Sometimes, the world of blogging can seem like a terrifying place.
With copyright pitfalls, slippery slopes to guilt, stress and bloggers’ burnout to avoid, it can make any blogger want a hasty retreat.
But fear not! I am here to help you avoid these 7 scary things I’ve seen bloggers confess they are terrified of.
1. Trolls
I’ve had my fair share of visits from internet trolls. They get a lot of enjoyment from spreading their nastiness around the world of blogging.
Not only have the trolls aimed their nasty comments at me, but they also try to trick other commentators into getting into a battle with them.
After an incident which involved a troll attacking another blogger within the comments section on one of my posts, I switched to moderating all comments.
It’s a simple process to set up on WordPress.
Here’s how to do it
- In the menu of your blog’s dashboard admin centre, click on Discussion (under Settings).
- On the Discussion page, look for the ‘Before a comment appears‘ section and turn on ‘Comment must be manually approved.’
- Click the Save Settings button.
- If you’re happy to allow comments from those who have commented before to appear without any moderation from yourself, turn on ‘Comment author must have a previously approved comment‘ (just under Comment must be manually approved).
However, be aware that there’s always a chance that a friendly blogger can suddenly turn into a troll. I’m talking from experience. It happened on my blog when somebody who had left lots of seemingly lovely comments suddenly turned into a troll and personally attacked another blogger.
The best way to deal with trolls is to never respond to their comments. Ignore them.
Mark the offending comment as spam, and mark any further comments from them the same way. Once you do so, WordPress will soon get used to sending all comments from the troll to your WordPress spam folder.
2. Tags and Categories
Many bloggers are terrified when using tags and categories on their blog posts. Some are so terrified of them that they don’t use them.
They panic when deciding what keywords to use as tags and whether to categorise their blog posts.
Some even go as far as using keywords that have nothing to do with their post, thus fooling readers to their posts.
The best tags to use are one or two words long. For example, if you’re tagging a blog post for a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, use tags such as baking, bake, cookery, food, ingredients, cookies, chocolate biscuits, etc.
When somebody searches on WordPress for keywords you have as tags, your blog post will appear in the search results.
When adding tags or categories, ask yourself what tags and categories you’d add to a search bar when searching for the information in the post you’re about to publish.
Here are some recent results my blog has had from user searches on WordPress.
Pitfall alert – never use more than 15 tags and categories on a blog post. Why? Because blog posts containing more than 15 tags and categories (combined) can be classed as spam by WordPress and will not appear on the WordPress Reader. Click here for more details about tags.
Always categorise your blog posts. Not categorising is like throwing your post onto the top of a colossal mishmash pile that nobody will want to try and wade through.
Not sure how to categorise your blog posts? Click here to find out.
Question: What’s the most terrifying category any blogger can use?
‘Uncategorised.’
3. Nobody will read my blog and engage with me
When I started to blog, I was terrified that nobody would read any of my blog posts. I visioned myself on a stage in front of a large theatre full of empty seats.
That’s how it begins for many bloggers, but there are ways to start filling up your blogging theatre.
- Read and leave beneficial, meaningful, helpful comments that add value to the blog posts of other bloggers.
- Participate in blogging challenges such as Sunday Stills, WritePhoto, the 99-word flash fiction challenge or Thursday Doors.
- Participate in a blog party or link-up where you can meet other bloggers.
- Look for opportunities to write guest posts for other bloggers.
- Open up the opportunity for other bloggers to write guest posts for your blog.
- Ensure you promote your blog and blog posts on all your social media accounts.
Once you start to become part of blogging communities, people will come and visit your blog. Not all will follow you back, but interaction with other bloggers is a great way to build a readership.
Before you know it, the seats in your blogging theatre will start filling up.
Warning – do not leave uninvited links on other bloggers’ posts begging people to visit your blog. Many bloggers classify uninvited links as spam that belong in the trash bin.
4. Social Media
I was lucky that I had already encountered the frightening world of social media when I started blogging. However, I still hear many bloggers say how terrified they are of it.
Yes, social media can seem like an evil monster, but the trick is not to spread yourself too thin by thinking you must have an account on all social media platforms.
If you allow it, social media will take up much of your time. It does need some hard work and dedication to work correctly but limit yourself to two or three social media accounts at the most.
Begin by trying some of them out. You’ll soon discover which ones work best for you.
Once you know which ones you like, be strict with how much time you spend on them. Don’t allow social media to suck your time away.
After using most of today’s social media platforms, I discovered I enjoyed using Twitter the most. It now brings in a lot of traffic to my blog.
