How To – Hugh's Views & News

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5 ‘Questionable’ Photos That Give You The Chance To Say Who You Are

Published on Dec 18, 2025Dec 19, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts30 Comments

Last month, I published the first post of my ‘photography-themed’ series. If you missed it, you can read ‘4 Never Before Seen Photos And Why You Need To See Them‘ and join the many readers who have already joined the conversations.

I want to thank everyone who left a comment and those who started conversations about the photos I featured. Honestly, the post’s success exceeded my expectations. I have a dedicated group of readers who love to engage, and for that, I am genuinely grateful.

December 2025

This month, I am not only showcasing five photographs (some of which I appear in), all with a Christmas theme, but I am also highlighting another WordPress gallery block you can use to display your photos and photography.

So, here we go. I’m excited to share five photos, three of which are new to my blog, each one posing a question. Feel free to leave a comment or write your own post with your answers. If you choose to write a post, you’re welcome to link back to mine so other bloggers can join the discussion.

1. When did you first meet Father Christmas?

A photo of a smiling man standing next to Father Christmas — When was the last time you bumped into Father Christmas?

I have to dig deep into the archives of my memory to recall the first time I encountered Father Christmas. I was six years old, and meeting the man I thought was the ultimate VIP (Very Important Person) was like waiting for the last biscuit in the jar.

It happened in a department store’s Christmas grotto, a place where the air smelled like gingerbread and desperation—not just mine, but also my sister’s, who was so terrified of Father Christmas that she screamed like we were evacuating from a man-eating, zombie, giant snowman! The whole store was probably questioning their Christmas spirit as they listened to her wails echo off the walls, rattling every bauble and piece of tinsel in the store.

However, on Christmas Eve, she had no problem with Father Christmas making his grand entrance into our home, as if he owned the place, and dropping off presents. After all, she was fast asleep, blissfully convinced that if she couldn’t see him, he mustn’t be able to see her!

The above photo was snapped one June while I was on a cruise, proving that you might just find Father Christmas on a beach holiday! So remember to be nice all year long, because you never know when you may be teetering on the edge of his nice list.

Do you have a photo of you with Father Christmas?

2. Have you ever baked a Christmas cake?

A photo taken from above of an iced Christmas cake. On top of the cake are some stars, Santa, a Christmas tree, and a snowman. — Have you ever baked a Christmas cake?

I distinctly recall my grandmother turning into a Christmas cake factory every year. I adored being her little helper, especially during the cake decoration extravaganza a few days before Christmas.

It was quite the spectacle watching her bake the cakes in September, then patiently unwrap them from their greaseproof swaddling every few weeks for a little “brandishing” with brandy. Who knew a cake could get an alcoholic makeover before the Christmas festivities even started?

I would sit there, as she dramatically stabbed the cake bases with a fork and spooned what seemed like an endless supply of brandy into the tiny holes. Of course, she’d also help herself to a few swigs of brandy while waiting for the cakes to soak up what she’s already spooned in. It was like she was giving them a little boozy makeover and joining in the festivities early.

The cake in the above photo was baked by me, but it wasn’t made the traditional way my grandmother prepared her Christmas cakes. I cheated by using a box with all the ready-prepared ingredients for making a Christmas cake. However, the magic of icing and decorating the cake was still present. And, of course, I carried on the tradition of a few glasses of brandy while feeding and decorating it.

If you’re wondering why it’s just a photo of the top of the cake, I decided it was the only part of it I felt I hadn’t cheated at. However, this made me start looking at all the different angles you can take photos, giving them a new dimension.

Do you make your own Christmas cake or do you buy a shop-bought one? And what’s inside your cake? Is it fruit-based, or filled with sponge, jam, and buttercream?

3. What’s your go-to karaoke song?

An old 1980s photo of a young man at a Christmas party in a bar, singing into a plastic bottle? — What’s your go-to song at a party?

Get ready to cringe! I’ve totally lost track of how many Christmas parties I’ve attended over the years—seriously, it’s like my life turned into a never-ending Netflix series focused on festive cheer, and most of them were work parties, where the eggnog flows like water, and the awkward small talk is the real gift! From fancy dress to black tie, I’ve always got into the spirit of Christmas celebrations. And the above photo is no exception.

Taken in the late 1980s, I’m not entirely sure why I decided a bottle of bleach was the ideal choice for a microphone, but let’s chalk it up to a few too many festive glasses of sherry or eggnog that night! My outfit is a glorious testament to the era; I mean, who could resist the charm of penguins proudly dancing on my braces? Clearly, I was ahead of my time in fashion… or maybe just in silliness!

However, I still know the song I was singing when the photo was taken.

This song has become my ‘go-to’ whenever anyone puts a microphone in my hand. So, if you ever meet me, never give me a bottle of bleach or a microphone!

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

4. What’s your favourite Christmas tree ornament?

A photo of a Christmas tree ornament of Father Christmas in his sleigh being pulled by reindeer. — What’s your favourite Christmas tree ornament?

My favorite Christmas tree ornament is a jolly old Father Christmas in his sleigh, dramatically being yanked along by two reindeer who have clearly lost the plot; they’re now engaged in an epic showdown over who gets the last carrot that all the kids left out, while Father Christmas just sits back, chuckling with a mince pie in one hand and a glass of brandy in the other, thinking, “This is the real Christmas spirit!”

As Father Christmas steers his sleigh joyfully, all those glasses of brandy would probably get him into trouble if he were caught by a traffic officer. However, as he’s flying, rather than driving on roads, hopefully he won’t get into any trouble.

Over the years, I have collected many Christmas tree ornaments. This one is only a few years old and was bought online from a well-known London store. Yes, it was expensive, but the joy it has brought is worth every penny.

Do you have a favourite Christmas tree ornament? Share the details or a photo with us.

