8 Things You Shouldn't Do Starting A New Website

What do you get when you come across a blog that has 6 personal finance logo designs, a viral Doritos Crash The Superbowl video, several NYC headshot photography posts and an Insanity before and after transformation? Yep... That's right. The Jai Catalano blog. Ok so I am not the most niche blogger in the world but people like stopping by. In fact, I have an average of 18,000 visitors a month and the money isn't bad either so I will continue blogging the way I do for now. However, I DO NOT recommend the average person do things the way I do. I mean fun is fun but this is a business that I take seriously. That is why when my stepfather came to me and told me he wanted to start a blog about investing I said I know EXACTLY what you need. You need to read my 8 Things You Shouldn't Do Starting A New Website.

1. Don't Buy Free or Cheap Web Hosting 
I love to save money and I love to make money but you will not save or make any money if you use free or cheap web hosting. Weebly, which I absolutely love, has a free section to their service but it is very slow and it comes with the free advertisement link attached on every page that is a terrible eye sore. The fact is free sometimes makes you look cheap and cheap is not how you want to present yourself to the internet world. 

2. Don't Create A Bad Domain Name
Coming up with a good domain name is very difficult to do nowadays. People create and buy domain names all the time so they can sell them to niche audiences for a profit. A good domain name should have something about or close to your niche in it. For example I created a website for my friend who has a fitness business. Guess what she named it? All About U Fitness. 

3. Don't Be Random 
The people you market in your niche want specific tips, tricks or information about their the topic you are knowledgable about. If you are random or too general in your ideology they will tune out and go somewhere else for the goods. Unless you are tons of fun like me and already have a following don't be random or else you will find yourself blogging to your dog. 

4. Don't Focus Only On Keywords 
Keywords are important. They are a part of the business which makes a blogger thrive financially but just focusing on keywords is a selfish thing to do because it neglects your audience that has put their trust in you. Focus on your audience first as well as your market and then worry about your keywords. Not the other way around. 

5. Don't Forget Great Content
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice practice practice. Luckily for me I practiced enough as a salsa dancer to have been able to dance there. However, if their audience is going to pay top dollar to see a performance they are going to want to see great content. That is why when you write, blog, post or add pages to your website you always need to give it your very best quality.  

6. Don't Post Sporadically 
Set a schedule when you post so that your audience can look forward to what you have to offer. Imagine American Idol airing at random times during the week. People would get frustrated and tune out. The reason they have 35 million viewers a week is because they know when to tune in. Let your market know when you plan to do something by posting a blogging schedule and if you decide to change it let them know in advance.  

7. Don't Forget Your Key Audience
It's easy to go off topic. It is actually fun sometimes. However, keep your market in your vision and focus on what they want from you and not what you want from them. If you feel you want to branch off onto a subject that relates to your niche then ease your audience into it so they don't think you have forgotten about them and their needs.  

8. Don't Forget To Give Back
This one is sometimes overlooked. Even some of the top bloggers forget to give back to their people. However, I have noticed that most of the great bloggers in Yakezie constantly find ways to give back to their niche market by giving away free stuff or blogging about other people or blogs which helps drive traffic and eventually money to other sites. Give back and expect nothing and I guarantee great things will come out of it. 


Have a 9th thing you shouldn't do when starting a new website? Post it below. 


Until Tomorrow,


Jai