My previous post, 5 things that make me leave your blog, was generally well received. Apart from a bit of negativity, most people enjoyed it. So I thought it’s time for a part deux.
Nobody died and made me Queen of the castle or anything – these reasons for being put off a blog are subjective to me and are not a list of things you shouldn’t do.
I mean, there are many things that you shouldn’t do, but I love doing anyway – like pushing cotton buds really far into my ears to clean them and sharing too many links on Twitter. Awkward.
You might love some of the things that I find frustrating. That’s okay though, we can still be friends and I’m still up for hearing your opinion!
Let’s gogogooggogogogogogogogoogogogogkdotihjodjhojdhid.
1. Can’t find your latest post.
I come to your blog and there’s a flashing image under your header that scrolls through some recent posts.
Under that, there’s categories. There’s popular posts. There’s everything under the sun (or header!) apart from a way of seeing which post is your most recent.
In general, if I’m going to read your blog I may read a few posts, but I’m most likely to comment on your most recent so you don’t miss it. Help me interact with you.
2. Music plays in the background.
If I’m trying to listen to Tay Tay (I know, I know, don’t look at me like that. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but my heart is pretty much set on marrying her?!) and your blog autoplays a song right as I’m getting down to the bridge of Blank Space, I’m going to be very sad faced.
It’s even worse if I can’t see where to hit the pause button!
It’s very rare that I’m writing blogs in silence, the clash of sounds if something plays is a really awful sound.
3. Pop-ups.
I know the data. I’ve seen the stats: when you have pop-ups to like a Facebook page, join an e-mail list etc, you see an increase in numbers.
But it just irks me so much. Especially those that have a delayed response time, so as you’re enjoying reading a blog post, everything fades and a LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK box pops up.
It’s like a loud drunk man singing in your face in a pub while you’re trying to chat with friends.
4. The post is a YouTube video.
While I appreciate the time, effort and how tedious it can be to edit, export and upload a video, also how YouTube is quickly overtaking blogs – I’ve come to a blog to read a blog post.
I’m usually listening to music or watching a TV show in the background while I’m reading blogs and while it’s nice to hear your voice, see your first video or introduction to YouTube (especially if I’ve been reading your blog for a while), anything beyond that is pretty wasted on me.
I’d love if a blog post containing a video would have a couple of photos about what that video is about and some writing along side it to allow me to read without having to watch the video. Or at the end of a post, there is a video posted and a few sentences asking people to check it out – I can deal with that.
If it’s just a post advertising a video and nothing else, it’s likely I’m not going to watch it.
It makes me feel a bit guilty saying that, like I want to watch and support you but I’m too busy watching Katie Hopkins on Celebrity Big Brother be a total knob to watch a YouTube video.
5. Your titles lie.
Thankfully, I don’t come across this a lot on blogs, but YouTube… well, YouTube is a whole different ball game.
When a title is bold, catchy, unique, surprising or shocking. But the topic of the post/video is not what the title infers it’s going to be. GAH.
Like, for example, if I was bloated and thought I looked pregnant and put my blog post title as I’M PREGNANT.
Not like I can con anyone into impregnating me.
I’m sure we’ve all had that feeling where we’ve read something, watched something or searched for something that’s given us the illusion that it’s going to contain something, but it doesn’t.
What things annoy you?
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I hate the pop-ups and I hate the music playing, as most times I can’t find where it’s playing from to stop it, so I have to mute my computer. I find that annoying. These are great ones!! xx
Aw such a nice and true post, i really hate music background, because i always listen the music when i stay on the pc…
xx
cvetybaby.com
The music and you tube ones…yes! I know I’m so last century but I like reading text and looking at pictures! Like you I’m usually listening to music or have Netflix on in the background and I’m looking for reading rather than watching!
Jane x
the last thing surely annoys me the most but it happens more with youtube videos than with blog posts (as far as I have noticed)… and is there anything worse than getting totally into an article and absorbing its brilliance only to be interrupted by a pop up demanding facebook like or something similar… I would say we see eye to eye on this:)
These points are valid and so true.. Pop ups and music really irritate me and puts me off leaving any comment. So true!
