The Grumpy Blogger
Every now and then I get in a mood. Some might call it bitchy. I prefer to think that sharing my opinion about certain things, in this case reasons I’ll stop reading your blog, is an opportunity to spread my wisdom about what readers really think when they are reading your blog. And okay, it’s a little bitchy.
I love to read blogs. I read a wide range of categories, but most specifically running, fitness, food, and, well, blogging blogs. I learn so much from other bloggers and I have developed real friendships with bloggers over the years. It really is a community that I love being a part of.
5 Reasons I’ll Stop Reading Your Blog
Despite my opening words, I don’t expect perfection when I read a blog. I love it when a writer opens their heart to share their life, and if the grammar isn’t perfect, or the pictures are small, it really doesn’t matter. I can read beyond the surface to the depth of feeling underneath.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t expect a certain quality in the blogs that I read regularly. I’m loyal, but you can eventually push me away. Here are 5 reasons I’ll stop reading your blog.
Slap Dash Post
I admit that I have been guilty of this crime in the past, particularly when I was a new blogger and trying to build a following. I was afraid that if I didn’t post daily, or at least each weekday, my numbers would fall. I figured that a post, any post, even a quick, slap dash arrangement of words and pictures was better than nothing, right?
No. It’s not. I can tell that you wrote just to have something to publish. There just isn’t any care put into it, and as a reader, that hurts and offends me. Aren’t I worth more than that to you?
Grammar and spelling
I did say above that poor grammar isn’t always a blog-killer for me. That doesn’t mean, though, that I will put up with continued bad grammar, spelling mistakes, and posts that have obviously not been proofread. I wrote a post a while back about common grammar mistakes. It might be worth taking a look at if it’s something you struggle with.
Too Many Sponsored Posts and/or Affiliations
I like making money. Don’t we all? And a blog can be a nice source of extra income, through sponsored posts and affiliate advertising (and other methods as well). And I understand that for some bloggers, it is their full-time job. But, once sponsored writing becomes the majority of your blog posts, and every other link is for an affiliate, I will stop reading. I love you. I respect your right to make money. But the money you make is based on your loyal readers. So respect me too.
Boring
Something happens when a blogger’s love of blogging dims, or they’re feeling burned out. It starts to feel like they’re just mailing it in. Not much new content, and what is there just doesn’t have the same fire as before. I understand that it’s hard to keep your writing at a peak level all the time. But, I also believe that if you don’t love blogging anymore, it may be time to take a break or to tweak a few things.
Too many hoops to jump through.
I love interacting with bloggers. If I read a post that I love, that touches my soul, that validates my feelings about something, or if I want to weigh in on a topic that I disagree about, I want to have a conversation with that blogger. Please don’t make it hard to comment.
While I don’t mind leaving my name, email, and website (which is a perk if the blogger has Comment Luv), having to log in, play around with captcha, or other hoops to jump through, just makes me want to give it up. And moderation? If you have a good anti-spam program there really isn’t a lot of need to moderate your comments unless you’re a big or controversial blogger who gets a lot of trolling.
So, as you can see, while I don’t expect perfection, I do have some standards that I expect from the blogs that I read. Bitchy? Maybe. But if you think about what all your readers expect from you and your writing, I believe you’ll find they expect a lot of the same things.
What do you look for from your favorite blogs? What will make you stop reading?
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Meatless Monday with Tina and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Anything Goes with Marilyn
Bonnie, the Pin Junkie
Tip Tuesday with Debbie in Shape
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Michelle, Sarah, and Angelena Marie
Wednesday Wisdom with Nanna’s Wisdom
The Blog Booster Party with Kathleen
Friday Fitness with Jill
Yup if it becomes all reviews all the time, I”m gone and honestly if it started as a running blog and becomes a baby blog I’m gone… I don’t have kids so I’m super excited for your new bundle, but not enough to read it all the time. I need value or entertainment!
I agree with the baby blog thing too, or if a blog totally changes.
Pop-ups, video ads, terrible grammar/spelling, captcha, and a super-super disrespectful clash of views are generally reasons why I stop reading! These are all really great reasons!
