#questionsaboutblogging — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #questionsaboutblogging, aggregated by home.social.
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WordPress: How To Close Comments: What You Need To Know https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2024/07/08/wordpress-how-to-close-comments-what-you-need-to-know/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #Comments, #HowTo, #Pingbacks, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp, #WordPressSupport
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WordPress: How To Close Comments: What You Need To Know https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2024/07/08/wordpress-how-to-close-comments-what-you-need-to-know/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #Comments, #HowTo, #Pingbacks, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp, #WordPressSupport
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WordPress: How To Close Comments: What You Need To Know
WordPress has managed to do it once more! It’s relocated a setting I frequently use, seemingly without informing anyone.
During a recent post-drafting session, I attempted to disable comments on a post. I had difficulty locating the ‘Discussion’ setting, which is the usual place to enable or disable comments on individual posts.
Why turn comments off?
I consistently close comments whenever I share another blogger’s post or a guest post I’ve written on another blog. This strategy ensures that new comments appear on the original post, consolidating the discussion in one place rather than being split between two posts. Kinda makes sense, doesn’t it?
Some bloggers also choose to close comments on older posts as a proactive measure. This practice became popular when WordPress faced a significant spam issue. Specific posts received hundreds of spam comments daily, making it challenging for bloggers to sift through the spam in their WordPress folders to find authentic comments that can sometimes end up there.
The installation of the updated Askimet anti-spam software in 2023 has led to a significant improvement in the spam situation. Thanks to Askimet’s enhanced functionality, the previously prevalent issue of hundreds of visible spam comments daily has been effectively curtailed to just a few a week. Consequently, there is no longer a necessity to close comments on these posts.
Where has the ‘Discussion’ setting gone?
The ‘Discussion’ setting used to be located at the bottom of a post’s settings box.
The ‘Discussion’ setting used to sit under ‘Tags.’Now, the discussion setting has been conveniently moved to the top of the post settings panel, rather than the bottom. This new placement, coupled with a clear indication of whether post comments are open or closed, significantly enhances the ease and user-friendliness of managing comments and pingbacks.
Changing the discussion setting is straightforward. Click on ‘open‘ or ‘closed‘ to make the change.
The ‘Discussion’ setting is now further up the ‘draft post’ section of a post.This simple, user-friendly system also allows you to control comments, pingbacks, and trackbacks.
This is where to turn pingbacks on or off for your WordPress posts.Pingbacks and trackbacks are methods for alerting other blogs that you have linked to them. However, they only work when the blog you’re linking to has enabled pingbacks and trackbacks, and you do not link to a blog’s home page. My post, ‘The Power Of Pingbacks: How To Create One‘, has more details.
Do you disable comments on posts? If so, which posts? Do you have any questions about the ‘Discussion’ setting on WordPress? Please leave them in the comments box.
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The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.
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Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #Comments #HowTo #Pingbacks #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp #WordPressSupport -
Blogging Simplified: Engagement. Am I Doing It Right? https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2024/06/17/blogging-simplified-engagement-am-i-doing-it-right/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #Comments, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #RespondingToComments, #Spam, #Spammers
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WordPress constantly changes; some things keep changing and return to where they were before. That’s why I’ve updated and am republishing this post from July 2023.
This is where to find the ‘Open in new tab’ box on WordPress.If, like me, when you create a pingback, you prefer links to open in a new window rather than in the same window you’re viewing (thus losing the page), it’s vital that you tick the ‘open in new tab‘ box when adding links or pingbacks to a blog post.
The ‘open in new tab‘ box used to be visible when creating a pingback but has reverted to being hidden again. I don’t know why, but I wanted to show you where to find it.
If you’re unsure what a pingback is or how to create one, my post, ‘The Power Of Pingbacks: How To Create One,’ has all the details.
- Highlight the word(s) to which you want to add your pingback.
- Click the pingback icon in the open toolbar, and add or search the URL address of the page, post or site you want to link to.
- Click the ‘edit‘ button.
- In the new window that opens, tick the ‘Open in new tab‘ box.
- Click the ‘Save‘ button.
- When a reader clicks the pingback in the post, the link will now open in a new window (not on the same page they’re reading).
- Want to test it? Click the following link – Meet Hugh. It should open in a new tab on your device.
Let’s hope that WordPress leaves the ‘open in new tab‘ box where it is.
If you have any inquiries about pingbacks or the ‘Open in new tab’ option, please feel free to ask in the comments section.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
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If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
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https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2024/03/04/wordpress-open-in-new-tab-box-where-is-it/
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingTools #HowTo #Pingback #Pingbacks #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp
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December Can Be Quiet In The Blogging World. 7 Essential, Easy Ways to Help Your Blog Through It https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/12/11/december-can-be-quiet-in-the-blogging-world-7-essential-easy-ways-to-help-your-blog-through-it/ #BlockEditor, #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #December, #HelpWithBlogging, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress
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December Can Be Quiet In The Blogging World. 7 Essential, Easy Ways to Help Your Blog Through It https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/12/11/december-can-be-quiet-in-the-blogging-world-7-essential-easy-ways-to-help-your-blog-through-it/ #BlockEditor, #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #December, #HelpWithBlogging, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress
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Exploring Multiple Avenues: How to Contact WordPress for Support: 6 Best Ways https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/11/27/exploring-multiple-avenues-how-to-contact-wordpress-for-support-6-best-ways/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingProblems, #BloggingQuestions, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp, #WordPressSupport <- Hugh, always helpful.
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Exploring Multiple Avenues: How to Contact WordPress for Support: 6 Best Ways https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/11/27/exploring-multiple-avenues-how-to-contact-wordpress-for-support-6-best-ways/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingProblems, #BloggingQuestions, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp, #WordPressSupport <- Hugh, always helpful.
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Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a novice blogger, there might come a time when you need assistance or have questions about your WordPress site.
Have you ever had to contact WordPress? What’s your preferred method and experience of contacting them?
What’s your preferred method to contact WordPress?During the ten years I’ve been blogging, I’ve contacted WordPress many times for support with my blog. I’ve always received good support from them.
From reporting bugs to getting answers to my questions and getting deals on renewing my WordPress plan, they’ve always been helpful and friendly.
But does the level of support vary depending on which WordPress plan you have?
Fortunately, WordPress offers various channels for users to seek help and find solutions to their queries. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can contact WordPress for support.
WordPress Support Forums
The forums cover various topics, from general troubleshooting to specific plugins or theme-related queries.
This is my preferred way of contacting WordPress as their staff (Happiness Engineers) get involved in your query, as do other blogging community members.
Users worldwide share their knowledge and assist each other in the forums. You can post your questions, describe your issues, and receive helpful responses from experienced WordPress users, moderators, and WordPress staff.
I’ve helped bloggers out with their queries and questions on the forums.
Next time you have a question or a problem with your blog, give the Forums a go. I’ve had great success with them. And who knows? It may be me who responds to your question or query.
Click the following link to go to the WordPress.Com Forums.
Official WordPress How-To Documentation
Before reaching out for help, the official WordPress how-to documentation is worth checking out.
These comprehensive resources provide detailed information about WordPress features, settings, and troubleshooting tips.
Many common issues have step-by-step solutions outlined in these guides, making it an excellent self-help option.
Click the following link to go to the Official WordPress How-To Documents.
WordPress Support via Email
For more personalised assistance, you can contact WordPress support via email. The official WordPress support email address can only be accessed by completing a form – Contact Us.
When reaching out through email, be sure to provide detailed information about your issue, including the name of your blog, which WordPress plan you are on, which WordPress theme you use, which device you are using, and details of the device’s operating system.
The more details you provide, the easier it is for the support team to understand and address your problem.
Social Media Channels
WordPress is active on various social media platforms, including X and Facebook.
You can follow official WordPress accounts and use these platforms to ask questions or seek assistance. Community members and WordPress developers often actively monitor these channels and may respond to your queries.
I’ve spoken with WordPress staff on X and have found them professional, helpful and friendly. After talking to them on X, I even got a discount code for renewing my WordPress plan.
