Tag: Blogging Questions

How To Make Categorising And Tagging Blog Posts Powerful

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts59 Comments

Categorising and tagging blog posts are some of the most potent ways for bloggers to get their posts noticed. However, some bloggers don’t bother with either, meaning they’re losing the potential for new readers and followers. Are you one of them?

But what are categories and tags, and how do they work?

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Do you categorise and add tags to all your blog posts?

What are blogging categories?

Blogging categories act like groups where blog posts that have a connection with each other are stored.

For example, if you’re a travel blogger, you could have The United Kingdom category and list the sub-categories Scotland, Wales, England, and Northern Ireland. 

Categories are important because they make finding specific blog posts more straightforward for visitors to your blog (especially first-time visitors).

Every blog post should have at least one category.

Unfortunately, if you don’t categorise blog posts, they will be uncategorised, which is no help to anyone.

Imagine going into a shop to find a particular book about dinosaurs and finding that none of the books has been categorised. You’d leave and go to another shop that helps customers by categorising its books to find what you’re looking for much easier.

I never return to blogs that do not categorise posts.

How to add a category to your WordPress blog post

This tutorial uses an Apple iMac desktop computer and the WordPress ‘Default’ dashboard.

  • While drafting a blog post, you’ll see a toolbar in the settings area on the right-hand side of the page. This is where you can add categories.
Image highlighting where to find the category box on the draft page of a WordPress blog
Every blog post should have at least one category.

If a blog post doesn’t fit into one of your existing categories, click ‘Add New Category‘ and create a new one.

Remember to do some housekeeping regularly for the categories on your blog. For example, delete categories that are no longer being used or update categories by giving them a new name if something works better. 

How to edit the categories on your blog.

  • On your blog’s dashboard, click on Posts to open a submenu, and click on Categories.
Image highlighting where to find Categories on the dashboard of a WordPress blog.
Click Posts and Categories.
  • To edit a category, click the three verticle dots (meatball menu) next to the category you want to edit.
Image highlighting the meatball menu in Categories on a WordPress blog.
Click the meatball menu to edit a category.
  • The meatball menu displays four options: edit, delete, view posts, and set as a default.
  • Edit – Edit the name or description of the category.
  • Delete – Delete the category.
  • View posts – View a list of all your posts under the category.
  • Set as default – Useful when most posts fall under a particular category.
  • Remember to click the ‘Update‘ button to save any changes you make.

The number next to each category tells you how many posts are under that category. I recommend deleting any categories that are not being used.

Any sub-categories will show under each category.   

Tip: Setting your default category to ‘Uncatorigised‘ allows you to search for any blog posts you may have forgotten to categorise.

What are tags?

Tags are popular keywords that can be added to a blog post. For example, some of the tag words I’ve added to this post are –

  • blogging
  • bloggingtips
  • categories
  • tags
  • WordPress
  • HowTo

Each tag should be separated with a comma or by pushing ‘Enter’ on your keyboard.

Tags containing more than one word (such as ‘Blogging tips’) act as one tag word, but you must add them without any space between the words, i.e., ‘ blogging tips’ becomes ‘bloggingtips.’

Generally, tags do not need to connect with each other, but when used correctly, they can generate a lot of extra traffic to a blog post.

Like categories, tags can be added to blog posts in the settings area toolbar on the right side of a draft post. 

Image highlighting where to add tags on a WordPress blog post
Always add keywords (Tags) to your blog posts.

When adding tags to your post, consider the keywords somebody would add to the WordPress search bar when looking for specific blog posts. Or think of words you would use to search for your post.

Check out the tags I’ve added for this blog post. They appear at the end of every post.  

Important information – Did you know this…?

The cardinal tagging rule on WordPress.com is that you should never add more than 15 tags and categories (combined) to your post; otherwise, it won’t appear in the WordPress Reader. This cap prevents spam posts from appearing on the reader list, as spammers and spambots tend to use many categories and tags to lure readers in

15 tags and categories can seem like a lot, but you don’t need to use all of them.

Never tag your blog post with words that have nothing to do with the post’s subject. Otherwise, visitors will come to your blog under false pretences and probably won’t return.

Generally, I add no more than three categories and between six and ten tags to my blog posts. 

As with categories, it’s also essential to do some housekeeping for the tags you use on your blog. 

How to delete and update tags

  • On the dashboard of your blog, click on Posts – Tags.
  • A page showing your tags and how many blog posts containing each tag appears.
  • To edit, view and delete posts containing a tag word, hover your mouse over each tag word and click edit, quick edit, view or delete.
  • You can also view the posts containing the tag word by clicking the number in the ‘Count’ column. I recommend deleting any tag words that are no longer being used.

Let’s wrap it up!

  • All blog posts should be categorised and tagged.
  • Categorising and tagging your blog posts makes them user-friendly, meaning people will likely return to your blog.
  • Not categorising your blog posts means they’ll be challenging to find.
  • When tagging posts, think of keywords others will use when searching for your blog post.
  • Don’t use tag words that have nothing to do with the subject of your blog post.
  • WordPress users – never add more than 15 tags and categories (combined) to your posts; otherwise, they won’t appear on the WordPress Reader.
  • Remember to perform regular housekeeping of categories and tags on your blog.
  • Adding the proper tags to your blog posts will increase the number of readers who find them. More readers mean higher stats, more comments, and new followers.