Videos!!!I hate those, the ones that start making noise, then you can’t find how to shut them up!
when the blog is full of advertisements and annoying videos, i just leave. like you said, yes it is their source of income which i respect but my time is also valuable and i dont want to waste it trying to skip the ads and navigate myself. also an authentic writing is really important to me. i dont like when bloggers go from all about homemade cooking to accepting random guest posts..i usually read blogs and want to read their stories and such too, and it really upsets me when it isnt the case.
I was just reminded about videos too. Hate them!
I loathe captcha!!!! I will not jump through hoops to comment on your blog for that. And too many reviews gets to be really old. Or if someone is always complaining or whining. We’ve all got problems, I don’t want to read about yours daily.
Really, I read blogs to get away from my own problems 😉
Ugh totally with you on the captcha thing, it drives me crazy especially when I am on my cellphone! I always love giving comment love because I know how rewarding it is as a blogger myself to see comments from readers but for gosh sakes make it easy! Great post! xo C
Thank you. I can handle the version that you just have to check that you’re not a robot, but don’t try to make me read illegible scribbles.
Every time I see these types of posts, I go on high alert! Like, omg, is it me? I try to make my blog as lovely an experience as I can, but I had some trouble with my ads earlier this year (I hope that is fixed…). I too get annoyed when there are too many affiliates, but I think I hit a balance that people can appreciate (they haven’t told me otherwise, at least!).
I was not talking about you in any way, shape r form. When I disappear from you blog for a while it’s because life gets in my way.
I loathe popup ads. That banner that BlogHer puts at the bottom of people’s blogs? Annoys the hell out of me. Bloggers who only post product reviews? Stop! And don’t get me started on grammar mistakes…
And whining. We all have bad days, and it’s ok to vent occasionally, but when you are only whining…well, it just gets old.
Not bitchy at all Debbie! Thanks for giving us this opportunity to chime in! I don’t see you complaining about your kneecap. And you could…I’d listen…
I left Blogher because they wouldn’t stop the meat ads, and happy I did.
As for my knee I’m finally seeing a doctor this afternoon so I will report on Friday. Hopefully I won’t have a reason to whine 😉
haha I love the title of this post. And agree with you on all of this Debbie! I hate captcha and pop-up ads and autoplay videos. White font on a dark background – bye. I can’t read that! I agree on the sponsored post thing, especially if it becomes too many reviews or sponsored content. But there are some bloggers who can do sponsored content really well – super useful information and if they’re making some money off it, great for them.
I have seen well done sponsored posts, but I still feel a little played upon when I realize they are sponsored. It’s a tough line for all of us.
I swear I proofread my blog! Multiple times usually. And still there’s almost always a mistake in there. It’s incredibly hard to proofread your own writing (says someone that actually worked as a proofreader eons ago, albeit for a very brief time).
I know I’ve been guilty of some of your other points, too, and I’ve thought a lot about the affiliate thing and where I want to take my blog. Haven’t made up my mind but I don’t think I want to review the same stuff all the other running bloggers are reviewing unless it’s something I’m really, really passionate about.
I love your post on blogging — keep them coming, please!
Ha! I wasn’t making accusations! And I get it. I have reread posts of my own from long ago and I’m shocked to find a spelling error. And I know my grammar isn’t perfect. But there is a big difference between an occasional mistake and an ongoing lack of care about what’s being published.
I wish I had started out with Comment Luv truly. Now if I switch I loose all of my pervious comments and I just can not do that.
I am probably also guilty of too many reviews. I am trying to change that but with holiday season now, I am doing a lot of them. I hope to do fewer once the holidays are over and focus more on other content.
I will leave a blog for the following reasons:
1. Too many (more than one) pop up.
2. Videos that begin playing with sound! This is a big one for me! I find it very rude!
3. Tiny photos. I am glad they do not bother you, but I have poor sight, if I can’t see what you are showing me, especially if the images are important to the post, I get frustrated.
I am by no means perfect. I am very new still. There is so much to learn! Thank you for sharing your feelings, and thoughts.
I hate videos! I didn’t think to add those, but you’re the third person so far to mention them, so obviously there’s a consensus.
I love this! My biggest pet peeve is when the blogger make it hard for me to comment/interact and share. I don’t have time to jump through hoops, a few quick fixes can really make all the difference and keep me hooked as a loyal follower/reader!
I know! There’s no reason to make it difficult to comment. You’d think some bloggers didn’t want them.