5. Is this how Christmas makes you feel?

And finally, is this how Christmas makes you feel?

A photo of a festive Christmas reindeer that appears to have collapsed onto the ground after a busy Christmas. — Does the thought of Christmas make you feel like this?

Whether it’s before or after Christmas, most of us will find ourselves feeling deflated, like a poor reindeer caught napping three days after the big day—let’s just say, even Rudolph looks like he needs a strong cup of cocoa at this point!

The look on its face says it all and reminds me of those confusing days between Christmas and New Year, when the days of the week all blend into one. “Is it Monday or Tuesday? No, it’s Wednesday, isn’t it, or was Wednesday yesterday? Hang on, wasn’t it Thursday yesterday?”

The Slideshow Block

This month, I am displaying and featuring the ‘Slideshow’ block. Here are my five photos, all in the slideshow block.

When was the last time you bumped into Father Christmas?
Have you ever baked a Christmas cake?
What’s your go-to song at a party?
What’s your favourite Christmas tree ornament?
Does the thought of Christmas make you feel like this?

You can select as many photos as you like for your slideshow. Captions you have added to your photos also appear, but unfortunately, and this is something I dislike, the captions cannot be centred.

You can set the slideshow to manual, so readers must click to view the next image, or select an autoplay option. If you choose autoplay, you can also decide how many seconds pass between each photo (I chose 4 seconds).

Another option is to add a transition. You can choose slide or fade for your photos. You can also select the image size: small, medium, large, or extra large. I decided on the ‘Large’ option.

All of these options can be found by clicking on the image and choosing the ‘Block‘ option.

An image showing the different options of the Slideshow block on WordPress — The Slideshow Block options.

Click the following link for more information about the Slideshow Block.

How to make a photographer’s day.

Next time you leave a comment on a photography post, instead of saying ‘Great photo,’ explain what it was about the picture that made you think it was great. Was it the subject, the lighting, the scenery, the angle it was taken from, or the emotion it evoked when you saw it?

It only needs to be a few lines, but the people you leave the comment for will appreciate the feedback much more than when all you say, time after time, is that it’s a great photo.

Do you have a photo of you with Father Christmas? Do you make your own Christmas cake or do you buy a shop-bought one? What’s your go-to karaoke song? Do you have a favourite Christmas tree ornament? How does Christmas make you feel?

Linking to Sunday Stills hosted by Terri Webster Schrandt – Theme: Festive Red and Green.

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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How to Enable or Disable the Falling Snow Effect on Your WordPress Blog

Published on Dec 6, 2025Dec 8, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts29 Comments

Have you noticed that snow is falling on some WordPress blogs? As you read the post, small flakes of snow gently drift down. Meanwhile, on other blogs, like mine, there’s no snow.

WordPress introduced the festive snowfall feature a few years ago. It only works when reading a post via the WordPress website. You won’t see it if you’re reading a post in the WordPress Reader or the Jetpack App unless you click through to the website. This time, it runs until 4th January 2026. But how do you turn the feature on or off? Easy – follow my instructions.

Go to your blog’s dashboard and click Settings – General.

Scroll down the page until you come to ‘Snow.’

You’ll see a box with the words ‘Show falling snow on my site until January 4^th.’

An image highlighting how to turn on/off the falling snow feature on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Where to turn on/off falling snow on your WordPress blog

If you want snow to fall on your blog, tick the box. If you don’t want snow falling on your blog, untick the box.

Click the ‘Save Changes‘ box at the bottom of the page.

Ensure the changes are effective by opening one of your posts on the WordPress website.

I’m not a lover of anything moving onscreen while I’m reading, as I find it distracting. However, I know that many bloggers love the idea of gently drifting snowflakes while they read blog posts during the festive season.

The choice is yours. And now you know how to switch on or turn off snow falling on your blog.

For the above instructions, I’m using a desktop computer. The falling snow effect is only controlled through your WordPress.com dashboard, not the Jetpack mobile app.

Is it snowing on your blog? If not, do you want it to snow? Let me know why you like or dislike the idea of snowflakes drifting on WordPress blogs.

The featured image on this blog post is sourced from Pixabay. AI reviewed spelling and grammar errors.

You can follow me at the following sites.

4 Never Before Seen Photos And Why You Need To See Them

Published on Nov 10, 2025Nov 11, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts93 Comments

I used to publish a substantial amount of photography on my blog, especially in Wordless Wednesday posts, and then it all ceased!

I couldn’t help but notice how they generated little to no engagement. I felt somewhat disheartened by this apparent lack of interest in my photography. After all, how can you respond week after week to the same ‘Great shot’ comments, other than with a ‘Thank you?’ It almost seems as if people are just going through the motions with those kinds of comments without truly engaging with the content.

Can a photography blog post generate meaningful engagement?

It’s something I wasn’t entirely convinced about. I only had to look around the blogosphere and see the same ‘Great photo’ comments on photography posts.

However, some photo challenges seem to spark discussion and engagement, although you’ll sometimes have to sift through the ‘Nice shot’ types of comments. Nevertheless, as I’ve discovered, hosting any kind of blog challenge is hard work, so it’s always a shame when people drop links or short comments and run without recognising the effort the host has put into creating the post. Some of those hosts must feel disheartened when it happens, but the thoughtful and engaging comments they get must make all the difference.

I love photography, so why don’t I showcase mine?

After realising I was missing out on sharing my photography and not wanting to create my own photography challenge, I decided to publish a monthly photography post showcasing four photographs I’ve never featured on my blog before.

Not only that, but at the end of each post, I will display the photos in a separate WordPress photo Gallery block and give a brief explanation of that block’s features.

So, here we go. I’m excited to share with you four never-before-seen photos that I’m delighted to finally unveil on my blog!

