So why don’t I stay to read your blog?
I’ve been blogging for a while now and boy has it been a journey, from learning something new almost everyday, to doing research, getting frustrated at times and correcting mistakes along the way. All in all, it’s been great and as much as I love finding new blogs to read and follow, there are certain things within some blogs that just make me leave within seconds of visiting the blog. Sounds harsh but I’m going to be honest and tell you the reasons why I don’t stay to read your blog.
Disclaimer: I am not saying that if you have any of the below points that nobody will read your blog, these are just my opinions and what I think about them.
1. POP-UPS
Pop-ups have never been my thing and I know it’s a matter of preference but if I click on your site and the first thing that happens before I even get to read the title is a huge pop-up out of nowhere to either tell me to subscribe or buy anything, then you have put me off right there. I think that you would rather let me at least read what I came for first then later ask me if I would like to buy or subscribe to anything. It’s like entering a store and buying an outfit right off the mannequin without trying it on, at least see whether it fits first.
2. PROFANITY
Depending on what your niche is, the language you use when writing your content will either make me want to stay or leave. If your niche has to have some sort of profanity included then by all means put it there, but if it doesn’t need to have it and within few paragraphs I’m met with words that make me cringe, then I’m not going to stay and read your blog. You have to understand that many people are going to read it and if you want to end up wanting to monetize your blog one day, then you need to let the profanity go, leave it for friendly conversations because not everyone is comfortable with such language.
3. MISLEADING TITLES
I’ve recently started seeing this mostly when it comes to some pins in Pinterest and also in various blogs, which can be really frustrating. If your title says one thing and your content is totally different or not even about the title, what was the point of publishing that post? Or I click on a site and end up being redirected to a different place, that right there will definitely make me not come back to that site. Stay true to your titles people.
4. ADS ALL OVER
I know that everyone would like to make some money with their blogs but at least try and do it in a subtle way without bombarding your site with too many ads that makes it over-whelming for anyone to read your content or even stay for a while. You can have ads on your site but what will make me not to stay at all is that if I’m trying to scroll down to the next paragraph, and ads are just showing up non-stop, it will definitely put me off and make me leave right away. Plus ads end up making your site look too busy and not professional at all.
5. MARKETING PLOYS
Now I think everyone has come across these ones. Where you’re seriously looking for some help and you see “How I made this amount of money in my first-month blogging”, only to reach the second paragraph and the only way to know is by buying a book or a certain product. Honestly, I would rather you just say in your title “Buy my book here and see how I made this amount in my first month blogging”, never hurts to say the truth other than making me click on something which I will leave in seconds. I know everyone wants to make some money, but if you’re going to do it by tricking readers, I suggest you just be straight to the point.
100 Comments
I agree with all of these! It drives me crazy when I go to a blog thinking I get one thing, and then realize it’s a switch and bait for a sales pitch!
I know right, really irritates me too everyone is doing click bait nowadays.
I enjoyed reading your post. Many of the things you list I find so irritating. Thanks for the useful content.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I don’t mind profanities as long as they’re in good measure. If every other word is a profanity, that’s a problem. My bigger pet peeve are pop ups (I hate when a whole new screen pops up when all I want is to read an article) and misleading titles. I came to your blog to read something based on your title, don’t give me something entirely else.
I know, nowadays I find so many misleading titles and makes me cringe and as for profanities there is always a limit one can take as for pop ups I just can’t. Thank you for stopping by.
All of these are really good points! I definitely appreciated how your ads aren’t all over the place, the ones where there are so many it slow down the load time are totally my pet peeves.
Thank you very much.
Couldn’t agree more. Misleading titles and marketing ploys all over is what set me off the most. And pop up shows and I hit close button.
Unfortunately marketing ploys are all over and don’t even get me started with misleading titles like seriously why.
It is so annoying when I go to a blog and immediately deal with a popup. I usually will leave the website right then and there
I never mind if the pop up waits for me to at least peruse through the site for a bit but the ones that just attack me then and there are the worst.
