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79 Ways To Kill Your Blog

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Hugh W. Roberts

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Have you ever killed your blog?

Did you know that a blog can be killed other than by just deleting it?

While not all of the items on the following list will kill your blog instantly, some are what some call slow burners, where the killing of your blog will take much longer.

Banner for the blog post '79 Ways To Kill Your Blog'
Are you thinking of killing your blog?

Are you responsible for doing any of these to your blog?

  1. Don’t have an ‘about me’ page on your blog.
  2. The ‘about me’ page takes visitors more than a minute to find.
  3. The ‘about me’ page starts with these words – ‘this is an example of an about me page…’
  4. The number of followers is more important to you than what you write and publish.
  5. Publishing too many poor-quality posts due to rushing them.
  6. Believe you have to publish content several times daily; otherwise, nobody will visit your blog.
  7. Have links on your blog that you have no idea are broken or can not be bothered to fix.
  8. You do not respond to comments.
  9. You do not respond to questions or queries.
  10. Don’t allow anyone to leave comments on your blog.
  11. Ignore your readers.
  12. Do not treat visitors to your blog as guests.
  13. Don’t give yourself a name by which you can be addressed in the comments section.
  14. Do not read other blogs.
  15. Do not leave comments on other blogs.
  16. Believe that blogging is going to make you rich.
  17. Believe your blog will make money within the first year.
  18. Leave links with no relevance (usually to your own posts) on the posts of other bloggers when not invited to do so.
  19. Don’t believe you need to promote your blog.
  20. Refuse to use social media to boost your blog posts.
  21. Refuse to keep up to date with blogging technology and changes.
  22. Think readers will find you rather than you find your readers.
  23. Do not use enough ‘white space’ between the paragraphs in your blog posts.
  24. The paragraphs on your posts are too long and blocky (more than 5 sentences long).
  25. Have no way readers can contact you on your blog other than by leaving a comment. (No ‘contact me’ page).
  26. Do not thank people for sharing your posts on their blogs.
  27. Do not use images and/or photos in any posts.
  28. Use images, photos and words (including lyrics) on your blog which are copyrighted and not free to use.
  29. Do not ask permission to use photos and/or images owned by other bloggers before using them.
  30. Ignore all copyright advice.
  31. Respond to constructive, negative comments in an unprofessional and unfriendly manner.
  32. Allow other bloggers to spam your blog with links that have nothing to do with the post’s content.
  33. Keep begging other bloggers to reblog your posts, visit, or follow your blog.
  34. Leave worthless comments on other blogs.
  35. Leave worthless comments on other blogs which clearly show you’ve not read the post.
  36. Do not take time to edit posts before publishing them.
  37. Do not preview your posts before publishing them.
  38. Inundate followers with too many posts in a short space of time instead of scheduling them out.
  39. Respond to comments left by trolls in the comments section of your blog, where all can read them.
  40. Allow trolls to leave comments on your blog.
  41. Allow trolls to attack other bloggers who have left comments.
  42. Personally attack other bloggers in the comments section on your own or different blogs.
  43. Steal the ideas of other bloggers and publish them on your blog as if the content is original and has been written by you.
  44. Fail to maintain and house-keep your blog regularly.
  45. Keep reblogging or rescheduling your own posts which are less than a few months old.
  46. Do not have a ‘landing’ page that will keep visitors returning.
  47. Ignore advice and feedback from other bloggers.
  48. Believe that blogging will only take up a few minutes of your time every week.
  49. Wake up and dread opening up your blog because of all the comments you will need to reply to.
  50. Keep telling your readers that you are giving blogging up, and keep coming back.
  51. Allow blogging to stress you out.
  52. Allow blogging to make you feel guilty.
  53. Your blog and/or blog posts are poorly laid out.
  54. Choose a font and background combination that makes it hard for visitors to read your posts.
  55. Fail to categorise all your blog posts (including reblogs).
  56. Fail to add ‘tags’ to your blog posts.
  57. Don’t understand ‘pingbacks’ and how to use them.
  58. Have no ‘search’ bar on your blog.
  59. Have a menu that is too top-heavy, making it overwhelming to readers.
  60. Fail to add your blog details to your gravatar.
  61. Fail to connect your social media accounts to your blog.
  62. Have pop-up boxes on your blog that can not be removed unless somebody subscribes to your mailing list.
  63. Have pop-up boxes on your blog which keeps popping up every time someone visits or until they have subscribed to your mailing list.
  64. Keep suffering from blog envy when you read a post you’d wish you’d written.
  65. Regularly publish posts that tell your readers to buy your book(s) or other products and services you offer rather than allow them to decide if they want to buy them.
  66. You believe that blogging is all about the number of blog posts you can publish daily rather than what you are writing about.
  67. You think you have the power to read and comment on every new blog post on all the blogs you follow.
  68. Fail to update your readers that you are about to take a blogging break and how long it will last.
  69. Lose motivation and a desire to continue blogging when your blog stats take a nosedive.
  70. Believe that everyone will enjoy reading every post you write and publish.
  71. Believe that all your followers will read and comment on all your posts.
  72. Get upset when your blog loses followers.
  73. Argue with bloggers and readers for failing to read and comment on all your blog posts.
  74. Follow other blogs in the hope that they will follow back before unfollowing them again.
  75. Believe all your readers will agree with everything you say in your blog posts.
  76. Think nobody will dare to disagree with what you have to say by leaving a constructive comment telling you why they disagree.
  77. Criticise other bloggers behind their backs (in the comments section of your own blog or on other blogs) for wanting to help other bloggers.
  78. Maintain too many blogs, thus spreading yourself too thinly.
  79. Fail to take some time away from blogging (knowing that you need to) because you believe the blogging world can not survive without you.

