5 Blogging Mistakes You’re Making As a Small Business Owner

Blogging can be one of the best ways to grow your small business, drive traffic to your website, and really connect with your audience. But let’s be honest — it can also leave you spinning your wheels, wondering why you’re not getting anywhere. You may even feel like writing just isn’t your thing. (And 99% of the time, you’re wrong.) 

You’re just not trained on how to write blogs.

In this post, we’re diving into five key blogging mistakes small business owners make and, more importantly, how to fix them. Let’s start with the biggest mistake people make.

1. Blogging to Blog

Are you writing blogs just because you know it’s “a good thing to do” for your business? If so, you’re not alone. Many small business owners throw content up without really knowing how to use their blogs strategically. The result? A website full of blogs that don’t drive traffic or sales.

Basically, a lot of busy work.

To make an impact, your blogs need to be planned around a specific goal — whether that’s selling a service, promoting a product, or driving email sign-ups. Every piece of content should serve a purpose. You’re not a hobby blogger; you’re a business owner. That means your blogs should align with your business objectives and convert readers into customers.

2. Writing Blogs That Answer Questions, But Don’t Nurture

It’s great to answer your clients’ questions — but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re not giving them a reason to stick around. A lot of small business blogs focus too much on surface-level topics. (Topics you probably got from ChatGPT or Answer The People…) While that might attract traffic, it doesn’t help you close the deal.

Instead, think about the whole journey your customer is on. They need deeper connection to you to be able to choose you over the competition. Dig deeper.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What are my customer’s pain points? 
• Once they know they need my service, what else do they need to know before they feel ready to make a purchase? 
• How does this ultimately help them?

Address those deeper issues in your blogs, and you’ll start turning casual readers into repeat customers.

3. Leaving The Sale Till The End

Many small business owners shy away from being too direct or “salesy.” They dance around their service, product, or course until the end of their blogs. But it’s not enough to just say, “Contact us if you’re interested” 1,000 words down the page. If your call to action (CTA) is just an afterthought slapped on at the end, you’re missing key opportunities to provide the solution your readers are looking for. Plus, people have short attention spans and may never make it to the end of your post. If there’s no clear “next step” hinted at throughout, you’re likely losing them before they see what you want them to do.

Your blog should naturally guide readers toward the next step — whether that’s signing up for your email list, exploring a service, or contacting you. If you’re highlighting a specific product or service, then weave it into the content. Use internal links to share similar blogs and service pages, mention your solution early and often, drop your email list, and ensure your final CTA ties everything together. Think of business blogging like planning a road trip — you need to know where you’re headed before you start driving.

Side Note: You can join our email list to get more helpful small business tips like this. See, we don’t wait until the end. 

4. Not Measuring Results

Don’t feel too alone if you’re not measuring how your blogs are performing. There are thousands of articles online about all the metrics small business owners don’t track. Getting nitty-gritty with numbers can feel time-consuming and confusing but without it, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.

Understanding how a post performs allows you to make better business decisions and drive sales. For instance, how do you know what your audience loves if you’re not looking at the numbers? How do you know if all your hard work is drawing in more traffic? 

Stats are sexy. Looking at your blog analytics isn’t just about bragging rights — it’s about understanding what’s working and what’s not, so you can tweak your content for better results. 

5. Not Blogging Consistently

There’s no one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to how often to blog.  Consistently publishing is important, but that doesn’t mean you need to post every day. What matters most is that you’re blogging regularly. 

According to HubSpot, businesses that blog consistently see 55% more website visitors than those that don’t. That’s 55% more chances to land in front of the right person, ready to buy. Plus, blogging regularly allows you to explore different angles and target various audiences. The more you blog the more content you have available to show up in search engines. You can’t just do a couple a year and expect sales to happen. Find a cadence that works for you and stick to it. That consistency will build trust, authority, and, over time, a steady stream of traffic to your site.

Final Thoughts on Blogging For Your Small Business

A lot of small business owners put off blogging because it’s a long-term strategy. It takes planning, writing skills, and time to see ROI. But if you look at the majority of small businesses making it to page one on Google – they have blogs. Yes, it’s all those things we mentioned but it also just works. And by avoiding these common mistakes, you can turn your blog from a chore into a powerful tool that drives traffic and sales.

As long as you have those four things going for you, you’re in a good place. Keep your site updated, relevant and show it off any chance you get.

---