Do you categorise and add tags to all your blog posts? If not, why not? Which tags-words work best for you? Is there anything you’d like to add or ask regarding categories and tags in blog posts? Join the discussion by leaving a comment.

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Blogging Simplified: It’s Easy, Isn’t It? Things I’ve Learned

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts104 Comments

How obsessed are you with your blog stats and blogging? And what essential points have you learned about blogging?

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How obsessed are you with your blog?

When I first started blogging in 2014, I was obsessed with my blog stats. I checked them almost hourly to see if anybody had visited my blog. We all know that wonderful feeling when somebody clicks the ‘like’ button, or better still, when somebody leaves a comment on one of our posts for the first time.

It didn’t matter what that comment said. Even if it was, ‘Great post,’ it made my day. How times have changed!

Taking the advice of other bloggers

When another more experienced blogger and somebody who had been blogging much longer than me told me that most of the hits my posts were getting were probably from people who didn’t stay more than a few seconds on my blog, my whole blogging world began caving in.

Even worse, that blogger told me that many of those who hit the ‘like’ button probably didn’t even read the post. What?

I was so deflated that I thought, ‘Why bother?’ It wasn’t until another blogger told me to stop obsessing over my blog stats and to put the energy of stat-watching into writing blog posts that I took that advice.

More trouble

A few months later, I found myself in trouble again. ‘Concentrate on the comments rather than how many people have visited your blog or how many have hit the ‘like’ button,’ another blogger told me. ‘Most importantly, don’t forget to visit, read and leave engaging comments on other blogs.’

But I took that last bit of information to heart and soon found myself spending all my blogging time reading and leaving engaging comments instead of writing posts. I was following over 500 blogs and I believed I had to read and comment on every single post.

Blogging guilt and stress crept up on me, and I thought I’d upset people if I didn’t read their posts and leave them comments, or, even worse, people would unfollow me if I stopped reading and leaving comments on their posts. After all, they were reading and commenting on all my posts.

Once again, I found myself on the edge of packing in blogging. I was going to delete my blog and find something else to do that was more fun and enjoyable.

How do you find the right blogging balance?

Thankfully, I never deleted my blog, but I know of bloggers who have done so, some of whom came back and started afresh. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out, and some of these bloggers went on to abandon their blogs for the same reasons they left blogging in the first place.

Finding a balance between writing blog posts and reading and commenting on other blogs can be a significant task. Thankfully, I found it.

I know some bloggers who balance blogging by reading as many posts as possible in as short a time as possible. They’ll often leave short, non-engaging comments on all those posts. It works for them, but not for me, but good for them if that’s what works.

What works for some won’t work for others.

Then there are the bloggers who reduce the number of blogs they follow without worrying that they’ll probably lose followers in the process (and they will), giving them more time to write. Good for them.

Why do bloggers suddenly stop leaving comments?

I’ve lost followers because I cut down on the number of blogs I followed. Now, I’m following around 75 blogs, all of which I’m interested in. That gives me more time to write, more time to read and more time to leave engaging comments on the blogs I follow.

I no longer get comments from people who always used to leave me comments, however, the fall in non-engaging comments is something I’m delighted with.

Some bloggers seem to have disappeared from the blogging world while others are still around, but have lost interest in what I have to say or no longer have anything interesting to add in a comment. But there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not worth worrying about.

Are you more of an engaging or non-engaging blogger?

Someone once told me that a non-engaging comment indicates that the person who left it does not want to engage with you (or anybody else). This is usually because they’ll say they don’t have the time to engage. All they want to do is say, ‘Hello, I visited,’ before moving on quickly. They may not have even read the post.

And then there are the bloggers who leave comments like ‘Subscribe to my blog!’ or ‘Nice’ without saying anything else. Do they want to engage, or are they simply number/follower-hunting? I often wonder how would they react if I left them an engaging comment on one of their posts.

Of course, blogging isn’t only about engagement. Many people blog just to express their thoughts online. Some bloggers do not respond to comments. Some bloggers simply thank people for leaving a comment without engaging with them, even if the comment they’re responding to shouts, ‘I want to engage with you!’ thus taking the person who wants to engage down a dead-end.

Many bloggers want to engage, yet I’ve heard from some bloggers who say the comments section of blogs is a waste of time and should be removed. I don’t agree with that, but if a blogger does not want to engage then there is the option to turn off comments.

How often should you blog?

I’ve learned the only answer to this question is – ‘blog as often as you like without feeling obliged to publish something.’

It took me a while to find that I’m happier publishing two or three posts weekly. Any more than that, and I find I’m forcing myself to write posts, which makes blogging less enjoyable. Sometimes, I may only publish once a week.