Love this post! Thanks for sharing!
mini
Thank you. Glad you like it. 😃
so many great points made in this post! I can’t stand when I have to jump through hoops while reading a post and I really get annoyed if someone comes off as fake or tries way too hard to “sell.” I’m not as picky about grammar as I used to be, but I can see why it might annoy people. great post!
Thank you. It is so obvious when a blogger stops being authentic. It makes me sad when it’s one of my favorites.
I totally agree. It’s like when they do a sponsored post that has no relevance to their content; it’s sad, insulting, and just disheartening when it comes to humanity (I’m so dramatic haha).
Oh good I don’t think I do any of these. I would love to make some side money from my blog but I never want to compromise the overall look of the blog (i.e. too many ads EVERYWHERE) or have lots of annoying pop-ups. I would love for you to read my blog! I am posting my first Link Love post this Friday and you are included as one of the blogs I read on the regular. Thanks for posting!
Thank you Jill! I would love to read your blog. At work now but I’ll take a look a bit later. And thanks for sharing one of my posts!
So true! I feel like I’m constantly struggling with trying to balance a steady stream of posts and quality of those posts.
It’s difficult as a blogger. Lots of things to consider and it can be hard to keep that energy going all the time.
Yes to all of these!! Especially that last one!! The other day I was reading something and I needed to put in 3 different security codes to leave a comment.. I think it might be easier to break into the white house! LOL
A new (ish) captcha that drives me nuts is they show you like 8 pictures and tell you to pick out the ones that have, say, cars in them. Well on a phone it’s hard to see tiny little pictures of cars!
I totally agree with you! I especially find it annoying to see a post written just to write something. I’d much rather they wait until they have something important to say. I would ad to your list-too many ads!! I hate when I have to wait for a video ad to load about something unrelated to fitness and health.
That was actually what set this post off. I read a post on Monday that was obviously just a throwaway.
I’m with you on blogs transforming into full on advertisements. When it seems like the majority of the posts are sponsored, it makes it very difficult for me to believe what you are sharing with your readers. I really try to limit the number of sponsored posts that I agree to do, in fear that too many will turn my loyal readers away.
The worst is when you notice bloggers rave about their favorite brand of whatever product then a while later they love another.
Haha – luckily there are thousands and thousands of blogs to keep us all entertained. 🙂 For me, I usually walk away if the site has poor mobile functionality, poor grammar, small photos, pop-ups of any kind (ads or email sign up), guest posts that don’t fit the brand, non-transparent affiliates or sponsors, multiple colored text, etc. I guess my standards are high.
That is because you set high standards for your own blog.
Ads are the #1 reason I stop reading someone else’s blog. One of my friend’s blog always redirects me to their ads like 10 times when I try to read her posts and it’s freaking annoying. I’m trying to figure out a nice way to tell her.
Send her a link to this post. ☺
One of my reasons I stop reading certain blogs is when I try to connect with them continually but they never seem to want to reach out to you. Not sure why, maybe they feel like they have enough readers already.
I think that’s weird too. Sometimes it seems like some of the “big” bloggers grow too big for their britches (sorry, that’s the phrase that came to my mind 🙂 ).
CAPTCHA and too many ads really turns me off haha.
xoxo, Jenny
Too many ads drive me crazy. And video ads! Hate them!
I honestly am not too licky! I know I am not the best writer or grammar person & sometimes spell check does not catch it… I am also busy so I do my best to do what I can do.
I definitely blog a lot less than I used to!!!
A for the too many sponsored – yes, that is a deal breaker for me. I agree, we all need to make money but every post is not good.
Seriously, to me, with grammar, there is a big difference between people who try, do their best, and people who just don’t care.
I definitely agree about quality of quantity! It is sad to see so many slapdash posts in my feed or emails. I had to unsubscribe from blogs for that reason. I do have to admit sometimes it’s hard not to go over-board with sponsored posts lol. Its all about finding a balance that works, and I’m still working on that one 😉
My sponsored posts seem to come in bursts. But when I get a few, I tend to add an extra post during the week, so that my regular stuff is still there.
Great points Debbie!!! Couldn’t agree more!
I’ve been guilty of #1 in the past but changed my ways this year, deleted a TON of posts and my views went up. When I took a vacation last month I didn’t post and views went UP.