As a very new blogger, I totally agree with all of this! Except, maybe the profanity. However, you did state if it was part of their niche which I’ve sssn before and it works great! Otherwise I do agree that I wouldn’t want to run into any profanity.
Thanks for pointing all this out so that I can see others feel the same way. It’s really great to keep in mind as a new blogger.
Thank you, profanity has it’s place and if one’s niche needs it then the better but if it’s a normal day to day post and filled with too much then it gets weird.
I AGREE!! I do have a popup, but it’s set on a delay, and I JUST started having ads after my year anniversary. Most of my posts don’t even have links outside my blog, simply because I get turned off when all I see is blue affiliate links every other word. And seriously…the misleading clickbait titles and the marketing ploys need to shtoooop. I see the link to your ebook in the sidebar…calm down. Anyway, thanks for making me now feel so anti-marketing blogging.
Oh no I just needed to remove my frustrations a bit because every time I wanted to read something, it ends up being click bait and it’s like once I clicked on a misleading title they all decide to gang up on me and appear one after the other. The struggle.
You forgot link parties. Why on Earth do I want to read about anyone’s link party?! I don’t. ?
Thanks for the reminder but will not be looking for anyone’s link party any time soon lol.
I totally agree and I am so glad you blogged about this issue. Bloggers need to be made aware of what they are doing that is bother their readers and turning them away. I’ve seen bloggers excuse this saying they just want to make money but if that is their only goal they should not be blogging in the first place. It shows in your blog if you don’t love the process.
Yes many bloggers would like to ignore that they do commit some of these points because they want to make some money but at least find a better way to do it.
I agree with all of these! I hate these too!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
I hate popups, misleading titles (clickbait) and marketing ploys too. You’re not alone! I can probably make my own post about things I hate seeing on other websites/blogs… so many pet peeves! Lol.
I know there’s so much but it got to me and had to write this. Thank you.
pop ups are my pet peeve. I hate having to click those things closed and honestly, I never even read them anyways, I just look for the “x”
Me too I look for the x so fast you’d think I’m competing.
I hate pop-ups also, and even though I have heard that certain ones help bring in new subscribers or follows, I refuse to add them to my site. I do like my ads and my ad company though. I am now able to have blogging as my career because of them. Because of the full time hours that I put in as a blogger, I want to make the money that I am worth. I have never heard a complaint from readers, and my ad company spaces them out so that they aren’t annoying.
Exactly, it’s not that you shouldn’t put any ads but one can do it in a way that won’t interfere with the reader’s experience making it a win win situation for both.
All of these are so true! Well done in writing a post which gets across the annoyance of these elements in a respectful, critiquing way.
Thank you i know some people will disagree with me but I had to write what has been frustrating me.
I just hate popups! Especially popups that are not responsive, and there’s no way to close it when you’re using your phone.
When you’re on the phone, it’s the worst I rather someone put a time delay instead of it just popping out of nowhere.
I totally agree with all the above. I think the pop ups are the most annoying but closely followed by the ads that make the site takes ages to load. I have shut down a site before now as it’s taking to long
It’s just a matter of finding a balance like limiting ads and just delaying the pop ups until one finishes reading the article.
Definitely agree! I just recently started blogging, but I have been an avid blog reader for a while now, and even though I don’t have people asking me to read their blogs, if I come across a blog with extreme profanity, pop-ups, ads, or misleading titles, I exit out of that real quick. It’s just not my preference!
// Samantha
https://thebryantsblog.com/home/szalonnasutes-at-normafa
Thank you very much.
I have to laugh. I will second your post. I hate title that I feel bait me into reading something that it really is not about. I hate ads all over the place that block content. I can’t stand pop-ups that block me when I’m reading content. I may finish that post, but you can best believe I am not reading anymore. Sadly. Thanks for writing this strong and gut punching post to those that have all those things on their blog/website. – Charlene
I know, sometimes they just irritate me so much, I know there people who have all of these in their blogs and as much as I’m not criticising I just needed to give my opinion. Thank you.