I do not want to get myself feeling stressed because I haven’t got a post ready, so my advice is not to blog to any schedule of when you’re going to publish posts. If readers are interested in what you write and publish, they’ll read your posts regardless of how often or when you publish and sometimes that could mean days, weeks or even months after the publication of a post, so don’t close comments off to force your audience to read your posts within a particular time-frame. Blogging should always be a leisurely activity.

I also witnessed a drop in the quality of the posts I publish when publishing more than a few times a week. For me, quality is much more important than quantity, but it may not be the same for you.

I also tend to stay clear of blogs that publish more than once daily as they tend to bring an overwhelming feeling that I don’t like. Once again, it’s about finding the perfect balance that works best for you.

Blogging! It’s a fascinating subject, isn’t it? I could go on, but it’s now over to you. Can we discuss blogging honestly without fearing upsetting other people? What do you think? Let me know in the comments section. Let’s discuss blogging.

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How To Use This New Easy Feature For Your Blog’s Settings On WordPress.

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts38 Comments

Have you noticed the new feature WordPress has added to your blog’s dashboard? It’s located on the ‘My Home‘ page in the top right corner.

But what does this new feature do?

Light blue image with the words 'How To Use This New Easy Feature For Your Blog's Settings On WordPress' in white text.
This new ‘settings’ feature is easy to use. But what does it do?

For this post, I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer and the ‘Default‘ view setting of my blog’s dashboard.

Image highlighting the new blog settings feature on WordPress
You’ll find this new feature on the ‘My Home’ page of your blog’s dashboard

Let’s get started

  • Click on the meatball menu (three horizontal dots) to open a new menu.
Image highlighting the kebab settings and new menu on the new blog settings feature on WordPress
Click the kebab menu to open a new menu

The menu contains two options – Settings and Manage Domains.

Let’s take a look at the two options

  1. Settings – this option takes you to the General Settings page of your blog.

You can make many changes to your blog on this page, including your blog’s icon (photo or image), name, and tagline.

Image highlighting where to edit your WordPress blog's icon, title and tagline
Edit your blog’s icon, title and tagline
  • Click the ‘Save Settings‘ button if you make any changes.

On the same page, you can also create a logo for your blog via Fiverr logo maker (note that there is a charge for this) and set/change your blog’s primary language and timezone. Remember to save any changes you make.

Another option includes setting privacy settings for your blog.

Privacy – This is where you can set your blog to public viewing (anyone can view it) or private viewing (only visible to you and logged-in members you have approved to view it). There is also a ‘Coming Soon‘ option, so your blog is hidden from view until it’s ready for viewing.

Image showing the 'Privacy' settings on a WordPress blog
Set privacy settings for your blog

Two other options are also available.

If ticked, the ‘Discourage search engines from indexing this site‘ option will prevent search engines from indexing your blog, but note that it is up to search engines to honour your request.

The ‘Prevent third-party sharing‘ option should be ticked if you want to restrict your blog’s content from AI training and third-party use. It will exclude your blog’s public content from WordPress’s network of third-party content and research partners. It also adds known AI bots to the ‘disallow’ list in your blog’s robots.txt file to stop them from crawling your site, though it is up to AI platforms to honour this request.

Click the ‘Save Settings‘ button if you make any changes.

Other settings include –

Accept a gift subscription – turn this setting on to accept gift subscriptions from visitors to your blog.

Footer credit: Here, you can choose or edit a footer credit that appears at the bottom of your blog’s pages and posts.

Site tools – this section allows you to do the following.

  • Register a new domain or change your blog’s URL address.
  • Transfer your blog to another blogging provider.
  • You can reset your blog and start afresh while keeping the same domain/blog name. (If you choose this option, all your posts, pages, and media will be deleted).
  • Delete your blog and give up your blog’s domain/address.

2. Manage Domains — This option takes you to the part of your blog where you can manage your blog’s domains.

It’s worth checking this page to see what domains you have and to see offers for other domains you may be interested in purchasing for your blog.

While you may not visit your blog’s settings page regularly, it’s worth knowing that there is now an even quicker way to find these settings.

Any questions? Leave them in the comments section.

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WordPress: ‘Open In New Tab’ Box – Where Is It?

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts61 Comments

WordPress constantly changes; some things keep changing and return to where they were before. That’s why I’ve updated and am republishing this post from July 2023.

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This is where to find the ‘Open in new tab’ box on WordPress.

If, like me, when you create a pingback, you prefer links to open in a new window rather than in the same window you’re viewing (thus losing the page), it’s vital that you tick the ‘open in new tab‘ box when adding links or pingbacks to a blog post.

The ‘open in new tab‘ box used to be visible when creating a pingback but has reverted to being hidden again. I don’t know why, but I wanted to show you where to find it.

If you’re unsure what a pingback is or how to create one, my post, ‘The Power Of Pingbacks: How To Create One,’ has all the details.

  • Highlight the word(s) to which you want to add your pingback.
  • Click the pingback icon in the open toolbar, and add or search the URL address of the page, post or site you want to link to.
  • Click the ‘edit‘ button.
Image showing the pingback icon and edit button for a pingback on WordPress
After creating the pingback, click the edit button.
  • In the new window that opens, tick the ‘Open in new tab‘ box.
  • Click the ‘Save‘ button.
Image highlighting the 'open in new tab' box on WordPress
Tick the ‘open in new tab’ box.
  • When a reader clicks the pingback in the post, the link will now open in a new window (not on the same page they’re reading).
  • Want to test it? Click the following link – Meet Hugh. It should open in a new tab on your device.

