Today I am going to shed some light on the mistakes that I have (and some that I have seen others) make throughout my year of blogging. These are just my opinion; no one needs to get all crazy about it, deal?
10. Not having a picture of yourself on your site! I hate when I am reading someones blog and I have NO clue who is talking to me. It doesn’t have to be profesh or anything. I don’t care if it’s a glamor shot from 1989. It gives me insight into who you are.
9. Word verification on commenting. Just take it off. Did you know that blogger automatically screens for spam without it? It filters all mine out and it will filter yours too.
8. Not having your email linked to your profile. Talked about it here.
7. Leaving comments asking people to follow you. Or enter your giveaway. Just leave a nice comment that makes them want to click over to your site and put a face with the name.(See No No #10) You are awesome and they will do it on their own!
6. Assuming that everyone that reads your site has always read it. I am SOOOO guilty of this. A quick background story on a post with links to previous posts that apply to what you are talking about are a MUST. Sorry for everyone that has had to endure Vintage Revivals before I learned this small truth.
5. Once again assuming that everyone will go digging through your archives to find something that you blogged 7 months ago. Everything should be accessible to a reader in 2 clicks or less. (Once again I am guilty of this…but working on it)
4. Automatic music on your site. Hate when I am supposed to be cleaning during naptime and instead I am blog hopping and all of a sudden Katy Perry blasts out of my computer waking the kid up.
3. Being negative. I am a huge advocate for people being real on their blog. We are all real people with real lives and real problems. If you have something awful happen to you by all means share it. Even share about it a few times with updates but don’t let it take over your blog. I have 2 friends that are perfect examples of this. Rachelle and Joonie. Click over and see how they have handled their situations with grace.
2. Using someone’s project, images and words as inspiration and not giving them credit. Trust me, your readers are not going to think less of you if you link back to someone’s tutorial. Even if you change it up and write your own there is NO harm in linking to their blog. I promise.
1. Being rude! You know that this had to be my #1 right?! If you feel the urge to tell someone that you think they/their project/their blog sucks or if you feel like you cant attach your name and email to your comment DO NOT DO IT! There are ways to offer your opinion without being being a jerkhole. I am not saying to automatically go along with what the blogger is saying if you disagree but use some tact. Or else you will be a guest on My Favorite Hate Mail.
Ok so what did I miss? What are the No No’s that you have done, or seen others doing?
Awesome list Mandi! I’ve never thought much about #6, but hello, I DO need to be better at it. Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
I like it when people have their social media links on the home page. Because I always want to follow people on Twitter at least! Make it easy for me to contact you and I will 🙂
I’m guilty of #10. Even though I have a few nice pictures of myself I don’t like seeing a picture of myself all the time. And I’m a closet blogger. None of my family know I do it. Maybe they won’t find out if they don’t find a picture of me online (haha)…. even though they are aware of my Etsy shop name (so they may have found me and have not said anything).
I’m under the same boat as Cassandra. I’m slowly coming out of the blogging closet.
One thing I get annoyed about is center post content…. like the entire post is centered. I’m not sure why people do it but it is easier to read left align. As a design manager used to say, centering text should mainly be used for invitations and menus. But big blocks of text…. don’t do it!
Jodi @ Make Three
https://makethree.blogspot.com
Hi, Mandi
Great pointers! Thanks for the insight. I just started blogging and I am learning along the way. This is a huge help. Thank you.
Blessings,
Vanessa
BWahahaha! I love that I break your rule number 1! ;D
Mandi,
By the way, I love the picture you added. How funny! Bugged out lady!
Totally agree on all points except #9. When I used Blogger, I didn’t need the word verification. Unfortunately, when I switched to wordpress, even after installing a spam catcher, I STILL got crazy amounts of spam. I’m talking hundreds a day. It was wearing me out, so finally I had to break down and add word verification. I don’t like it, but it’s a necessity for my sanity 🙁
And totally agree with Jodi’s comment on centering! Ick!
All 10 pointers are dead on. I totally agree big time with number 7 too. I get that a lot, or even I am your newest follower, it would be great if you followed me back. Almost like putting a guilt factor on you. I believe you need to read what you love and enjoy and not just follow to follow. I also don’t like really tiny print because I can barely read it. I know a few blogs that their fonts are just way to small. jen
The music thing is so true…nothing worse than trolling blogs at work and Taylor Swift suddenly blaring from the computer.