Candice |
♥♥♥
It’s the “not being able to find the latest post” one that is the greatest of my bugbears. I’ve unfollowed several blogs for exactly that reason. A blog is a blog, not a conventional website, and when I visit the home page I want to see the latest news staring me in the face, not hidden away in some obscure corner.
I agree the slow blog that takes forever to open for what ever the reason to much pictures or their link. The music I do not like since I read at my job in between meeting and will get busted. lol.
I completely agree with you on the YT video titles. It winds me up too.
How i understand you espacially the reason 2 and 4 but I gotta say for the pop ups, that I understand…
Oh my gosh I know just what you mean… it’s so annoying when you can’t find someones latest post!! It’s just such a bad set-up! Then I waste half my time trying to look for it and figuring it out.
This is all too true. I hate when the music plays and I can’t find the pause button, I usually just turn off my sound because I can’t be bothered with it.
I can’t tell you how many times I almost clicked on these kinds of pop ups, they really annoy me as well. I can totally related to all of this haha.
http://floralsandsmiles.blogspot.ca/
twitter.com/floralandsmiles
I absolutely agree about everything.
http://ninasstyleblog.blogspot.com
I shit myself when I saw the post title because I know you comment on my Blog and I was like “noooooooooooooooooooo” I hope it’s not anything I do lol . Anyway things that annoy me are:
TOO much to read
Pictures don’t load
Blog Loading times
If I like what I read and I can’t quickly see a follow button.
And everything you listed especially the music part even more when I HATE the song playing 🙂
xox
Music playing is the one that really gets to me!!
The pop ups thing is SO TRUE. Especially when I’m trying to read the post on my phone! Does my head in. X
Oooh pop ups are my pet hate too! If I want to follow a blog facebook or whatever then I’ll click on the icons on the side. For me the way someone behaves on Twitter also affects whether I read their blog or not…it’s mad how people can just be so different on there compared to their blogs! x
Josie’s Journal
I really hate pop ups too, and if it’s really hard to navigate through the blog I usually just give up. I agree with the youtube video ‘posts’, I don’t mind a link at the bottom of a post to tell people they have a new video, but I think posts dedicated to videos is pointless (especially since I read most blog posts on my phone x
Yes, yes, yes to the bloody song playing in the background. It’s the one thing that annoys the hell out of me. And most of the time, the music is not even good. Another thing that gets on my nerve is the snowflakes, Hello Kitty, what-the-feck-ever that falls all over your screen, it’s so darn distracting!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Music and pop ups make me bonkers as well. If you insist on having music at least institute an option for the viewer to play it if they choose to instead of having it autoplay when the page loads.
yet another brilliant post from you gal
I totally agree on the recent post thing ,that annoys me so much :((
I am so glad I am not the only one who hates pop ups. Like you said, it is suppose to gain you more followers, subscribers, etc. But I find it too in your face. I have social media icons on the side one time. If you like me I would love for you to follow me on your own accord.
Great article!
Megan
xx
I really enjoyed reading this! I don’t get why people play music either! or really long posts!
NEW POST Jennos Health.
I couldn’t agree more about autoplay music. The fact that people still think that’s OK is just insane.
I also don’t like when the music plays in the background))) Corinne thanks for sharing! It’s really useful post!
http://fairyland111.blogspot.com/
Hahahaha I’M PREGNANT! Not really though. Love it. I hate when I can’t find people’s latest post, why can’t everyone have a nice clean layout?
India / Touchscreens & Beautyqueens
Serious talk: music popping up is the CRUX of why we all left MySpace.
I want to hit everyone with blog “ambiance” directly on the nose with an rolled-up newspaper.
I agree with this! I hate pop ups, and the music on the blogs is really the worst!!! PLEASE let me pick my own music when I look at blogs.
