22 responses to “Blogging Questions and Highlights: What’s on your Mind?”

1. 

   Eugi

   Jun 17, 2026

   I love this idea of roundup posts, Hugh, and I agree with Debbie about framing the links as questions. It’s a clever idea, and even if I’ve read the posts before, it doesn’t hurt to read them again. Your tips are always so helpful.

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 18, 2026

      Thanks you for the thumbs up to the new look round-up of posts I am doing, Eugi. I don’t know why I didn’t think of doing it this way earlier.

      Reply
      1. 

         Eugi

         Jun 18, 2026

         You’re welcome, Hugh.

         Reply
2. 

   Debbie D.

   Jun 15, 2026

   Excellent idea, with the roundup posts, Hugh and clever to frame the links as questions! I’m curious about how many people click on them. From my experience, most do not, but it’s a good tool, nonetheless. I re-visited your blogging snapshots post, as I only skimmed it the first time around. Nicely done! 👌🏻

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 16, 2026

      Thanks, Debbie. Even if not many people click on those pingback links, having them on posts helps with SEO rankings, so hopefully that means more visitors to your blog.

      I enjoyed doing the snapshot post. It was a lot of fun and I’ll definitely be doing a few a year.

      Reply
3. 

   Terri Webster Schrandt

   Jun 15, 2026

   I like the idea of round-up posts, Hugh, and in this case, your posts are so helpful to bloggers!

   While I’m here, I do have a pet-peeve about blog challenges and link-ups. When I began blogging, I jumped into some blog challenges and these helped grow my blog. I’m sure that is how I “met” you! The WP weekly photo challenge was one I loved and there were a few more. 10 years ago (and today), the host of the challenge ALWAYS read and commented on links to their posts. Sadly, I’ve encountered at least three active bloggers who link and run. One hosts a challenge but rarely visits the link to read and comment on the post! I suppose these are unwritten “rules,” but is it laziness or apathy? Why would someone host a challenge then not read the posts? Or link to my post and not stop to read? Another hosts an Inlinkz link-up but doesn’t read or comment. I have no use for these and have stopped reading or acknowledging their posts altogether. I’ve thought about unlinking to my posts, but their blogs so not get much traffic. Gee, I wonder why?

   Thanks for letting me vent ;)

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 15, 2026

      It’s strange why some bloggers feel they do not need to engage with their audience by not responding to comments and challenge links, Terri. Honestly, if it were me and the host did not visit and leave a comment on my post, I’d stop participating in the challenge because I find it rude that some don’t acknowledge me. I still follow a few blogs where I tried to engage but where I never got any replies (nor did the others who tried to engage), and I only continue to follow because the content is interesting, but I know there is no point in leaving any comments, so I don’t waste my time doing so.

      It’s a shame that many bloggers don’t feel the need to engage. As you know, it’s also a pet-peeve with me when the same bloggers always leave the same short, non- engagement comments on all my posts. They obviously don’t have time for me, so I return the same (don’t have time for you) statement. Fortunately, I’ve now managed to stop those bloggers leaving those horrible worthless comments on my blog. That’s my vent over for today,

      Reply
      1. 

         Debbie D.

         Jun 15, 2026

         And people who click the LIKE button on your posts, but never leave a comment, yet they expect everyone to comment on their posts! 😠

         Reply
         1. 

            Hugh W. Roberts

            Jun 16, 2026

            I think we all have a few of those, Debbie. Although in my experience, those who always leave short, non-engaging comments are not sociable.

            Reply
   2. 

      Debbie D.

      Jun 15, 2026

      Pet peeve for me as well! Especially in the case of hosts who don’t otherwise bother to engage. You are the perfect challenge host, Terri, and always respond to people who join. 👌🏻

      Reply
      1. 

         Terri Webster Schrandt

         Jun 15, 2026

         Thanks Debbie, glad I’m not imagining it!

         Reply
4. 

   noelleg44

   Jun 15, 2026

   These are great questions and remind me that my blog has been flagging while I devote my time to writing and editing. I do publish on Story Empire. Those blogs take me a lot of time!

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 15, 2026

      Viewing stats do tend to decrease when no new posts are being published, but the majority of followers stick around while the host takes a break. Writing posts for two blogs often means extra work, and not everyone can dedicate the time to do it. I know I couldn’t do it, so I turn down requests to be a contributor, although I don’t mind writing the occasional guest post if asked.

      Reply
5. 

   Paul Ariss

   Jun 15, 2026

   This isn’t directly to do with any of the questions or points that you’ve raised, but I see from your very organised desk there that you have Atomic Habits from James Clear. I have it too, but haven’t set down properly to adhere to any of it’s exercises yet, though I do like its principles. How about you?

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 15, 2026

      That image was created by the WordPress image generator, Paul. It’s not a photo I took or created. I don’t have that book, I’m afraid.

      Reply
      1. 

         Paul Ariss

         Jun 15, 2026

         Oh now I feel silly! I’ll shut up now and put the kettle on!

         Reply
         1. 

            Hugh W. Roberts

            Jun 15, 2026

            No problem, Paul. My desk is tidy, although not as much as the one in the image.

            Reply
6. 

   BookerTalk

   Jun 15, 2026

   A question for you Hugh – something I don’t think you’ve blogged about previously (feel free to tell me I’m mistaken!).

   I’m puzzled by the purpose/benefits of the featured image tool within WP. I’ve been including them on my blog posts for more than a year though without really understanding why. Are they there just to create visual impact?

   Also … each time I add one, WP tells me that my chosen image should be at least 1200 by 675 pixels which makes it a huge image, especially if you are viewing the post on a mobile phone.

   Any thoughts on this??

   Reply
   1. 

      Hugh W. Roberts

      Jun 15, 2026

      You knocked the nail on the head, Karen. Images are created for visual impact. Posts that have at least one image on them are also 70% more likely to be read than posts that don’t have images. I was told that by somebody from WordPress when I first started blogging and was doing one of their “Blogging for beginners’ courses.

      The majority of my images are 975 x 675 pixels, which take up very little storage space in my blog’s media library. When drafting posts, I am able to preview how they look as a post on a desktop, tablet and mobile phone. I can then correct any problems before publication. I also check them on my mobile phone once the post goes live, and I don’t have any problems with how the images display. Most themes are mobile phone friendly, but I do recall some not being so. But they were the old, now retired, classic themes.

      Do you check your posts on a mobile phone once they go live?

      Reply
      1. 

         Anonymous

         Jun 17, 2026

         I plead guilty – I check the preview for my laptop before I publish but haven’t thought to also check the mobile view. That’s a great tip. Thanks Hugh.

         Reply
   2. 

      Liesbet @ Roaming About

      Jun 16, 2026

      I usually put a “temporary” featured image on my post for the following reason: I’ve noticed that when I share the link in a post on Facebook (without a featured image selected), Facebook – or wherever I link to my post – grabs the first image of that post, which is usually not representative of the entire post or not a great picture to “advertise” my post.

      So, I select and activate a featured image, publish that post, share it to Facebook – where my preferred photo accompanies the link and introduction text – and go back into the post to delete the featured image and save the post again. Because I don’t like a big photo at the top of each post and that particular photo can be found elsewhere in my story.

      Reply
      1. 

         Hugh W. Roberts

         Jun 17, 2026

         WordPress used to do the same in putting the first image in a post as the featured image. It used to drive me mad until I discovered that it was the first image I added to a post that was used and not the first image that appeared. That made it easier, but now the featured image is something we don’t have to worry about. I agree that it doesn’t suit some themes, but I like a featured image on my posts.

         Reply