What about you? What would you add to the list? How would you kill your blog other than by deleting it?

This is an updated version of a post I wrote and published in 2017.

You can find the answers to solving many of the above issues by clicking on ‘blogging tips’ in the menu at the top of my blog, but feel free to leave any questions in the comments section. I’m always happy to help.

Whatever you do, keep blogging fun!

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133 responses to “79 Ways To Kill Your Blog”

  1. EsmeSalon avatar
    EsmeSalon

    Dear Hugh, Once again an incredible list of stuff for each of us to work through and make sure that we DO not do any of and or are guilty of doing. I will for sure revisit and take a hard and in-depth look at each and every item listed above. Thank you for the reminder to be on the lookout for being guilty in any shape, way, or form.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome, Esmé. I’m delighted that this list has been so helpful to so many who have read it.

      Reply
      1. EsmeSalon avatar
        EsmeSalon

        Hugh, you always have the best info and lists, that’s why everybody loves it.

        Reply
  2. Alison avatar
    Alison

    Amazing Hugh! I’m sure I’m guilty of a few of these things but thanks for pointing them out. I’ll have to go through the list slowly and note down the relevant ones.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome, Alison. While some won’t kill your blog instantly, others can lead to a slow death.

      Reply
      1. Alison avatar
        Alison

        I hope not 😐

        Reply
  3. Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up – August 2022 – Hugh's Views & News   avatar
    Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up – August 2022 – Hugh's Views & News  

    […] 79 Ways To Kill Your Blog […]

    Reply
  4. Olamilekan Akinsulure avatar
    Olamilekan Akinsulure

    Amazing content Mr Hugh. Quite informative!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you.

      Reply
  5. PKJULESWORLD (@pkjulesworld) avatar
    PKJULESWORLD (@pkjulesworld)

    What a comprehensive list. Can I add; “Joining blog pods and getting comments for the sake of getting them, in the hope of hacking Google Rank. Such people visit your website and bounce super fast, making your site seem poor.” Been there, done that, learned the hard lesson. Thanks for sharing on the Esme Pit stop. Julie Syl Pit stop Crew

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      I dislike comments just for the sake of commenting. I much rather have a discussion. That’s part of what blogging is about – engagement. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t approve useless comments.

      Thanks for coming over from Esme’s pitstop linky, Julie.

      Reply
  6. Erik Magnus avatar
    Erik Magnus

    What a great list. A lot of useful tips, thanks very much for the share.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome. I’m glad it has helped.

      Reply
  7. Afriant Ishaq avatar
    Afriant Ishaq

    What I do most often is to make a post in a hurry without seeing whether my writing is quality or not. It seems that you really slapped me 79 times.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      I can tell a rushly put-together post from miles away. They are usually of poor quality. One of the best quotes I heard about blogging is ‘Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.’

      Reply
  8. Liesbet @ Roaming About avatar
    Liesbet @ Roaming About

    Wow, Hugh! This is a huge compilation of so many tips you touched on before. While I don’t necessarily think the list items I’m guilty of will kill my blog, I do need to work on them for my own sanity. :-)

    These are the three that I struggle with:

    “The paragraphs on your posts are too long and blocky (more than 5 sentences long).” – This one I should check. Usually, I make short paragraphs, so this might not be an issue after all. I don’t think it is, plus it’s easily solved.

    “Allow blogging to stress you out.” – It does, but it shouldn’t. I’m working on this one, trying to be more relaxed about writing and posting myself and reading other blogs. Not being on a self-imposed weekly schedule anymore helps.