Live Chat Support
This can be a quick way to get real-time assistance.
If you’re lucky enough to have a WordPress plan that offers Live Chat, it’s an instant way of getting help from a staff member at WordPress, although I have found that Live Chat isn’t always available.
Although I’ve always had much success with Live Chat, it can sometimes be time-consuming.
As well as having details of your blogging problem or question, give details of which device and operating system you are using. Screenshots of errors or bugs are also helpful and help resolve issues quickly.
To find out if your WordPress plan has Live Chat, click the question mark icon in the top right of your screen and click the ‘Still need help‘ button, and you’ll see a list of options available to you.
Live chat is great for getting an instant response from WordPress.Users with a free or starter WordPress plan or those on a monthly subscription cannot access Live Chat.
Hire a WordPress Developer
Hiring a WordPress developer might be the best solution for complex issues or customisation requirements. However, this could be an expensive option.
If you do go down the route of this option, I’d recommend you ask around first to find out if anybody can recommend a computer savvy who knows their way around the WordPress platform. Asking the blogging community is always a good option.
If you want to hire a member of the WordPress staff to sort out problems with your blog, contact them via email at [email protected].
WordPress isn’t always at fault, but sometimes they are.
You only have to look at the WordPress Forums to see that some problems are caused by users rather than WordPress. They’re usually not following the correct procedures or do not understand how something works.
I recently saw a user blame WordPress because they could not add images to their posts. It turned out that they’d never reduced the size of the images they were downloading into their media library; hence, they’d run out of media space.
Some bloggers also give out incorrect information to other bloggers. I had to step in when one blogger said everyone had to be logged into WordPress to leave comments on any WordPress blog. That is not true, and I corrected them explaining that all bloggers can choose via their blog settings whether or not readers had to be logged into WordPress to be able to leave a comment.
So, WordPress are not always at fault.
Of course, the WordPress platform will have bugs like any online site and platform, but WordPress will only know about them if you report them. Don’t sit back and hope that somebody else will do the job.
Sometimes, problems can be related to just one blog.
I recently had a problem with my blog, which only seemed to be affecting me. I stopped getting email notifications of new comments being left on my blog posts.
From the moment I reported the problem, the WordPress staff I spoke with on the Forums were not only accommodating and kept me updated, but they finally got to the bottom of what was causing the problem and fixed it.
My blogging friend Colleen Chesebro also reported problems around some Full Site Editoring themes. WordPress has since withdrawn some of the themes without any notice to users. They’d launched these themes too soon without proper testing, so sometimes, WordPress can be at fault.
However, I hear that current changes to the FSE Themes make them easier to use and install. I think the very least WordPress could have done was give notice first to those using the FSE themes they were going to withdraw.
For now, I’m sticking with my Classic theme, which WordPress still supports (along with over 50 other Classic themes).
Finally, whenever contacting WordPress, please be friendly. Treat them how you expect them to treat you. Being angry, impatient or nasty does nobody any good.
Conclusion:
WordPress has built a robust and supportive community that caters to users of all skill levels. Whether you prefer community-driven forums, official documentation, or personalised support via email, various channels are available to help you navigate any WordPress-related challenges.
By exploring these options, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience as you build and manage your WordPress blog.
What’s your experience with reporting problems to WordPress? What methods do you use to report problems? Are you currently experiencing any issues with WordPress? If so, what are they and have you reported them to WordPress? Share your experiences in the comments section.
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Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingProblems #BloggingQuestions #HelpWithBlogging #HowTo #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp #WordPressSupport
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Experiencing Problems With Leaving Comments On WordPress? This Is What I Found. Read This Post Now https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/10/10/experiencing-problems-with-leaving-comments-on-wordpress-this-is-what-i-found-read-this-post-now/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTips, #BloggingTools, #Comments, #HelpWithBlogging, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #RespondingToComments, #WordPress, #WordPressProblems
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What Do You Feel About Blog Commenting? This Is What Two Bloggers Think https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/10/05/what-do-you-feel-about-blog-commenting-this-is-what-two-bloggers-think/ #BlogPromotion, #Bloggers, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingCommunity, #BloggingHelp, #Blogs, #Commenting, #Comments, #HelpWithBlogging, #QuestionsAboutBlogging
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How To Find Free Photos And Images On WordPress: Why You Should Use Them. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/09/25/how-to-find-free-photos-and-images-on-wordpress-why-you-should-use-them/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #MediaLibrary, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp <- Very good advice
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How To Find Free Photos And Images On WordPress: Why You Should Use Them. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/09/25/how-to-find-free-photos-and-images-on-wordpress-why-you-should-use-them/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #MediaLibrary, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp <- Very good advice
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How To Find Free Photos And Images On WordPress: Why You Should Use Them. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/09/25/how-to-find-free-photos-and-images-on-wordpress-why-you-should-use-them/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #MediaLibrary, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp <- Very good advice
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What Kind Of Comments Are The Best To Leave On Blog Posts? https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/09/04/what-kind-of-comments-are-the-best-to-leave-on-blog-posts/ #Bloggers, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTips, #Blogs, #Comments, #Commeting, #Engaging, #HelpWithBlogging, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #RespondingToComments
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Is It Possible To Add Images And Photos To Comments On WordPress? Yes! Here's How. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/21/is-it-possible-to-add-images-and-photos-to-comments-on-wordpress-yes-heres-how/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #HowTo, #Images, #Photos, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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Is It Possible To Add Images And Photos To Comments On WordPress? Yes! Here's How. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/21/is-it-possible-to-add-images-and-photos-to-comments-on-wordpress-yes-heres-how/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #HowTo, #Images, #Photos, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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Is It Possible To Add Images And Photos To Comments On WordPress? Yes! Here's How. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/21/is-it-possible-to-add-images-and-photos-to-comments-on-wordpress-yes-heres-how/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #HowTo, #Images, #Photos, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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Is It Possible To Add Images And Photos To Comments On WordPress? Yes! Here’s How.
Have you seen images and photos in the comments section of blog posts and wondered how they were left there? It’s something I’ve written about before and, given the many changes at WordPress since I last wrote about it, deserves an update.
When adding images and photos to comments, we have to be careful about what we include. We should always ensure the photo or image is connected to the subject of the post we’re commenting on. And not only that.
If a blogger invites readers to submit photos or images (such as in a photography challenge), go ahead and submit them.
However, leaving an image or photo just for the sake of it is frowned upon by many bloggers, who will mark it as spam. And given that blogs are attacked by spammers daily, I don’t blame bloggers for marking uninvited images and photos as spam.
I’ve added images and photos to the comment sections of my blog posts and to the comments I have left on other bloggers’ blogs. However, unless I’ve been invited to leave an image or photo, I won’t leave them.
While many bloggers will be happy for you to leave images and photos, it’s always polite to ask first.
How to add images and photos to your comments
- Add the image or photo to your WordPress media library.
- Once the image has been added, click it and click the edit button to open it.
- On the righthand side of the screen, you’ll see a window where you can add details about your image. It’s important to complete these details (see the image below).
- Click the ‘Copy‘ button in the URL box.
- Paste the URL address into your comment.
- Do not, at this stage, submit your comment as you need to edit one part of the text within the link.
- Carefully delete the ‘s‘ from the ‘https‘ at the beginning of the link address, so it reads ‘http‘. (If you do not delete the ‘s‘ the image will not show in the comment).
- Ensure your link ends with ‘.png’ or ‘.jpg’. If it doesn’t, delete any text after ‘.png’ or ‘.jpg’.
- You can now submit your comment.
The image will now show in the comment. However, remember that if you are leaving an image in a comment on another blogger’s blog, they may need to approve it (and may even remove the link to the image) before it appears.
I’ve only found this to work on WordPress.Com blogs. On self-hosted blogs, only the image link is visible, not the image itself. However, those clicking on the link will see the image.