Yeah, I understand the reasons. I think it’s the same for me. For me, too much stock photo’s or bad photo’s might make me leave. But I’m so sensitive to the visual part.
Yes, it reaches a point where it get’s too frustrating.
I couldn’t agree more with all the points u have listed. What i hate among all of those points its those misleading articles where you will asked to buy a book. most times am like really? if you want to sell a book why didn’t you state it right at the headliner than stating it half way in the article. Am so over people who do that, like who does that? so basic…..
I know and they are everywhere right now, when all I want is honest advice and help but I need to buy something to get it. The struggle is too much.
This is so true. I was reading a blog the other day and it was so difficult as middle sentence is a advert. Then I had to catch back the other end and resume interest… I just left!. Make your coins but please in a more subtle way, I enjoy a click bait that’s clever not the ones that don’t make sense and seem over done.
Yes exactly, thank you so much for stopping by.
You have raised some good points. My biggest pet peeve is poorly written content that’s hard to follow. Proofreading is key.
I always try and proofread like two to three times until it sounds right. Thank you for stopping by.
Blogging is such a journey. I love your thoughts on this and it’s nice to hear others perspectives. I agree with a lot of these. Pop-ups are the worst and I hate misleading titles too. I think as long as someone adds a disclaimer about affiliate links etc, then it’s up to the reader if they want to click on it or not. The tough part with Pinterest is anyone can pin your content so they may switch up the title of what they’re pinning it as or not linking it properly, but I totally get the frustration because it happens to me too. Great post! Sierra ~ Beautifully Candid
Thank you so much, that’s the downfall of Pinterest when one decides to change the links which is totally not right and just ends up frustrating people.
I agree with all your points. I’m fairly new too to blogging and made it a point to avoid some of these things. Like you, I try to think as a reader. Is the print large enough, can I see the text, are there pop ups, etc. Great points. You have a new follower here.
Thank you so much, I wrote this waiting for backlash from people but I’m happy it didn’t turn out nasty.
Girl you NAILED this one!! I can’t stand pop ups or ads all over the place when I’m just trying to read some quality blog content!!
Thank you so much, they can really be annoying and frustrating.
Nice one! I agree with your points 🙂
Thank you.
I agree with all of these, but especially the pop up thing. When something pops up immediately the first thing I do is click away! Great post! I found you through pinterest =)
Thank you so much.
i agree with all of these points, profanities are my pet peeve as well.. popups and baits a close second..
Thank you so much.
The reason number 5 is what frustrates me often since I use Pinterest. All points you describe are true.
I know right? can be really irritating when all you want is the information.
Hi Jo, I’ve been following your blog for quite some time and found your posts are really useful, especially those about blogging. Just wanted to drop a comment her to thank you! 🙂
Oooh thank you so much Marya really means a lot to hear that my posts are appreciated.
I totally agree about all of these things. One thing that also bothers me and makes me leave the site is small font or light font that is hard to read. I am wearing my glasses and I still have a hard time reading those fonts. Some great blogs have awful fonts and I don’t read that for that reason only.
Yes they can sometimes be frustrating.
Great post! We totally agree (although our language gets colorful here and there). There’s nothing more irritating about being duped into clicking a misleading link, or having your reading interrupted by pop-ups. It’s tough to make money, but a lot of these quick fixes really just chip away at a solid reader base. Thanks for sharing!
Yes they do and can be irritating.
You are on point! I also leave a blog post if it’s super wordy and doesn’t get to the point right away. I definitely skim read. So if I’m not hooked right away, I click off.
I understand, nowadays people don’t really have time to read word to word so capturing them at the get go is the way forward.
These are perfectly simple! I could not agree with you more!
Great Blog!! Thanks for tips as well. Love to learn and execute.
Hm… I might be guilty of a couple of these… hm…
This article is spot on! I just recently started blogging and am staying away from these things. The pop up ads drive me nuts!