1. How old is this tree?

A photo of the ends of a tree trunk that has been cut down. The rings on the inside of the trunk are visible. In the background are some colourful buildings, trees and plantlife. — How old was this tree?

What initially caught my eye in this shot were those colourful buildings in the background. But the fallen tree had me asking many more questions.

Can you actually determine a tree’s age by counting the rings in its trunk? Well, this tree got a bit overzealous during a storm and decided to take a nap across a footpath! It turned into the ultimate footpath block, leading to some unfortunate lumberjack shenanigans where it had to be chopped into manageable pieces.

Not only did I ponder the ancient age of this tree—seriously, is it older than me?—but I also found myself wondering about the brave soul who planted it and how many people have swung from its branches or taken leisurely naps beneath its leafy embrace. The rings? Oh, they’ve got secrets, but counting them seemed as feasible as getting my two dogs to sit still long enough for a family photo.

Today, the chunks of trunk are still hanging around, serving as a posh Airbnb for wildlife that need a place to kick back and relax. I’m thrilled parts of it are still there because this tree has decided to become the ultimate retirement home for other species.

2. Do you know this bear?

A photo of the head of a child's toy bear that has been put over one of the stones that jut out on top of the wall. Behind the toy is some plant life. — I’m lost. Have you seen my owner?

This cheeky face practically yanked a grin out of me when it halted my stroll. I simply had to snap a photo—who could resist it? There it was, perched impossibly high, making me ponder not just how it got there, but also who the previous owner was. Was it a child’s hat, a brave toy that escaped the toy box, or maybe even a rogue UFO pilot’s accessory? Hey, a guy can dream about flying a UFO dressed as a Bear, can’t he!?

A few days later, the bear was gone. Someone had either claimed it or rehomed it, although my darker, more creative mind was also insisting that it had fallen off the wall and was now trapped behind it (was that a call for help I could hear?).

Whatever had happened to this smiling bear, I was thankful for the joy it had not only given me when I spotted it, but also for the smiles it must have brought to others who had seen it on their journeys. I hope it was reunited with its owner.

3. Does this sign give you mixed emotions?

A photo of a wooden sign that reads 'Dogs' Graves, St Catwg Walks Exit, and Bluebell Wood.' In the background are some trees and grass areas — This way please

This sign will probably evoke mixed feelings. After all, that first line isn’t pleasant, is it? It evoked a vision of a horror story and film by one of my favourite authors, Stephen King. However, the bottom part of this sign brought to mind a beautiful, tranquil place that could be the name of a location you’d find in a children’s book.

I wondered why there was not a separate sign for the dogs’ graves. After all, who would want to visit a dog’s graveyard, apart from maybe pet owners who had buried their beloved pets there? Bluebell Wood, on the other hand, sounded like a lovely place for a walk, especially during bluebell season in May. I pictured myself sitting in Bluebell Wood, forest-bathing, while recharging my body and mind.

Later, I discovered that the gardens, where the photo was taken, were purchased by William Graham Vivian in 1860, when he acquired Clyne Castle, a nearby dwelling, and began creating the surrounding landscape gardens. He died in 1912, and the many dogs buried in the graveyard were his pet dogs. So, there’s the answer to why the dogs’ graveyard is on the sign.

4. Do you know this dog?

A photo of a black and white Welsh Cardigan corgi sitting next to a sofa while looking directly at the camera. — Do you think I look younger than my age?

Talking of dogs, the chap in the above photo turned 14 last month.

For those of you who haven’t read my ‘About‘ page, this is Toby, the older of the two Welsh Cardigan Corgis my partner and I own. I still recall the day we collected him and how, from the moment we met him, our lives took a new turn. It’s one of the best days of our lives.

Toby is a photography subject, like me, in that he usually moves when a picture is taken. However, on this particular day, his 14th birthday, he posed for the camera, and I was thrilled with the result.

Toby’s hobbies include sleeping, walking, and meeting his mates on the beach. He also enjoys having a mad 10 minutes after dinner, when I have to chase him (very slowly) around the dining table while carrying his favourite toy in his mouth. Additionally, he likes to believe he’s in charge of the household.

When I first started blogging in 2013, Toby was a prominent feature on my blog, but over the years, he hasn’t been as interested in appearing. However, he has recently garnered considerable attention on Bluesky, where some of his photos have been shared hundreds of times and generated a lot of engagement. It’s a rare occurrence that he appears on my blog, and I’m very grateful that he agreed to let me share his photo.

The Gallery Block

The first WordPress gallery I am displaying and featuring is the ‘Gallery‘ block. Here are my four photos.

The Gallery block is a straightforward photo gallery that lets you drag and rearrange images to display them in any way you prefer. It’s a useful gallery, and I notice it being used more frequently than any of the other image blocks provided by WordPress.

Notice how the captions I’ve added to my photos appear at the bottom of each one. You don’t need to add captions to photos, but they are a great way to boost engagement from visitors, especially when asking a question.

To find the ‘Gallery‘ block, search for ‘Gallery‘ under the ‘Blocks‘ tab when drafting a post.

An image displaying the 'Gallery' block under the 'Block' tab on WordPress — The Gallery Block

Click the following link for more information about the Gallery Block.

How to make a photographer’s day.

Next time you leave a comment on a photography post, instead of simply saying ‘Great photo,’ explain what it was about the picture that made you think it was great. Was it the subject, the lighting, the scenery, the angle it was taken from, or the emotion it evoked when you saw it? It only needs to be a few lines, but they will appreciate the feedback much more than when all you say time after time is that it’s a great photo.

How do you usually engage with photography posts? What encourages you to leave a comment other than saying, ‘These are nice photos.’ Are you a photography blogger? If so, does engagement on your posts matter to you?

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

You can follow me at the following sites.

9 Important Options on Your WordPress Blog to Check Now!

Published on Oct 20, 2025Oct 20, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts26 Comments

I’m surprised by how many bloggers miss the opportunity of having their posts shared for free by not displaying sharing buttons on their blog posts.