Note: Not all images and photos will appear if the security settings in your web browser are set to high. However, this does not affect the photos or pictures you leave in the comments of your own blog posts. I recommend that you not change the security settings on your web browser.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Yes, it is possible to insert images and photos into comments on WordPress.
- After inserting the URL address of the image, ensure you remove the ‘s‘ from the beginning of the URL so that ‘https’ becomes ‘http.’
- Only leave images and photos in comments if invited to do so or if you have asked for permission to do so first.
- If the security settings on your web browser are set high, images and photos may not show. However, this does not affect the photos or pictures you leave in the comments of your own blog posts.
Want to give inserting an image or photo into a comment a go?
Leave me a comment with the link to your image. Perhaps it can be a photo of your latest book cover or of a family pet. I’ll leave it up to you, but only family-friendly images and photos, please.
If you have any further questions about inserting images or photos into the comments, leave them in the comments section.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
Follow Hugh on social media. Click the buttons below.
If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, enter your email address and click ‘Subscribe’ to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #HowTo #Images #Photos #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp -
Is It Possible To Add Images And Photos To Comments On WordPress? Yes! Here’s How.
Have you seen images and photos in the comments section of blog posts and wondered how they were left there? It’s something I’ve written about before and, given the many changes at WordPress since I last wrote about it, deserves an update.
When adding images and photos to comments, we have to be careful about what we include. We should always ensure the photo or image is connected to the subject of the post we’re commenting on. And not only that.
If a blogger invites readers to submit photos or images (such as in a photography challenge), go ahead and submit them.
However, leaving an image or photo just for the sake of it is frowned upon by many bloggers, who will mark it as spam. And given that blogs are attacked by spammers daily, I don’t blame bloggers for marking uninvited images and photos as spam.
I’ve added images and photos to the comment sections of my blog posts and to the comments I have left on other bloggers’ blogs. However, unless I’ve been invited to leave an image or photo, I won’t leave them.
While many bloggers will be happy for you to leave images and photos, it’s always polite to ask first.
How to add images and photos to your comments
- Add the image or photo to your WordPress media library.
- Once the image has been added, click it and click the edit button to open it.
- On the righthand side of the screen, you’ll see a window where you can add details about your image. It’s important to complete these details (see the image below).
- Click the ‘Copy‘ button in the URL box.
- Paste the URL address into your comment.
- Do not, at this stage, submit your comment as you need to edit one part of the text within the link.
- Carefully delete the ‘s‘ from the ‘https‘ at the beginning of the link address, so it reads ‘http‘. (If you do not delete the ‘s‘ the image will not show in the comment).
- Ensure your link ends with ‘.png’ or ‘.jpg’. If it doesn’t, delete any text after ‘.png’ or ‘.jpg’.
- You can now submit your comment.
The image will now show in the comment. However, remember that if you are leaving an image in a comment on another blogger’s blog, they may need to approve it (and may even remove the link to the image) before it appears.
I’ve only found this to work on WordPress.Com blogs. On self-hosted blogs, only the image link is visible, not the image itself. However, those clicking on the link will see the image.
Note: Not all images and photos will appear if the security settings in your web browser are set to high. However, this does not affect the photos or pictures you leave in the comments of your own blog posts. I recommend that you not change the security settings on your web browser.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Yes, it is possible to insert images and photos into comments on WordPress.
- After inserting the URL address of the image, ensure you remove the ‘s‘ from the beginning of the URL so that ‘https’ becomes ‘http.’
- Only leave images and photos in comments if invited to do so or if you have asked for permission to do so first.
- If the security settings on your web browser are set high, images and photos may not show. However, this does not affect the photos or pictures you leave in the comments of your own blog posts.
Want to give inserting an image or photo into a comment a go?
Leave me a comment with the link to your image. Perhaps it can be a photo of your latest book cover or of a family pet. I’ll leave it up to you, but only family-friendly images and photos, please.
If you have any further questions about inserting images or photos into the comments, leave them in the comments section.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
Follow Hugh on social media. Click the buttons below.
If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, enter your email address and click ‘Subscribe’ to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #HowTo #Images #Photos #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp -
How To Spot And Remove Spammers And Spambots From Your WordPress Blog https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/14/how-to-spot-and-remove-spammers-and-spambots-from-your-wordpress-blog/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Spam, #Spammers, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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How To Spot And Remove Spammers And Spambots From Your WordPress Blog https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/14/how-to-spot-and-remove-spammers-and-spambots-from-your-wordpress-blog/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Spam, #Spammers, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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How To Spot And Remove Spammers And Spambots From Your WordPress Blog https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/14/how-to-spot-and-remove-spammers-and-spambots-from-your-wordpress-blog/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingTools, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Spam, #Spammers, #WordPress, #WordPressHelp
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9 Hidden Useful Tools You May Not Know About On The Posts Page Of A WordPress Blog https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/08/07/9-hidden-useful-tools-you-may-not-know-about-on-the-posts-page-of-a-wordpress-blog/ #Blogging, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #BloggingQuestions, #BloggingTools, #Comments, #HelpWithBlogging, #HowTo, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #WordPress
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WordPress Changes: This Is Now How To Find The 'Open In New Tab' Box. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/07/24/wordpress-changes-this-is-now-how-to-find-the-open-in-new-tab-box/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #WordPress, #HowTo, #Pingbacks, #BloggingTools, #BloggingQuestions, #WordPressHelp, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Pingback <- Hugh provides a lot of help to WordPress bloggers
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WordPress Changes: This Is Now How To Find The 'Open In New Tab' Box. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/07/24/wordpress-changes-this-is-now-how-to-find-the-open-in-new-tab-box/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #WordPress, #HowTo, #Pingbacks, #BloggingTools, #BloggingQuestions, #WordPressHelp, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Pingback <- Hugh provides a lot of help to WordPress bloggers
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WordPress Changes: This Is Now How To Find The 'Open In New Tab' Box. https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/07/24/wordpress-changes-this-is-now-how-to-find-the-open-in-new-tab-box/ #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #WordPress, #HowTo, #Pingbacks, #BloggingTools, #BloggingQuestions, #WordPressHelp, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #Pingback <- Hugh provides a lot of help to WordPress bloggers
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WordPress Themes: Who Do You Blame For Your Blog Not Working Correctly?
Who do you blame when something goes wrong with your blog?
Most of us will probably blame WordPress, yet have you ever thought that the problem could be that the theme of your blog is to blame because you’ve never changed it, and it’s been retired?
Many problems can arise on blogs when a theme has been retired.
How Do I Find Out If The Theme I’m Using Has Been Retired?
You’ll see the following image on the themes page of your blog.
Has your theme been retired?Go to your blog’s dashboard and click Appearance – Themes to determine if your chosen theme has been retired.
Can I Still Use My Retired Theme?
Yes, you can. WordPress won’t remove it from your site. However, when a theme is retired, it no longer appears in the list of themes available on WordPress.
Your retired theme may remain available for the lifetime of your site or blog, but it will no longer be fully supported by WordPress. It won’t receive any updates with new features; hence, WordPress won’t guarantee it will always function correctly with their ever-evolving software. If anything goes wrong, it may not be possible to fix it.
You can still contact WordPress support so the Happiness Engineers can take a look, but support will be limited, and they’ll probably recommend switching to a newer theme. In addition, they won’t provide any CSS support for the retired theme.
Why Do Themes Get Retired?
Web technology updates make the visibility and functionality of some themes outdated.
Web design is an area that is continually evolving, thanks to trends, tastes, and new technologies. WordPress has to keep up to date with these changes and is at the forefront of wanting blogs to look fresh and modern.
Retired themes can make blogs look outdated, stale, and uninviting to visitors, especially if you’ve never changed your theme since starting to blog.
Themes may also be retired if their design has become old-fashioned or uses certain features that are no longer supported.
What Should I Do If The Theme I Am Using Is Retired?
You can continue to use it, but it may no longer be possible for WordPress to fix any issues you encounter.
Some of the issues I have found with blogs that are still using retired themes are –
- I can no longer leave comments.
- Pingback to the blog no longer work.
