One of the best ways to promote your blog for free is by sharing your blog posts on social media.
Social media has helped bring my blog thousands of visitors, with Twitter bringing the most.
Sharing Buttons: One Of The Most Powerful Tools Available To A Blogger.
WordPress offers sharing buttons so visitors can share your posts on social media.
These buttons are the best-placed option to encourage visitors to share your content on social media.
Where can sharing buttons be found on WordPress?
It depends on the WordPress theme you use, but most show sharing buttons at the end of blog posts which are the best-placed place for them. I have these sharing buttons on all my blog posts and pages.
Sharing buttons are influential in bringing traffic to your blog.
All of the above. Some of them are already available on your blog posts when you create your WordPress blog.
How do I add more sharing buttons to my blog posts?
I’m using WordPress’s ‘default’ view in the images and instructions for this demonstration.
Just under the sharing buttons, click on ‘Customize buttons.’ You can reach them via your blog’s dashboard if you cannot do this. Go to Tools – Marketing, and click on the Sharing buttons tab.
Where to edit sharing buttons on your WordPress blog.
Click on Edit Sharing Buttons.
Click the ‘Edit sharing buttons’ button.
Click on any of the sharing buttons to add or remove them. Ghosted-out sharing buttons are inactive and not displayed on your blog.
Ghosted-out sharing buttons are not active on your blog.
Click the Reorder button to move the sharing buttons to the order you want them to display on your blog and pages.
Click the Save button at the bottom of the page to save any changes you have made.
Click the Close button to close the Edit visible buttons window.
The Edit More button allows you to place sharing buttons behind the More sharing button. I’ve put the Email and Print sharing buttons behind the More button.
The Edit labeltext button lets users put their preferred text above the sharing buttons. Click on the button to open the text box. Mine reads, ‘ Please feel free to share this post.’
Add your own text to encourage visitors to share your blog posts.
Button styles – why you should not use the icon-only option.
WordPress offers users several styles for sharing buttons.
I recommend you use an option that offers text. Readers who use speech software on their devices will then know which social media platform each button is for.
Reminder
Remember that visitors can still share your blog posts on any social media platform, even if you don’t have a specific sharing button for it on your blog. However, if you want to discourage readers from sharing your posts on social media, you can remove the sharing buttons from your blog.
Let’s wrap it up
Sharing buttons are a powerful tool for sharing your posts for free and bringing traffic to your blog.
Sharing buttons can be edited on your blog. Choose which ones you want to appear on your blog posts and pages.
Ghosted-out sharing buttons mean that they are inactive on your blog.
Make sure you choose a sharing button style that contains text, as this helps visitors who use speech software identify the sharing buttons on your blog.
You can discourage visitors from sharing your posts by removing your blog’s sharing buttons. However, your posts can still be shared on social media.
If you have questions about sharing buttons or want to share which ones you have on your blog, please leave them in the comments section.
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WordPress recently announced that the auto-sharing of blog posts to Twitter ended on the 1st of May, 2023. You can read their announcement by clicking the following link – Why Twitter Auto-Sharing Is Coming to an End.
Don’t panic! There are still ways to auto-share your blog content on social media.
Does This Mean That Twitter Is Dead?
No. Despite many users deleting their Twitter accounts when Elon Musk took over (and some continuing to do so), Twitter is very much alive.
Although I’ve lost over one-hundred followers on Twitter, I still see traffic to my blog coming from it. As you’ll see from the following image, Twitter outperforms any other social media platform in the number of shares my blog gets.
Social Media Shares for Hugh’s Views And News.
Only the WordPress Reader and search engines outperform Twitter in the number of shares they bring to my blog. I am curious why so many people have shared my blog posts via Skype, though.
Has Twitter Become Worse Since Elon Musk Took It Over?
Many users feared that Twitter would become more hate-related. I’ve not seen any increase in hate-related content. That may be because I always avoid it. And like on other social media sites and WordPress, I block users who publish hate-related content or who leave nasty comments.
I’ve had a Twitter account since 2010. Four more years than my WordPress blog, and I’ve had more trolls visit my blog than have visited me on Twitter.
