In my not-so-long time as a blogger, who is constantly looking at other blogs of course, I've found some reoccurring issues that really get on my nerves. So I'm countin' em down for you--yep, in order. I know 10 seems like a lot. But, I have a lot... And I don't plan to
make this kind of venting/complaint post a recurring thing around
here, so they're all coming out now!
Now, I'm not saying if you do any of these things, I don't or won't read your blog, cause I still do. ;) But hey, I thought I'd share them anyway! And if you are guilty of any of these, ... sorry! I still love you! ;) (Please still love me, kay?)
10~ Things flashing or changing constantly. || My Instagram feed is about as flashy as I can handle. Flashing text, some kind of feed changing every two seconds--too much, too much! I get visually distracted quite easily and then I can't even focus on what I'm trying to read. Calm, please. Calm.
9~ No Bloglovin' link. || Or a hard-to-find one. You know, down at the bottom somewhere. Bloglovin' is the only way I follow blogs. Is it just me? So if a blog's on there, I want to know. I've had to search for blogs on there many, many times to find they're sure enough on there, just keeping it a secret for some reason. :P
8~ No home page link. || This may sound weird, but I've seen it. If I've followed a link to a certain post and want to go to the blog's main page, I have to go up to the url and delete all the extra text to get down to the main url. I know typically the header image is a link to home, but this was literally the only way I could find to get there. Weird! Please don't do that to your readers.
7~ No archives. || Or unhelpful ones. Like the kind with only a month with a little number next to it of how many posts were in that month. What if I want to get to a specific post? Or a post from last week? I have to scroll through all the posts for that month just to find it. (Or am I the only one who goes hunting for specific posts? Uh oh.)
6~ Commenters who ask to be followed. || You just don't do that. You just don't. It's in the rules, wherever they are.
5~ No about page. || When I get on a blog for the first time, I almost immediately go to the about page. I want to know right away what this person and this blog are all about. (haha) And when I just see one of those automatic blogger profile blurbs over on the side, I get sad. And probably leave. Similarly, when it's not obvious that there is an about page, whether there is one or not. It belongs in the navigation bar, ready to be found within .3 seconds.
4~ Teeny, tiny fonts. || Enough said. Mine is about as small as I'd like to go. There are some blogs--really super popular ones--that have the smallest fonts! Oww on the eyes!
3~ Teeny, tiny pictures. || Okay, I don't have the best eyesight. But this one isn't just me--it's on about every guide to making your blog look better I've read. I want to see--blow them babies up! I think bigger makes even not incredible pictures look better. Especially if it's something you made, a wedding photo, something that's really intended to show us something and not just for decoration. Which is pretty much every picture that will ever be on your blog. I wanna seeee!
2~ Bloggers who never respond. || To anything. Ever. Oh my gosh. I don't know why anyone would do this. But it happens enough that it really bothers me. And it's not just a one time thing. Like, leaving a comment on a post, then another on a post a week later, and another after that. And then I go back to try to check and see if they commented below my comment (you know, if I can find it--see #7), and they haven't. O_O I get it if they have like 20 comments. But when they have a whole lot fewer than that, and I never ever hear from them? Kinda makes me not want to come back... :/ (Which I have done...)
1~ No-reply bloggers. || I promise I'll stop talking about this. When the problem doesn't exist anymore! :P Please double-check if Google still has you under its curse of keeping your email address a secret. Which means I can't reply to your comment by email. Which means you may think I'm #2 above. When really I just can't find you! You can make it all better with the help of this priceless post here.
P.S. Linking up with Funday Monday, Monday Morning Gossip, Manic Monday here and here, Thinking Out Loud
Now, I'm not saying if you do any of these things, I don't or won't read your blog, cause I still do. ;) But hey, I thought I'd share them anyway! And if you are guilty of any of these, ... sorry! I still love you! ;) (Please still love me, kay?)
10~ Things flashing or changing constantly. || My Instagram feed is about as flashy as I can handle. Flashing text, some kind of feed changing every two seconds--too much, too much! I get visually distracted quite easily and then I can't even focus on what I'm trying to read. Calm, please. Calm.