    “You think you have the power to read and comment on every new blog post on all the blogs you follow.” – I wish I had that power and much of my free time goes to this activity, which means I have zero time to read a book. More balance is required in this field! :-)

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks, Liesbet.

      When I realised that I found reading blog posts more comfortable when the blogger split up paragraphs into no more than 4 sentences, I realised that I had to ensure the paragraphs on my posts were not too long. Lots of ‘white space’ in blog posts is much more comforting to the eyes, and I find reading those posts easier. I also find that I’d be more likely to finish reading the whole post than skip parts or never reach the ending when they have lots of ‘white space.’

      The last two you mentioned, I find, are connected. There are a few blogs where I will read every post, but for the majority, if the post’s title or the first few lines do not draw me in, I will move on. I tell myself that every second is precious and that I should not waste any of it reading blog posts that do not interest me. And if anyone has a problem with me not reading and commenting on their all their posts, it’s their problem rather than mine. That seems to have worked for me.

      Reply
  9. Magpie Millennial avatar
    Magpie Millennial

    Really useful list to help me find things to avoid. Don’t want to make any bad habits which can poorly affect my blogging experience. Thanks for the share

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome. I’m glad this list has been of some help.

      Reply
  10. patwdoyle11 avatar
    patwdoyle11

    Hi Hugh, I came over from Suzanne’s blog to see how many I am guilty of. It was the intriguing title! Winced that it was more than 1-2. So then I started thinking, “how many will kill me?” And wondered if you have an equivalent 79 things to keep your blog thriving. But then, I’d be saying, “No way will I do all that!” I’m chuckling at myself. Have a great day!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you for coming over from Suzanne’s blog, Pat.

      Not everything on this list will kill every blog. I think it depends on the blog and the person behind the blog. For example, I know of some bloggers who treat their blog like a Facebook account where they are happy with the same people visiting and leaving comments regardless of what they publish. They’re not interested in expanding their readership, so they won’t have an ‘about me’ page or have updated it since publishing it over 5 years ago. They are happy with comments such as ‘Great post’ or a simple ‘Hi.’ Likewise, not every blogger is interested in promoting their blog on social media.

      But if like me, you want to expand your readership, gain lots of new followers and encourage good discussion in the comments section, I think all of these points are valid.

      Reply
  11. Ally Bean avatar
    Ally Bean

    Hugh, I’m smiling at your list. I can’t honestly say I’ve not made a few of these mistakes along the way, but I try not to. #63 is the one that bugs me at the moment. I don’t want to be part of any mailing lists so please make those boxes go away.

    I’m here via Suzanne, but you probably realize that. Maybe that’s another item for your list– when a blogger features you in a post with other bloggers who she thinks are interesting, then you should extend the comment love & go visit those other bloggers. I always do, but many people do not.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Hi Ally, yes, those pop-up boxes are a real nuisance, aren’t they? Unless you sign up, they keep popping up every time you visit blogs with them. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t visit the blogs that have them as often as those that do not.

      #26 may cover what you want to add to the list. Although I always thank bloggers who share my posts on their own blogs via a rebog, pingback or ‘Press This’, there are some that I send straight to trash or spam because they are obviously blogs operated by spambots. They usually have nothing but your post on their blog and have no other details, such as an ‘about me’ page. If they have other posts (usually the posts of other bloggers), there are no comments or likes. Some can look genuine, but if you look closely, they are trying to get your visitors to click on their share link, so they can start to spam you or (worse still) get you to send them money.

      Reply
      1. Ally Bean avatar
        Ally Bean

        Oh I send those people who appropriate my posts as their current blog title, straight to spam. There’s no trash for them.

        What I’m talking about is this specific situation we’re both in now. When a personal blogger features me along with other bloggers in one post I make a point to go read & comment on what the other bloggers said. I figure it’s like being introduced at a party and you need to make polite conversation with the other partygoers. I’m an old school blogger, so I stick with what’s got me this far. Plus it’s fun to meet new-to-me bloggers.

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          I agree that it is fun to meet new bloggers, but I’m of the school that unless the contents of a blog interest me, make me want to comment, and make me want to come back, then I won’t follow or leave any comments. Many years ago, I fell into the trap of following bloggers who followed me. I felt very overwhelmed and guilty if I did not read and comment on all their posts. Now I’ll read, follow and leave comments on what interests me. I feel much better for doing this, especially since I’ve witnessed many bloggers give up blogging because it stressed them out or made them guilty.

          I’ve also set myself a limit on how many blogs I follow. If I exceed the limit, I will unfollow some blogs – mainly those that haven’t posted in over six months or those where I have lost interest in what they are publishing.