What’s The Best Way To Deal With Trolls Or Nasty Comments, Tweets or Blog Posts?
Never engage with them. Trolls move on when they don’t get any kind of reaction. Ignoring, blocking and marking their comments as spam is the best form of action.
If I don’t like something on television or the radio, I switch off or switch channels. Likewise, if I see anything I do not like on any social media platform, I move on. Any spam or hateful comments directed at me get reported, and I block the user.
While I have not liked all the changes that have occurred on Twitter, nothing has made me delete my account yet.
Am I Sad That WordPress Is Ending Auto-Share To Twitter?
You may be surprised by my answer, but no. While WordPress did its best to get a good deal for users, I’m glad it decided to walk away from negotiations. WordPress put its users first. Had it agreed to the inflated rates Twitter wanted, users would have been hit with price increases.
Will The Twitter Sharing Buttons On Blog Posts Still Work?
Yes. WordPress has confirmed that the Twitter sharing button will still work. No need to delete it. Users can still tweet your posts even if you do not have a Twitter account.
And although auto-sharing to Twitter is ending, you can still copy links to your blog posts and paste them into new tweets.
Is Auto-Sharing On WordPress Now Dead?
No. Users can still auto-share their posts to the following social media platforms.
Facebook
LinkedIn
Tumblr
In their announcement, WordPress also mentioned that auto-sharing was coming to Instagram and Mastodon (due mid-June 2023). However, I have heard that only those with an Instagram business account will have the ability to auto-share their blog posts. That may not be true, but more information will follow.
On May 3rd, I published a Wordless Wednesday post and was surprised to find that auto-sharing to Twitter was still working.
On May 5th, I published my Flash Fiction Friday post, and auto-sharing to Twitter was still working. By the time this post goes live, it may have stopped working, but I mentioned it to WordPress, and they came back with this response.
Auto-share may still work, but who knows how long for?
I guess it’s a little like WordPress themes that are no longer supported. They may become unreliable with no support, start to cause problems, and eventually stop working.
And a further update from WordPress on Twitter dated 9th May 2023.
As of 10th May 2023, auto-sharing to Twitter is still working.
Update 18th May 2023 – Auto-sharing to Twitter from WordPress has now been switched off.
Does Social Media Bring Traffic To Blogs?
Yes, but you must give it lots of time to work properly. Spreading yourself too thinly on social media by having too many social media accounts does not work. When I cut the number of social media accounts I had to two, I saw my blog stats take off.
Is It Worth Joining Instagram And Mastodon Now That WordPress Are Introducing Auto-Sharing To Them?
Only if you can give them the time to make them work for you and your blog.
You must engage with other users to gain followers. When I started engaging with other bloggers on WordPress, my stats boomed. When I started engaging with other users on Twitter, my stats boomed.
Don’t expect things to take off if you’re not prepared to give your time engaging with other users.
My recommendation is to stick with two or three social media platforms. Stay with those that work best for you.
What Is Mastodon?
I heard about Mastodon last year but only decided to create an account when I heard that auto-sharing to Twitter was ending.
It’s early days for me, but it has the look and feel of Twitter. I’ve added a Mastodon button to my social media widget. It’s the second button on the following bar.
However, it may take time for Mastoden to take off, so be prepared to wait. New social media platforms are being launched all the time. Remember to stick to just a few. Don’t spread your time too thin.
I will give Mastodon time, but I will delete my account if it does not work for me.
So far, it’s looking good because I am engaging with other users and, in turn, they are engaging with me. Some have been very helpful, although I’ve failed to find many WordPress users. So, if you’ve a Mastodon account, please consider connecting with me.
Instagram was one of the social media accounts I deleted a few years ago. I’ve no plans to rejoin Instagram.
Not Sure What Auto-Sharing Is Or How To Set It Up On WordPress?
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This is an updated version of a post originally published on Hugh’s Views And News in 2020.
Have you already cut ties with Twitter? Do you have a Mastodon account? Do you have any questions about auto-sharing on WordPress? Leave them in the comments section.
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Have you been blogging for long and fallen victim to some of the blogging traps out there?
I recommend thirteen quick blogging tips to get you started, become a better blogger, and avoid those traps.
