What makes you put your head in your hands or shake your head regarding blogging?
Recently, I’ve been shaking my head a lot when visiting the blogging world.
Some of my fellow bloggers worry me, and I’m concerned about their mental health.
I’m witnessing bloggers panicking, stressed, feeling guilty, or apologising because of how they blog.
Here are some of the bloggers I am referring to. Are you one of them?
The Sprinters
Have you heard this quote?
Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint!
It’s a quote many bloggers acknowledge.
Sprinters rush around the blogging world every day as if they’re on a time challenge where they must read and leave comments on as many blog posts as possible within a certain amount of time.
The comments they leave are seldom engaging and are often empty. Instead of leaving a comment saying why they thought a post was great or why they liked a photo or reading a piece of fiction, they’ll leave a comment like, ‘Great story’ or ‘I enjoyed this.’
They don’t have time to leave engaging comments, so leave comments that’ll not make you want to engage with them other than maybe to say ‘Thanks.’
If they fail to leave comments on all the blogs they’re following, they believe they may upset someone. They need to prove they’ve visited your post, often by leaving an empty comment.
They often show signs of stress or pressure in the content they publish and the comments they leave.
They won’t read long-engaging posts because that wastes time and worsens their stress. They’re on a mission to read as many posts as possible in the time they have so they don’t upset anyone.
Why read a couple of interesting, engaging, long posts when you can read lots of short blog posts in the time it takes to read one fascinating post over 1,000 words that gets you and lots of other readers wanting to get into a discussion?
When I saw the above tweet from James, I punched the air with my fist. He makes a valid point. And it doesn’t only apply to new bloggers.
Blogging should never be about sprinting under pressure around the blogging world to see how many blog posts you can read and comment on in 20 minutes!
Those posts will still be there next week.
There is no such thing as being behind in blogging. Read, respond and leave comments when you have the time to do so.
Hugh W. Roberts
Ask yourself why you started blogging. Was it for enjoyment and fun? Or did you come to the blogging world on a mission to try and break the world record every day for the number of blog posts you can read and comment on so you don’t feel guilty or upset anyone?
Is rushing around the blogging world, feeling stressed out while leaving the same non-engaging short comments, fun?
Slow down, and engage with bloggers rather than trying to prove the point that you have visited their posts.
If you don’t have the time to read and leave comments, make time by reading less blogs.
Hugh W. Roberts
This brings me to…
The obliging blogger
In the next paragraph, I’ll ask you a question. Leave your answer in the comments section before reading the rest of this post.
Question: If a blogger reads and leaves comments on all your blog posts, should you feel obliged to read and leave comments on all their posts?
You won’t be surprised that my answer to that question is ‘No.’
But if you answered ‘Yes’, share your reasons in the comments section.
Nobody should feel obliged to read and comment on another blogger’s posts because they read and leave comments on all their blog posts.
Your time is precious, and wasting it by forcing yourself to read and comment on content that does not interest you is a waste of your time.
“But won’t the blogger who reads and comments on all my posts stop reading and commenting on my blog posts if I don’t return the favour?’
Yes, they may, but does it matter? And if they do, ask yourself this question.
‘Why am I following that blogger?’
If it’s because you genuinely enjoy reading their content, then, by all means, continue to follow them, but don’t feel obliged to read and leave comments on all their posts.
If a blogger gets upset with you for not reading and leaving comments on all their posts, consider unfollowing them.
Allocate the time you spent reading their blogs to the blogs you enjoy reading, and leave valuable, engaging comments on those posts rather than short, empty, non-engaging comments.
Tip: Make the first comment count and show that you genuinely want to engage.
Don’t get too upset if the blogger you’re trying to engage with doesn’t want to engage with you when they respond to your comment with nothing but a ‘Thank you.’
That’s your cue to think twice before engaging with them again.
If you don’t want to engage with a blogger after reading a post, press the like button and move on. After all, that’s why it’s there.
There is nothing wrong with not leaving a comment after reading a blog post if you’ve nothing of value to add. Stop acting like it’s a crime not to leave one.
Hugh W. Roberts
Don’t be tricked into feeling guilty if you don’t always leave a comment. I read many blog posts where I do not click the ‘like’ button or leave comments. Why? Because I have nothing of value to add.
Likewise, never feel obliged to follow a blogger who has followed your blog. There’s no harm in visiting their blog to check out their content. If you like it, by all means, follow back, but don’t follow them simply because they followed you.
The desperate blogger
This blogger comes in two forms.
The first are bloggers you’ve never received comments from, and suddenly they’ll leave a comment and link on one of your posts that begs you (and your readers) to check out their blog, read their posts and leave comments.
I’ve received lots of these types of comments recently.
Their comment won’t mention anything about the contents of the posts they’ve left their comment on, just a few words of desperation and a link to their blog.