Let’s hope that WordPress leaves the ‘open in new tab‘ box where it is.

If you have any inquiries about pingbacks or the ‘Open in new tab’ option, please feel free to ask in the comments section.

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The Power Of Pingbacks: How To Create One

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts49 Comments

I came across some comments recently where somebody asked how to create a pingback to the post they were leaving their comment on. The blog host didn’t know. It got me thinking that I should do an updated post on what pingbacks are and how to create them.

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Pingbacks are a powerful blogging tool. Don’t miss out on not using them.

What are pingbacks?

A pingback is a type of notification that allows you to inform another blogger that you have linked to a post or article on their blog or website. This notification is typically automated and serves as a way to establish connections between different blogs or websites. Sometimes, pingbacks are also referred to as trackbacks.

If the other blogger has a pingback-enabled website or blog, then they can see a notification that you have linked to their article. They can then choose to allow your link to appear in the comments section of their blog post.

This may drive traffic to your blog when readers click on the pingback notification link.

Pingbacks work well on blog challenge posts such as Thursday Doors or Sunday Stills (to name but a few).

Today, I’m going to show you how to create a pingback.

Let’s get started.

In the screenshots below, I’ve numbered key points and am creating a pingback to my recent blog post, ‘The Power of Feedback: A Writer’s Brief Journey Through Editing and Story Chat.‘

Image highlighting keypoints in creating a pingback on a blog post
Keypoints on creating a pingback
  1. Highlight the word or words you’ve picked.
  2. Click the pingback link that pops up in the toolbar.
  3. In the URL box, enter the URL address of the blog post you’re linking to, or if it’s one of your own posts, search for the post.
  4. Choose the post you’re linking to.

Finally, and most importantly, tick the box next to the ‘open in new tab‘ box.

Image highlighting the 'Open in new tab' box
Tick the ‘Open in new tab’ box.

Ticking the ‘open in new tab’ option guarantees that when users click the pingback link, the linked post will open in a new tab or page. This feature effectively retains users on the current page, allowing them to easily return to your post to leave a comment or engage with the content.

Not selecting the “open in new tab” option could result in missed opportunities for comments and likes.

  • Your pingback has been created and will be highlighted in the post.

Tip – You can also highlight the pingback by making the text bold. To do this, highlight the text and click ‘B‘ (bold button in the toolbar).

  • Before publishing your post, preview it first and make sure the pingback works. Does it go to the right location? If not, delete the URL and insert the correct one.
  • Once you are happy that your pingback is working, publish the post.

Pingbacks should be exclusively directed toward blog posts and websites relevant to the subject of the post you are sharing or where you have been specifically invited to link.

Never create a pingback to a post that has no connection with the subject of your post.

Should I ask first before creating a pingback to another blogger’s post?

It’s always nice to ask first, but you’re good to go if the blogger has enabled pingbacks. And if you know the blogger well, there is no need to ask. But it’s best to ask if it’s your first time linking to one of their posts.

However, there’s no guarantee that your pingback requests will get the thumbs up. I receive pingback approval requests every day, and I won’t approve any that seem spammy or are completely unrelated to the post they’re trying to link to.

Are there any advantages of having pingbacks on your blog posts?

Yes. Here are a few advantages.

  • Creates traffic to your blog.
  • SEO-friendly.
  • Search engine optimizations (SEOs) such as Google and Bing rank blog posts that include pingbacks higher.
  • Bloggers may link back to one of your blog posts.
  • Great for promoting older blog posts you have published that some of your followers may not have read.

Caution—It is crucial to refrain from creating a pingback to a blog or website’s home page. This practice is discouraged because it fails to notify the blogger whose post you are referencing.

Do pingbacks attract spam?

Some experts recommend not allowing any pingbacks or trackbacks to a blog because they attract spam. However, by moderating all pingback notifications, you can prevent any spam pingbacks from appearing in the comments section of your blog posts.

Good news from WordPress about spam comments

After an update in 2023, the WordPress anti-spam software has dramatically strengthened its ability to intercept spam. Consequently, there has been a significant decrease in the volume of visible spam comments reaching blogs. Previously, hundreds of spam comments inundated my blog on a daily basis. However, following the update, I only encounter one or two weekly.

Where possible, try and include at least one pingback in every blog post you publish.

You can use a mixture of pingbacks to your posts and those of other bloggers.

Are there any problems with allowing pingbacks on your blog?

None that I am aware of.

An invitation to create a pingback

If you’ve never created a pingback before, try creating one for this post. I’ll be happy to let you know if it works and include it in the comments section.

If you encounter any problems creating a pingback, don’t hesitate to ask me for some help.