13 Free Quick And Easy Blogging Tips
1. It’s all about me
Do you like to know something about the person behind the blog? I do, as it gives me an idea of what to expect when considering whether to follow a blog.
Every blogger and blog should have an ‘About me’ page.
Why? Because not only do most new visitors to your blog want to know a little about you before deciding whether to follow, but it’s also one of the most visited pages of the majority of blogs.
Take a look at how many times my ‘About me’ page has been viewed.
How many times has my ‘About me’ page been visited?
Yes, over 12,000 times! Check how often your blog’s ‘About me’ page has been visited. You may be surprised!
Tell visitors a little about yourself and at least give them a name by which they can call you. If you don’t want to use your real name, use one you’d like to be known by.
Ensure your blog does not have the original template for an ‘About me’ page. It will say ‘This Is An Example Of An About Me Page’ and contains no other information. How bad does that look to new visitors to your blog?
And remember to update your ‘About me’ page at least every 6 to 9 months or sooner if anything has changed.
2. Make some journeys outside of your blog
I’m always amazed by the information in the blogging world.
I’ve learned how to self-publishing a book, how to use social media and make it work for me, how to bake gin & tonic cupcakes, how to take great photos and, of course, picked up lots of blogging tips.
Reading other blog posts often ignites ideas for new posts.
Make sure to also check out the comments section, as this is another place to discover new bloggers and get ideas for future blog posts.
Even if you can only spare a few minutes a day, make sure you visit, read, and comment on other blogs.
3. Get talking to other bloggers
When you comment on another blog, other visitors will read and see it and may come and visit your blog. However, ensure your comments are always relevant to the post and prove that you have read it.
Comments of at least ten words or two sentences long show that you enjoy interacting with other bloggers and your audience.
Don’t overload comments with emojis, as they can appear spammy. Using emojis in blog posts is also considered a bad habit that can affect your blog’s ranking with SEOs like Google and Bing.
Avoid leaving lazy comments such as ‘Great Post.’ These types of comments add no value whatsoever.
Instead, tell the blogger what it was that made you think it was a great post or why you enjoyed reading it. They will appreciate your thoughtful comments far more and may visit your blog and become your next follower.
However, never feel obliged to leave a comment if you’ve nothing of value to add. Instead, click the ‘like’ button on the post. After all, that’s what the ‘like’ button is for.
4. Treat others how you’d want them to treat you
Don’t ignore anyone who has taken the time to read and leave a comment on any of your posts.
Most importantly, never ignore anyone who has taken the time to leave a comment on your ‘About me.’ page.
Think about it like this. You’ve invited a guest around for a coffee and a catch-up and completely ignore them. That’s like ignoring comments left on your blog.
Try and respond to comments promptly. However, responding a week later is far better than not responding at all.
Treat everyone who visits your blog as a guest and ensure they are made to feel welcome. After all, with millions of other blogs out there, they can always go elsewhere.
5. Not all links and pingbacks are seen as friendly
Never leave any links in a comment unless you have been invited to do so.
If you want to leave a link to one of your posts or to another blogger’s post because you believe it’s relevant, ask for permission first.
When I started blogging, I quickly learned from other bloggers that leaving uninvited links was frowned upon and seen as spammy.
What would you think if you owned a coffee shop and, without your permission, somebody from a rival coffee shop came in and left a lot of promotional leaflets about their coffee shop without your consent?
It’s not your blog to leave links on unless you have been invited or asked for permission to leave them.
Not sure how to deal with uninvited links or pingbacks left in comments on your blog posts? Edit them out by editing the comment first before approving it. Whoever is leaving uninvited links or pingbacks will soon get the message.
6. Take a challenge
There are lots of writing and photography challenges in the world of blogging.
Don’t be shy, have a try.
It will help you with your writing and photography skills, and other participants will come over and read or look at your entry.
It’s a great way to make new friends, have fun, and gain more followers.
Most challenges are held weekly, but some may be held monthly.
Here are details of some blogging challenges I’ve participated in. Click on the links for more information.
Can you imagine a TV or movie producer, an editor of a magazine, or another blogger wanting to contact you to invite you to write an article, and they can’t find a way of reaching you privately?