Melanie @ meandmr.com
Yesssss!!! Those pop ups and the music and the videos and all of it is just ahhhhhh!!! Yup. I agree. 😉
-M
The Life of Little Me
This is a real eye opener for me, especially since I’ve just started my blog. I’m not sure how I come across in posts, since I study a little Journalism, it’s almost a habit to write like I am typing up for a Newspaper apologies if that is the case! x
The first three make me leave a blog as well. I’m guilty of posting videos on my blog, but I try to have something else in the post for those who don’t want to watch 🙂
The pop-ups thing is terrible! And the music in background too! 🙂 Very good post!
Kisses,
NEW POST!
Babi
http://www.voguebuster.net
Totally agree on the youtube video as blogpost thing! I usually read when something else is going on …. kids watchibg tv – so I can’t listen to videos… and watching without listening doesn’t seem to have the same impact! Also it seems to take a 20 minute youtube video to tell me something I could read in three minutes – aint got time fo dat!
100% with you about the youtube video. It screams cheap advertising to me. Misleading!
Totally agree for pop ups and music !
An other problem for me : when I do not find the form to leave a comment !
The pop ups drive me mad, as I’m often reading on my phone which makes trying to press the tiny cross to get rid of a pop up that much harder! You’ll never see one if them on my blog unless I’m hacked….so please say if you do anyone lol x
I loved this. Is was funny and totally true!
I find all these very annoying…hopefully this post is a good way to make it stop!
Jennifer Jayne
jenniferjayne.blogspot.co.uk
I am always interested in what makes people leave a blog and this was interesting to read. I agree that not being able to easily find a post is a definite put off Lucy x
I love reading what puts people off! The pop up asking to subscribe is put off, ill more than likely click out of the tab!
Like you, I dont have time to watch youtube vids so i think it would be cool if youtubers did a mini post on the video, like a summary x
http://leannewinters.blospot.co.uk
The music and the pop-ups are my biggest pet peeves. I recently read a blog post about how, yes, newsletter pop-ups do increase numbers, but only temporarily: People feel “forced” to sign up (some think the pop-up won’t go away until they subscribe) and will unsubscribe again very quickly. So I’d say it’s best to just lose the pop-ups 🙂
So true, we all have things that niggle us! Also, on youtube videos, there’s almost always people saying ‘Hi I’m a new ______ can you please check out my channel?’ I’m all for checking out people’s channels if they compliment the video they’ve commented on, by saying something like ‘I really like this video because ____. I like ______!’ then a comment asking if people will check the channel out, but when it’s just advertising, it bugs me! Luckily, it’s not so common on blogs as people just add their blog link to a comment about the post.
I love it when you say everything I want to say and it saves me all the work 😉
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who hates pop ups! I can’t believe that its 2015 and people are still using them?! I went to a blog the other day and it wouldn’t close either so I just couldn’t read their posts without joining the newsletter. Not going back there! x
music is at the top of my list..
i also like pictures.. too much text turns me off.. unless i am already a reader and there is a one of text heavy post.
I HATE pop-ups, like if I want to subscribe I’m going to search for the buttons by myself, I don’t need this invasive thing popping up and interrupting my navigation… And the best thing? Is that pop-ups recently appear every time you open the blog’s page, every. single. day. It gets tiresome pretty quickly…
Also I really can’t stand is this new fashion of putting your blog posts in random order… This is great for you, as your blog posts get more views/comments in the long run, but for a regular reader that has already read it all? It gets annoying to sort through all the favourites/most popular posts and the various categories, looking for the last post! At least put a link to your blog’s posts archive…
“It’s like a loud drunk man singing in your face in a pub while you’re trying to chat with friends.” I actually laughed. I laughed because it’s true.
I tend to only sign up on my second visit when I notice that I can in the sidebar, because I’m like “Yes, I do want to have more of your content in my inbox now I’ve actually read some of it and enjoy it.” Pop ups will be dismissed. Just like I will walk away from aggressive salespeople.
Misleading titles are a Youtube thang though. CLICKBAIT FTW! I fall for it every time… *shakes head*
After reading this post, it leaves me feeling like I am doing things well so far. (haha)
The popups make me crazy. The ones that happen the minute I click on the blog link, and fill the entire page trying to cajole me into subbing. Aaaaand then I can’t find the button to make it go away. If I can’t find that button in 1.5 milliseconds, I’m leaving. I may indeed sub to your blog, but sheesh, lemme read a post first, willya? Glad to know this makes other people crazy too. I’m a new blogger and for a little while I thought the whole popup thing was “in” with bloggers!