#5 is a big one for me too. I hate pop-ups every time I visit, and don’t make me hunt for your comments and then have to register with FB/twitter/disqus because I won’t. I’ll just leave without commenting.
My views went up when I stopped posting as much too. Now I feel that if I have nothing to say, instead of writing anyway I should go out and do something worth writing about 🙂
Having to jump through hoops to comment is the big one for me. I love interacting on posts that inspire me, but if I have to put in a lot of work to do it, more often than not I’ll just move along.
Exactly! I don’t mind putting my name and email, because that’s par for the course. But if I have to log in, or go through captcha to get there, I’m probably not going to bother.
My blog is still in its infancy, but I love reading other people’s opinions. I hate pop-ups! For a blog that produces quality I can see past it but if it’s my forst time visit and I’m bombarded with pop-ups I likely won’t come back. Im still learning with my content and I hope to never become (or that I’m not already) one of those pesky annoying bloggers. 🙂
I think all bloggers should be looking at their own blogs through a reader’s eyes. Chances are if you, as a reader, hate popups, video ads, and too many sponsored posts, your own readers do too.
Yes, I agree with most of this. Especially the captcha and crazy popups. And, if I can’t figure out how to comment, that bugs me at times.
It’s weird sometimes. I think most bloggers like to get comments, but some make it so hard.
Yes to all of this! The captcha thing drives me nuts. If I have to click on a bunch of pictures in order to comment on your blog it probably won’t even happen.
Aren’t those the dumbest things? Click all the salads. Really?
Hi there – What a great conversation you have going here. I have enjoyed reading everyone’s comments so much. I really don’t mind sponsored posts if it is a product the writer believes in and wants to share. I like hearing about neat products or events. I really dislike sound that pops up though as maybe I am reading something where there should be quiet. Like many here, I really get frustrated when I can’t find a contact – like an email address or commenting requires extra steps. Great topic!
Some bloggers do sponsored posts really well. I don’t have a problem with them in general. But when your whole blog becomes sponsored posts, well, then I’m probably not going to stick around.
Great post and I agree with you on all five points! I hate when I can’t leave a comment easily and those pop up ads and videos!! Annoying. I have been guilty of putting a quick post together just to have something up, I have to remember that it’s better to not post that post something that I’ve not put time into! Thanks for the reminder. glad to have found your post on #BlogBoosterParty !
It took me a while to stop posting just to post. It’s hard. You’re afraid if you skip a day or three you’ll lose readers. It really doesn’t happen when the stuff that you do post is high quality.
I couldn’t agree more. Bad writing really gets me. You don’t have to have perfect grammar skills, but if I can’t even follow the story you are trying to tell or if the post just gets WAY too long, I tune out. Also, sometimes there is a great post that I want to share, but there are no share buttons or links to your social profiles. If I don’t know where to connect with you, I’ll eventually stop visiting all together.
I agree about the bad writing. I certainly don’t expect perfection, but I think it’s obvious when a writer doesn’t even try.
Debbie I could not agree with you more about many of the items you touched on. My daughter and I made a conscious decision to not make any money from our blog. This meant we could review something or choose not to, and be totally honest because no one was paying us a cent. I have really struggled with alot of blogs recently and particularly those whom seem to shill the latest shoes or whatever. I am brand loyal to a fault so for me, these types of posts are just not interesting.
Now I know where to go when I want an honest opinion!
I agree on all fronts. I have been burning out and making sure that I just don’t post to post. I want to post quality stuff, so if it takes some time to get that back then so be it! I hate when subscription pop ops come on my screen and if they pop back up when I’m reading. Also when ads are in the MIDDLE of your text. I HATE that with a passion. If I’ve been a loyal reader I’ll prob stick around, but if not, forget about it!
I agree Sue. There are some blogs where the pop up keeps coming back. I mean, really? I also hate the ones where you can’t find how to close them. Ugh! And I also really hate ads in a the middle of the post. They make me mad because I can be reading a great post, then suddenly there’s an ugly text ad for viagra or something.
Good Afternoon Debbie, This is a very interesting topic of conversation, which I am pleased to become a part of. On the topic of spelling, I would say, I agree as far as spelling is concerned, it should be correct, because otherwise the post is too ‘slap dash’ and of course we know as soon as we start reading, that the post has been rushed, which is then disappointing.