Many bloggers dream of making some extra cash with their blog, so if you don’t have a ‘contact me’ page and they can’t find a way of contacting you, they’ll probably move on and give that opportunity to somebody else.
Not everyone wants to leave a comment that other readers can see, so ensure your blog has a way for visitors to contact you privately.
Click here to learn how to set up a ‘Contact me’ page.
9. Invite a guest blogger
I’ve contacted and asked other bloggers and writers to write a guest post for publication on my blog. Many have accepted my invitation.
Once published, the guest blogger may reblog the post. Some may ask you to write a guest post for their blog, putting you in front of a brand-new audience.
Don’t be shy. Ask other bloggers and writers if they want to write a guest post. You’ll be surprised by how many bloggers and writers welcome guest blog post opportunities.
10. Take up an invite
On the other side of inviting guest bloggers, consider accepting opportunities for writing guest posts for publication on other blogs.
Remember what I said previously about being put in front of a brand new audience? Time for the spotlight to shine on you.
However, don’t fall into the trap of accepting every invite.
11. Sharing is caring
I no longer use the WordPress ‘reblog‘ button but, instead, use ‘Press This.’ to share other bloggers’ posts. I also share their posts on my social media platforms, especially if I have enjoyed reading them.
In return, many bloggers will share my posts, putting me and my blog in front of thousands of new readers.
By sharing blog posts, you are putting yourself in the position of the possibility of having your blog pushed to the front, where you may be discovered by new followers.
The more you share, the more you and your blog get noticed.
12. Social Media: The highway to your blog
Using social media to promote your blog is free and can help bring your blog lots of extra traffic.
But don’t take my word for it; check the following screenshot to see what additional shares social media brought to my blog in 2021.
Social Media Traffic
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You’ve written and published your best-ever blog post, yet hardly anyone is reading it or leaving you any comments. What are you doing wrong?
Struggling to find readers and get engagement?
I remember how disappointed I would get when posts I’d taken days to write got hardly any visits or comments. I felt as if I was talking to myself. I had to find ways to promote my blog without spending any cash.
Here are seven methods that help me promote my blog for free and have bought me amazing results.
1. Linking Up
There are generous bloggers out there who are always on the lookout for links to your blog posts. They want to help you promote your blog posts for free. Yes, for free!
Many run weekly link-up parties where they encourage other bloggers to leave a link to one of their blog posts.
These link-ups can attract hundreds of links. Many lead readers to interesting articles such as recipes, blogging and writing tips, health tips, music, reviews, arts and crafts, and short stories. The list is endless.
By participating in a link-up party and adding a link to your post, you’ll see increased visitors to your blog and comments being left on your posts.
However, the general rule is to click at least one link from another blogger and read and share their post for every link you leave. Leave a comment if you’ve something to say that adds value to the discussion.
It could bring even more visitors to your blog if you’re lucky enough to get your link and blog post featured the following week. As it happens, it’s happened to me this week.
Featured Blog Post
Here are a couple of link-up parties I regally participate in. Click on the buttons for more details.
My posts have been featured several times in these link-up parties, resulting in more traffic to my blog and more comments on my featured posts.
2. Blog Parties
Similar to link-up parties, blog parties are a great way to promote your blog to other bloggers and for you to discover new blogs to follow. The host will ask you to introduce yourself in the comments section, mingle with other participants and leave a link to your blog or to one of your own blog posts.
Unlike link-up parties, which tend to be held on the same day every week, blog parties tend to happen much less regally.
When I first started blogging, I hosted and participated in blog parties. I always found them to be successful and beneficial.
The rule is if you leave a link to your blog, you must at least visit some of the blogs of other people at the party. It’s another free way to promote yourself and one of your blog posts and make some new friends in the blogging community.
3. Pingbacks
A pingback is a link inserted into a post that takes the reader to another web page when clicked. They are used to connect to another website or blog post where the subject is similar to the post being read or when introducing or referring to someone. I’ve used pingbacks in this post.