- Pingbacks from the blog no longer work.
- The Gravatar image is no longer displayed.
- The ‘Notify me of new comments via email’ box is missing.
- Pressing the ‘like’ button no longer works.
- New blog posts do not appear on the WordPress Reader.
- Blog posts are no longer mobile or tablet-friendly.
- Comments do not display correctly.
- Images, photos and paragraphs do not display correctly.
- Sharing buttons no longer work correctly.
In all cases, when I’ve checked the blog’s theme when these problems have happened, it’s an old, retired theme.
Some bloggers find workarounds when problems occur, but all this does is put off the inevitable that one day they will have to change the theme. Many bloggers who stick with retired themes gradually disappear because they do not want to change the theme.
My recommended advice is to consider switching to a new theme to ensure your blog has a modern look and feel to its design.
If you’re not bothered about parts of your blog being broken, you may wish to continue using it until you are forced to change the theme. However, that’s not something I recommend.
Not only can finding a new theme be fun, but it can also boost your blog’s ranking.
How Do I Find A New Theme?
On the dashboard of your blog, go to Appearance – Themes. You’ll see all the WordPress themes available. For free themes, click the ‘Free‘ button in the top-right of the page.
You can also use the search field on the themes page to find a replacement theme. Click on the filter options below the search bar or type directly into the search field to filter by specific features or subjects, or by the number of columns the theme natively displays to select a new theme similar to your retired theme.
Block Themes Vs Classic Themes
Block (or Full-Site Editing) themes are the new boys on the block.
WordPress recommends switching to a Block theme, as these are the future and what will be supported in the long term.
I have heard of some bloggers encountering problems switching to Block themes. It’s a long learning curve to get used to them, but WordPress has plenty of advice and help for switching to one.
Some bloggers who have already made the switch have reported that not only do their blogs run faster after switching to a Block theme, but problems they were experiencing with their blogs also disappear.
I recommend watching WordPress tutorial videos and reading their guidance page before switching to a Block theme. For information, click the links below.
Video Tutorials: Customise your Site or Blog
Should you encounter problems switching to a Block theme, help is at hand.
- Contact the WordPress Happiness Engineers by clicking on the ‘question mark’ icon (next to the ‘bell’ notification icon) in the top right of your blog’s dashboard.
- Ask for help from your followers and other bloggers by writing and publishing a post or contacting a blogger directly.
Important Information: Do not activate a new theme unless you are absolutely sure you like the theme you have chosen, as it’s impossible to go back to a retired theme once you’ve activated a new theme.
Classic themes were created to work with the old Classic editor, but with the large drop in Classic editor users, WordPress has been retiring them, especially when they no longer work with new functionality software or when updates to the WordPress platform have been released.
Unlike Block themes, Classic themes are heavily loaded with CSS code, meaning many things can go wrong. Block themes are only lightly loaded with CSS code, so they are less likely to break.
At the time of publishing this post, WordPress provides 54 Classic themes that are free to use and compatible with the Block editor.
To find current Classic themes, search for them by adding ‘Classic‘ to the search bar on the Themes page, and select ‘Classic Theme‘ from the dropdown menu that appears.
If the theme you’re currently using has been retired, I recommend you switch to one of the Classic themes if you do not want to switch to a Block theme. Doing this will fix some or all of the problems your blog may be experiencing.
If you still experience problems after switching to a current Classic (or Block) theme, report the problems to WordPress. How will WordPress know about a problem unless you report it? Don’t rely on other users reporting the problems you’re having with your blog.
Does WordPress have any plans for new Classic themes?
I asked WordPress the above question. Their response was –
‘No, and we doubt there will be as the industry shifts to the more modern and convenient Full Site Editing (Block) themes that remove most of the need to learn coding to create and customise your theme.’
Is WordPress retiring all Classic themes? If so, when?
Their response –
‘It’s likely, as the focus is shifted to the more modern approach. We do not have specific timelines for each theme or the ones available on our list at this moment.’
So I guess it’s a case of ‘watch this space.’
However, given that the Classic Editor plugin is still available, my guess is that WordPress will retain some of the Classic themes until they stop supporting the Classic Editor plugin. But the choice of Classic themes will become more and more limited as time passes.
I didn’t ask WordPress if there are any plans to stop supporting the Classic Editor plugin.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Problems may affect your blog because your theme has been retired.
- WordPress may be able to fix some issues, but it will advise you to switch to a new theme if the theme you’re using is retired.
- You can continue to use a retired theme you’re using, but it may not work correctly.
- Once you activate a new theme, you won’t be able to go back to the retired theme you’ve been using.
- Upon publication of this post, WordPress offers Full Site Editing (Block) and Classic themes.
- All Classic themes are free to use.
- There are no plans to introduce new Classic themes.
- The number of available Classic themes will continue to diminish.
I’ve seen some bloggers say they will wait until they are forced to switch themes. Given that switching themes can be a complicated and time-consuming project, all that will do is make them panic when the time comes to switch. Don’t be one of them.
If the theme you’re using has been retired, switch now.
WordPress welcomes feedback on the new Block themes and encourages everyone to contact them with suggestions for improving them.
To follow Hugh on social media, click the links below.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #HelpWithBlogging #HowTo #QuestionsAboutBlogging #Themes #WordPress #WordPressHelp #WordPressProblems #WordPressThemes -
Who do you blame when something goes wrong with your blog?
Most of us will probably blame WordPress, yet have you ever thought that the problem could be that the theme of your blog is to blame because you’ve never changed it and it’s been retired?
Is your blog’s theme causing the problems you’re experiencing with your blog?Many problems can arise on blogs when a theme has been retired.
How Do I Find Out If The Theme I’m Using Has Been Retired?
You’ll see the following image on the themes page of your blog.
Has your theme been retired?Go to your blog’s dashboard and click Appearance – Themes to determine if your chosen theme has been retired.
Can I Still Use My Retired Theme?
Yes, you can. WordPress won’t remove it from your site. However, when a theme is retired, it no longer appears in the list of themes available on WordPress.
Your retired theme may remain available for the lifetime of your site or blog, but it will no longer be fully supported by WordPress. It won’t receive any updates with new features; hence WordPress won’t guarantee it will always function correctly with their ever-evolving software. If anything goes wrong, it may not be possible to fix it.
You can still contact WordPress support so the Happiness Engineers can take a look, but support will be limited, and they’ll probably recommend switching to a newer theme. In addition, they won’t provide any CSS support for the retired theme.
Why Do Themes Get Retired?
Web technology updates make the visibility and functionality of some themes outdated.
Web design is an area that is continually evolving, thanks to trends, tastes, and new technologies. WordPress has to keep up to date with these changes and is at the forefront of wanting blogs to look fresh and modern.
Retired themes can make blogs look outdated, stale, and uninviting to visitors, especially if you’ve never changed your theme since starting to blog.
Themes may also be retired if their design has become old-fashioned or uses certain no longer supported features.
What Should I Do If The Theme I Am Using Is Retired?
You can continue to use it, but it may no longer be possible for WordPress to fix any issues you encounter.
Some of the issues I have found with blogs that are still using retired themes are –
- I can no longer leave comments.
- Pingback to the blog no longer work.
- Pingbacks from the blog no longer work.
- The gravatar image is no longer displayed.
- The ‘Notify me of new comments via email’ box is missing.
- Pressing the ‘like’ button no longer works.
- New blog posts do not appear on the WordPress Reader.
- Blog posts are no longer mobile or tablet-friendly.
- Comments do not display correctly.
- Images, photos and paragraphs do not display correctly.
- Sharing buttons no longer work correctly.
In all cases, when I’ve checked the blog’s theme when these problems have happened, it’s an old, retired theme.
Some bloggers find workarounds when problems occur, but all this does is put off the inevitable that one day they will have to change the theme.
My recommended advice is to consider switching to a new theme to ensure your blog has a modern look and feel to its design.
If you’re not bothered about parts of your blog being broken, you may wish to continue using it until you are forced to change the theme. However, that’s not something I recommend.