Summary: The Power of Pingbacks and How to Create Them

  • This guide explains pingbacks, how to create them, and the best practices to follow.
  • This guide covers everything from creating a pingback to the benefits, staying safe from spam comments, and recent anti-spam updates from WordPress.
  • This post also encourages readers to use pingbacks and shares my positive experience. It’s helpful for new and experienced bloggers, giving them the knowledge and confidence to use pingbacks effectively.
  • In the busy blogging world, pingbacks are important for connecting and getting more site visitors.
  • Pingbacks, sometimes also known as trackbacks, are useful tools for bloggers that let other bloggers know when you link to their posts.
  • It’s polite to ask first before creating a pingback to another blog unless you know the blogger well or have been invited to link to a post.
  • Always tick the ‘open in a new tab’ box so that readers do not lose the page they are reading.
  • Pingbacks do not attract spam.
  • WordPress anti-spam software now eliminates the majority of visible spam, saving you time in checking for comments that may have been marked as spam by mistake.

Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.

I actively utilise pingbacks as part of my content strategy. My experience with using them has been positive, as they help me foster connections with other blogs and websites and enhance engagement. If you have any questions about pingbacks, please leave them in the comments section below, and I’ll be happy to address them.

My thanks to Sylvain Richard for his recent blog post about pingbacks.

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Are You Getting ‘Anonymous’ Blog Comments? How To Stop Them.

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts96 Comments

Encouraging visitors to join the conversation on my blog posts and those of other bloggers is a must for me. Personally, if I can’t quickly leave a comment on a blog post, I’ll move on to the next one.

It’s one of the reasons why I use WordPress, as I’ve found it difficult to leave comments on other blogging platforms. What about you?

I firmly believe that we should prioritise making it effortless for blog visitors to leave comments. It’s crucial not to burden them with unnecessary obstacles when they want to engage with us. But that comes with the cost of receiving comments from anonymous readers. But is that a problem?

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Or should you make it easier for visitors to leave comments?

I’ve always received comments on my blog posts from visitors using ‘Anonymous’ or ‘Someone’ as their display names. But it has never bothered me because I can spot spam comments easily and guarantee that none will reach the comments section of my posts.

Here’s an anonymous comment I received recently.

Image showing what an 'anonymous' comment on WordPress
Do anonymous comments annoy you?

I wasn’t concerned when it appeared because it was left on one of my recent Wordless Wednesday posts about leftover chocolate, so I knew it was genuine.

Not knowing who the comment is from could pose a problem, but if it sounds genuine and has no uninvited or suspicious links, I’ll reply and approve the comment.

However, I’ll mark it as spam if it looks or sounds like a spam comment or contains any uninvited links. Oh! And I never approve comments that say ‘Nice Post.’ ‘Nice’ or ‘Great photo,’ regardless of who left them.

How do I make it easier for visitors to leave comments on my posts or prevent them from being anonymous?

In the blog settings of WordPress.Com blogs, there are settings which users can turn on or off to make it easier for visitors to leave comments or to prevent comments from being shown as anonymous.

  • To find these settings on your blog’s dashboard, go to Settings – Discussion and scroll down to the ‘Comments‘ section on the ‘Discussion Settings‘ page. I’m using WordPress on an Apple iMac desktop computer in these screenshots.
Image highlighting 'Settings' - 'Discussion' on a WordPress blog.
Click on Settings – Discussion
Image highlighting the 'Comments' section on the discussions settings page of a WordPress blog.
Scroll to the ‘Comments’ section.
  • If you want to make it easy for visitors to your blog to be able to leave comments, ensure you have the first two settings in the ‘Comments‘ section, ‘Comment author must fill out name and email‘ and ‘User must be registered and logged in to comment,’ switched off.
Image showing the settings to turn on or off depending how easy you want to make it for visitors to your blog to leave comments.
Switch on or off depending on how easy you want it to be for visitors to leave comments on your blog.
  • If you do not want comments on any posts showing as ‘Anonymous’, ensure those two settings are switched on. However, beware that turning these settings on will make it more difficult for some users to leave comments.
  • Turning these settings on means that users must either fill out their name and email address or be registered as a WordPress user and logged in to be able to leave a comment. Some users may not like giving this information to be able to comment.
  • Make sure you click the ‘Save Settings’ button if you make any changes.

And that’s it. Only you can choose whether to have these settings on or off. Go with what you feel most comfortable with.

Do you make it easy for visitors to your blog to comment, or do you prefer to only allow those willing to give their information to be able to leave comments? Is WordPress the best platform for engagement and for leaving comments? Let me know in the comments.

Is your blog as secure as it can be? Take this final step to make sure nobody can hack it. Take a look at my recent post for more details.

Is Your Blog Safe? One Security Feature You Must Have

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Is Your Blog Safe? One Security Feature You Must Have

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts63 Comments

You wouldn’t leave your doors unlocked if you were the last one to leave the house, would you?

Would you give a stranger the password to your online banking account?

Would you share or give a stranger the password to your blog?

Protecting your blog is just as important as protecting your home and online bank accounts, yet many bloggers share personal details about themselves on their blogs and on social media, which can be a treasure trove for scammers. Be careful what information you share.

Before sharing any information, ask yourself, ‘Would I share this information with a complete stranger?’

