as well. These posts may not get ranked on SERP’s first page soon after, but you should keep writing until Google lets you onto its first page. Once you finally get on the first page of Google, keep at it. Don’t stop creating keyword-optimized posts until you have conquered the first page of Google!

 Myth 10:  “There Isn’t That Much to Know About Blogging.”

When you are a blogger, you don’t just get better at writing; you get better at many other blogging aspects. You will learn about marketing, industries, affiliation, and self-discipline, along with writing better and whatnot. For example, a travel blogger will develop essential connections and learn a lot about various industries and their own. Sometimes, they are even offered jobs by different agencies.

Finally, there are lots of misconceptions about blogging, not having much material. Blogging is not as easy as just writing content and publishing it. There is a lot of things you have to do to earn an income from these posts. This includes social media promotions, affiliate marketing, maintaining the website, optimization, and so much more. Therefore, for those who think blogging is just writing with no background on anything else- it is simply not!

Myth 11: “You Can Write Anything and People Will Read”

Only if blogging was that simple, huh? Unfortunately, this statement does not stand true for several cases. As a writer, you want to write exciting content that you are passionate about. However, sometimes you have to understand that it is better to write content that is probably not as interesting for the SEO. Due to this, I recommend you write posts that are about similar ideas.

Here is an example for you to understand this better: If you are a travel blogger and that is what your blog is based off, it is not the best idea to write about posts that deviate from your travel content, like about sports or mental health. When you do this, sometimes, you can still call it an exception. But doing this, repetitively can leave Google confused.

Why this myth is still a debate is because of lifestyle bloggers. Lifestyle blogging acts as an umbrella to a wide range of topics such as makeup, cooking, parenting, and crafts. Since this type of blogging accommodates a large variety of niches, this myth can be an exception to them. It is essential to keep in mind that SEO functions differently for each blogger. Hence, you need to figure out what suits you and your blog the best!

Another factor that you need to consider is that bloggers must do a lot more than just writing posts and publishing them. Many blogs that have been up for long periods hardly have any readers, after all that time.

We are sure that your content is great and has the potential to receive a large audience. However, most times, your blog still needs a little boost to get those readers. Bloggers need to promote and publicize their website continuously. This could be either more than once a day or just once a week; most importantly, you need to be consistent while doing this.

Here’s a great tip that many bloggers call a thumb rule about blogging: Use 80% of your time to constantly advertise your content and use the rest 20% to produce it. Promoting your blog is one of the main aspects of running a successful blog in no time.

Don’t forget to focus on the search engine optimization (SEO) area of all your posts. This way, Google can rank your posts well for some of your blog topics. It would help if you did this to help your blog reach more people and consequently help you get more traffic to your website.

Myth 12: “You Will Soon Run Dry of New Ideas”

Here’s the thing: You will not run out of ideas and topics to write about. It is difficult to run short of ideas with the growing number of people continually hunting for answers in almost all topics. However, if you find yourself in this situation, you can always use some great and effective online tools to fire up some new ideas. Nevertheless, you will rarely find yourself in such a situation due to all the endless concepts springing up daily.

One of the greatest challenges is to find the right blog niche that suits you and what you are passionate about. Patiently build content, one blog at a time, and you can start branching and interconnecting these topics to help readers relate your content. It is also important to pay attention to various suggestions and comments to get new ideas.

Many writers may get a little nervous when they realize to start working on another blog post. The idea of putting up new content publicly and subjecting it to readers’ criticism is really not easy. Don’t let yourself freeze up when you hear the idea of a new post. As long as your content is useful, authentic, and compelling, you are already on your way to running a successful blog!

Myth 13: “You Can Make Your Blog a Business Through Facebook Ads”

Let’s talk about this myth now: Do not fall for subscriptions and other false claims, promising you more traffic to your blog! You will hear people claiming that you do not need to use social media, learn about marketing, find ways to generate more traffic, etc. because Facebook Advertising is a great short-cut.

As much as I hate breaking it to you, it is all false. You cannot make money by cashing in from Facebook advertisements, and I request you not to fall for that! You will be at risk of losing a large sum of money, either directly or indirectly.

Although Facebook ads can be a real turning point for some, you can only invest time in that if you are following a blogging strategy and if your sales funnel have been tested and are working efficiently. If you have got these bases covered, you can turn to Facebook advertising if required. Personally, I recommend you not throwing your cash down the drain by investing in this type of advertising. Along with knowing Facebook advertising can be an area of high reward, it is also essential to remember that it is also an area of high risk.

Myth 14: “Is Blogging Even A Thing Anymore?”

Here is a question that, surprisingly, lots of people ask when it comes to blogging. It is true that blogging has been around for a long time but trust me when I say it is here to stay. Blogging is not something that will be forgotten anytime soon. It may not be the go-to for huge multinational companies, but it is an excellent resource for small businesses.

Ultimately, you need high-quality, consistent content to gain a significant amount of traffic to your blog. Statistically, more than 77% of people visit the internet to read blogs every month. Therefore, well-executed blogs are the key to ranking on the first page in a search engine. You increase visibility if search engines identify your blog, making your website an innovative platform for readers to gain knowledge.