Not only can finding a new theme be fun, but it can also boost your blog’s ranking.
How Do I Find A New Theme?
On the dashboard of your blog, go to Appearance – Themes. You’ll see all the WordPress themes available. For free themes, click the ‘Free‘ button in the top-right of the page.
You can also use the search field on the themes page to find a replacement theme. Click on the filter options below the search bar or type directly into the search field to filter by specific features or subjects or by the number of columns the theme natively displays to select a new theme similar to your retired theme.
Block Themes Vs Classic Themes
Block (or Full-Site Editing) themes are the new boys on the block.
WordPress recommends switching to a Block theme, as these are the future and what will be supported in the long term.
I have heard of some bloggers encountering problems switching to Block themes. It’s a long learning curve to get used to them, but WordPress has plenty of advice and help for switching to one.
Some bloggers who have already made the switch have reported that not only do their blogs run faster after switching to a Block theme, but problems they were experiencing with their blogs also disappear.
I recommend watching WordPress tutorial videos and reading their guidance page before switching to a Block theme. For information, click the links below.
Video Tutorials: Customize your Site or Blog
Should you encounter problems switching to a Block theme, help is at hand.
- Contact the WordPress Happiness Engineers by clicking on the ‘question mark’ icon (next to the ‘bell’ notification icon) in the top right of your blog’s dashboard.
- Ask for help from your followers and other bloggers by writing and publishing a post or contacting a blogger directly.
Important Information: Do not activate a new theme unless you are absolulty sure you like the theme you have chosen, as it’s impossible to go back to a retired theme once you’ve activated a new theme.
Classic themes were created to work with the old Classic editor, but with the large drop in Classic editor users, WordPress has been retiring them, especially when they no longer work with new functionality software or when updates to the WordPress platform have been released.
Unlike Block themes, Classic themes are heavily loaded with CSS code, meaning many things can go wrong. Block themes are only lightly loaded with CSS code, so are less likely to break.
Currently, WordPress provides 54 Classic themes that are free to use and compatible with the Block editor.
To find current Classic themes, search for them by adding ‘Classic‘ to the search bar on the Themes page, and select ‘Classic Theme‘ from the dropdown menu that appears.
If the theme you’re currently using has been retired, I recommend you switch to one of the Classic themes if you do not want to switch to a Block theme. Doing this will fix some or all of the problems your blog may be experiencing.
If you still experience problems after switching to a current Classic (or Block) theme, report the problems to WordPress. How will WordPress know about a problem unless you report it? Don’t rely on other users reporting the problems you’re having with your blog.
Does WordPress have any plans for new Classic themes?
I asked WordPress the above question. Their response was –
‘No, and we doubt there will be as the industry shifts to the more modern and convenient Full Site Editing (Block) themes that remove most of the need to learn coding to create and customize your theme.’
Is WordPress retiring all Classic themes? If so, when?
Their response –
‘It’s likely, as the focus is shifted to the more modern approach. We do not have specific timelines for each theme or the ones available on our list at this moment.’
So I guess it’s a case of ‘watch this space.’
However, given that the Classic Editor plugin is still available, my guess is that WordPress will retain some of the Classic themes until they stop supporting the Classic Editor plugin. But the choice of Classic themes will become more and more limited as time passes.
I didn’t ask WordPress if there are any plans to stop supporting the Classic Editor plugin, although I have heard rumours that they plan to stop supporting it by the end of 2024.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Problems may affect your blog because your theme has been retired.
- WordPress may be able to fix some issues, but they will advise you to switch to a new theme if the theme you’re using is retired.
- You can continue to use a retired theme you’re using, but it may not work correctly.
- Once you activate a new theme, you won’t be able to go back to the retired theme you’ve been using.
- Upon publication of this post, WordPress offers Full Site Editing (Block) and Classic themes.
- All Classic themes are free to use.
- There are no plans to introduce new Classic themes.
- The number of available Classic themes will continue to diminish.
I’ve seen some bloggers say they will wait until they are forced to switch themes. Given that switching themes can be a complicated and time-consuming project, all that will do is make them panic when the time comes to switch. Don’t be one of them.
If the theme you’re using has been retired, switch now.
WordPress welcomes feedback on the new Block themes and encourages everyone to contact them with suggestions for improving them.
If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, enter your email address and click ‘Subscribe’ to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
To follow Hugh on social media, click the links below.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #HelpWithBlogging #HowTo #QuestionsAboutBlogging #Themes #WordPress #WordPressHelp #WordPressProblems #WordPressThemes
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5 Things You Can Do To Free Up Media Space In Your Blog’s Media Library.
‘Help! I’ve run out of media storage space on my blog and can no longer upload new photos, images or videos. What can I do?’
That was a question to me from Michael, who blogs at Spo-Reflections.
Michael was happy to upgrade his WordPress plan to get more media space, but there are other things you could do if your blog runs out of media space.
1. Upgrade your plan.
WordPress currently offers 6 plans.
The amount of media storage space you get varies. Click the following link to see the plans: ‘There Is A Plan For You.’ Pricing is correct at the time of publication of this post.
Each plan provides the following media storage space.
Name of planStorage AmountFree1GBPersonal6GBPremium13GBBusiness200GBCommerce200GBEnterpriseN/AHowever, only upgrade your WordPress plan if you absolutely need to. Do not go into debt to upgrade unless you can afford it; there are other ways to free up media storage space.
2. Resize the size of your images and photos.
One of the biggest reasons bloggers run out of media space is that they do not resize their images and photos before uploading them to their media library.
There are several ways you can reduce the size of images and photos. You can reduce them using photo-editing software or the tools on your device for blogging.
I use an Apple iMac and can change the size of photos and images by clicking Tools> Adjust Size on the menubar of my desktop computer. I do this before uploading them to my WordPress media library.
I recommend reducing image and photo sizes to 900 x 675 pixels.
On a Windows computer, you can use Microsoft Paint. Open your image with that program, then click on Resize. You can find this option on the middle-right side of the “Image” section at the top of the Paint window.
The WordPress media library also has editing software, but please note that if you reduce the size of an image or photo using this tool, the original image is kept in your media library, so you won’t have freed up any storage space unless you delete it.
Large images can also slow your blog’s download speed, negatively impacting search engine rankings and the overall user experience. So, I recommend you always reduce the size of images and photos before uploading them to your blog.
3. Do not upload videos to your media library.
If you include videos in your blog posts, uploading them to your media library can take up vast amounts of space.
To overcome this problem and free up all the space they take up, upload your videos to YouTube. Then add the YouTube block to your blog post and include the video link in the block.
Adding videos to your blog via YouTube helps free up media space for your blog.Do this for any existing videos you have in your media library. Upload them to YouTube, then add them via the YouTube block before deleting the originals from your media library. This will free up large amounts of storage in your media library.
4. Delete images from your media library.
We can accumulate vast amounts of images and photos in our media library, many of which will become redundant.
Deleting these images will free up storage space. However, when you delete images or photos from your media library, they disappear from the blog posts where they appear.
My blog post, ‘Are Your Old Blog Posts Damaging Your Blog? How To Stop It From Happening’ details why bloggers should delete old blog posts.
Deleting old, redundant blog posts containing images, photos, and videos frees up storage space. However, delete any images, photos and videos in your media library before deleting the posts.
If you’re unsure whether a post should be deleted, read my post, ‘Are Your Old Blog Posts Damaging Your Blog? How To Stop It From Happening,’ for advice.
5. Reduce the number of images and photos you add to blog posts.
While I recommend adding at least one image or photo to a blog post (because blog posts containing images get up to 70% more traffic), reducing the number of images and pictures will help save media space.
Before adding more images or photos, ask yourself whether they are necessary for your post.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Resize your images and photos before uploading them to your blog’s media library.
- Upload videos to YouTube and use the YouTube block to show them on your blog posts.
- Delete old images and photos from your media library, but remember to remove them from any posts first.
- Do not resize images using tools in the media library, as this does not save storage space.