You’ll see them leaving the same comment on other blogs. I never approve these comments, so you’ll never see them in the comments section of any of my blog posts.
These types of comments are often left by new bloggers looking for new followers and readers.
If you’re new to blogging, there are much better ways to gain followers and new readers than to leave uninvited links on other blogs. These posts list some tips that will help you gain new followers and readers.
New To Blogging? These Free Tips On Leaving Comments Will Help Bring New Visitors To Your Blog
Are You Struggling To Get People To Your Blog? These 7 Free Methods Will Help
The other type of desperate blogger is someone who has previously left some engaging comments but unexpectedly starts dropping links to their posts that have nothing to do with the content of your post, asking you to read and comment.
I’ve said this many times before. Other blogs are not places for you to leave links unless the host has invited you to leave them. For example, in my Wordless Wednesday posts, I invite bloggers to leave links to their Wordless Wednesday posts.
If you have a post you’d like to share with a blogger in the comments section because it’s connected to their post, ask for permission to leave the link first.
Many bloggers class uninvited links as spam and move comments that include them to the spam folder or bin.
How do you deal with uninvited links left in the comments section of your blog?
I edit them out before approving the comment by pressing the edit button.
Remember to save the changes and then approve the comment. Most bloggers leaving uninvited links soon get the message.
Let’s wrap it up
- Never feel pressured to read and comment on too many blog posts when you don’t have the time.
- Read and leave engaging comments on a few blog posts a day/week rather than try and read and leave empty, non-engaging comments on all the blog posts of those you follow.
- Never feel obliged to follow a blog simply because they followed you.
- Don’t force yourself or waste time reading blog posts that do not interest you. Instead, invest your time reading and engaging with bloggers who publish content that interests you.
- It doesn’t matter if you don’t read a blog post today. It’ll still be there to read in a week or when you have more time.
- Don’t feel guilty if you do not get around to reading all the blog posts you want to read and comment on.
- If you have nothing of value to add in a comment, rather than leaving short, empty, non-engaging comments, click the ‘like’ button and move on.
- Other blogs are not the place to leave uninvited links promoting your blog.
- Edit out uninvited links before approving comments.
- Remove any thoughts of thinking you’re behind with blogging and have to catch up. Read and comment on posts when you have the time to do so.
Are there any examples of blogging that have you holding your head in your hands, shaking your head or concerned for other bloggers? Please share them in the comments section.
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I’ve been blogging for just under 13 years. Until recently I responded to comments, but didn’t feel I had to respond to everyone all the time. I don’t know when the guilt arrived, but my health hasn’t been good and I got greetings and comments from a lot of people and thought maybe I should respond. The problem? If I do that, I don’t have time to actually WRITE new blogs or process photographs. I don’t need anyone to tell me “nice photo” because I know that or I wouldn’t have posted it. I try to comment that means something. I ask questions like “what is that plant?” What lens did you use? How did you get that great halo effect?
Hardly anyone answers these comments . Maybe it’s time to stop trying so hard. I’m tired of feeling pressured and the fun of blogging seems to have fled. An online friend forwarded this link to me. I should go back and say “thank you.” Because you are addressing the same issue. So now, I need to address it. Thanks!
Responding to comments can certainly be time-consuming. If you don’t have time to respond, you can turn them off, but responding to them weeks after they are left is still better than not responding.
I know many bloggers (including myself) who will not continue to leave comments on blogs where the blog owner does not respond or react with a ‘like.’ There’s nothing wrong with responding to the comments where all you can say is ‘Thank you’ with a ‘like.’ And I agree entirely with you about those non-engaging comments where all somebody is doing is saying they’ve visited by leaving a comment like ‘nice photo.’ I now mark the majority of those comments as spam. However, I’ve also found that asking, ‘What do you think was nice about the photo?’ every time they leave that sort of comment also stops them from leaving further comments like that.
There certainly has been a decline in engagement in the blogging world, which is sad. People don’t seem to have the time anymore, yet they’ll still leave many non-engaging comments rather than one engaging comment occasionally. It doesn’t make much sense to me.
Please don’t let any aspects of blogging make you feel stressed or guilty. Remember that blogging should always be about fun and enjoyment, Marilyn.
With tongue in cheek I have to say it. Great post! I was one of the sprinters when I began blogging so many years ago that I can’t remember. Then the day came when I realized I had been online for ten hours, mostly on WP reading and making comments, but on Facebook as well, reading a lot of gossip by “friends” I didn’t even know. My head was aching, my arms were tired and I was ready to shut the computer down and hope it would go away during the night. Fortunately I became wise at that point, or maybe I should say wiser, shut the computer off for the day and when I returned to it the next day limited myself to reading the posts by people I would like to know in person. No more following the crowd, just dropping in once in a while now and enjoying it more. Also trying to get back to my roots — posting the funny and strange things that happen around me. And not even checking it out every day now. Who has the time anyway?