Which social media platform brings your blog the most traffic?
Once you know which social media platforms you enjoy using and which work best for you, remember to ensure you have sharing buttons on all your blog posts so readers can share them on their social media platforms.
Click here to find out more about sharing buttons.
5. Following Too Many Blogs
Not only do I occasionally get shocked by how many blogs I am following, but it can become a frightening prospect knowing that there is no way I’m ever going to be able to read all the blog posts of all those blogs I follow.
Following too many blogs can become overwhelming, especially if you receive notifications of new posts via email.
Bloggers who follow too many blogs only leave short worthless comments because they don’t have the time to leave thoughtful, helpful comments. They’re in too much of a hurry to get around to reading all the new blog posts of all the blogs they follow in fear that if they fail, they’ll offend someone or lose followers.
Remember that Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint!
I cut back on the number of blogs I follow every few months.
My reasons for unfollowing a blog can be –
- I no longer find the content interesting.
- No new content published for a long time.
- Unfollowing because a blogger does not reply to comments.
- Too much poor-quality content.
- Publishing too many blog posts in a short space of time.
It’s easy to manage the number of blogs you follow.
Here’s how to do it.
- On the My Home page of your blog, click on the ‘Reader‘ button (next to My Site).
- On the Reader page, click on the “Manage‘ button on the screen.
- You’ll then see a list of the blogs you are following.
- You can sort the list by ‘date followed‘ or ‘site name.’
- Go through the list and decide which blogs to unfollow.
- To unfollow a blog, click on the word Following next to the blog you want to unfollow.
- Once you’ve unfollowed a blog, the word Follow will show next to it.
- To refollow the blog, click on Follow.
Ensure you review which blogs you follow at least once every six months.
6. The Spam Monster
Many bloggers become a victim of the scary spam monster.
They get stressed out by the huge amounts of spam they get and become so overwhelmed with it that they do drastic things, such as closing the door in their readers’ faces by turning off comments on their blog posts.
I’ve also witnessed bloggers turn off comments on all their blog posts and request that readers leave comments on social media or via email. That’s not how blogging is supposed to work.
There are ways of dealing with the spam monster. My blog post, How To Deal With Spam Without Closing Comments On Your Blog Posts, has all the details.
Never allow the spam monster to win.
7. The Block Editor
Although it’s been on WordPress since the end of 2018, the block editor still terrifies some bloggers.
Some stopped blogging even without reading and watching WordPress and other bloggers’ free tutorials on how to use it.
I was soon transformed into a monster when I first tried using the block editor.
I only tried the block editor for five minutes (without reading and watching tutorials) and soon became the ‘hate change’ monster.
Nothing was going to make me start using something that promised to change and improve the way I blogged or that promised to save me time when drafting new blog posts.
Then, during a particularly dark, dull day, I pulled up my big boy trousers, read some tutorials and watched videos on how the block editor works.
Click here to watch the latest video on how to use the block editor.
I gave it another try, but I gave it more time.
My blog posts suddenly took on a new look that made them more appealing, impressive and unique. The block editor was changing the way I blogged.
I soon started to save myself lots of time drafting blog posts as the benefits of using the block editor began to pay off.
Now, not only do I consider the switch from the classic editor to the block editor the best change I’ve ever made on my blogging journey, but I’m delighted that I never gave in to the ‘hate change’ monster.
Set up a draft post on your blog where you can try the block editor.
And if you’re still not convinced, the classic editor is available via the Classic block. Sadly some bloggers refuse to use the Classic block because it means using the block editor. Don’t become one of them.
Let’s wrap it up
- Don’t be afraid of anything in the blogging world.
- Do not engage with trolls. Mark their comments as spam and consider moderating all comments on your blog posts.
- Always add tags to your blog posts and categorise them. However, never use more than 15 tags and categories (combined) on any blog post.
- Engage with other bloggers by leaving thoughtful, helpful comments that show you have read their posts.
- Participate in blogging challenges and ask other bloggers if they’d like to write a guest post on your blog.
- Promote your blog posts on all your social media channels. However, stick to one or two social media platforms and set a strict time limit using them.
- Don’t be frightened of unfollowing blogs you are no longer interested in. Remember that blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Don’t become a victim of the spam monster. Check your blogging spam folder often and empty it.
- Watch and read free tutorials on using the block editor before attempting to use it. If you still do not like it, use the classic editor via the Classic block.
Are there any scary things in the blogging world that have you closing your eyes in the hope that they are not really there? How did/do you deal with them? Share the details in the comments section.