Search engine optimisations such as Google and Bing rank posts containing pingbacks higher than those that don’t include pingbacks. However, beware of broken pingbacks in your blog posts because they have the reverse effect, and SEOs will downgrade the posts.
If you link to another blogger’s post via a pingback, it will appear as a link to your blog post in the comments section of the post you are connecting to. Here’s an image of a pingback I created that appeared on the blog post I was linking to.
Pingback
Anybody clicking on the pingback will be taken to the post it appears on.
However, not all bloggers allow pingbacks, so they may not appear in the comments section.
If pingbacks are allowed, the blogger you linked to may come back and thank you for linking to their post. In return, some may link up to one of your blog posts. However, nobody is under any obligation to do so.
You can also use a pingback to link to one of your blog posts. However, only do this if the post’s subject is similar to what you are connecting to.
Never insert links to your posts (or those of other bloggers) if there is no clear theme to the post you are linking to, as this comes over as spammy.
Top Tip: Try and add at least one pingback to every post you publish. You’ll soon see results and benefits.
And don’t forget that you can also add pingbacks to images and photos on your blog posts.
Not sure how to create a pingback? Click here for a step-by-step guide.
4. Guest Blogging
Many bloggers are often on the lookout for guest bloggers.
I’ve written many guest posts that have put my blog and writing in front of new audiences.
I’ve had people write guest posts for my blog.
It’s a fantastic free way to get you and your blog in front of a brand new audience.
However, ask yourself these questions before you accept an invitation to write a guest post.
Are you writing for the right audience?
Will their readers find your article interesting?
Are there any restrictions on word count?
Are there any restrictions on what you can write about?
Is the blogger you’re writing the post for asking for anything in return?
When spending time deciding which blogs you’re going to write guest posts for, always ensure it’s going to be published in front of an audience that will want to read more of your posts and visit your blog.
Don’t be afraid of approaching other bloggers to ask if they accept guest posts. You’ll be amazed at how many bloggers take guest posts even though they don’t advertise it.
5. Social Media
The sharing buttons at the bottom of blog posts are free to use, so every blogger should use them well.
Tip: WordPress has a feature that will automatically share your posts to your social media accounts. Click here to find out the details.
I recommend not having more than a couple of primary social media accounts (so as not to spread yourself too thinly). However, you should always share your posts on all your social media platforms.
Likewise, share the posts of other bloggers on your social media platforms. In turn, some may share your posts on their social media channels. This can result in lots of new visitors to your blog.
Take a look at the following screenshot showing where most of my blog’s traffic comes from.
This is how powerful social media is at bringing traffic to your blog
I’ve highlighted the social media platforms that have sent traffic to my blog.
It proves that social media is a fantastic place to promote your blog posts and other bloggers’ posts for free.
Social media can demand a lot of time to work correctly (that’s why I recommended that you should have no more than a couple of primary social media accounts). I’ve found that the more time I give a social media platform, the better the results are in getting traffic from it.
6. Leaving Comments
No doubt leaving good quality comments that add value to other blog posts will get readers to your blog. Plus, it’s free to do.
Whenever I see a great comment that asks questions or has added value to a post, I will visit the person’s blog who left the comment. If they’ve left a comment that was interesting to read, they’ll probably be publishing blog posts that are interesting to read.
Beware of leaving too many short comments that add no value because those comments can have the reverse effect. Comments such as ‘Great Post’ or ‘Thanks for writing this’ or just a line of emojis look spammy.
You want your blog to look like it’s a place of good quality and interesting blog posts, don’t you? Then leave good quality and interesting comments on the posts of other bloggers.
7. Take Up A Challenge
Blog challenges can be found all over the blogging world. They are usually a writing or photography challenge (others are also available).
Hosted by other bloggers, not only can they get your creative cogs producing great blog posts, but they also help in that they put you in front of a whole new audience for free!
Using a pingback, you link your post back to the post of the blogger hosting the challenge. Once there, your pingback will attract other readers and participants to your blog.
Many blog challenge hosts will promote those who have participated by including them in a round-up post. Some also reblog some of the entries. Other participants will also visit and comment on the post you published for the challenge. They may even follow your blog!
Here’s a list of some of the blog challenges I participate in. Click on the buttons to find out more details.