          Reply
          1. Ally Bean avatar
            Ally Bean

            Hugh, when I was a newbie blogger back in the mid-2000s I did the same thing about always following any blogger who followed me. Maybe it’s a phase we all have to go through? Now I follow a wide variety of people and share the comment love whenever I can. I don’t limit how many blogs I follow, I limit how much time I’ll devote to blogging. I read what I can when I can, then go off and live my *real* life. People seem to understand.

            Fun chatting with you. Stop by anytime, The Spectacled Bean usually has some conversation going on. Often lighthearted, occasionally edifying.

            Reply
            1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
              Hugh W. Roberts

              I guess it’s all about doing what works best for us, Ally. Like you, I limit my time in how much blog reading I do. Some days I can read and comment on blogs for a couple of hours. On other days, I don’t get around to reading and commenting. I use my time wisely and never force myself to read and comment on blogs. It’s more about the enjoyment than trying to read and comment on everything because I feel obliged.

              I agree that other bloggers seem to understand, but I’ve had a few who got upset with me for not reading and commenting on everything they publish. Those were defiantly ‘unfollow’ moments.

            2. Ally Bean avatar
              Ally Bean

              I can’t say that anyone has ever gotten upset with me for not reading/commenting on everything they wrote. That’s trippy. People be weird

  12. August Recap and Coffee Share – Picture Retirement

    […] Hugh’s Views and News – 68 Ways to Kill Your Blog (how many are you guilty of?) […]

    Reply
  13. Linda Schaub avatar
    Linda Schaub

    Well Hugh, I am guilty of not having a “contact me” page. I have thought of doing it a few times, but it is a plug-in, which is something I have never done and so I have passed it up. I found a video to show me how to do it, but still resisted. In the nearly 10 years since I began my blog, I had someone contact me recently through my “About” page because they wanted to do a blog interview and they admitted they had no contact page either.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      My ‘about me’ page has had over 33,000 hits, Linda. It’s the most viewed page on my blog. And many bloggers with an ‘about me’ page have the same success in the number of hits their ‘about me’ page gets. Many readers and visitors like to know a little about the blogger before deciding whether to follow.

      Of course, an ‘about me’ page is not essential for those not concerned with attracting more followers and visitors to their blog. I know many bloggers who are happy with the number of followers and are not looking for new readers. For me, though, I want to attract lots more new visitors and followers to my blog, so an ‘about me’ page is a must.

      Reply
      1. Linda Schaub avatar
        Linda Schaub

        Hi Hugh – I wonder if I should just put my contact info on my “About” page? Maybe not good as to making my e-mail address public. I actually put a lot of effort into creating my “About” page and I am surprised when I cannot find someone’s name on their blog or their “About” page.

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          Putting your email address on your ‘about me’ page is not something I’d recommend, Linda. If you do, you’ll soon be inundated with spam.

          I’d recommend you ask anyone wanting to contract you to do so via your ‘contact me’ page. That way, they won’t have your email address until you reply to their email. It also helps in that you can send any spam that comes via your ‘Contact me’ page straight to the trash bin.

          Reply
          1. Linda Schaub avatar
            Linda Schaub

            I agree with you Hugh. I was horrified to learn that after decades of having an unlisted landline number, that a friend I knew from the bus, simply Googled my name and found my e-mail address AND phone number. She had switched jobs and forgot to keep a list of personal contacts she had used at her workplace. I was incredulous. I called the phone company and asked why I was paying for an unpublished number. I was told if I registered for a public event (in my case, I participate in several charity 5K races per year), my contact info is “out there”.

            Reply
            1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
              Hugh W. Roberts

              I’m shocked at what personal information some bloggers give on their blogs, Linda. And some then complain when they get scammed.

            2. Linda Schaub avatar
              Linda Schaub

              Yes, I agree with you Hugh. Why invite trouble? I wish I could make myself NOT Googleable. I resent very much that my landline and e-mail information is out there and available, just a few mouseclicks away.

  14. AmbersBlue avatar
    AmbersBlue

    I never thought a search bar would be required. I will check it out. Thank you for sharing 👍

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome.

      Yes, a search bar is a good idea because we want readers and visitors to be able to find what they are looking for. If they can’t, they will find the information elsewhere and not come back.

      Reply
  15. Mac's Opinion avatar
    Mac’s Opinion

    OMG #10 – Don’t allow anyone to leave comments on your blog.
    I rage quit a page when they do that. Especially when their post is something that needs a response from the reader and you get to the end and there’s no comment form!

    Great list. You must have spent some time making that one up. All true points also.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you.

      Some bloggers close off comments a certain amount of time after a post goes live. It’s a shame because I see that as slamming the door in the face of readers who want to comment. But some bloggers also don’t allow commenting, mainly because of spam. They allow the spam to succeed in closing comments.

      Reply

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