Of course, some bloggers don’t want any of their posts shared, but they tend to be in the minority.

In today’s digital age, having social sharing buttons on your blog is crucial for expanding your reach and boosting engagement. This post will guide you through the steps to add sharing buttons to your WordPress blog and emphasise the benefits of including them.

For the purpose of this guide, I’m using an iMac desktop computer.

To add and edit sharing buttons on your WordPress.com blog, follow these steps:

Log in to your WordPress.com account.
From your dashboard, navigate to ‘Settings‘ and select ‘Sharing.’

An image that highlights Settings and Sharing on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Click the ‘Sharing’ option.

You’ll be taken to the ‘Sharing Options‘ page of your blog, where you will see a variety of options that include –

Available services
Enabled services
Live preview
Button style
Sharing label
Show buttons on
WordPress.com Likes are
WordPress.com Reblog button
Comment Likes are

Let’s have a look at each of these options and what they mean.

Available services – This displays any sharing buttons not currently visible on your blog. To add an available sharing button, drag it to the ‘Enabled services‘ box and click the ‘Save‘ button at the bottom of the page.

There is also an ‘Add a new service‘ link that, when clicked, allows a user to add new sharing services that are not currently available on WordPress.

Enabled Services – This section shows all the sharing buttons currently on display on your blog. Here’s an image of the sharing buttons available on my blog posts and pages.

An image showing the sharing buttons on a WordPress blog — Sharing buttons on Hugh’s Views And News blog.

Notice the ‘Customise buttons‘ link under the buttons. Click this to be taken straight to the ‘Sharing options‘ page of your blog.

You may also have noticed the ‘More‘ sharing button. This is where you can group certain sharing buttons under one button. To do this, simply drag the buttons you want to hide to the ‘Services dragged here will be hidden behind a share button‘ box. On my blog, the ‘More‘ button includes sharing buttons for ‘X’, ‘Email’ and ‘Print.’

An image showing hidden sharing buttons behind a 'More' button on a WordPress blog. — Hide sharing buttons behind one button.

To rearrange the order of how sharing buttons display on your blog, simply drag the buttons to the order you want them in. Remember to save any changes.

To remove a sharing button from your blog, drag the button to the ‘Available services‘ section and click the ‘Save‘ button at the bottom of the page.

Live preview – This section shows how the sharing buttons display on your blog.

Button style – There are four options to choose from.

Icon + Text
Icon only
Text only
Official buttons

On my blog, I have chosen sharing buttons to show ‘Icon + Text’ as this helps those using speech software know which sharing button is which. If you use ‘Icon only,’ speech software won’t know what each sharing button is.

Sharing label – This section allows users to change and display their own message above their sharing buttons. Simply add the text you want and click the save button.

Show buttons on – Choose where on your blog you want sharing buttons to appear. Place a tick next to the options and click the save button.

An image showing the options available as to where sharing buttons display on a WordPress blog. — Choose where you want the sharing buttons to display on your blog.

WordPress.com Likes are – This is where you can turn off (or on) the ‘Like’ button on blog posts and pages.

WordPress.com Reblog button – This is where you can turn off (or on) the reblog button on blog posts and pages.

Comment Likes are – This is where you can turn off (or on) the availability of a ‘like’ button on comments on your blog.

Once you’ve added sharing buttons to your blog, remember to always test them. The best way to do this is to visit one of your blog posts to ensure the sharing buttons appear as intended. Click on each button to check that it links correctly to the respective social media platforms.

Top tip: If you have an account on a social media platform, remember to ensure that there is a sharing button for that platform on your blog. You don’t need to remove share buttons where you don’t have an account, as other bloggers and readers may want to share your posts and pages to their own social media accounts. For example, I don’t have a Facebook account, but I allow visitors to my blog to share my posts and pages on their Facebook accounts.

But, at the end of the day, it’s your decision as to how many sharing buttons you want to display on your blog.

Advantages of Having Sharing Buttons on Your Blog

Increased Visibility: Sharing buttons allow visitors to easily share your content with their networks, leading to greater visibility and new readers.
Enhanced Engagement: When users share your posts, it engages their followers, creating conversations and interactions around your content.
Improved SEO: Social shares can boost your search engine rankings. Search engines often view shared content as more credible and relevant.
Brand/Blog Awareness: Every share increases exposure for your brand/blog, helping you capture a larger audience over time.
Traffic Boost: Each share potentially drives more traffic back to your blog, increasing your overall reach and influence in your niche.
User-Friendly: A streamlined sharing process enhances the user experience, encouraging visitors to interact more with your content.

By integrating sharing buttons into your WordPress blog, you not only make it easier for readers to share your posts but also create new opportunities for engagement and growth.

Summary:

Many bloggers miss out on free content-sharing opportunities by not displaying sharing buttons. These buttons are crucial for expanding reach and boosting engagement.
It’s easy to add and display sharing buttons on your WordPress blog. Follow the guide in this post.
Ensure you deal with each option available to you on the ‘Sharing options‘ page of your blog.
There are many advantages of displaying sharing buttons on your blog, including increased visibility, enhanced engagement and improved SEO ratings.
If you have a social media account, ensure you display a sharing button for that account on your blog.
Add as many sharing buttons as you like, even for those social media platforms where you don’t have an account.
Test that the sharing buttons are working correctly at least once every few months.
Make the most of the other options available on the ‘Sharing options’ page of your blog, such as switching on/off the like button and whether or not you want a ‘Reblog’ button to show.

I want to open up the conversation and hear from you. What social media platforms do you find most effective for sharing your blog content? Have you noticed an increase in your blog traffic after adding sharing buttons? How much of a difference has it made? Have you experimented with the different button styles? Which one do you think looks best on your blog? If you could add one feature to the sharing buttons on your blog, what would it be and why?