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Adding this feature will give your blog an extra layer of security.

Although we’re all encouraged to use a strong password to protect our blogs, did you know that many blogging platforms, including WordPress, offer users an extra layer of security when it comes to protecting their blogs?

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code or use another device in addition to your password. For example, you can use an app like Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator to generate access codes for your blog.

WordPress offers users two-factor authentication security. Follow the guide below to set it up for your WordPress blog. For this example, I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer.

How to set up two-step authentication for your WordPress blog.

  • In the top right of your blog, click on your profile picture/avatar.
  • Click on ‘Security‘ in the menu on the page’s left side.
Image highlighting the 'Security' tab on a WordPress blog.
Click on the ‘Security’ tab.
  • Select the ‘Two-step Authentication‘ option.
Image highlight the Two-Step Authentication tab on a WordPress blog.
Select Two-Step Authentication
  • Select which method you would like to receive the two-step passcode generated by WordPress, and click the ‘Get Started‘ button.
Image highlighting the 'Get Started' button when setting up Two-Step Authentication on WordPress.
Click the ‘Get Started’ button.
  • Follow the onscreen instructions depending on your selected method to receive the WordPress two-step authentication passcode.
  • Once enabled, logging into WordPress.com will require you to enter a unique passcode generated by an app on your mobile device or sent via text after adding your username and password.
  • You will receive an email from WordPress confirming that two-step authentication has been enabled.
Image showing an email confirmation from WordPress confirming that two-step authentication has been set up.
You’ll get an email from WordPress confirming that two-step authentication has been set up for your blog.
  • That’s it! Access to your blog is now protected by an extra layer of security.

I’d recommend adding or checking that the recovery email address and recovery SMS number for your WordPress blog/account are also correct when switching on two-step authentication.

Are you making the most of Two-Step Authentication to safeguard your blog? Need guidance on setting it up? Share your best practices for securing your blog in the comments below.

Did you miss my post giving details of what plans I have for my blog in 2024? Check out my post, ‘2024: Exciting And Positive Things Happening On Hugh’s Views And News‘, for complete details.

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Exploring Multiple Avenues: How to Contact WordPress for Support: 6 Best Ways

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts44 Comments

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a novice blogger, there might come a time when you need assistance or have questions about your WordPress site.

Have you ever had to contact WordPress? What’s your preferred method and experience of contacting them?

Light blue image with the words 'Exploring Multiple Avenues: How to Contact WordPress for Support: 6 Best Ways' in white text.
What’s your preferred method to contact WordPress?

During the ten years I’ve been blogging, I’ve contacted WordPress many times for support with my blog. I’ve always received good support from them.

From reporting bugs to getting answers to my questions and getting deals on renewing my WordPress plan, they’ve always been helpful and friendly.

But does the level of support vary depending on which WordPress plan you have?

Fortunately, WordPress offers various channels for users to seek help and find solutions to their queries. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can contact WordPress for support.

WordPress Support Forums

The forums cover various topics, from general troubleshooting to specific plugins or theme-related queries.

This is my preferred way of contacting WordPress as their staff (Happiness Engineers) get involved in your query, as do other blogging community members.

Users worldwide share their knowledge and assist each other in the forums. You can post your questions, describe your issues, and receive helpful responses from experienced WordPress users, moderators, and WordPress staff.

I’ve helped bloggers out with their queries and questions on the forums.

Next time you have a question or a problem with your blog, give the Forums a go. I’ve had great success with them. And who knows? It may be me who responds to your question or query.

Click the following link to go to the WordPress.Com Forums.

Official WordPress How-To Documentation

Before reaching out for help, the official WordPress how-to documentation is worth checking out.

These comprehensive resources provide detailed information about WordPress features, settings, and troubleshooting tips.

Many common issues have step-by-step solutions outlined in these guides, making it an excellent self-help option.

Click the following link to go to the Official WordPress How-To Documents.

WordPress Support via Email

For more personalised assistance, you can contact WordPress support via email. The official WordPress support email address can only be accessed by completing a form – Contact Us.

When reaching out through email, be sure to provide detailed information about your issue, including the name of your blog, which WordPress plan you are on, which WordPress theme you use, which device you are using, and details of the device’s operating system.

The more details you provide, the easier it is for the support team to understand and address your problem.

Social Media Channels

WordPress is active on various social media platforms, including X and Facebook.

You can follow official WordPress accounts and use these platforms to ask questions or seek assistance. Community members and WordPress developers often actively monitor these channels and may respond to your queries.

I’ve spoken with WordPress staff on X and have found them professional, helpful and friendly. After talking to them on X, I even got a discount code for renewing my WordPress plan.

WordPress on X.

WordPress on Facebook.

Live Chat Support

This can be a quick way to get real-time assistance.

If you’re lucky enough to have a WordPress plan that offers Live Chat, it’s an instant way of getting help from a staff member at WordPress, although I have found that Live Chat isn’t always available.

Although I’ve always had much success with Live Chat, it can sometimes be time-consuming.

As well as having details of your blogging problem or question, give details of which device and operating system you are using. Screenshots of errors or bugs are also helpful and help resolve issues quickly.