9~ No Bloglovin' link. || Or a hard-to-find one. You know, down at the bottom somewhere. Bloglovin' is the only way I follow blogs. Is it just me? So if a blog's on there, I want to know. I've had to search for blogs on there many, many times to find they're sure enough on there, just keeping it a secret for some reason. :P
8~ No home page link. || This may sound weird, but I've seen it. If I've followed a link to a certain post and want to go to the blog's main page, I have to go up to the url and delete all the extra text to get down to the main url. I know typically the header image is a link to home, but this was literally the only way I could find to get there. Weird! Please don't do that to your readers.
7~ No archives. || Or unhelpful ones. Like the kind with only a month with a little number next to it of how many posts were in that month. What if I want to get to a specific post? Or a post from last week? I have to scroll through all the posts for that month just to find it. (Or am I the only one who goes hunting for specific posts? Uh oh.)
6~ Commenters who ask to be followed. || You just don't do that. You just don't. It's in the rules, wherever they are.
Okay, now these are my big ones...
5~ No about page. || When I get on a blog for the first time, I almost immediately go to the about page. I want to know right away what this person and this blog are all about. (haha) And when I just see one of those automatic blogger profile blurbs over on the side, I get sad. And probably leave. Similarly, when it's not obvious that there is an about page, whether there is one or not. It belongs in the navigation bar, ready to be found within .3 seconds.
4~ Teeny, tiny fonts. || Enough said. Mine is about as small as I'd like to go. There are some blogs--really super popular ones--that have the smallest fonts! Oww on the eyes!
3~ Teeny, tiny pictures. || Okay, I don't have the best eyesight. But this one isn't just me--it's on about every guide to making your blog look better I've read. I want to see--blow them babies up! I think bigger makes even not incredible pictures look better. Especially if it's something you made, a wedding photo, something that's really intended to show us something and not just for decoration. Which is pretty much every picture that will ever be on your blog. I wanna seeee!
2~ Bloggers who never respond. || To anything. Ever. Oh my gosh. I don't know why anyone would do this. But it happens enough that it really bothers me. And it's not just a one time thing. Like, leaving a comment on a post, then another on a post a week later, and another after that. And then I go back to try to check and see if they commented below my comment (you know, if I can find it--see #7), and they haven't. O_O I get it if they have like 20 comments. But when they have a whole lot fewer than that, and I never ever hear from them? Kinda makes me not want to come back... :/ (Which I have done...)
***Fireworks Going Off***
1~ No-reply bloggers. || I promise I'll stop talking about this. When the problem doesn't exist anymore! :P Please double-check if Google still has you under its curse of keeping your email address a secret. Which means I can't reply to your comment by email. Which means you may think I'm #2 above. When really I just can't find you! You can make it all better with the help of this priceless post here.
Okay, those are my 10. Do you agree with any of these? Am I just too picky?
What would you all add to the list?
P.S. Linking up with Funday Monday, Monday Morning Gossip, Manic Monday here and here, Thinking Out Loud
I only really keep up with bloglovin' too! I have my whole google friend connect but I rarely scroll through those. I also totally feel you on the whole no-reply blogger thing too. I'd much rather e-mail you back immediately instead of having to reply on the actual comment when I remember to log back into the blog!
ReplyDeleteOh, lady. I hear you on #1 pet peeve!!! I'm in full agreement with all of these ;)
ReplyDeleteI love that you listed these things!!! All of these things bother me as well and I wanted to write a post about it. I agree with you totally!!
ReplyDeleteSomething I can't handle is center-justified text. It's so hard to read!
ReplyDeleteOoh, this was an interesting read! I've read a lot of blogging "must do" things, but I think this is the first pet peeve list I've found. I'm probably committing some of these offenses (too big/too small when it comes to font and pictures are kind of subjective in my opinion), but it's good to know...and thanks for loving me anyway, LOL. :)
ReplyDeleteGina -- On the Daily Express
Totally agree with everything on your list though I think my font is slightly smaller than yours. Two years ago I did changed the font up a size for one post and asked my followers what they preferred - everyone was agreed the font should stay as it now is.
ReplyDeleteI'd add to your list turning off Comment Word Verification - it drives me crazy. - Chris :D