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

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The featured image on this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes. Images, which were taken from screenshots of my blog, were created by me.

A photograph of a green tour bus from the 1930s with the words 'Agatha Christie Bus Tour To Greenway' on the side.

Bloggers/Authors: Are You Ready For A Writing Challenge?

Published on Sep 12, 2025Sep 12, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts

I’m excited to share that I have published a new post on Marsha Ingrao’s blog, Always Write, dedicated to the captivating art of flash fiction!

If you’re a writer looking to sharpen your skills or a reader eager to explore new narrative forms, this piece offers valuable tips to help you craft compelling stories in a brief format.

But that’s not all! To test your newfound knowledge, I invite you to take part in a creative flash fiction challenge: Write a complete flash fiction story in just 101 words based on the image I have used as the featured image on this post. The image also features in the post.

Whether you’re an experienced author or just starting out, this is an excellent opportunity to unleash your imagination. Jump in, write away, and let’s see what wonderful stories we can create together!

Check out the post on Marsha’s blog for all the details.

Click the image or link below to be taken straight to the post.

An image introducing the guest post about writing flash fiction. — Are you up for a writing challenge?

Story Chat Digest: “Mastering the Art of Flash Fiction” by Hugh W. Roberts

If you have any comments or questions, please leave them on the post on Marsha’s blog, as I am closing comments here to ensure all comments and questions are in one place where everyone can see them.

Have fun with the challenge. Happy writing.

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This New WordPress Feature Helps Promote The Blogs You Love

Published on Sep 1, 2025Sep 1, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts59 Comments

I recently began receiving emails from WordPress informing me that another blogger has recommended my blog.

Of course, there’s an easy way to recommend another blog simply by writing and publishing a post and linking to that blog, but this new way of recommending another blog was something I thought was much better.

After all, once you read a post recommending a blog, it isn’t long before that post gets pushed down your reader list, until it’s probably forgotten about. So, if you haven’t read the post or maybe thought you’d come back to it later, you probably won’t.

However, this new method of recommending a blog is better because the blogs you recommend appear on your Gravatar profile when using the WordPress Reader, which means that anyone checking your Gravatar will see a list of the blogs you recommend.

It’s easy to add the blogs you want to recommend. I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer to demonstrate this. Here’s how to do it.

On the dashboard of your blog, click the ‘Reader‘ icon (represented by a pair of spectacles).

Click the ‘Reader’ icon.

On the Reader menu, open ‘Lists‘ and click on ‘Recommended Blogs.’

Click the Recommended Blogs link.

Click the ‘Edit‘ button and open the ‘Sites‘ tab. As you will see from the image below, I’ve already recommended some blogs.

Click the ‘Sites’ tab.

To remove a recommended blog, click on the ‘Remove‘ button.

To add a blog, start typing the name of the blog in the ‘Search or enter URL to follow‘ box, and a list of suggestions will appear.

Start typing to display a list of blogs.

Click the ‘Recommend‘ button to add a blog to your Recommended Blogs list. Note that if you are already following a blog, you’ll see ‘Subscribed‘ next to it.

The blog you recommended is now added to your Recommended Blogs list and will appear whenever anyone hovers their mouse over your Gravatar profile in the WordPress Reader. Click the ‘View All‘ link to see a list of all the blogs they recommend.

As you recommend blogs, they will appear on your Gravatar profile.

Whenever another blogger recommends your blog, you should receive a notification email from WordPress with the details of who has recommended your blog, provided you have not switched off notifications. However, I’ve not yet seen these notifications appear under the notification bell icon.

Based on my observations, after clicking on the Gravatars of many bloggers, few have recommended any blogs so far. Additionally, some bloggers haven’t included their blog details on their Gravatar, making it harder for others to find their blog. And remember that if you leave comments on other blogs, your Gravatar will appear next to your comment.

Have you seen this new feature on WordPress? Has anyone recommended your blog in this way? Will you start using the ‘Recommend Blog’ feature? Have you added your blog details to your Gravatar?

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

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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5 Reasons Why Every Blogger Should Have a Contact Page and How to Build One

Published on Aug 18, 2025Aug 18, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts32 Comments

What do you do to make it easy for your readers to contact you?

Most bloggers aim to connect with their audience. This is mainly achieved through the comments section of blog posts, but sometimes someone may wish to contact you privately, which may not be suitable for public view. For example, I receive messages asking for help with WordPress or requests to buy a signed copy of one of my books. Nobody wants to share their address, email, or contact number in the comments section.

A ‘Contact’ page is an important connection point between a blogger and their readers, offering a convenient way to get in touch privately. If you look at the menubar of my blog, you’ll see a ‘Contact Hugh‘ link. That’s where any visitor to my blog can contact me privately.

Here’s why you should prioritise having a Contact page on your blog and how to easily set one up.

Benefits of Having a Contact Page

1. Establishes Credibility

Having a dedicated Contact page gives your blog a welcome and friendly impression. It demonstrates that you’re open to communication and approachable, increasing your credibility with readers and new visitors.

2. Facilitates Communication

A Contact page offers a clear and straightforward way for visitors to get in touch with you. Whether they have questions, feedback, or collaboration ideas, this page acts as a direct link to you, preventing confusion about how to contact you.

3. Encourages Engagement

By encouraging readers to contact you, you’re promoting engagement with your audience. This can lead to meaningful discussions, valuable feedback, and even new ideas for content, further benefiting and enhancing your blog.

4. Supports Networking Opportunities

For the majority of bloggers, networking is essential. A Contact page makes it easy for other bloggers to reach out for collaborations, sponsorships, or guest posting opportunities, contributing to your blog’s growth and visibility.