To find out if your WordPress plan has Live Chat, click the question mark icon in the top right of your screen and click the ‘Still need help‘ button, and you’ll see a list of options available to you.

Image showing where to access Live Chat on WordPress
Live chat is great for getting an instant response from WordPress.

Users with a free or starter WordPress plan or those on a monthly subscription cannot access Live Chat.

Hire a WordPress Developer

Hiring a WordPress developer might be the best solution for complex issues or customisation requirements. However, this could be an expensive option.

If you do go down the route of this option, I’d recommend you ask around first to find out if anybody can recommend a computer savvy who knows their way around the WordPress platform. Asking the blogging community is always a good option.

If you want to hire a member of the WordPress staff to sort out problems with your blog, contact them via email at support@wordpress.org.

WordPress isn’t always at fault, but sometimes they are.

You only have to look at the WordPress Forums to see that some problems are caused by users rather than WordPress. They’re usually not following the correct procedures or do not understand how something works.

I recently saw a user blame WordPress because they could not add images to their posts. It turned out that they’d never reduced the size of the images they were downloading into their media library; hence, they’d run out of media space.

Some bloggers also give out incorrect information to other bloggers. I had to step in when one blogger said everyone had to be logged into WordPress to leave comments on any WordPress blog. That is not true, and I corrected them explaining that all bloggers can choose via their blog settings whether or not readers had to be logged into WordPress to be able to leave a comment.

So, WordPress are not always at fault.

Of course, the WordPress platform will have bugs like any online site and platform, but WordPress will only know about them if you report them. Don’t sit back and hope that somebody else will do the job.

Sometimes, problems can be related to just one blog.

I recently had a problem with my blog, which only seemed to be affecting me. I stopped getting email notifications of new comments being left on my blog posts.

From the moment I reported the problem, the WordPress staff I spoke with on the Forums were not only accommodating and kept me updated, but they finally got to the bottom of what was causing the problem and fixed it.

My blogging friend Colleen Chesebro also reported problems around some Full Site Editoring themes. WordPress has since withdrawn some of the themes without any notice to users. They’d launched these themes too soon without proper testing, so sometimes, WordPress can be at fault.

However, I hear that current changes to the FSE Themes make them easier to use and install. I think the very least WordPress could have done was give notice first to those using the FSE themes they were going to withdraw.

For now, I’m sticking with my Classic theme, which WordPress still supports (along with over 50 other Classic themes).

Finally, whenever contacting WordPress, please be friendly. Treat them how you expect them to treat you. Being angry, impatient or nasty does nobody any good.

Conclusion:

WordPress has built a robust and supportive community that caters to users of all skill levels. Whether you prefer community-driven forums, official documentation, or personalised support via email, various channels are available to help you navigate any WordPress-related challenges.

By exploring these options, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience as you build and manage your WordPress blog.

What’s your experience with reporting problems to WordPress? What methods do you use to report problems? Are you currently experiencing any issues with WordPress? If so, what are they and have you reported them to WordPress? Share your experiences in the comments section.

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Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Why I’m Delighted WordPress Has Fixed This Annoying Bug

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts41 Comments

In my recent blog post, Experiencing Problems With Leaving Comments On WordPress? This Is What I Found. Read This Post Now, I shared details of two problems I was experiencing connected to comments on WordPress.

Light blue image with the words 'Why I'm Delighted WordPress Has Fixed This Annoying Bug,' in white text
If you don’t report problems to WordPress, how will they know about issues with their platform?

I am thrilled to inform you that the issue I reported regarding the ‘Email me new comments‘ checkbox when leaving a comment has been successfully resolved by WordPress.

Image highlighting the 'Email me new comments' button on WordPress
Click the ‘Email me new comment’ button to get an email notification of when somebody has replied to a comment you left them.

So here’s what happened: When you checked the ‘Email me new comments‘ box, things went a bit haywire. You not only started getting email notifications for comments on that specific post, but you also got bombarded with notifications for comments on other posts on that blog, even if you hadn’t left a comment or picked the ‘Email me new comments‘ option. Your inbox was basically drowning in a sea of WordPress emails. Crazy, right?

Now, when you select the ‘Email me new comments‘ option, rest assured that you will only receive email notifications for comments posted on the exact same post where you have left a comment.

Why do I tick the ‘Email me new comments’ box?

Not only do I get informed via email when I get a reply to a comment I’ve left, but reading other blog posts’ comments always helps me with ideas for new posts. Sometimes, comments can be as interesting as the post they’ve been left on.

I can also definitely lend a helping hand when bloggers reach out for assistance in their comments. Moreover, I take great pleasure in rectifying any misinformation that comes my way. Just the other day, I came across a comment where a blogger erroneously mentioned that having a WordPress account is a prerequisite for leaving comments. Allow me to assure you that this information is not accurate. Indeed, anyone can participate in the discussion without the need for a WordPress account.

One problem remains

The problem I reported concerning no longer getting email notifications when somebody leaves a comment on any of my posts has still not been fixed. However, WordPress has assured me that they’re still working on fixing it.