Thank you for sharing your story about blogging stress. Many bloggers go through the same experience. I remember spending all day online reading and commenting on posts. I didn’t want to offend anyone by not reading and leaving a comment on everything they published.
I’m delighted that you stepped back and took a good hard look at how you were blogging and changed what you were doing.
I still come across bloggers who say they don’t have time to leave meaningful comments. Probably because they are trying to read and leave pointless comments on so many blogs in the time they have available. Given that the majority go on to abandon their blogs, it’s such a waste of time. But experiences like yours will help.
Great post Harold, though might I direct you and your readers to this life changing post I wrote…
Of course I’m joking with you there Hugh –
I found getting this throwback quite timely as I’m taking a blogging break that wasn’t planned, but the pressures of life got in the way so decided not to put the pressure on myself to write, comment or read.
One of the biggest stresses I’ve experienced from blogging is feeling I need to have it figured out – a clear vision and purpose of what I should be writing about, rather than what I really do which is write about whatever takes my interest that week.
With that in mind I do find advice like ‘know your niche’ is a big stresser that has caused so many bloggers to procrastinate and not post anything.
Thank you for sharing my Twitter quote, I feel ‘slow it down’ is my favourite advice I’d give for any blogger whether they’ve been going for years or are still new to the game.
Excellent post Hugh, such an enjoyable read!
It’s good to hear from you, James. I hope you’re enjoying your blogging break.
I don’t know why other bloggers don’t take blogging breaks. I’ve always found them beneficial. They can definitely help with any blogging stress or guilt.
I’ve been told many times that all bloggers should have a niche to write about, but as you’ll know from my blog, I don’t believe that to be true. I write about whatever I feel like writing about, although I seem to have settled into writing about various subjects over the years. If you feel like writing about something, I say go ahead and write it.
Your quote is one of the best pieces of blogging advice I’ve seen. Too many bloggers rush around reading and leaving short, pointless comments on as many blogs as they can because they fear they’ll lose followers if they don’t. Many say they don’t have the time to leave meaningful comments. I wonder why? It’s a sure way of getting stressed out with blogging.
Thanks Hugh, it’s been good to take time off (even if longer than intended!) I’m looking to come back refreshed sharing my perspective as ever!
Thank you Hugh, for continuing to provide great blog content and advice :)
You’re welcome, James.
Some good points here, Hugh, and I think blogging requires a different mindset to other social media platforms, which seem to thrive on likes and emoji style comments. I enjoy blogging due to the difference in pace, compared to platforms like Instagram of Twitter. Since I decided to put more energy into my blog I have come away from Twitter and Instagram, the style and interaction is more suited to my character. There are still days when I feel guilty pangs by not leaving comments on people’s blogs, but as my nan used to comment, ‘if you don’t know what to say, say nowt.’
The points you make here, Hugh, are a good reminder as to how blogging should be; a pleasure, not a chore.
I used to try and be on all the social media platforms, Davy. It was my biggest mistake, as I was spreading myself too thinly. The same applies to trying to read and comment on too many blog posts.
And your nan’s comment is excellent and so accurate. I hope those that are always leaving pointless short comments take note.
And yes, blogging should always be about enjoyment and fun. Not a chore.
Super points here Hugh. Blogging genuinely is an inward journey. I believe it is all between the ears because how you choose to think and feel dictates your blogging actions, or lack thereof.
Going within to root out each fear feels unpleasant. During my panicked blogging days, feeling, expressing and forgiving deep fears related to poverty, being rejected and wasting time felt brutal. But letting go each fear was the only way that I gradually blogged from a calm, trusting, peaceful intent.
Rocking blog post.
Ryan
I’m delighted to hear you have overcome your blogging fears, Ryan. Stepping back and looking at how we blog when guilt and stress are present is the only way to overcome this massive hurdle. Sadly, I’ve witnessed many great bloggers abandon their blogs because they felt they were letting people down by not reading and commenting on all their posts.
Came from your latest post. A lot of good points! “Blogging is a marathon…” quote is famous, but quite discouraging if not moving much after 10 years (unless one is doing purely for self-satisfaction). 😅
I think it’s meant more for those who try and read and leave short meaningless comments on as many posts as possible within a short space of time. They usually leave comments like ‘great post’ or ‘This was interesting’ but never expand on what was good or why it was interesting.
I see. I thought “Blogging is a marathon…” quote means that it takes time to grow a blog. One thing different from a real marathon is that blogging has no goal. Need to keep running. 😅
It takes time to grow a blog, so that quote is also perfect. But the main message is to tell bloggers to slow down instead of trying to read and leave pointless comments on so many blogs in the available time.