5. Keeps Your Private Details Private

Having a contact form means you don’t need to share your personal details, like an email address, on your blog. After all, do you know everyone who visits your blog? Even if you provide an email address solely for your blog, advertising it will attract spam, spammers, and trolls.

Some bloggers might prefer not to engage with their audience, so a Contact page may not be essential. However, if you choose not to engage, ensure you turn comments off.

How to Install a Contact Page

Creating a Contact page is a simple process. Here’s how you can set one up on your blog. For this purpose, I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer.

Go to the dashboard of your blog, click Pages and then Add Page.

An image highlighting Pages and Add Page on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Click ‘Add Page.’

Title your page ‘Contact’ or ‘Get in Touch’ or choose a title you prefer.

Add a Contact template. WordPress offers several ‘Contact’ templates. To find them, click the ‘+‘ symbol in the top-left corner of the page, then select Patterns and Contact.

An image that highlights Patterns and Contact on the draft page of a Page on WordPress. — Click ‘Contact’ to find the WordPress contact templates.

Choose the template you want to use and make any edits to it. For the contact form on my blog, I used Template Number One.

Preview your contact form before publishing it. Once you’re happy, click the publish button so it appears on your blog.

Tip: Yes, you’ll likely receive spam or spam bots trying to contact you. To quickly sort out those messages, add a line to your Contact form giving instructions on what to do. I added the following details to my Contact form –

Please complete and submit the form below to contact me securely. To verify that you are not a bot or spam, please start your message with ‘Dear Hugh.’ I will then get back to you as quickly as possible.

Messages that do not start ‘Dear Hugh’ will be marked as spam.

And guess what, it works!

You can also find additional Contact forms under Jetpack – Forms (select the ‘About‘ tab) on the dashboard of your blog.

Next, to make it easy for readers to contact you, add your contact form to the menubar of your blog.

On the dashboard of your blog, go to Appearance – Menus.

Search for your Contact form by clicking View All, tick the box next to it, and click the ‘Add To Menu’ Button.

An image demonstrating how to add a page to a menu on a WordPress blog. — Add your Contact form to your blog’s menubar.

Click the Save Menu button at the bottom of the page.

To reposition the Contact form on the menubar, on the Menus page, click on it and drag it to the desired location. Remember to click the Save Menu button after any changes.

An image highlighting how to reposition an item on the menu bar of a WordPress blog. — Click and drag the contact form button to move it on the menu bar.

Check the menubar of your blog to ensure the Contact form is visible and in the correct place.

WordPress also offers Contact forms plugins.

Contact Form 7:
1. Install and activate the plugin.
2. Go to Contact – Add New in the dashboard.
3. Customise your form fields as needed, then save.
4. Copy the shortcode provided and paste it into your Contact page.
5. Add the Contact form to your menubar.
WPForms:
1. Install and activate the plugin.
2. Create a new form using their drag-and-drop builder.
3. Save your form and copy the shortcode.
4. Paste the shortcode into your Contact page content.
5. Add the Contact form to your menubar.

How do I know when somebody has contacted me via my Contact form?

WordPress sends an email to you whenever anyone contacts you via the Contact form (except when they consider it as spam). Users will also see a notification under Jetpack – Forms on the dashboard of their blog.

Anything considered spam by WordPress goes straight to the spam folder. Spam is deleted automatically after 30 days, so there’s no need to worry about it.

Conclusion

Having a Contact page is essential for fostering communication and building relationships with your audience. By following these simple steps, you can easily set up a Contact page on your blog and start engaging with your visitors today!

Do you have a way that visitors to your blog can contact you directly? Any questions? Leave them in the comments section or contact me directly.

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

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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The Ultimate Guide to Updating, Deleting, or Republishing Old Blog Posts

Published on Aug 4, 2025Aug 4, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts58 Comments

Should You Delete, Update, or Republish Your Old Blog Posts?

As a blogger, you likely know that maintaining high-quality content is crucial for your blog’s success. One of the key aspects is dealing with old blog posts. What should we do with them? Give them a new lease of life? Delete them? Should we allow them to rot away in our archives, where nobody sees them anymore?

Many blogging experts agree that outdated articles can harm your blog, especially its SEO (search engine optimisation) rating. Even if you are regularly publishing fresh content, any remaining outdated information can diminish your efforts and lower the rankings of your new posts.

Search engines favour accurate, up-to-date information and often direct readers to sites that provide it. That’s one reason I recommend updating your ‘About Me‘ page every six to nine months (I update mine every three months). This also applies to all posts on your blog—outdated content is pointless and can deter readers. Imagine you’re an author and have new visitors to your blog reading out-of-date information. Are they likely to buy any of your books?

I make it a point to clear out old blog posts at least once a year, usually in December, when the blogging scene tends to slow down.

Before you hit delete: Things to consider

Before deleting old posts, take a moment to assess each one. Should bloggers update, rewrite, or simply delete older posts?

If a post remains relevant, provides valuable information, and includes evergreen content, it is advisable to update it. This is especially true if it contains valid pingbacks to other live posts on your blog, other blogs, or reputable external sites.

If a post continues to receive traffic, it may be worth updating. Did you know that you can check how much recent traffic every one of your blog posts has had? On the ‘Posts’ page of your blog’s dashboard, look for the ‘Stats’ column, and check the numbers.

An image displaying the number of views a blog post recently received on a WordPress blog. — How many recent views have my blog posts had?

Also, check for incoming pingbacks from other blogs that are still valid; you’ll find them in the comments section of your posts. For example, I recently had to remove several pingbacks to one of my posts because the original content on other blogs was deleted. Broken links can harm your SEO—too many of them, and readers are likely not to return to your site because links don’t work or lead to a ‘404 Content Not Found’ page.

When is it time to rewrite?

If you have an old post with outdated or low-quality content (including low-resolution images) that you believe still holds value, then it’s time for a rewrite. Just remember to delete the older version before publishing the new one.

