On February 12th 2026, I passed a blogging milestone. WordPress informed me that I’d been blogging for 12 years! But that notification made me ask myself questions as I looked back on those 12 years.
I know bloggers who have been blogging longer than I and who continue to write and publish posts full of interesting, high-quality content. Not only do they care deeply about what they write, but also about what they publish. That makes all the difference.
I’ve seen thousands of bloggers come and go in those 12 years. Some disappeared without a trace, while others hung up their blogging gloves and announced their departure. The ones I felt the sorriest for were those who stopped blogging because they couldn’t get the engagement, hits, or followers they craved. Many went about it the wrong way.
Some came here solely to make money, while others came more for collecting numbers than for engagement. They don’t last long and end up cluttering the World Wide Web with abandoned blogs in the blog graveyard. It’s a sad sight. I hope you never end up there.
From the beginning
I can count on one hand the number of bloggers who have been with me since that first year. I often ask myself why they’re still reading my posts and leaving comments, but I won’t dwell on that lack of confidence here. All I will say is that I must be doing something right.
Unfollowing blogs
Unfollowing blogs is something I see many shy away from discussing. It’s as if it’s a ‘hush-hush’ subject. Something that gets swept under the carpet. But not me, no. I’ve written about it and had great discussions about it in the comments section of posts, but hardly ever on other blogs. Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong places?
I’ll be honest: I’ve unfollowed many blogs over the years. Why do some bloggers not like talking about unfollowing blogs?
Why do I unfollow blogs?
For many reasons, but mainly when I lose interest in the content.
One of the biggest mysteries is why I stop hearing from many of the bloggers I unfollow. I probably stopped following them because I was no longer interested in their content. But why do they go silent? Surely not for the same reason? Or was it a coincidence that we simultaneously lost interest in each other’s content?
The different faces of bloggers
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some bloggers face-to-face. For me, that’s been one of the highs of blogging. However, I know that some bloggers like to remain anonymous. And they’ve every right to remain anonymous. Being behind a screen can feel safe, but it isn’t always. I won’t talk about the trolls here because trolls like being talked about.
Ups and downs
I’ve had my ups and I had my downs with blogging. It’s like being on a rollercoaster that some bloggers can’t get off. I’ve alighted from the blogging rollercoaster a few times during blogging breaks.
Some of those breaks lasted months, while others lasted a few weeks. But they all had something in common. They helped me step back, take a look at what I was doing and how I was doing it, and, most importantly, change the way I blogged. I always came back refreshed, and, despite what some say, readers do not stop following you when you take a break.
Like everything else in life, blogging changes. It would be a very dull place if it didn’t change. Can you imagine what life would be like if it never changed?
Changes
Since I first started blogging, things have changed massively. I’m talking about the WordPress platform here. I was never a fan of change, but I’m confident that the changes I’ve seen here on WordPress have made blogging much more fun. Blogging has moved into the 21st century.
Those changes helped propel my blog to an even wider audience. Unfortunately, some bloggers got left behind, but I never wanted to be one of them. There’s too much at stake when remaining stagnant.
At first, the changes looked like they would cause problems, but rather than complain about what I believed were problems, I adjusted to them and saw vast improvements for me, other bloggers, and readers. It’s like climbing a ladder. The higher you get, the more you see and learn, and the more you can make a difference.
Change can make some problems frustrating, but you become stale by taking no action or hoping others will tackle your issues. Don’t allow your sparkle to dim by not adapting to change. I’ve seen too many blogs fade away because they refused to change. I miss many of those blogs.
The two biggest blogging traps to look out for
Most of the people I have encountered in the blogging world are friendly. However, not all help themselves. By this, I mean that some bloggers seem to believe they have to be everywhere at all times. It’s one of the biggest blogging traps bloggers fall into, one that can turn their blogging world upside down and inside out, and leave them feeling stressed or guilty. It’s a horrible place, yet it is easy to escape – if you allow it.
Spreading yourself too thin doesn’t make you more popular. It only makes you less interesting.
Some bloggers apologise for dealing with life outside of the blogging world. Some apologise for not visiting your blog. I recently witnessed a blogger apologising for being late in leaving a comment. The post had only been published the day before she left the comment. I don’t know why they believe they need to apologise. Nobody needs to apologise for dealing with life outside of blogging or for not visiting a blog. And if the comments section of a post is open, you are not too late in commenting.
That’s my quick look at the last 12 years. But, before I end this post, I want to thank everyone who visits my blog, reads my posts, and, most of all, engages with me in a way that sparks discussion.
How long have you been blogging? Is blogging all that you want it to be? Let me know in the comments section.
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We started almost at the same time, 2013 for me. It has been a long ride, with many pit stops on the way. I really enjoy it, but not much time for blogging since I work full time. Congrats Hugh!