- Consider deleting old blog posts that are no longer relevant.
- Reduce the number of images and photos in blog posts. Ask yourself if they’re necessary.
How do you free up storage space in your blog’s media library? If you have any questions about this post, leave them in the comments section.
To follow Hugh on social media, click the links below.
The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #HelpWithBlogging #Images #MediaLibrary #Photos #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp #WordPressProblems -
Blog posts containing images and photos get up to 70% more traffic than posts without visuals. So why wouldn’t you use them in your posts?
Visual content is an essential component of any successful blog. Adding images, videos, and infographics to your blog posts can make your content more engaging and memorable.
Are you making any mistakes when adding images or photos to blog posts?If you plan to include images or photos in your blog posts, there are four essential things to remember. These steps will help ensure your content is engaging and visually appealing while avoiding copyright issues.
1. Use High-Quality Images And Photos.
Always use high-quality images that are relevant to your post. Blurry or low-resolution images can detract from your message and make your blog appear unprofessional.
Additionally, using images that are not directly related to your topic can confuse readers and reduce the effectiveness of your post.
2. Ensure Images And Photos Are Not Copyrighted
Ensure you have permission to use any images and photos you include in your posts. This means sourcing images from websites offering free, non-copyrighted images (such as Pixabay) or purchasing the rights to use images from a stock photo website.
Not all images are free to use. And some that are free may only be free for a limited time. Always check the small print.
Don’t think you’ll ever get fined for using copyrighted images or photos. There are copyright bots continually looking for copyrighted images that have been illegally used and downloaded all over the web.
I know of two bloggers who have been fined for using images/photos on their blog posts that were not free to use.
To avoid copyright issues, use your own images and photos and watermark them before adding them to your blog posts. I use a free app called Photobulk to do this. Seeing a watermark is a great deterrent in persuading some thieves not to copy and use them.
Of course, if you’re not concerned about your photos and images being used by anybody else, you don’t need to watermark them.
3. Ensure Images And Photos Are The Correct Sizes.
Optimize your images for web use by compressing them to reduce file size.
Large images can slow down your website’s loading speed, negatively impacting your blog’s search engine rankings and overall user experience.
If you have limited space in your media library, not reducing the size of your images and photos will soon take up all your media space. When that happens, you won’t be allowed to download additional images to your blog unless you free up space or move to a plan that gives you more storage space.
I recommend reducing image and photo sizes to 900 x 675 pixels.
There are several ways you can reduce the size of images and photos. You can reduce them using photo editing software or your device’s software.
The WordPress media library also has editing software, but please note that if you reduce the size of an image or photo using this tool, the original image is kept in your media library when you reduce the size of the image- thus, you won’t save any storage space.
The newly edited image with the reduced size is added as a new file in your media library. You can always revert back to the original image by clicking on the image in the media library, selecting Edit, and then choosing the “Restore Original” button. If you’ve inserted an edited image into other published posts, reverting an image may break this image on those posts.
I use an Apple iMac and can change the size of photos and images by clicking on Tools – Adjust Size on the menubar of my desktop computer. I do this before adding them to my WordPress media library.
On a Windows computer, you can use Microsoft Paint. Open your image with that program, then click on Resize. You can find this option on the middle-right side of the “Image” section at the top of the Paint window.
However, as I mentioned earlier, you can also reduce the size of images and photos on WordPress. But only do this if your WordPress plan has a large storage space allowance.
- To do this, ensure you view your media library in Classic view.
- Click the edit image button on the image you want to edit.
- Add the new dimensions in the Scale Image box and click the Scale button.
- Click the save or update button to save the changes.
Your photos and images will be reduced in size, but remember that a copy of the original is also kept, so you won’t save any storage space.
If posting to your site using the Jetpack App, the app can optimise images.
In the Jetpack app for iPhone, you can set the Max Image Upload Size so the original file is resized automatically when you upload it. This option can be found by going to My Site and clicking the profile icon in the top right, then choosing App Settings.
In the Jetpack app for Android, click on your profile icon in the top right corner and choose App Settings. There, enable Optimise Images to resize and compress images on upload.
4. Add information to your images and photos.
Don’t forget to include alt text and captions for your images.
Alt text is a description of the image that allows visually-impaired readers to understand what the image is conveying. At the same time, captions can add context and help readers engage with your content. This is especially important when participating in blog challenges such as Wordless Wednesday and Silent Sunday.
Always add information about your images and photos.Adding a description of the image or photo also helps with SEO searches.
- Click the save or update button to save all the changes.
Following these four essential steps, you can create visually stunning and engaging blog content with images that stand out.
Let’s wrap it up.
- Always use high-quality images and photos on your blog.
- Never use images and photos that are copyrighted. You may be fined for doing so.
- Use your own images and photos. That way, you won’t encounter any copyright issues.
- Reduce the size of images and photos before loading them to your blog.
- Alternatively, reduce the size of images and photos with WordPress’s tools in the media library, but only if you have a WordPress plan that offers a large amount of storage.
- Always add information about images and photos before adding them to blog posts, as this allows visually-impaired readers to understand what the image conveys.
- Adding a description of the image or photo also helps with SEO searches.
What do you use to resize images and photos for your blog posts? Do you always complete the details of images and photos in the Alt Text box? If you have any questions about adding images and photos to your blog, please leave them in the comments section.
To follow Hugh on social media, click the links below.
If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
Copyright @ 2023 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingTools #HelpWithBlogging #Images #MediaLibrary #Photos #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress
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Are you looking for more visitors to your blog?
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.What sharing buttons are available on WordPress?
Press This Twitter Mastodon Facebook Pinterest Reddit LinkedIn Tumblr Skype Telegram WhatsApp Pocket Email PrintAll 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.
- Click on Edit Sharing Buttons.
- Click on any of the sharing buttons to add or remove them. Ghosted-out sharing buttons are inactive and not displayed 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 label text 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.’
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.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, enter your email address and click ‘Subscribe’ to stay up-to-date with my latest content.
Copyright @ 2023 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingTools #HelpWithBlogging #QuestionsAboutBlogging #SharingButtons #SocialMedia #WordPress #WordPressHelp
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Is Blogging Causing You Stress Or Making You Feel Guilty? How To Fix It
#BloggingTips, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #HowTo, #HelpWithBlogging, #BloggingQuestions, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #MentalHealth, #BloggingStress #WordPress
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Is Blogging Causing You Stress Or Making You Feel Guilty? How To Fix It
#BloggingTips, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #HowTo, #HelpWithBlogging, #BloggingQuestions, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #MentalHealth, #BloggingStress #WordPress
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Is Blogging Causing You Stress Or Making You Feel Guilty? How To Fix It
#BloggingTips, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #HowTo, #HelpWithBlogging, #BloggingQuestions, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #MentalHealth, #BloggingStress #WordPress
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Is Blogging Causing You Stress Or Making You Feel Guilty? How To Fix It
#BloggingTips, #BloggingAdvice, #BloggingHelp, #HowTo, #HelpWithBlogging, #BloggingQuestions, #QuestionsAboutBlogging, #MentalHealth, #BloggingStress #WordPress
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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.
- 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.
Clicking on it will take you to my Mastodon account. If you already have a Mastodon account, please consider following me, and I will follow you back.
If you want to join Mastodon, start here on the Mastodon startup page.
If you want information about Mastodon, I found this unofficial guide to Mastodon very helpful.
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?
This document, Post Automatically to Social Media, gives full details.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
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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Copyright @ 2023 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
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At last! WordPress has introduced an ‘empty spam‘ button to the Default view mode when viewing your blog’s dashboard. Clicking it means that you can empty your spam folder with one click.
Now you can delete spam with one click.Before now, users could only bulk delete spam when viewing their blog’s dashboard in Default view. This would only delete 20 spam comments simultaneously, which could be time-consuming when the spam folder had hundreds of comments.
Here’s where to find the new ‘Empty Spam’ button in Default view.
Now you can empty the spam folder with one click.Click it, and all the spam in your spam folder gets deleted.