I’d be interested in knowing if anybody else is experiencing problems with not getting email notifications when comments are left on their posts. Please let me know in the comments section.

Are you experiencing any problems with leaving or receiving comments on blog posts? What are they, and have you reported them to WordPress?

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Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Have You Discovered These Two New Excellent WordPress Features? And Where Have Reusable Blocks Gone?

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts51 Comments

You may already be acquainted with these exciting new features I’ve recently uncovered on WordPress. However, I wanted to discuss them in case some of you are still unaware of their existence or unsure about how they function. Let’s delve into these remarkable additions and explore their potential!

Light blue image with the words 'Have You Discovered These Two New Excellent WordPress Features? Where Have Reusable Blocks Gone?' in white text.
New features you may like to try out on WordPress.

Send Test email.

I absolutely love this new feature! It’s incredibly handy because not only do I get to double-check my email notifications for my new blog posts before hitting the publish button, but it also serves as a safety net to ensure that my blog post is flawless and error-free. This is a game-changer for me!

Note – this feature may not be available to WordPress free plan users.

Before scheduling or publishing a new blog post, click the ‘Send test email‘ button, and WordPress will send you an email showing the excerpt and a link to the post.

Where can I find the ‘Send test email’ button?

Under the ‘Publish‘ settings of the draft of your post. Ensure you open the ‘Newsletter: Everyone‘ section to see it.

Here’s a screenshot.

Image highlighting the Send Test Email' button on WordPress
Send test emails for all your WordPress new post notifications.

Not only can you check that the excerpt of your blog post is correct, but you can also click the link within the email to open the post and verify that everything is as it should be.

So, no more –

  • Missing images
  • Uncentred captions
  • Upsidedown images
  • Misplaced images
  • Images and text overlapping
  • Missing blog post titles
  • Missing headings
  • Missing words
  • Spelling mistakes
  • Forgetting to close comments
  • Broken videos or YouTube links
  • Broken links/pingbacks

Of course, spelling and grammar mistakes may still appear, but at least you now have another way of checking and editing a post before it’s published.

A new way to showcase previous blog posts.

Most bloggers like to showcase previous blog posts so those who missed them the first time can catch up.

There are various ways to promote older blog posts on newly published posts. This is a new blog post template that WordPress has added to ‘Patterns‘ to help promote previous posts. In fact, WordPress has added lots of new ‘Blog Post’ templates. Here’s one I selected.

Where can I find Blog Post templates?

  • On a draft post, click the ‘+‘ symbol to add a new block and select ‘Patterns.’
  • On the menu that opens, click on ‘Blog Posts‘ and select from the many templates on offer.
Image highlighting where to find Blog Posts Templates on WordPress
Select a ‘blog posts’ template from the many on offer.

You can also select the ‘Blog Posts’ block for the same job.

Each template has many settings you can play around with. For example, I set the template I displayed above to two rather than three columns (displays as one column when viewing on a mobile phone). You can also change the background colour and text colour of the template.

On the template I used, up to six posts can be displayed, with new blog posts added as you publish them.

Unfortunately, I could not find a way of choosing which blog posts I wanted to feature in the template I chose, but some of the templates allow you to do this.

The one drawback I have noticed about my chosen template is the inability to set links to open in a new tab. As a result, users clicking on any of the links will lose their current page. To address this issue, I highly recommend including the ‘Blog Post Template‘ at the end of each post. This way, readers can easily navigate to related content without losing their place on the page.

Where did all my reusable blocks go?

Synced patterns have replaced Reusable blocks, offering a unified creation experience for new pattern functionality on WordPress. Any reusable blocks you’ve created for your blog can now be found under ‘Patterns.’

Go to ‘Patterns’ – ‘My Patterns‘ for a list.

Image highlighting where to manage reusable blocks on WordPress
Reusable blocks can now be found under ‘Pattern.’

Not sure what a reusable block is? My post, ‘What Is A Reusable Block On WordPress? How To Create One And Save Yourself Lots Of Time,’ gives full details.

How to manage reusable blocks.

  • Ensure you view your blog’s dashboard in ‘Classic‘ view. When writing this post, it won’t work when viewing in ‘Default‘ view (WordPress are aware of the problem).
  • On the draft page of a post, click the three dots (options button) in the top right-hand corner of the page.
  • Click ‘Manage Patterns‘ in the new menu that opens.
Image highlighting how to manage reusable blocks on WordPress.
Click ‘Manage Patterns’ to manage reusable blocks.
  • A page will open that lists all your reusable blocks. This is where you can edit or delete them.
Image showing a list of reusable blocks (now Patterns) on WordPress
A list of reusable blocks

IMPORTANT NOTICE – Please exercise caution when deleting a reusable block that has been previously used in your posts. Deleting a reusable block will result in its disappearance from all associated posts, and a notification will be displayed indicating that the block is no longer available. It is crucial to be mindful of this consequence to avoid any unintended disruptions to your content.

Have you explored any valuable new features on WordPress, or are you already utilising the ones I’ve mentioned? Are reusable blocks an essential part of your workflow? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, and don’t hesitate to ask any questions.

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