Before I started blogging I was guilty of believing most of the myths below and since I started blogging I have heard all of them a dozen times!
Everyone has totally different experiences blogging.
Different struggles, different successes, different strategies, etc.
But there are some completely universal aspects that impact every blogger that I’m sure we can all unite in the feeling… that non-bloggers don’t always understand what we do.
I went through comments on my site, social media posts, thought about conversations with friends and family, and asked some of my fellow bloggers what myths they hear regularly about blogging and have determined what the 7 most common myths there are out there about blogging!
Want to hear more about these myths and why you can’t fall for them? Then check out this video here!
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Before you start reading, if you are a new blogger I want to note that my #1 piece of advice is to START THE BLOG! Read lots and learn as much as you can but you can start your blog while you are learning. And remember to have fun and follow your passion!
Myth 1) No one reads blogs now
This is absolutely the most commonly said blogging myth. I hear variations of this all the time.
“Blogging is dead”
“Social media killed blogging”
“I haven’t read a blog in years”
But the truth of the matter is that blogs are still growing and thriving. They just look different than they did 10 years ago. If anything, blogs look so much better now that people don’t realize that the recipe they found online or the tips for their class are actually on a blog!
Myth 2) There’s a magic length all posts should be
This is a myth I hear all the time within the blogging community.
“Blog posts should be short and easy to read”
“Blog posts should be over 2,000 words so Google picks it up”
There is facts behind the ideal length for different purposes but it is a myth that there is a magical correct length for every post for every blogger.
It is so much more important to provide helpful information that your readers enjoy and appreciate rather than focus on aiming for a specific word length.
Myth 3) Blogs should be about just 1 topic
This is a myth that is talked about both in and out of the blogging world.
Your blog is exactly that- yours! Yes, there are certain things that help if you want to grow and monetize your blog but ultimately writing about what you are passionate and knowledgeable about is the most important and most people have more than one area of expertise.
There is no set rules for what your blog needs to have or what will make it grow and if you find that focusing on more than one area of information then go ahead and do that!
Myth 4) You need an English degree to write a blog
This is another very common blogging myth, that only “writers” should be blogging.
But that is far from the truth!
There are blogs about every single subject you can imagine and most are written and created by people that are not “writers”. If you have passion and knowledge for a subject you can absolutely write a blog about it. No matter what your education or professional background is.
(though I have read amazing blogs from English majors that are amazing, no such thing as being overqualified either!)
Myth 5) Traffic = Success
This could be an entire post by itself to address the myth that you have to have “a lot” of traffic to be considered successful.
The first part of this to address is that there is no set amount of traffic that determines that your blog is reaching “a lot” of traffic. There is no exact number and as you grow as a blogger you will see your goals and your opinions of traffic change.
The second part is that traffic should be a goal at all! If it is for you then great, go for it. But there is lots of other methods and metrics to determine success including the most important one. Which is, how much do you like writing your blog!
Myth 6) Good content will make people find you
A myth that is frequently said to bloggers is that “if you write good content the viewers will come to you”.
I wish this was true but unfortunately it is not! Some people do end up ranking on Google without trying but that is a rare occurrence.
For most bloggers it is just as important to market and promote their blogs as it is to create content if their focus is getting traffic to their site. But the better, more consistent, and more helpful content you have the more likely people will be to stick around.
Make sure though that you are having high quality images! I have a post here on how to take your own pictures and I really recommend making sure you set yourself up for success with your tools (including little things like a camera bag!).
Myth 7) Don’t choose an over saturated niche
This final myth is one that I tend to see actually being one that bloggers tell new bloggers and it is not true! You do not need to pick an under- saturated blog niche. There is always room in every single niche for new voices.
It is 100x more important to pick blog topics based on what you have helpful knowledge in rather than picking one that not very many people write about.
A similar note, you did not have to start blogging 5 or 10 years ago to become successful in your niche. I have seen bloggers of all types become successful in the past year! Don’t listen to any negative advice about your blog, just focus on the positives and what you want.
Reading this because you are new to blogging? Then make sure to check out the resources below or even consider in a how to blog book to really get you started!
For more blogging resources check out:
How To Make Your Blog Posts Readable
How To Brainstorm Blog Post Ideas
15 Blog Post Ideas For Any Niche
Well written content and I loved every myth you mentioned above, That’s the truth in blogging too. People claim different aspects from a different perspective, on top of that I liked “You don’t to be an English native writer to be a blogger” btw I meant in a different way.
Totally I have struggled with this so much and just recently decided that I will do my best and write about what I like, hopefully people will find it useful and interesting and come
I definitely have come across more than one of these myths. I think that I have struggled with number 5/6 for awhile. It’s like knowing that your voice is valuable or at least, that you have something to offer yet not believing in it unless the traffic or enough people acknowledge your content.