How does this new ‘Empty Spam’ button save you time?
It eliminates the need to manually or bulk select and delete spam comments in your folder, saving you precious minutes, if not hours.
So, why not try it and see how much time and hassle it can save you? And remember to switch to the Default view for optimal results!
Now all we need when in ‘Default View’ is the ability to mark genuine comments as ‘Not Spam’ like you can in Classic view. I’ve already suggested this to WordPress.
Did you know you can view your blog’s dashboard in Classic or Default view? What’s the difference?
The Classic view is best used with the Classic editor, whereas the Default view is better used with themes that use the Block editor. However, users can switch between both (as I do), as some features are better viewed on one or the other.
The following screenshot shows where you can make the switch. Click the ‘View’ button to open the menu.
Click ‘View’ to make the switch.If you use the Block editor, I recommend you view your blog’s dashboard using Default view.
Overall, this nifty little button is a game-changer for WordPress users, particularly those using the Block editor and receiving high volumes of spam comments on their blogs.
If you are looking for more help on how to deal with spam on your blog, read my post ‘How To Deal With Spam Without Closing Comments.’
If you’ve any questions about the Classic/Default view or about the ‘Empty Spam’ button, leave them in the comments section.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
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Want more posts like this? Enter your email address and click Subscribe.
Copyright @ 2023 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#BlockEditor #Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingTools #HelpWithBlogging #HowTo #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress #WordPressHelp
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Why would any blogger want to unsubscribe somebody from following their blog?
After all, we all want more followers, don’t we? However, there are genuine reasons why you should unsubscribe some people from following your blog.
For example, there may be a blogger who is horrified that one of the managers from their office has subscribed. Or a family member has found your blog where you share intense feelings about family and friends.
Then there are the ungenuine followers who only follow your blog in the hope that you’ll visit their blog and buy products you don’t want or need. Are any of them following your blog?
Are there any people following your blog that you don’t want following you? Remove them now.Why do people follow blogs?
Isn’t it because they enjoy reading the content? Not necessarily, no.
When I began blogging, I asked why some people wanted to follow my blog. For example, why were a womenswear company and a blog that sold coach holidays following my blog?
At the time, I was not writing and publishing any blogging or social media tips, so I could not understand their interest in my content.
They never ‘liked’ or left comments on my blog posts, yet I was still conscious that they were lurking in the background as if waiting for the right moment to pounce on me.
Some of them may have been playing the ‘follow you, so you’ll follow me‘ game, but I soon realised they were interested in taking my or the money of my followers.
At the time, I was delighted with watching the number of followers increase, but there may be occasions when you want to unsubscribe somebody from following your blog.
Here’s how to do it on WordPress.
- Ensure you view your blog’s dashboard in the ‘Default‘ view.
- On your blog’s dashboard menu, click on ‘Users.’
On the Users page, click on Subscribers.
Click the Subscribers link.- You’ll now see a list of all the subscribers to your blog, with the ones who subscribe via email first.
- To remove someone from your subscribers’ list, click on the arrow next to their name.
On the next page, click on the Remove button.
Click the remove button to unsubscribe somebody from following your blog.- They will now be unsubscribed from following your blog or receiving email notifications of new posts.
There is nothing stopping people from still viewing your blog and trying to subscribe again, but you’ll get a notification if they subscribe again.
By unsubscribing them from your blog, they will get no notifications that you have published any new blog posts. Nor will they know that you have unsubscribed them from your blog.
Is there anything else to consider?
Yes. You may also like to remove the same people from your social media accounts.
This is especially important if newly published blog posts are instantly shared on your social media platforms.
Of course, suppose you have reasons for not wanting certain people to discover your blog or social media accounts. In that case, it’s probably better to use a pseudonym and not publish photos of yourself on your blog or social media accounts.
Because I publish many blogging and social media tips, I’m no longer concerned about who follows my blog. However, I will remove or block anyone who tries spamming the comments section on my posts with uninvited links or keeps trying to sell me something I don’t want or need.
Let’s wrap it up.
- There are genuine reasons why people want to unsubscribe somebody from following their blog.
- Follow the steps in this post to unsubscribe people from following your blog.
- Remember to do the same with your social media accounts.
- Just as when you unfollow a blog, people you unsubscribe do not get notified that you have unsubscribed them.
- Unsubscribing somebody does not mean they can no longer view your blog, but they will stop receiving notifications of any new blog posts you publish.
- Consider using a pseudonym on your blog and social media accounts if you don’t want anyone to know your real identity.
- Block users you do not want to receive any comments from.
What about you?
Are there any reasons you’d want to unsubscribe somebody from following your blog? Have you ever unsubscribed somebody from following your blog? What are the main reasons why you follow a blog?
Join the discussion by leaving a comment that I can respond to with more than just a ‘thank you.’
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
This is an updated version of a post originally published in February 2020.
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Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
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79 Ways To Kill Your Blog
Have you ever killed your blog?
Did you know that a blog can be killed in ways other than just deleting it?
While not all of the items on the following list will kill your blog instantly, some are what some call slow burners, where the killing of your blog will take much longer.
Are you thinking of killing your blog?Are you responsible for doing any of these to your blog?
- Don’t have an ‘about me’ page on your blog.
- The ‘about me’ page takes visitors more than a minute to find.
- The ‘about me’ page starts with these words – ‘this is an example of an about me page…’
- The number of followers is more important to you than what you write and publish.
- Publishing too many poor-quality posts due to rushing them.
- Believe you have to publish content several times daily; otherwise, nobody will visit your blog.
- Have links on your blog that you have no idea are broken or can not be bothered to fix.
- You do not respond to comments.
- You do not respond to questions or queries.
- Don’t allow anyone to leave comments on your blog.
- Ignore your readers.
- Do not treat visitors to your blog as guests.
- Don’t give yourself a name by which you can be addressed in the comments section.
- Do not read other blogs.
- Do not leave comments on other blogs.
- Believe that blogging is going to make you rich.
- Believe your blog will make money within the first year.
- Leave links with no relevance (usually to your own posts) on the posts of other bloggers when not invited to do so.
- Don’t believe you need to promote your blog.
- Refuse to use social media to boost your blog posts.
- Refuse to keep up to date with blogging technology and changes.
- Think readers will find you rather than you find your readers.
- Do not use enough ‘white space’ between the paragraphs in your blog posts.
- The paragraphs in your posts are too long and blocky (more than 5 sentences long).
- Have no way readers can contact you on your blog other than by leaving a comment. (No ‘contact me’ page).
- Do not thank people for sharing your posts on their blogs.
- Do not use images and/or photos in any posts.
- Use images, photos and words (including lyrics) on your blog which are copyrighted and not free to use.
- Do not ask permission to use photos and/or images owned by other bloggers before using them.
- Ignore all copyright advice.
- Respond to constructive, negative comments in an unprofessional and unfriendly manner.
- Allow other bloggers to spam your blog with links that have nothing to do with the post’s content.
- Keep begging other bloggers to reblog your posts, visit, or follow your blog.
- Leave robotic praise comments on other blogs.
- Leave worthless comments on other blogs which clearly show you’ve not read the post.
- Do not take time to edit posts before publishing them.
- Do not preview your posts before publishing them.
- Inundate followers with too many posts in a short space of time instead of scheduling them out.
- Respond to comments left by trolls in the comments section of your blog, where all can read them.
- Allow trolls to leave comments on your blog.
- Allow trolls to attack other bloggers who have left comments.
- Personally attack other bloggers in the comments section on your own or different blogs.
- Steal the ideas of other bloggers and publish them on your blog as if the content is original and has been written by you.
- Fail to maintain and housekeep your blog regularly.
- Keep reblogging or rescheduling your own posts which are less than a few months old.
- Do not have a ‘landing’ page that will keep visitors returning.
- Ignore advice and feedback from other bloggers.
- Believe that blogging will only take up a few minutes of your time every week.
- Wake up dreading opening your blog because of all the comments you need to reply to.
- Keep telling your readers that you are giving blogging up, and keep coming back.