Finally, blogging is NOT dead. There is way too much content online, and there is a lot more to be written. Blogging is one activity that has been receiving lots of popularity for many years, and it has only steadily been growing. People kill a lot of time on the internet, looking at blogs for its hype to die down anytime soon. There might be a significant percentage of blogs that don’t do too well, but that does not mean blogging has lost its wind.

Myth 15: “Blogging Can Be A Quick and Easy Side Hustle”

Many people start blogging, thinking it is a great side hustle to milk some extra money every month. They wonder why they haven’t earned any money after just working for a couple of hours a week. Ultimately, all these people give up and quit blogging completely.

If you want to start blogging, you need to understand all the hard work behind every successful blog. It is not a walk in the park, like many people assume. You should also prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. You will feel frustration and exhaustion, but you will be fine as long as you are prepared for it, you will be fine!

If you want to make some extra money every month, you will need to work on your blog for more than just a few hours a week. At the start, your blog is your baby. You should give it love and lots of attention! Sometimes, blogging can end up becoming more than a full-time job.

This myth is a super common misconception that needed to be busted! It is essential to understand what blogging is about before trying it out, thinking it is a simple way to earn some extra bucks. If you think you can put in the hours, you should try it out!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need to find an empty niche to start blogging?

No, you don’t. Several others, like many other ones, might take the topic you are interested in writing. This does not matter when you start a blog. If that is what you are going for, it will be challenging to find a niche that is not too crowded. Lucky for you, you can still run a blog successfully by picking a niche that is crowded.

You need to be able to produce good content. This content does not necessarily have to be a hell of a lot better than the existing content, but you can always try to do a few things differently for your blog to stand out. There is enough audience in every niche for you to generate traffic to your blog.

Marketing is one thing that you cannot neglect if you want more readers for your content. As long as you promote your blog effectively, you do not have to worry about your niche being empty or crowded.

I am an introvert. Can I still run a blog successfully?

Many introverts are generally too paranoid about talking to people about their passion to blog. Your blog is going to be unique and very personal to you. However, this does not mean that people will find out all the details associated with your blog.

Funnily, many experienced bloggers claim that they are mostly an introvert—the amount of information that you let out about yourself in completely in your control. You can incorporate as much of your personality as you wish into your blog!

Do I have to wait until I earn a name before telling people about my blog?

A lot of times, people that run blogs feel like they should hold spreading the word about it because they think they are not famous enough. Honestly, I think you should go for it. You can actively start promoting your blog even if you haven’t been recognized yet.

Did you think how people will find out about your blog if you don’t tell them about it? You can ask people for feedback and use this as constructive criticism. You can do this without having a ready blog or a one that’s not at its peak.

Does traffic only come from Google?

Well, it is no surprise that most people think all of your traffic comes solely from Google. Generally, Google traffic builds over time. It will also help your search traffic significantly if you reach the audience with your content well before Google starts sending traffic to your website.

Honestly, several blogs get a lot more traffic from social media. This could include websites like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and many more. In many cases, Google traffic accompanies all the traffic that comes from social media. Never think less of social media!

Is marketing via email still a thing?

Yes, it is. Many bloggers often overlook the importance of email marketing during their blogging days. If you started a blog, make sure you build an email list right from the first day. You will be surprised to know that this email list is what will turn into your highest source of traffic. Email marketing is still a remarkable way to generate traffic and monetize your blog.

Blogging Myths: Summary

Here is a summary of all the points you need to keep in mind before entering the world of blogging:

• If you want to write, good for you! But keep in mind that blogging is not just writing. There are a lot more aspects that you need to consider about blogging before stepping into it.
• If you put enough work and effort, your blog can be monetized fast enough!
• Blogging is not as easy as it may seem. It requires extended hours of work to create content and keep it running.
• We strongly recommend you invest a reasonable amount of money in covering hosting expenses and other costs. Ad networks will let you display their ads if they see you have a self-hosted blog.
• Blogging as a job is as real as it gets. It takes a lot of hard work and time to have a full-fledged blog with good traffic.
• You do not have to be a seasoned writer to start running your blog. Everyone has their unique writing style, all of which blogging is open to wide arms!
• Regardless of what you have heard, blogging is not as competitive as people think. Collaboration and Networking is a significant part of blogging, requiring all of us to work together!
• Blogging also does not require you to write every single day! You can wait till you get inspired and are in the right frame of mind to produce content.
• Try not to switch your blog topics too much. Choose one topic and put your best efforts in.
• It is essential for bloggers to continually promote their content and apply Search Engine Optimisation to continue getting traffic to their website.

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped set certain aspects of blogging straight. Just remember that you have hardly anything to worry about as long as you create original, resourceful, and engaging content. It is obviously not realistic to expect your page to be ranking on top right in the beginning, but it is not impossible.

Finally, I wish this post helped you figure out which ones of your given advice are not entirely accurate. Once you have filtered out the good ones, you can start your journey to becoming a successful blogger!

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