Great article, Corinne. Thanks for these. I hate pop-ups. They drive me crazy, and I recently removed mine from my blog. Also, can’t stand ads plastered within a blog post.
Yeah ads can be annoying. The auto play video ones are the worst.
Hahahahaha! Nobody has the right to interrupt Tay-Tay time. >.<
P.s. i agree no. 2 is the worst.
You’re so right, the delayed pop-ups are the worst! It puts me off track with what I was reading before and it might actually make me leave the blog without finishing to read the post. Also, I have never subscribed in a pop-up and I’m pretty sure I won’t ever. Having my subscription box somewhere at the end of blog posts (like you have) did the trick for me because the people who get as far down as that are more likely to subscribe anyway.
Merry Christmas!
XX Carina
You’re so right, the delayed pop-ups are the worst! It puts me off track with what I was reading before and it might actually make me leave the blog without finishing to read the post. Also, I have never subscribed in a pop-up and I’m pretty sure I won’t ever. Having my subscription box somewhere at the end of blog posts (like you have) did the trick for me because the people who get as far down as that are more likely to subscribe anyway.
Merry Christmas!
XX Carina
Just read this post and part 1 – sooo helpful! I’m new to blogging and I’ve not really been sure how to organise myself properly, but now I have a break for the festive period so I’m going to look into improving the blog, especially as I am guilty of some of the things you mentioned!
Omg the youtube titles are the WORST. I hate being teased constantly and i really prefer blunt get-to-the-point titles. Then i know it’s worth watching or not. I also hate pop ups on blogs, ’cause its almost impossible to get rid of them whilst on your phone.
I love how honest you are on this post!
Much love x
I don’t really mind the music too much (unless one of my favorite songs is on. Then it’s likely I’m gonna let loose a few dinosaur screams). The pop ups however are extremely annoying. Like I’ll follow you on fb if you get away from my face for 10 seconds and let me explore your site and decide for myself.
I’m guilty of using the pop-ups… but they do work really well when you’re not promoting anything specific! Ours is actually going away shortly, once our email course launches. It was working great for getting subscribers before we had some specific course to offer, but now that we can focus on getting traffic to a landing page, the gigantic pop-up is going to get killed off. So you should be proud. Or something.
Really enjoyed reading this post and agree with a lot. Also made me think about removing some of the header units and adding a more personal photo on my blog. Thanks for sharing. xx
Maya
londondamsel.co.uk
I am so glad that I can across from this blog! I am recently a new blogger and want to make sure I do things right for readers (: I would love to know how to do blog marketing. Thats another blog idea that I would love to read about.
This is the first blog post I’ve read like this. There are so many articles on generic dos and don’ts (which are helpful) but nothing really personally. It was really refreshing to read, I went and read the first post too “5 things that make me leave your blog”. It’s funny – I agree with pretty much all you wrote, yet I’ve done some of these things in on my blog! Might to a bit of rejigging tonight 🙂
I really enjoyed this! I have to confess that I’m a pop up offender but it comes up as people are about to exit. Hopefully you won’t hate me! I read the first five you wrote on a previous post and totally agree with those and the five you listed, even though I’m guilty of the pop up. Thanks for the info!
I’m afraid I had three strikes against me–pop up, no list of recent blog posts, and no picture of me readily available on the home page. Thanks for the info–I updated it and hope it helps (except the popup as you are leaving my site–hopefully not too annoying!) Thanks!
I read your first 5 and had to click over to the next 5 right after, so forgive me for not leaving a comment on the previous post. Honestly, I enjoy honesty, and you dish it out with a bit of humor. We all have our preferences, and while the pop-ups don’t bother me much, I do admit I hate click bait. Maybe hate is a strong word, but I really dislike it. I feel lied to, lol! Also, I’ve never heard music playing on a blog, but maybe I’m not visiting the right ones… Anyway, thanks for the fun read.