- Allow blogging to stress you out.
- Allow blogging to make you feel guilty.
- Your blog and/or blog posts are poorly laid out.
- Choose a font and background combination that makes it hard for visitors to read your posts.
- Fail to categorise all your blog posts (including reblogs).
- Fail to add ‘tags’ to your blog posts.
- Don’t understand ‘pingbacks’ and how to use them.
- Have no ‘search’ bar on your blog.
- Have a menu that is too top-heavy, making it overwhelming to readers.
- Fail to add your blog details to your Gravatar.
- Fail to connect your social media accounts to your blog.
- Have pop-up boxes on your blog that can not be removed unless somebody subscribes to your mailing list.
- Have pop-up boxes on your blog that appear every time someone visits, or until they subscribe to your mailing list.
- Keep suffering from blog envy when you read a post you’d wish you’d written.
- Regularly publish posts that tell your readers to buy your book(s) or other products and services you offer rather than allow them to decide if they want to buy them.
- You believe that blogging is all about the number of blog posts you can publish daily rather than what you are writing about.
- You think you have the power to read and comment on every new blog post on all the blogs you follow.
- Fail to update your readers that you are about to take a blogging break and how long it will last.
- Lose motivation and a desire to continue blogging when your blog stats take a nosedive.
- Believe that everyone will enjoy reading every post you write and publish.
- Believe that all your followers will read and comment on all your posts.
- Get upset when your blog loses followers.
- Argue with bloggers and readers for failing to read and comment on all your blog posts.
- Follow other blogs in the hope that they will follow back, then unfollow them again.
- Believe all your readers will agree with everything you say in your blog posts.
- Think nobody will dare to disagree with what you have to say by leaving a constructive comment telling you why they disagree.
- Criticise other bloggers behind their backs (in the comments section of your own blog or on other blogs) for wanting to help other bloggers.
- Maintain too many blogs, thus spreading yourself too thinly.
- Fail to take some time away from blogging (knowing that you need to) because you believe the blogging world can not survive without you.
What about you? What would you add to the list? How would you kill your blog other than by deleting it?
This is an updated version of a post I wrote and published in 2017.
You can find the answers to solving many of the above issues by clicking on ‘blogging tips’ in the menu at the top of my blog, but feel free to leave any questions in the comments section. I’m always happy to help.
Whatever you do, keep blogging fun!
Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingStress #BloggingTips #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress -
79 Ways To Kill Your Blog
Have you ever killed your blog?
Did you know that a blog can be killed in ways other than just deleting it?
While not all of the items on the following list will kill your blog instantly, some are what some call slow burners, where the killing of your blog will take much longer.
Are you thinking of killing your blog?Are you responsible for doing any of these to your blog?
- Don’t have an ‘about me’ page on your blog.
- The ‘about me’ page takes visitors more than a minute to find.
- The ‘about me’ page starts with these words – ‘this is an example of an about me page…’
- The number of followers is more important to you than what you write and publish.
- Publishing too many poor-quality posts due to rushing them.
- Believe you have to publish content several times daily; otherwise, nobody will visit your blog.
- Have links on your blog that you have no idea are broken or can not be bothered to fix.
- You do not respond to comments.
- You do not respond to questions or queries.
- Don’t allow anyone to leave comments on your blog.
- Ignore your readers.
- Do not treat visitors to your blog as guests.
- Don’t give yourself a name by which you can be addressed in the comments section.
- Do not read other blogs.
- Do not leave comments on other blogs.
- Believe that blogging is going to make you rich.
- Believe your blog will make money within the first year.
- Leave links with no relevance (usually to your own posts) on the posts of other bloggers when not invited to do so.
- Don’t believe you need to promote your blog.
- Refuse to use social media to boost your blog posts.
- Refuse to keep up to date with blogging technology and changes.
- Think readers will find you rather than you find your readers.
- Do not use enough ‘white space’ between the paragraphs in your blog posts.
- The paragraphs in your posts are too long and blocky (more than 5 sentences long).
- Have no way readers can contact you on your blog other than by leaving a comment. (No ‘contact me’ page).
- Do not thank people for sharing your posts on their blogs.
- Do not use images and/or photos in any posts.
- Use images, photos and words (including lyrics) on your blog which are copyrighted and not free to use.
- Do not ask permission to use photos and/or images owned by other bloggers before using them.
- Ignore all copyright advice.
- Respond to constructive, negative comments in an unprofessional and unfriendly manner.
- Allow other bloggers to spam your blog with links that have nothing to do with the post’s content.
- Keep begging other bloggers to reblog your posts, visit, or follow your blog.
- Leave robotic praise comments on other blogs.
- Leave worthless comments on other blogs which clearly show you’ve not read the post.
- Do not take time to edit posts before publishing them.
- Do not preview your posts before publishing them.
- Inundate followers with too many posts in a short space of time instead of scheduling them out.
- Respond to comments left by trolls in the comments section of your blog, where all can read them.
- Allow trolls to leave comments on your blog.
- Allow trolls to attack other bloggers who have left comments.
- Personally attack other bloggers in the comments section on your own or different blogs.
- Steal the ideas of other bloggers and publish them on your blog as if the content is original and has been written by you.
- Fail to maintain and housekeep your blog regularly.
- Keep reblogging or rescheduling your own posts which are less than a few months old.
- Do not have a ‘landing’ page that will keep visitors returning.
- Ignore advice and feedback from other bloggers.
- Believe that blogging will only take up a few minutes of your time every week.
- Wake up dreading opening your blog because of all the comments you need to reply to.
- Keep telling your readers that you are giving blogging up, and keep coming back.
- Allow blogging to stress you out.
- Allow blogging to make you feel guilty.
- Your blog and/or blog posts are poorly laid out.
- Choose a font and background combination that makes it hard for visitors to read your posts.
- Fail to categorise all your blog posts (including reblogs).
- Fail to add ‘tags’ to your blog posts.
- Don’t understand ‘pingbacks’ and how to use them.
- Have no ‘search’ bar on your blog.
- Have a menu that is too top-heavy, making it overwhelming to readers.
- Fail to add your blog details to your Gravatar.
- Fail to connect your social media accounts to your blog.
- Have pop-up boxes on your blog that can not be removed unless somebody subscribes to your mailing list.
- Have pop-up boxes on your blog that appear every time someone visits, or until they subscribe to your mailing list.
- Keep suffering from blog envy when you read a post you’d wish you’d written.
- Regularly publish posts that tell your readers to buy your book(s) or other products and services you offer rather than allow them to decide if they want to buy them.
- You believe that blogging is all about the number of blog posts you can publish daily rather than what you are writing about.
- You think you have the power to read and comment on every new blog post on all the blogs you follow.
- Fail to update your readers that you are about to take a blogging break and how long it will last.
- Lose motivation and a desire to continue blogging when your blog stats take a nosedive.
- Believe that everyone will enjoy reading every post you write and publish.
- Believe that all your followers will read and comment on all your posts.
- Get upset when your blog loses followers.
- Argue with bloggers and readers for failing to read and comment on all your blog posts.
- Follow other blogs in the hope that they will follow back, then unfollow them again.
- Believe all your readers will agree with everything you say in your blog posts.
- Think nobody will dare to disagree with what you have to say by leaving a constructive comment telling you why they disagree.
- Criticise other bloggers behind their backs (in the comments section of your own blog or on other blogs) for wanting to help other bloggers.
- Maintain too many blogs, thus spreading yourself too thinly.
- Fail to take some time away from blogging (knowing that you need to) because you believe the blogging world can not survive without you.
What about you? What would you add to the list? How would you kill your blog other than by deleting it?
This is an updated version of a post I wrote and published in 2017.
You can find the answers to solving many of the above issues by clicking on ‘blogging tips’ in the menu at the top of my blog, but feel free to leave any questions in the comments section. I’m always happy to help.
Whatever you do, keep blogging fun!
Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingQuestions #BloggingStress #BloggingTips #QuestionsAboutBlogging #WordPress