Every time I participate in a blog challenge, I get lots of traffic and more comments on my blog and get new followers too.
Let’s wrap it up
You don’t need to spend cash to promote your blog. There are lots of free ways to promote it.
Never feel ashamed or frightened of promoting your blog.
Search engine optimisations rank posts high if they include pingbacks. Ensure every blog post you write includes at least one pingback.
Don’t forget that you can add pingbacks to photos and images on blog posts.
Make good use of the sharing buttons at the bottom of your posts and other bloggers’ posts.
Make sure you share your blog posts on all your social media accounts.
Join link-up and blog parties, but remember to visit other participants’ blogs, read their posts and leave them comments. They’ll return your visit.
Before accepting an invitation to write a guest blog post, ensure you’ll write it for the right audience.
Don’t be afraid to ask other bloggers if they accept guest blog posts or if they’d like to write a guest post for publication on your blog.
Participating in blog challenges is an excellent way to promote your blog. Plus, challenges can spark new ideas for posts and are a great way of putting you in touch with other bloggers and finding a new audience.
Leaving good quality comments on other blogs is one of the easiest ways of promoting your blog. Other readers will be intrigued about who you are and what you write about.
What do you do to promote your blog for free? Have you tried any of the methods I’ve outlined in this post? What were the results?
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Every blogger should be active on at least one other social media platform besides blogging. Why? Because it’s a free way to get you, your blog and your books in front of new audiences.
Looking to promote your blog for free?
Unless you tell your readers what social media platforms you’re on, then they’ll probably only find you by chance. That’s why you should do all you can to promote where your readers can also find you and your books.
WordPress has made the ‘Social Icons’ widget into a block that makes it easy to advertise your social media accounts on your blog posts and pages. And, best of all, once you’ve created it, with a single click, you can add it to every blog post and page.
The ‘Social Icons‘ block takes away the ‘probably’ and does the job perfectly.
Let’s get started. Here’s how to create your ‘Social Icons’ block.
The ‘Social Icons’ block can be added to a new blog post (or one you’ve already published).
Click the ‘add new block button’.
Search for the block by adding ‘social icons’ in the search-bar.
Click the ‘Social Icons’ block to add it to your post.
Where to find the ‘Social Icons’ block
Next, follow the instructions on the following image to start adding social media icons to the block. I’ve also listed the instructions under the image.
Adding your social media accounts to the block
Click the ‘plus’ sign just above the window that shows social icons images.
Use the search-bar to find social icons.
Click on the social icons you want to add to the block.
For a full list of available social icons, click on ‘Browse all.’
In my case, I’ve added social icons for Twitter, WordPress, Amazon, Goodreads and Flipboard.
Social icons on the social icons block
Useful Tip: Use the ‘link‘ icon for any social icons WordPress does not have icons for. I’ve done this for my Flipboard account.
No social media icon? No problem!
Note: Until you’ve linked your social media accounts to the icons, they will be ‘ghosted’ out.
To link your social media accounts to each icon, click on each icon and copy and paste the URL address of the relevant social media account in the bar that appears.
Adding your social media accounts to the social icons
Remember to always click the ‘Apply’ button after adding each account.
As you add each address, the icon will no longer be ‘ghosted’ out.
Now you’ve added and linked your social media accounts to all icons, it’s time to choose a few more features. You’ll find these on the righthand side of the screen when clicking on the ‘Social Icons’ block you’ve created. Here’s a screenshot of what you’ll see and some features I’ve highlighted.
Social icons features
The features include –
The style of each icon. In my case I chose the ‘Pill’ shape for the icons.
The option of wether a new window opens when somebody clicks on one of the icons.
Choice of colours for the icons
I highly recommend that you switch on the ‘Open links in new tab‘ feature so that the page your reader is on when clicking on the icons does not close down. After all, you don’t want anybody leaving your blog when clicking on one of the icons, do you?
Can the size of the social icons be changed?
Yes. Click the ‘Size’ button in the ‘social Icons’ block’s toolbar to change the size of the icons.
Changing the size of your social media icons
You can also change the alignment and the items justification of the icons in the block’s toolbar.