Grammar is a different thing. For instance, I write the way I speak. So if you read one of my posts, it is as if I am speaking to you…. and I know for sure that grammatically it is not always correct, but if I corrected those nuances, it would not be me speaking to you.
There are so many blogs which we can enjoy, that if we have the time, then yes we can fill in all the bits and pieces required, but if not, we move on to find blogs which suit us.
Now I have to tell you, that I know I write posts, which to some people are far too long winded… but that’s alright, my blog obviously is not suited to them. I would rather write one good post a week (as I do) than lots of posts which are repetative.
I have really enjoyed my visit to you today, so I have become a new follower.
Best wishes to you from England.
Daphne
Thank you Daphne. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I too tend to write like I speak, so (obviously) I don’t consider that bad grammar. I feel it reads naturally, and I think readers can tell the difference. And I know I use way too many parentheses, but that’s what feels right (to me). <-- see? I don't have a problem with long posts as long as they're engaging and interesting, but sometimes, just like a good movie, the writer should finish it up sooner rather than later (says the woman who has a hard time keeping it under 1,000 words 🙂 ).
Those full-page ad pop-ups when you visit a site. Not friendly. 🙂 I’m a stickler for good writing as well. Fun post! 🙂
Thank you. And a lot of times it’s really difficult to figure out how to close those pop ups. I hate that!
This is great. I take time to read blogs, to write comments, and I will stop reading if the blogger never answers. I think interacting with your readers, even a little bit, is a minimum. And BTW, so SORRY about your knee.
Thank you. I can’t wait until I can walk again, let alone run!
I get frustrated sometimes when bloggers don’t respond, especially when I take the time to write a thoughtful comment. Or if they don’t have a way to let me know they replied. I rarely want to keep checking back to see if they responded
Long page load times is a huge deal breaker for me. If my computer starts overheating because your site won’t load cuz it keeps crashing my flash player or whatever, I’m gone.
That’s why I got rid of some of my ads. They really made my page slow. It’s also better since I stopped using Blogher.
I really appreciate positive and authentic bloggers that share their knowledge and experience in whatever their field may be. I also enjoy reading about the blogger’s life for the most part unless it’s just a slap dash like you described. One of my biggest pet peeves is bloggers that constantly complain about how hard blogging is. I totally understand that it can be difficult and time consuming, however I generally think it’s unprofessional to complain about your work to your customers, which in a sense is what blog readers are.
Ha! I agree about the complaining. I’d you think it’s so hard maybe it’s time to give it up.
I am a reader, not a blogger and I loathe the newsletter pop up that every blog tends to have now. It pops up within 10 seconds, right when I’m in the middle of scanning content and its 50/50 whether I close the window or I close out of the website all together.
I also will stop reading a blog if their are excessive selfies with apologies (no make up, excuse the bad hair,etc). Or excessive complaints about how busy life is.
Lol on the selfies. And I think it’s silly to complain about being busy. Everybody is busy.
what a great reminder. NOt only for a new blogger but an experienced one! We need to find a good balance. and grammar.. I always need help with that. haha
I prefer authenticity and kindness over grammar any day, and you have that in spades.
Love your perspective. As a new serious blogger, I love hearing what’s too much because I like simple and so many blogs are not! Thank you for your tips and honesty. Visiting from #InspireMeLink.
Thank you Christina. I’m glad that you find it helpful. Thanks for stopping by.
Debbie, this post will be featured on Friday as it was in the TOP TWO most clicked.
Well done,
Kathleen
Thank you!
If I have to click on more than one pop up to read a post, then I usually don’t. I’ll try and spend some time on the site getting to know the blogger, but if it’s hard to navigate, I usually leave sooner rather than later.
I really hate the popups where you can’t see how to close them. You know they do it on purpose.
Hi Debby,
I just published my first sponsored post this morning. I was a little nervous about it since I heard readers may drop you.
I have no affiliate links, and it’s a great article with tips I agree with.
Would anyone consider that offensive, do you think? If so, why? Thanks,
Janice
It’s an excellent article. It didn’t feel sponsored at all. Well done :-). I don’t think most readers have a problem with an occasional sponsored post as long as you’re honest and give them good information.