Hard-learned lessons, Hugh. I started my blog in 2014. At first I was inconsistent, but over the past few years I’ve been steady and have a decent number of subscribers. I ambitiously started out this year determined to blog three times a week. Already, I’m feeling the crunch. Was I too optimistic? Unrealistic? Then, how do you gracefully cut back? Announce it? Quietly do it? I love blogging and the interaction I get on my blog, but if I can’t sustain something, then I’m shooting myself in the foot. Great post!
Hugh, your statement, “Or was it a coincidence that we simultaneously lost interest in each other’s content?” would make an interesting study on its own. A half-smirk, half-quissical smile comes to my face when contemplating that one. Sometimes I wonder how much of what goes on in the comments section is genuine interest and how much is comment-for-comment syndrome. I love blogging and interacting with my readers. I can often tell which ones stop by because they think they should, and which ones are there because they are interested in me and how I write about retirement. Either way, it motivates me to do better, engage more purposefully, and support the blogs I find interesting or entertaining. Thanks for never shying away from hard topics.
WOW Hugh, first of all Congrats on 12 years of blogging, that’s impressive. I know I do not comment here a lot, but do follow you and love reading your posts and insights. I have dabbled in blogging for 11 years, but more seriously the past 5 years since I retired.
I agree with you, so many people start, and then never to be seen or heard from. I have numerous times tried to relocate them, but poof gone for even. On the unfollow of blogs topic: Yes, I admit that I have unfollowed some but try to stay with them as long as they share interesting posts and posts of value to me.
Congrats again with 12 years of blogging.
Thank you, Esme.
Please never worry about not commenting on my posts. I have many readers who do just that – read my posts, but who don’t comment. I value those people as much as I do the ones who do engage.
Given that over 80% of people who start a blog will give up within two years, you’ve done great in blogging for 11 years. It’s clearly something you enjoy doing and something that gives you pleasure in doing.
Unfortunately, some bloggers disappear without any notice or without anyone knowing why they stopped. There are many bloggers who have disappeared off the blogging radar over the years I have blogged. However, I’ve also had the privilege of meeting many bloggers face to face (and still do).
Keep on blogging but, most importantly, keep on enjoying what you are doing.
Yes, I enjoy blogging and does keep me ‘out of trouble’. Thanks for taking the time to always share amazing posts and always respond. Take care dear Hugh
In truth Hugh if it wasn’t for yourself I would have stopped blogging a while ago, though this isn’t in anyway a slur on those handful of people who regularly engage with my blog who I’m very grateful to. You encouraged me in the early days when I had doubts (as well as a few times since) and I view it as a big compliment you follow and recommend my blog now.
I can’t pretend however that I understand the blogging world. I’ve picked up a few subscribers recently but as a contrast my subscribers opening my emails this year has gone from 60% to 46% to 26%. I know some follow hoping for a follow back but not in all cases and regular subscribers seldom open the email or click on the link.
But then I also see how many people have read my blog from different places in the world and have been shocked by how many have shared them. They may not have liked (many non-bloggers don’t understand about liking or commenting) but they have read what I have written and I take that as it not having been a waste of time.
Paul, thank you for the lovely compliments. There are many aspects to blogging and you’ve hit on a few that many bloggers do not think about.
Take, for example, those subscribers who read every post but never comment. All blogs have those and, in my opinion, they are far more important than those I call ‘Ghost Followers’ who follow and never come back. I wouldn’t take the stats to seriously because as you rightly say, if you have people reading your posts, then writing those posts have not been a waste of time. The sharing of posts on social media is just as important, as is those who leave genuine comments. I see so many blogs that are like waste grounds where there is little or no engagement and where the host cearly does not care about their audience because their blog is uninviting, outdated and difficult to navigate.
If blogging ever becomes a chore, stressful or something you no longer enjoy, then take a step back and think hard about what you want to do. You may think you only have two options (carry on or give up) but there are other options too. And, something I say to every blogger, talk about it with other people before making any decisions.
I guess the reason I’ve not packed it in is because I do enjoy it, and reading other people’s blogs. I have a non-blogging subscriber friend who opens every email and clicks on every link and clicks a like every time but rarely comments. But then will say something that makes me realise she does read them, and that’s so nice.
It can be frustrating but I think I would genuinely miss it if I stopped.
That’s good to hear, Paul.
I value those subscribers who read posts and mention something later on proving they did read the post, far more than those who claim to have read your posts because they left a comment on all of them saying nothing else other than they visited.
Funnily enough I also have been blogging with WordPress for 12 years this month, but not consistently. This is my fourth blog on the same platform and as what I blog about changes (because my life changes), my readership changes, too, which is perfectly understandable – I’ve often stopped following people whose blogs change direction towards somewhere I no longer feel affinity with. But I’m always finding new people to follow, too, which balances things out. I still enjoy blogging though, both posting and reading, so I’m sure I’ll keep going until it stops being fun! :-)
When it stops being fun is the time to step back and take a good look at it, Ruth. I hope that never happens.