While rewriting, consider creating a new title that encourages your readers to learn more. A captivating title can significantly boost your click-through rates.

If a post is irrelevant and can only be salvaged through a thorough rewrite, do it! Your audience will value fresh and engaging content, and many of them will never have read the original post.

This post is a rewrite of a popular post from 2022.

Checking for broken links

After deleting any old posts, take a moment to check your blog for broken links. Using a free broken link checker, such as Brokenlinkcheck.com, can assist you with this. However, if it’s your first time, the initial results may seem overwhelming. I recommend pausing the report after identifying about 20 broken links, fixing them, and then running another check.

WordPress also offers a broken link plugin, available depending on your plan or if you’re self-hosted.

Once you’ve finished a broken link check, I recommend doing it at least monthly or whenever old posts are deleted. Also, remember to remove any pingbacks on posts you’re about to delete, as well as delete any images or photos from your media library that are on the post. This helps free up library space.

Is it worth reading old blog posts?

It depends, but if you hear someone celebrating their 5000th blog post, it’s hard to ignore that many of those posts are likely outdated and probably never received any traffic a few days after publication. They may be keeping them for a reason, but don’t hold your breath for any real engagement on them. Many of the comments will also be outdated and probably from readers who no longer have profiles.

If you have posts you want to keep, consider moving them from your blog to a secure location (such as a memory stick).

Can rewritten blog posts be successful?

Absolutely!

I’ve rewritten and republished several of my earlier blog post tips. Initially, these posts had low views and lacked depth, but I revitalised them with improved procedures and high-quality images. I also added links to some of my most successful posts for context.

Many of these revamped pieces have since become top performers on my blog.

Are there any blogs that don’t require regular updating?

No! Every blog needs to be updated. Although some blogs, such as photography blogs, may not require frequent updates to posts, and some blog owners may not prioritise SEO rankings, the ‘About’ page will always need to be updated and links checked to ensure they still work.

Conclusion:

Delete any old blog posts that contain outdated information that cannot be salvaged.
Before deleting, deactivate any incoming and outgoing pingbacks associated with the post.
Delete images from your blog’s media library from posts you are about to delete to free up space.
Conduct a broken link report on your blog at least once a month or following the deletion of old posts.
SEO benefits rely on your blog’s capacity to provide updated information; lack of it can hurt your new posts.
If a post remains relevant and useful with evergreen content, be sure to update it, especially if it contains valid links to other relevant content and continues to receive traffic.
Rewrite posts that feature outdated or poor-quality content but still hold some relevance and give them a fresh title.
Always remove older versions of rewritten posts before going live with the new content.
Every blog needs regular updates, especially the ‘About’ page and a check for broken links.

What criteria do you use when deciding whether to update or delete an old blog post? Have you ever resurrected an old post? What changes did you make to breathe new life into it? How often do you check your blog for broken links, and what tools do you find most effective? Have you ever regretted deleting a post? What would you have done differently?

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

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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How to Prevent This Horrible Blogging Nightmare From Happening

Published on Jul 28, 2025Jul 30, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts33 Comments

Imagine turning on your computer, laptop, or phone and discovering that your blog had vanished without a trace. What a horrible nightmare, yes?

In the 12 years I’ve been blogging, it has never happened to me, although there was an occasion when the setup of my blog (and that of many others) changed completely overnight, all due to a bug that affected many WordPress blogs. Fortunately, it was fixed quickly, even though it caused many users a nightmare they never thought would happen.

If you’re a WordPress.com blogger, be assured that if your blog and all its content suddenly vanish, WordPress will have a backup. Regardless of your WordPress plan, WordPress backs up every blog and keeps a copy, just in case it is ever needed. All you need to do is contact WordPress and request the file. They will send you a file containing the most recent backup they made. However, as we will discuss later, backups do not include everything.

But there’s no need to contact WordPress

If you’ve ever had a bad experience contacting WordPress or don’t want to contact them, there is another step you can take to ensure you have a backup of your blog. I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer for the following guide.

How to backup your WordPress blog.

On the dashboard of your blog, go to Tools – Export.

Choose the items you wish to export (I recommend ‘All content‘) and click the ‘Download Export File‘ button.

An image showing Tools - Export' on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Press these buttons to begin the process of backing up your WordPress blog.

You will see a message informing you that your export file is being processed, along with the email address where a download link will be sent once the process is complete.

Access your email account where the link is sent, locate the email, and open it. Click on the ‘Download‘ button within the email.

An image showing the Download button in the email sent from WordPress when backing up your blog. — Click the ‘Download’ button in the email.

The file will be downloaded to your device. Ensure you remember its location and move it to another folder if necessary. I’ve created a file on my computer called ‘WordPress Backups’. Note that the file is only available for download for 7 days.

Remember to delete any previous WordPress backup files to free up memory on the device you are using.

The backup file you have downloaded does not include any media such as images, videos, or photographs. To back up media, follow the above instructions but select ‘Export Media Files‘ from the Tools menu – Tools – Export Media Files.

Do the backup files include everything?

It depends on which WordPress plan you have.

Users on a Free, Personal, or Premium plan can back up content and media. However, themes and plugins are not included in the backup. Therefore, if you ever need to download a backup file and have been using a retired theme that WordPress no longer supports, you will need to choose a new, current theme that is still supported. You’ll also need to download any plugins your blog uses.

Those with Business or Commerce plans have access to Jetpack Vault Backup, which allows them to view and restore backups at any time from their blog’s dashboard. This can be accessed at Jetpack – Backup. These backups include everything, including the theme and any plugins you use.

An image highlighting jetpack - Backup on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Click the Backup link to access the Jetpack Vault backup file.

Should I need to worry about backing up my blog?