Mostly when I’m trying to scroll down and a pop up keeps on showing up and then you can’t find the X to close, so annoying.
Too much ads and marketing on a blog page makes it fustrated most times. And most of the blogs will be really slow when scrolling around or up and down the page because of too much ads. Thanks for this wonderful post.
Pop ups on web pages that prevent you from reading the content and you can’t get rid of are the worst, especially on mobile.
I’ve seen those, where you have to struggle to click on post comment.
It bothers me when I go to the reader and there is just a summary of the blog. Clink the link, before you begin to read there is one pop up, then another comes on half way. Then to like or leave a comment, I have to practically fill a form Uh uh.. a’int nobody gat time for that!
I know I so feel you, sometimes simple is better.
Though I am guilty of the pop up, I understand and side with most of your sentiments. Sometimes, it’s all just too much.
Number one is a big pet peeve. This is most annoying especially on mobiles.
If there are POP UPS – I am 10000% gone. GONE I tell you. I don’t want to subscribe to someone’s blog I have NEVER been to before, so why proposition THE SECOND I get to your website. NO. Just NO! Also, I totally agree with the ads too, which is why I took ads OFF of my website. The only thing I do that you’re not a huge fan of… I cuss. Yes I do. But it is APART of my brand and I certainly won’t apologize for it, haha! I know it’s not for everyone but I can’t NOT be who I am… Because people who “FAKE IT” on their blogs/social platforms – yeah, I don’t follow them either 😉
The profanity I hate is where the writer goes overboard all the time but as I said if it lies within your niche and is how your blog is it totally is fine to use them.
OMG! I can totally relate! These are spot on!
Thanks so much for sharing these thoughts. I appreciate your honesty! As bloggers, it’s super important to think about what our visitors/readers want and to make our sites welcoming!
Glad you liked it.
I agree wholeheartedly! I feel similarly about a lot of this. I do worry about my own ad placement since I’ve had a hard time customizing where they go. It’s something I still have to work on. Thank you so much for saying what we’re all thinking!!
I do tend to leave blogs that bombard me with pop-ups as soon as I access the homepage. I also don’t like too many ads. It’s so annoying, especially when you scroll down through the text and the same ad keeps showing over and over again
I cant stand going to a blog and having to close out 7 popups! That’s the main reason I decide not to read anything!
Oh I absolutely appreciated what you wrote. It was straight to the point, no bad-mouthing anyone else, but saying the things we’re all thinking all the time. The pop-ups are sincerely a pet-peeve…
I hate when ads and pop ups get in the way. If I have to close more than one pop up, I am out of there.
These are some great tips – I think making sure you proof read or have someone help you to is a must, we can all make mistakes and errors but when your posts are littered with it, it is obvious.
Oh yes! I am agree in this article. Thanks for sharing wonderful blog like this. AWESOME!
Without a doubt, misleading titles is one of the reasons I exit out of content.
Too many ads and misleading titles can definitely be annoying. This is a list of mistakes for bloggers to avoid making!
xoxo
Annie
I absolutely agree with the ads and pop ups on a site. It drives me bonkers and get distracted with what I’m seeing anyway so staying on their site is less appealing.
Well, what keeps me from reading other blogs are jargon (can’t relate to them), it becomes a long boring read for me, and of course misleading titles.
Yup, I totally agree. I don’t like a lot of any of the above, and I don’t even mind a few typos. I really hate poor grammar or poor research.
Couldn’t agree more on your list! I hate visiting blogs wherein there are ads all over that you didn’t even get a chance to read because everytime you scroll down, new ads appear. – Anosa Malanga
Yeea i am agree with you. Its irritating to have so many adds and pop ups showing up on blog.
If the first paragraph of the blog post finds it boring, definitely you wouldn’t expect me to go through all the details unless the topic is very interesting to me. However, more photos in a blog post helps as well.
To each their own, I suppose. If it’s working for them then good for them. I think being super judgemental on how someone chooses to express their creativity or provide their income is a little harsh but again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.