You must have started blogging about the same time as I did then. I’m glad you are finding new blogs to follow because that is something I have difficulty with. I either end up following someone who then starts publishing five posts a day, or has a blog where there is no discussions other than those ‘These are nice photos’ or ‘I enjoyed this post,’ and don’t go into any details as to why they said that. People don’t seem to have the time like they used to to leave genuine, engaging comments anymore. I’m very lucky to have followers who, like me, like to discuss the subject of posts without opening the post, clicking the ‘like’ button and running. Back when I first started to blog, people didn’t seem to be in as much of a rush as many do these days.
But it’s all about the enjoyment. And if the enjoyment is there, keep on blogging.
I’ve been blogging here since 2011, and for the most part it’s been great. Many of the folks I used to connect with have since stopped blogging, but they are still quite a few regulars around. Will I continue to blog much longer? That’s anyone’s guess! 😊
Yes, people come and people go, don’t they? I remember being the ‘new guy’ and how I used to wish that I could be one of those who had been blogging for years. I marvelled at what they did and how they did it and wanted to know how they got their big audiences and so many engaging comments on all their posts. Hence, the learning curve set in, which has been as much fun as the writing.
Congratulations on your 15 years of blogging.
This is a great post. I would be curious how you and other bloggers have integrated AI into your blog posts. I have been away from blogging for a few years, but I have jumped back in, and I have looked to AI to help me come up with a blogging strategy and ideas for posts. What I have not done is used AI to actually write the posts. What are your thoughts on this?
It’s good to see you Don. Welcome back to the blogging world.
I’ve written about AI a few times and like many other websites, WordPress offers it to its users. I only use it for checking grammar and spelling mistakes on my posts before publication. I’ve never asked it for ideas for posts as I usually always have ideas, especially from the comments section of my posts and those of other bloggers. If a post is interesting enough to make me want to get into a discussion with whoever wrote it, then that is good for me, regardless of if it were written by a human or by AI. However, I don’t believe that posts solely written by AI without any intervision by a human are that interesting. But that could change as time goes on. What I would not like is if my comments went unanswered if a post has been written solely by AI.
Also, I’m more likely to follow a blog if I know it’s a human writing the posts. If it’s AI, I’m less likely to follow. That’s why having a good ‘About’ page is essential.
I will hit 15 years if I’m still here in July, Hugh. I’ve been blogging longer than that, but I had two technology blogs that came to an end as I got closer and closer to retirement. I’ve always enjoyed your advice, technical and philosophical regarding blogging. You always manage to present things in an interesting format. That’s why I’m still here. The community, those on WordPress and those working hard to be visible from Blogger are why I keep blogging. I only hope I can keep it interesting.
I hope you are still here in July, Dan. 15 years is a great achievement. You must have witnessed so much more change than me given that you also had two technology blogs. Were they before the ‘No Facilities’ blog?
I always write from my heart, or that’s what I think, anyway. I’ve found my blog a great place to get discussions going, especially on subjects some find difficult to talk about. Blogging is a fascinating subject, but even more fascinating are many of the people we see here. Thank goodness we are all different.
‘Blogger’ is a platform I’ve always had great difficulty in commenting on, so I don’t follow many there as I always have so much to say. I’ve never tried any other blogging platform other than WordPress, so maybe I’m missing something, but I love the WordPress platform and have learnt so much from it.
From the comments section I see on on your ‘Thursday Doors’ post alone, you’re certainly keeping it interesting, Dan. Keep on blogging.
I’m wondering if you view that picture over your desk as a window! Congrats on your 12 years. One thing you don’t mention is the longtime bloggers who have passed away this year. So sad. Cee and Marilyn, R.I.P.
That picture is one I bought when we moved from London to Wales. I’d lived and worked in London for 27 years and the painting is a scene that was about a 15 minute walk from our last house.
I was aware about Cee, but don’t recall Marilyn. But the blogging community is so big that I think it impossible that we’d know everybody. Two bloggers I did have the pleasure of meeting have also sadly passed away. There were Sue Vincent and Mary Smith.
I’ve been blogging almost 7 years. I started because I needed a creative outlet after another creative project wound up. I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started. Other than discovering how much I love writing, my biggest surprise has been the wonderful community we have here on WordPress. So much talent here!
Thanks for being here, Hugh. I always enjoy your content and I’m glad we connected!
Same here, Michelle. I had no idea what to expect when I started blogging either. Being dyslexic, I wasn’t very confident in putting my writing out there, but after a relative persuaded me to give it a go, I’ve never looked back. The support and encouragement from the community has been five stars.
Looks like 13 years for me. Over 12,000 blogs. Now that is excessive!
A year ahead of me. Is that 12,000 posts you’ve written and published? Phew! How do you do that? That’s almost a thousand a year, or 84 a month! It’s 399 posts for me, although I have deleted a lot of posts which were outdated and served no more purpose.