How to turn your ‘Social Icon’ block into a reusable block.
If you want to add your ‘Social Icons’ block with just one click onto all your blog posts (and I recommend you do), you’ll need to make the block reusable. My post How To Add A Reusable Block To A WordPress Blog Using The Gutenberg Editor gives full details on how to do this, but here’s an image that quickly outlines the details.
Creating a reusable block
Any edits or updates you do to a reusable block are applied everywhere you’ve used the block. Therefore, if any of your social media accounts get a new URL address, all you need to do is edit the address in the reusable block. You don’t need to visit and make the changes on every blog post where the block appears. Reusable blocks are excellent for adding details of your books to blog posts especially when doing occasional special deals on them.
Finally, most importantly, make sure the icons in the block work and go to the correct social media accounts before using the block on your posts.
Let’s Wrap It Up
Social media is one of the best ways to promote your blog and books for free.
Use the ‘social icons’ block to promote your social media accounts and let readers know where to find you.
The ‘social icons’ block is easy to set up and use. Follow the guide in this post.
Use the ‘link’ icon to crate a button for social media platforms WordPress does not offer an icon for.
To stop readers leaving your blog when clicking on your ‘social Icons’ block, make sure the ‘open links in new tab’ button is switched on.
Turn your ‘social icons’ block into a reusable block that can be inserted on all posts and pages with just one click.
Any changes you make to your ‘social icons’ reusable block will be implemented wherever the block appears. No need to make the changes on every post!
I recently asked the following question on Twitter.
#bloggingcommunity and #WritingCommunity – do you respond to all the comments left on your posts? I've left several comments on an author's blog and he never bothers to respond to mine or other comments. Should I unfollow?
To reply to comments I try to publish during days that I can answer sooner than later. Begs the question of why blog if you don't want the interaction/discussion? That's the fun part of publishing a post is the response. I would unfollow.
I respond to all comments on my posts. Then again, I do not get a high number of comments. I think it's important to reply to people who take the time to make a comment or offer feedback. Everyone has a different approach to it, though. Does the author respond to anyone?
I always try to reply to comments in a timely fashion & appreciate all those who take the time to not only read but leave me a comment on my posts. I’d feel lost without that engagement. If it’s a blog that interest you Hugh stick with it otherwise unfollow.
I ALWAYS reply to comments on my blog, Hugh. I think it's the least a blogger can do after somebody spends time and shows interest to read and comment. If ignoring you happens more than once, I would unfollow. Unless the topic interests you. Then, I would read without commenting.
Always – I don't get lots of comments so it only seems right. When I get overwhelming numbers I'll just gradually work them down even if it takes a few days.
I've stopped reading blogs if they don't bother responding or just give a lazy response.
Yes I always reply to comments. Unless you’re a megastar of some sort and you simply can’t keep up with numbers, just not responding seems rude and suggests disinterest. We might all miss one sometimes though.
Comments can be fun. If I take part in a prompt, a blog hop, I read and respond to the others. If someone comments at my site I respond. I have begun to leave off the habitual nonresponders. A minimal 'thanks' from me is more of my own difficulty with compliments. I love comments
I’ve been involved in some great discussions on Twitter. This one inspired this post.
How did all this start?
It all started when I came across a tweet from an indie author advertising one of his books.
While checking out his Twitter profile, I noticed that one of the right things he’d done was to include a link to his blog. His books looked interesting, so I decided to check out his blog and engage with him.
However, several weeks later, he had not acknowledged or responded to any comments or questions left on his blog posts. Yet he remained active by publishing new blog posts a couple of times a week.
This got me thinking not only about bloggers who do not respond to comments, but some of the responses I often see – those lazy responses that James referred to.
Now I know it’s up to each blogger how they handle comments left on their posts, but am I the only blogger who finds that not responding to comments is a strange occurrence?
After all, leaving good meaningful comments does seem to work. Take a look at Marsha’s response to some comments I’d left on one of her blog posts.
What do you think about comments such as Great Post, Nice Story, or Lovely photos? Have you left comments like those or asked yourself ‘why don’t they tell us what made it a great post, nice story, or what it was that made those photos lovely ?