I hate all the popups and advertising that some blogs have. They make it very difficult to navigate sometimes so I just leave. Thanks for some great tips and sharing them with us at #WednesdaysWisdom.
Thanks Sue! Sometimes it feels like we’ve come full circle on the internet. Remember in the early days, the popups were terrible. They fixed the problem because everyone hated them, and pop-up blockers were wonderful. Now they’re back, and it seems like there is nothing we can do even though we still hate them.
I agree with the captcha thing. I hate them, and I apparently have an inability to get them correct on the first try. Ever. If I see that a blogger has them, I don’t even bother anymore.
Hi Debbie, I found this article on StumbleUpon and enjoyed it. I also hate grammar and incorrect spelling, but it’s not as big a problem as the popups, captchas, and having to sign up for a new service just to prove who I am and comment. I also don’t like having adult themes and images show up in the middle of a post without fair warning. Thanks for the advice; I’ll look at my own blogs a little closer as I consider including affiliate links in the future.
Under the category of making it hard to read: I unsubscribe from 90% of blogs if they don’t allow full text of their RSS feed. I don’t have time to click through from my reader for every post I want to read; I usually only click through if I am going to comment. So if a blogger makes it impossible for me to read their entire post in my reader, I usually drop it entirely.
I love Comment Luv!! <3 And I hate blogs with multiple pop ups! I can't read your post if I can't see it!
Really interesting read, I haven’t read a post like this before. I have been blogging for a little over a year and I started as a complete novice, I hadn’t even read anyones blog. I am loving discovering so many new and interesting people and their blogs. But I have to agree that when blogs are over commercialised they turn me off, and I also don’t see the need to post everyday with boring posts. I hope to keep my blog honest, and well written, but I guess we all have different ideas on what is interesting. Great post! Nice to meet you.
Great post! I have just started taking sponsored blogs and I’m struggling to figure out the right combo. How many is too many, that type of thing. I try to include enough of me in my sponsored posts to make them feel like a story that just happens to include a promo and I rarely use affiliate links because I just can’t find a way to make it seem natural.
Issues with Commenting:
1. If you don’t bother to moderate your comments, I’ll stop reading your blog.
2. If you don’t put forth any effort to read/respond to people who comment, I’ll stop reading your blog. I don’t mean you have to reply to every comment. But none? Unacceptable.
Loved this post.
Thank you. When you say moderate, do you mean pay attention to them? Because to me it means to hold comments until approved, which I don’t care for unless the blogger gets a lot of trolling. A good anti spam should allow most people to not have to moderate.
I mean pay attention and actually know what’s going on in their comments section. Moderate not just for spam (although that’s important) but to make sure that their comments section is a productive arm of the blog.
Such a catchy post title, love the slight snarky vibe and true honesty! I try to be suuuper aware of not just posting for the sake of posting, but always adding something valuable that I’d want to read. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you. That’s me! Slightly snarky, but honest. Plus, as you can see by the comments, a lot of people agree with me.
Wow, these are all great points, and like everyone else has said, I HATE videos that are playing LOUDLY & you can’t turn them off.
Poor grammar also drives me up the wall because my mother, as an English teacher, critiqued EVERYTHING I said, so if I used the wrong tense of “lie” or “lay,” for example, I couldn’t finish my sentence until I corrected it! All that has rubbed off, so I see things & I’m grinding my teeth…LOL. Just can’t help it…
You would use “lie” and “lay” as an example. I have such a hard time “getting it” with them. I had an aunt who was also an English teacher and she would always call me out. I know…you lay down a book, or lie on the floor. It just doesn’t come naturally to me and I always have to start from there.
Haha, yes I think you got them right Debbie. I still struggle with those lie/lays just a little even now. Funny you had the same experience with your aunt…I thought that was just me…😉😉
POP UPS ANNOY THE CRAP OUT OF ME! If I have never been to your blog before and the first thing that pops up is a “SUBSCRIBE TO ME” thing……. You better believe the first thing I am doing is leaving. WHY would people think I would want to sign up for their newsletter if I have never even seen their blog before? ALSO… I tend to find those things as “too pushy”… Like they’re just after getting more eyes on their blog (traffic) because they want to up their numbers but really blogging should be about having an outlet to let what’s on your mind out and have people comment and discuss as they see fit. I hate being FORCED into doing something. So I don’t let it happen but CLICKING X on the tab in my browser for that particular blog!