Given that WordPress backs up your blog, no! However, for total peace of mind, and depending on how often you publish posts, you might consider backing up your blog at least once a month. If you publish posts daily or more frequently, I’d recommend backing up your blog at least once a week. However, after performing a backup, remember to delete the previous backup file.

Most likely, you’ll never need a backup copy of your blog, but I suggest you save a copy of this post in case you ever lose all the content of your blog.

All WordPress blogs also come with an ‘Activity Log‘ feature where bloggers can reinstall posts they have deleted by mistake. However, this feature is limited by the extent to which you can recover posts, depending on the WordPress Plan you have.

An image highlighting the Activity Log link on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Click the Activity Log button to see the most recent activity on WordPress.

Conclusion:

WordPress automatically backs up WordPress.com blogs, but it doesn’t include everything.
Users can contact WordPress and request a copy of the backup file.
Users can backup their blogs via the dashboard.
For backing up media files, remember to perform a backup by going to Tools – Export Media Files.
What is backed up depends on your WordPress plan.
Business or Commerce plan users have access to Jetpack Vault Backup, which includes everything (themes, plugins, etc.) and can be accessed at any time via the dashboard.
Backup links are only valid for 7 days.
Remember to delete previous backup files to free up space on your device.
While WordPress does back up your blog, regular manual backups (such as monthly or weekly) are recommended for added peace of mind.
The Activity Log feature allows recovery of accidentally deleted posts, with limitations based on your plan.
Keep a copy of this guide for future reference.

Have you ever lost content on your blog? If so, how did you handle it? What has been your experience with WordPress backups? Have you ever had to restore a backup? Are there any specific plugins or tools you recommend for backing up a self-hosted blog? Would you prefer to rely on WordPress’s automatic backups, or do you believe manual backups are essential? Join the discussion and leave your comments and answers.

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

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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Now This Is Why Keeping Your WordPress Site Updated Matters

Published on Jul 14, 2025Jul 14, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts62 Comments

WordPress has introduced a useful new feature that benefits all users, including those with a ‘Free’ plan.

With just a few clicks, you can check whether the version of WordPress you are using is up to date, whether any plugins you have installed are current, and if the theme of your WordPress site is the latest release.

Here’s how to verify that all your WordPress installations are up to date. I am using an Apple iMac desktop computer for this guide.

Go to the dashboard of your blog and click on Dashboard – Updates.

An image emphasising the 'Update' button on the dashboard of a WordPress blog. — Click the ‘Update’ button.

After clicking on Updates, you will see a page that informs you whether you are using the latest version of WordPress, plugins, and the WordPress theme you have installed.

An image of a page on a WordPress blog informing if WordPress, plugins and themes are all up to date. — Is everything on your WordPress blog updated?

If, like me, you are a WordPress.com user, WordPress will keep all these items up to date for you. So, why am I then informing you of this feature? Well, it’s all about retired themes and plugins that cause problems.

If you are using any plugins or a theme that has been retired, even if it appears you have the latest versions, any bugs affecting the theme or plugin since the final update will no longer be fixed because WordPress has withdrawn support.

How do I find out if the WordPress theme I’m using is still supported?

To find out if the WordPress theme you are using is still supported (and receiving updates), visit your blog’s dashboard and click Appearance – Themes. You will see a message indicating your theme is retired if it is no longer supported by WordPress. As we all know, using outdated themes can cause numerous problems for users.

Although a retired theme might not cause problems now, it could in the future. Some users attempt to use a workaround to avoid issues, but this is not advised, as it may lead to further problems. Instead of a workaround, switch to a current theme fully supported by WordPress. You don’t have to move to a Block theme if you prefer not to, since many Classic themes remain supported by WordPress. I am still using a Classic theme (Toujours) on my blog, which is fully supported.

Using an outdated, unsupported theme can lead to several issues. Here are a few.

1. Security vulnerabilities: Without ongoing updates, the theme may become prone to security risks that could compromise your blog.
2. Compatibility issues: As plugins and WordPress itself update, an outdated theme may not function correctly with newer versions, causing layout glitches, functional problems such as not being able to leave comments and issues with WordPress believing you are not logged in.
3. Lack of support: You won’t have access to official support for troubleshooting any issues or queries that arise with the theme. WordPress will advise you to change to a supported theme.
4. Performance issues: Unsupported themes may not be optimised for speed and performance, leading to slower load times.
5. Missed features: Regular updates often include new features and improvements; sticking with an unsupported theme means missing out on these enhancements, which could benefit your blog’s features and user experience.

If you are using a retired theme and refuse to switch to a supported one, there’s no point in blaming WordPress for any problems with your blog. It’s not their fault if you continue to use something they no longer support.

How do I change my WordPress theme?

Refer to the ‘Change Your Theme‘ page for complete details.

How do I change a retired plugin?

The best approach is to find a new plugin that provides similar functionality. You can search the WordPress plugin repository or other trusted sources for alternatives.

Conclusion:

Many users often blame WordPress for blog-related issues, which are frequently due to user error or outdated software on their devices.
WordPress has introduced a new feature that allows users, even on the free plan, to check if their WordPress version, plugins, and theme are up to date.
To check for updates, navigate to Dashboard – Updates in your blog’s dashboard. If everything is updated, great!
However, if you’re using retired themes or plugins, you won’t receive support or fixes for any issues that arise.
Unsupported themes can lead to security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues with newer updates, a lack of support, performance problems, and the omission of key features.
To determine if your theme is still supported, navigate to Appearance – Themes in the dashboard.
If it’s retired, consider switching to a supported theme or plugin for better performance and security.

Have you ever faced issues with outdated themes or plugins on your WordPress blog? How did you go about resolving them? Which themes are you currently using, and have you checked if they are still supported? Do you have any WordPress tips to share with others?

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

I’m getting tough with non-engaging comments. Comments such as ‘Nice post’ are marked as spam.

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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