How to respond to short comments
Reader – “Great post.”
Me – “Thanks!”
Reader – “You’re welcome.”
Are those comments beneficial or should they be deleted?
Why do readers’ leave ‘Great post’ comments?
Is it because they’re trying to read and leave comments on too many blog posts in too little time?
Do they feel guilty if not leaving any kind of comment on a post they read so short ones will do?
Is it because they haven’t really read the post?
Is it because they don’t have the time to get into any discussion about the topic of the post?
Is it because what they were going to say has already been said by somebody else?
What are lazy responses?
For me, they’re the types of responses that let all the air out of your blogging balloon. You’ve left a great comment that opens up for a discussion about the post you’ve just read, but all you get back is a ‘Thank youfor your comment.’
How deflated does that kind of response make you feel when you left a comment that asks questions and opens up a discussion?
I believe this is what James was referring to in his answer to my question on Twitter. But is a lazy response any better than no response at all?
Maybe you’re somebody who doesn’t mind getting and leaving short comments. Are there any reasons why you leave them?
What are the benefits of leaving short comments?
Maybe you’re somebody who doesn’t like getting into discussions on your blog posts?
Are there any benefits to leaving lazy responses?
If I told you that I delete any comments that only include emojis or words such as ‘Great post‘, would you think I was being too harsh?
Finally, this reply to my question on Twitter really got my attention.
I often don’t reply to comments on my blog but I do go and comment on the commenters own blog, figuring they’d probably prefer that? But if it’s totally one sided and you aren’t feeling it, just move along
What do you think about Lydia’s answer? Do people really care whether you respond to their comments or not?
How would you respond to the question I asked on Twitter? Do you like getting into discussions when replying to comments on your blog posts? Let’s cary on the discussion here. Join the conversation by leaving me a comment.
WordPress is moving more and more options that were only initially available via the WP Admin button to the new style dashboard on WordPress.Com blogs.
It’s something I’ve noticed happening a lot and makes perfect sense while they improve security, and update and redesign their platform.
You may ask “What are these options, Hugh?”
Well, I’ve decided to update some of my older posts where the WP Admin button was used so that I can show you how to make the same changes via the new style WordPress dashboard.
I’m kicking off with one of my pet hates – bloggers who haven’t connected their Twitter account to their WordPress blog.
Blogging tips from Hugh
For me, Twitter is a great place to give my blog posts some free publicity. And who doesn’t like some free publicity?
Twitter is also an excellent place for promoting blog posts I’ve enjoyed reading, and is the third biggest referrer of traffic to my blog.
Have you come across this problem?
You click the Twitter sharing button on a blog post you’ve enjoyed reading, and instead of the blogger’s Twitter username appearing at the end of the tweet, you see @WordPress.Com instead!
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Why does it happen?
Because the blogger has not connected their Twitter account to their blog.
Of course, they may not know they can connect it or just haven’t done it.
But it’s a problem that’s easy and quick to fix.
Let’s get started.
On the dashboard of your blog, click on Tools and then on Marketing.
Click on Tools and Marketing
On the Marketing and Integrations page that opens, click on Sharing Buttons.
Click on sharing buttons
In the Options block, look for the Twitter Username box and add your Twitter username in the box.
Enter your Twitter username in the box
Click the Save Changes button.
There is one last job you need to do to connect your Twitter account to your blog.
On the Marketing and Integrations page, click on Connections and click the connect button next to Twitter.
Click on the Twitter connect button
A new window will open.
Click on the Authorize App button.
WordPress will look for your Twitter account, and in an onscreen message will show you your Twitter user name.
If the username is correct, click on the Connect button.
Click on the connect button
Your Twitter account is now connected to your WordPress blog.
Now, every time you publish a new blog post, it will be shared on your Twitter account. Your Twitter username will also appear at the end of the tweet.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
This is an updated version of a post originally published on Hugh’s Views And News in 2020.
Are you on Twitter? Leave your Twitter username in the comments section so we can follow you.
Categorising and tagging your blog posts correctly is one of the most powerful way of getting your blog posts noticed. My post will show you how to add categories and tag words correctly, resulting in more visitors to your blog.
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