Do you feel better? lol 🙂
I did have one of those pop-ups. It was set up to come up after you’d been on the site for a while, then not come back for several weeks. I did finally take it down because of the negative feedback (not to me directly, but in general about how people feel about popups). I know that I get sick and tired of them too, especially the ones where you can’t see easily how to exit. Yeah, pissing me off right up front is a great way to get me to subscribe to your blog!
Love this post! I agree with all of it! My biggest turnoffs are video ads, blogs that turn into one big advertisement with only sponsored or affiliate posts, and bloggers who NEVER reply to comments — or who write a post suggesting hiring a VA to respond to comments and social media as if they were the blog owner. Ummm, that tells me you never read comments from people who want to engage with YOU and I lose all trust. I know blogging can become a business. Just be honest about it. (Not directed at anyone here, just something I’ve been seeing on a few blogs and apparently it’s been bothering me.)
I think my favorite thing about this post is that it serves as a good checklist for the type of blog I want to have. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I really try to keep the things that I dislike in mind for my own blog. It’s funny. Everyone says that hate videos ads, popups, too many sponsored posts, etc., but so many people still use all of these things. I get that people want to make money (I enjoy that too!), but I find that these days too many of the blogs that I have loved to read are starting to turn me off with ads, etc. Yes, I can be a grumpy blogger. 🙂
Pow Wow, Kapow and then some what! Wow Debbie, This post is so spot on. I dont know how many times I have been excited by a blog post title and found a hodge podge of ads a bit of what I already know and lots of Alleged give aways…! Bounce pretty fast!
Remember a few years back (well, like 20) when there were pop-up controls? Apparently they are not a thing anymore.
Great post Debbie, and needed! I want to know as a newbie, and I agree with all the things you don’t like. Good to know I’m not nuts!
I really try to think of the things that bother me so that I don’t use them on my blog. I did have a subscribe pop-up for a while. It was set to only pop up to the same user every few weeks, but I finally just took it off. While it’s true that I have fewer subscribers now, at least people stick around for a while! 🙂
Debbie, great article *and* comments! I made up my mind at the very beginning (February 2010) that I would post just once a week. I knew that was a schedule I could maintain for the long haul. Some weeks I feel I could manage twice a week, but I just stick to my schedule, posting every Thursday. It amazes me that there are so many bloggers out there posting several times a week.
My pet peeves include: pop-up ads, autoplay videos, light font on dark background, and the captchas that are more like a vision test. The one I really don’t understand is: making it difficult to comment. If I have to sign in or join something in order to comment, I’m done. I’m not on Facebook or Google+, so if that is your commenting system I cannot participate.
I do comment moderation because I don’t want even the occasional spam comment to get through and appear on my blog for even a short time, but I’m usually pretty prompt about publishing the comments and responding to them. I hate it when a blogger who moderates comments takes weeks to publish a comment or even in some cases never does.
A blog that has a preponderance of sponsored posts and lots of “gushing” over products does not appeal to me. I am a food writer, blogger and recipe developer with a very well-equipped kitchen and I think it’s a service to my readers to tell them about my favorite equipment, so I do the occasional review AND giveaway. My readers know I’m telling them about things I actually use and recommend. I get all kinds of stuff offered to me, but I turn it down because I’m not for sale!
I seem to have a hard time backing off from posting three times a week. When I started blogging, I had no clue what I was doing, and it took me several years before I had an idea of my niche (or even what a blogging niche was!)
I started using anti-spam a couple years ago to replace akismet. I basically never see spam. I don’t have to review it or worry about it showing up on my posts. The very rare comment that might be considered spam that makes it through is fairly well-worded, so that even I’m not sure if it is spam or not. 🙂
Thank you for sharing all of the great tips on blogging. I found a good bit of the posts helpful as a “new” returning to blogging . I think I still need to find my writing style or blogger voice. I get discouraged pretty easily when it comes to writing or not knowing what to write. After reading the tip about keeping a note book handy in the other post i started using my notes app right away.
Thank you for the kind words. I find keeping a running list and writing things down when I think of them really helps. Otherwise, I’m like, “what was that great idea I had?”
