These days, we all suffer from a bit of information overload because there is so much of it out there. Press a button and you have access to tons of ideas, information, blogs and news, more than you could ever take in. Once information was quite scarce, you had to go looking for it but these days, the scarce resource is time and, with so much information out there, you need to respect your readers’ time when they choose to give it to you.

Your aim should be to build up a level of trust with your readers so they spend more of their time with you. Words are cheap; you can publish blog posts as fast as you can write them but are they of any importance? Do they provide value? If your writing is filled with fluff, your readers are wasting their time and that is the last thing you – and they – want.

These 11 common blogging mistakes should be avoided because they are time-wasters; they simply overload your readers with too much irrelevant information that offers no value.

Mistake One – Too Much Complexity

Some people think that complexity means a person is an academic achiever, sophisticated and intelligent but, in fact, it’s the opposite. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Truly sophisticated bloggers use metaphors; they use simple stories for explaining complex ideas and have a full appreciation for their readers’ time. Next time you write, see if there is a way of simplifying your message. Dumbing down is not the idea here; your readers just need to understand your posts and gain inspiration from them in the shortest possible time.

Mistake Two – Self-Indulgence

It comes down to this – your readers have no interest in you. They don’t care about your stories or your life. Your job as a blogger is to guide your readers, to inspire them and to help them. Yes, do talk about some of your experiences but only if they are of help to your readers. Only if they make your readers happier, or healthier. If you want to write a life story, first ask yourself if there is anything in it for your readers.

Mistake Three – You Think Daily Publishing is a Good Thing

Are you the one responsible for filling up inboxes with announcements that yet another post has been published? Do your readers get truly excited when they get yet another email from you? Or are they fed up? Publishing posts every day is fine provided each one adds value. If you don’t have anything to say, don’t publish – your audience will thank you for that; they won't thank you for bombarding them with post after post of nothing, of irrelevant chatter.

And the absolute worst thing you can do is recycle old posts just for the sake of publishing something. The quickest way to turn your readers against you is to rehash what you told them three times last week and twice the week before. Publish regularly but make it worthwhile.