Great tips for all of us! Another tip I would have is to nurture the blog! Something I am failing miserably at right now…but I plan to change that in short order!
I turned off word verification based on your tip. Now I just need to put the other tips into practice!
Have an awesome evening!
P.S. I love yours and Viv’s MFHM blog! It’s a shame that there is a need for it, but I’m glad it is there!
Great post! So glad I stopped by for this one! Working on getting my picture on the blog now! I never even thought of that one… So thanks!!!
Love the list – I agree with pretty much everything!
I am a big proponent of switching commenting over to Disqus though – easier to converse with people, NO spam and it always works. I would say that I have issues commenting on about 50% of the blogs that still use blogger commenting.
Yours is clearly fine though haha!
Love how you say not to be negative when you are pointing out everything everyone else is doing wrong. And yeah, I am breaking one of your “rules” leaving an anonymous comment.
Great post Mandi and I couldn’t agree with you more. I would say that I’m bad at putting links to past posts too. I’m working on it too. I pledge that from this point forward I will make it easier for my readers to find past posts. And, I would have to say the thing that annoys me the most is a tie between the verification and the music. I wish people would get a clue and take both off their blogs.
~ Deanna : )
Looks like that lady found your blog and commented…go figure:)
I agree–my biggest pet peeve is a link back to the person’s blog. I know that sometimes it does relate to the current post, but I think people do need to follow blogs because they’re truly interested.
Love the tips, thanks!
i voted for you and i agree with you, great post.
lauren
Hahaha! This list made me laugh. One personal rule is to write well. If you are going to blog, spell check, use correct grammar and complete sentences. Don’t try to sound like you are in high school and above all (!) don’t “talk” sugary. Bleh! I have stumbled upon a few blogs lately that I can barely understand because they seem to be using high school, teeny-bopper language and then I find out they are mothers.
absolutely agree with all of this! 🙂 One of my minor pet peeves is when a comment form does not have a name/url option… BUT, I’ll live! 😉
8 is my favorite! I hate my people ask a question in a comment than have a noreply@blogger! Half the time I write a whole paragraph to answer than realize I’m writing to nobody! Hate the mean comments too. If you can’t say something nice…
Ooo, great list, Mandi! Yep, I’ve been guilty of a few, have corrected those, with a couple more to go. Thanks for the motivation!
Heidi @ Show Some Decor
Great insight, Mandi! Though I will say that I find it difficult to find the line between negative and overly flowerly sometimes. I don’t like fake, but I don’t like too real either and the way I write my own blog depends how I’m feeling that day – sometimes it’s hard to be subjective in the moment…ya know?
Natty
http://www.nattybydesign.blogspot.com
thanks for sharing, learned a few new things. and I thought my email was linked to my profile, turns out it wasn’t! but now it is!
I love your #2.”Using someone’s project, images and words as inspiration and not giving them credit.” I’m on Tumblr and always give credit to the source (no excuse now with google image search that you can install and just right click on a photo to get to the source). I also have a page on my Tumblr site (that according to Google Analytics is popular) where I state citing Pinterest or Tumblr as a source, isn’t siting a real source. Great list – thanks for taking the time and thought to post it.
umm, hello!? I have no idea how I got out from under the rock I must have been hiding under, but I just found you. Crazy , right? Cause it seems like the rest of the blogging world has already know about you. So glad I finally found you. Now, let me catch up on all your posts!
d e n i s e
Oh no…. the snarky anonymous commenter strikes again. Oyi. I don’t understand the comment or hiding behind anonymous. We’ll pretend they’re on the east coast (like moi!) and that the earthquake shook them up (no pun intended).
I am totally going to go through my profile and fix everything! Thank you for your suggestions!
You rock!!
Oh, Mandi…how you rock. Thank you so much for actually putting into words all of the thoughts I have while reading sooo many blogs…;)
I, too, agree w/the centered text…makes me a little dizzy. And I will leave a blog if the music automatically comes on…
Thanks, again, Mandi! You are awesome!