Great point about comment moderation. If you make it to hard for me to comment or interact. It really taints how I feel about your site. Also if you have a recipe or great post but no way to pin, save or print it. That kinda sucks
I hate blogs that have captcha, that take forever to load because of they’re full of ads, or that are poorly written. Another thing I hate is when a blog doesn’t have enough sharing options. I’m sure a blogger has the right to only have a Facebook and an Instagram account, but would it kill them to also include other share buttons?
I’m sharing this with my FB blogging group 🙂
For me..it’s down hearted blogs. I get it..life is sad “at times.” For that to be the constant theme…is a bit much.
Wow you’ve got a lot of comments on this! Took me like 10 mins to scroll down to leave a reply (no criticism, just thought good for you!). I will never ever log in to comment, way too much trouble. Also hate pop ups and videos, I will never post that on my blog. Good read!
Hmm. I think mine would be:
1. Visual clutter–definitely audio or video “posts” or videos that hog the screen, but even a big splashy photo that hogs the screen may crash the browser. 200 pixels in either direction is good for graphics. (And if you do a “wordless” post the cartoons or animal pictures have to be very, very good. I don’t absorb information from visuals easily.)
2. “Copy-protected.” If it’s worth reading, I’m going to want to paste it into Word, format it so it’s easy to read and doesn’t waste paper on graphics, and print it. If I can’t do that, and it *is* good enough that somebody wants to steal it, I’m more likely to be grateful that the thief has probably made it readable for me!
3. Anything that pops up, pulls down, jiggles the screen…I have astigmatism, and a jumpy screen that’s constantly trying to flash more bells and whistles in my face actually makes me *seasick*.
4. Lots of glowing product reviews may make search engines happy, but yesterday a reader was telling me, “I don’t trust product reviews on blogs any more.”Too often the “honest review” describes what a product is like on the first day, before the reviewer has time to notice that it tends to fall apart within the following six days…
5. Slick, commercial-looking blog with lots of images, strange pale type on a white background, anything that looks remotely like a “landing page.” I read blogs that look like books/magazines. I avoid blogs that look like TV commercials.
True by all sense! I just can stand the too many loops some blogs have. They make us wait to read anything that we are interested in and also make us wonder f we need to wait further.
Hi Debbie, this post made the most-clicked list on the Bloggers Pit Stop. Well done.
Kathleen
Blogger’s Pit Stop
Everyone posts what to put on their blog. Its a welcome change to know what NOT to put on there. I especially love the videos when you don’t realize the volume had been up and then it scares the bejeezes out of you!
Agree, agree, agree! My pet peeve is when the blogger doesn’t make it easy to share. Because I love sharing other’s good work. Great post and reminders, Debbie!
I don’t have a blog, yet. My favorite bloggers show that they are human, open and honest in their writing. I know this is a gift. Or something they have developed over time through hard work and perseverance. They aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, to make a mistake and they even share their mistakes with their readers.
I’ve stopped following blogs for the following reasons 1) They get boring, 2) The blogger doesn’t respond to comments – ever. I don’t expect a blogger to respond every time. But I do believe it is important for a blogger to value their readers and the time I take to comment . 3) I do understand when bloggers want to monetize their blog. I won’t stop following when I see adds. But if the blog gets cluttered looking I might. 4) A pop up to follow their blog when I already follow their blog is annoying. My time is valuable too. 5) Getting too many e-mails from a blog that I follow. There are exceptions to this but for the most part I don’t like to read a blog post daily from a blogger. Like I said there are exceptions to this and some bloggers I could read every day if they wrote every day.
Thanks for your feedback. I always find it interesting that most people agree on many of the things that really annoy them, but so many bloggers continue to do these very things! I used to have a popup to join my list, but after some negative feedback I took it down. After all, I hate it too, so what should I expect?
The thing that really bothers me about ads is that too many are not only annoying, they slow down the loading of the page, and, especially on mobile, block some of the actual content. I back right out of those sites.
I’ve noticed that for the most part, those annoying captcha comment things, where you had to try to read what it said then write it down, are gone. Most sites make you just check a box to prove you’re human. Still kind of annoying, but not as bad as it used to be.
Oh, and one more thing I love when it’s easy to comment. If I have to jump through hoops I won’t comment and their have been I’ve decided it isn’t worth following their blog either.
The same goes for signing up to follow blogs. If there are too many steps to sign up I’ll pass.