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This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated and republished.
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Hugh's Views & News 
Very helpful post 👍👍👍
Thanks for the information
A well thought out and useful post, Hugh. Wishing you a happy festive period.
Thank you. Merry Christmas.
Great tips. I am not a fan of the block editor, but I have learned to do a few things with it. I need to do more. I miss the Classic toolbar, but I’ll switch over to Classic sometimes.
Don’t forget that the Block editor gives full access to the Classic editor via the Classic block, Barbara. When WordPress stop supporting the Classic Editor plugin in 2024, it’ll be the only way to continue using the Classic editor.
The worst thing that has happened to me in 7 years of blogging is another blogger who cut ties with me for reasons I still do not understand. I was blackballed from a blogging group they moderated, and blocked me from posting on their linkup. I even sent a private message apologizing for whatever it was I did that caused the riff, but never heard back. I finally decided it wasn’t worth further pursuing as I have since found plenty of other supportive groups.
That is awful, especially given that they never replied to you outlining why they had barred you from the group. But I’m glad you didn’t allow it to fester and have since found other supportive groups.
Hi Hugh, trolling was one of my biggest fears when I started blogging, which turned out to be something I never needed to worry about.
In my 8 years blogging, writing 600+ posts I don’t even think I’ve had a dozen comments you’d consider trolling, nasty comments.
My worst troll was someone who took exception to a post I wrote on the film ‘Fight Club’, the post had been up for about a year, so my first task was to re-read it to remember what I said that they took exception to.
I gave them a reasoned response (thinking they we’re just up for a healthy debate), and found them responding with something like “Ah! So you admit that you’re [some extreme accusation about my personal character]”
I realised they weren’t wanting a lively discussion, and just trying to polarise me, and getting me to admit I was wrong, so I ignored their comment, and decided as the post was pretty to shut the comments down.
Well… it doesn’t end there! I’d written another post about Fight Club, so they sought that one out, and made another silly comment making assumptions about my personal views. So I ignored it, and shut the comments down on that one!
With no more posts about Fight Club for them to comment on, you’d think that would be the end of it! Well no… they found my Twitter account, and must have done a search for any tweets I’d made about Fight Club, which I’d happened to do when I stripped a line from one of these posts, and made the same comment!
I muted the account – rather than blocked because I didn’t want to give them the glory that they’d got to me!
But it still felt quite scary that someone would go to these measures to search through my writing to give negative comments!
Good to hear you have not had much trouble from the trolls, James. I hope it stays that way, but keep a look out for those that disguise themselves as nice bloggers/readers who suddenly turn on you or anyone else who has left you comments.
Your story about the one that did visit you is a horror story, especially given they hunted your tweets down, but well done for muting the account and not allowing them to speak. They hate being shut up or being ignored. My experience is that they generally move on once they know they cannot cause the trouble they crave.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Good tips, Hugh. I don’t respond to trolls, put them straight into the trash bin.
That’s the best place for them, Cav.
Well I am guilty of #5, following too many blogs as I followed back everyone who followed me when blogging took off in November 2017, after four years of just my neighbor and a friend who subscribed by e-mail and dutifully left comments. Some of those bloggers have dropped off the map and I’ve unfollowed a few over time as well. I am surprised when I go back to send a link from an old post and see commenters from back then who seemingly just stopped blogging and commenting. I need to winnow my list down a little more … being about a week behind is the norm and it is not a good feeling. As to #6, a lot of SPAM, I have days when I have five at the most and other days I’ll have 35 or more. I always glance to make sure nothing is legitimate in the filter. Thank you for your tips as usual Hugh – I always learn something with this feature.
Following back bloggers who follow you is one of the biggest pitfalls in the blogging world, Linda. You should only follow back those who publish content that will interest you enough to leave good, genuine comments every now and again. Never feel obliged to follow a blogger simply because they followed your blog. Nobody should be reading blogs that do not publish content that does not interest them.
When you say ‘being a week behind,’ what do you mean? If it’s a week behind reading blog posts, nobody should get into a situation with it, as it takes away the enjoyment of blogging and causes stress or guilt. That’s a slippery slope down to getting blogging burnout which many find hard to come back from. Read blog posts when you have the time to do so. Never force yourself to read blog posts. It’s not a big deal if you miss reading some blog posts of those you follow.
Good to hear how you are dealing with spam. Spam is something no blogger should allow to change the way they blog.
Hugh – I made that mistake of following back everyone when I first got followers in November 2017. That was a mistake and thankfully many of those people were just looking for followers and eventually left blogging, likely on free sites, so no money lost in starting a blog; but some are still there. And I have people publishing daily posts or sometimes more than once a day – I have resorted to a like as there are two bloggers who do mostly photos, although one writes along with her photos too. Like you, I don’t just “like” to get to the next post. But I can’t comment on posts from daily posts or multiple posts on one day.
Yes, I am often behind a week and there are the enjoyable blogs I follow and then ones that I feel obligated to comment on … I have one person who always comments on my posts, but reading his posts which are “over my head” as it is like reading a sociology or psychology text book … I slog through and make a comment. He has one photo with each post … beautiful photos, but if you comment only on the photo, he is quick to chastise readers/commenters for not reading the text and just commenting on the photo. I feel like I am in school! You are right – sometimes it is a daunting task and does take away from the joy of blogging.
I have unfollowed several people this week – I was sorry I followed back. Then there are people who write a post which really speaks to me – then after that it is various topics and I think “why did I follow?” It will get easier when I retire as I’ll have more time. But I have some hobbies I want to do and I don’t want to be tied to a computer all day like I am now (I work from home … I am here sometimes 10-11 hours online a day which is too much.)
You should never feel obliged to comment on somebodies blog simply because they comment on all your blog posts, Linda. And you should never force yourself to read content that does not interest you. I only see that as a complete waste of your time. Read what interests you rather than read something just to keep the author happy. And if anybody gets upset with you for not reading and commenting on their content, then perhaps it’s time to think about why you’re following them?
Unfortunately, some bloggers get upset and throw their toys out of their prams if people don’t read and comment on all their posts, but they are rare and often don’t last in the blogging world. Remember that blogging should always be about fun and enjoyment, not forcing yourself to read and comment on content that does not interest you.
I am going to take this advice to heart Hugh.
Yes, I was disgusted with the blogger who criticized people for not commenting on his writing. I am sorry, but it is opinions he gives, often somewhat politicized … we have mid-term elections this Tuesday and I hear and read enough about politics on Twitter and the radio. I unfollowed two bloggers a few months ago – too much politics and comments/criticisms. It does not belong in this forum if that is not your usual blog type. So I left.
I do think I need to pare down my Reader and whom I follow, because now I will embark on my Reader trek, having written my Monday and Wednesday posts and replied to comments for my posts and others … you are correct that if it is a drag to get through, then it does take away the joy of blogging. I never catch up.
Thank you for yoiur comments on some of the subjects of this post, Linda. They have given me an idea for a new blog post I’ll publish this week.
You’re welcome Hugh. I spent all day Sunday catching up on housework which I’ve neglected due to enjoying so many weekends of good weather in October, plus outside/yardwork was necessary as well. So I stepped away from the computer until late in the day, hoping to restore some much-needed organization in my life. Now, of course, I’m more behind, plus I posted my Monday post today. I will look forward to reading that post Hugh.
Great post, Hugh! I’ve found that moderating comments also discourages spammers. They soon give up when they see their comments aren’t being published.
Can you imagine how trolls feel when they see their comment waiting for moderation, Michelle? It must be somewhat deflating.
What is a blog party or link up?
They are a place for bloggers to meet other bloggers where the host encourages you to leave a link to a blog post and to visit other bloggers’ blogs, read their posts and engage with them. More details in this post –
https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2022/02/28/13-free-quick-and-easy-blogging-tips-for-every-blogger/
I hope that helps.
I started using the block editor in its beta days and found the learning curve easy to deal with on a step-by-step basis. Thank you so much for your tips on tags. I can see my blog needs improvement in that area.
Good to hear you tried the block editor early on, Eugenia. Unfortunately, many bloggers do not try it because they think it will disappear. But it’s here to stay.
Glad the section on tags helped, too.
Great tips as always Hugh. I am astounded at the amount of blogs I visit that have ‘uncategorized’ on their posts. 😦
I’ve unfollowed a few that do not categorise their posts, Debby. I want to find things quickly, not go through hundreds of posts looking for something. To me, an uncategorised blog comes from an unorganised blogger.
And possibly they aren’t aware of the importance of categorizing. 🙂
I wonder how they look for certain information on blogs when it’s not been categorised?
I wonder if they ever bother?
My favourite takeaway from this very helpful post is the reminder that blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. I do want to ensure that I am maintaining my integrity and sticking to my values instead of getting caught up in numbers of likes and followers. I adhere to this with my social media as well.
I witness so many bloggers racing around the blogging world as if they are on some kind of a mission with a deadline, Laura. For me, that would take away the enjoyment of what blogging is all about.