Love your “rules”! Here’s my pet peeve – having the text a color so light or size so small it’s hard to read
words of wisdom! thanks for the tips! by the way i love the updates to your blog! most excellent!
Just thinking about that automatic music one today! I told my husband I was too busy working and then of course, I clicked on a blog and this music came blaring out (working, huh?)
All great tips. I’m guilty of 5 and 6, I need to work on that.
The music thing is a pet peeve of mine too. I’m usually listening to my own music when on the computer.
The no-reply thing is a great one too…I think most people don’t realize their settings are that way.
Just mosied over to your hate mail website and totally have been cracking up. I can’t believe some of the things people write! If you don’t like a post, just move on to another one. We all have different opinions/styles/projects/etc. Love your and Viv’s comments!
Love this list. 🙂
ALL great stuff!
My pet peeve is a blogger not responding to my comments. I mean if you have 50k comments, I understand. But if I take the time to leave a comment, then the least that someone can do is to drop me a line. (NOT you btw)
congrats on one year! Love your blog!
gail
FAB post, girl! I wrote a whole post on the importance of linking back today. These are excellent notes!!!
I forgot an easily fixed pet peeve! When I click on a link and a new tab/window doesn’t open. I mentioned this to one of my favorite bloggers and she fixed it on her site immediately. I figure you want me to spend as much time on your (any blog) site as possible, but when I click on a link and it opens where your blog used to be, it’s kind of a pain to go back and I get easily distracted 🙂
Second suggestion is to go after sites/people who have violated your copyright rules (or reposting rules). People on tumblr copying your entire tutorials (not me), go after them. I just went after 3 people on YouTube who used my videos and won my case against them in 1 day. I constantly check on google image search who might be using my images and for what. Your images could be hijacked by sites that have nothing to do with your image at all. Thanks for having this discussion.
haha i loved this! Esp. #2 this is my biggest pet peeve I have seen done!
Love this! I have been thinking a lot about the people who just comment to say they found you through whatever blog hop and now they are following me and to come and follow them back – but they have a blog that does not interest me in the least! I won’t go follow them back – I mean I don’t want people to follow me just because I follow them, I want them to follow me because they want to, know what I mean?!?!
I think your list is spot on and honestly believe that when it comes to commenting, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.”
But since you asked what my blogging pet peeve might be I’m going to share it. I have become really annoyed with the bloggers who re-post their post every day for several days or even sometimes within a few hours so that it appears it’s a new post and is moved to the top of the list on my “Follow” list but it’s just the same ol’ thing. I feel it’s like the annoying little kid who keeps jumping up and saying “Oh LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!”
I say, Post it and then leave it alone until you actually have something new to post!
Thanks!
THANK YOU, Mandi! Fab post and all well said. Posting this on my Facebook page.
I agree with you but I think the one that bothers me the most is the music thing, cannot stand that!
I want to thank you for the bit about word verification because I didn’t even know you COULD remove that! Yay thank you! 🙂
xoxo
megan
So what is the edicate if you do use someones tutorial and do reference them and connect the link. Should you have to ask for permission first?
I need to put a link to this post on my blog!!!! The ones that irk me the most are the word verification, the no-email link, and the follow requests.
I haven’t personally seen anyone steal anything or not link back to something, but I know people do it and that sucks.
And finally, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”? Seriously people, keep it to yourself and move on!
Okay, I did it. I just did a post with a link to this post on my blog.
If just ONE person adds their email address to their profile or turns off their word verification, I’ll be a happy camper. :o)
Totally enthralled with your great list, thinking about the things I need to change & then I read your #1. I almost woke up all of the kids while laughing at the word “jerkhole.” Hahah Thanks for keeping it real!
Great list-thank you! Thanks also to Mindy (above) for sending me here to read your amazing blog!
I am guilty re number 4, playing music. I have a festive playlist on my Christmas blog but I figured that people who would want to read a Christmas blog would also want to hear carols! I definitely don’t have music on my main blog though!
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
Best wishes,
Natasha.
Oy. When will people learn that pointing out the proper way to do something is not the same thing as being negative. When, Mandi?! When?!
This is a great list! I’m pretty new to the blogosphere & will take all the help I can get! Thanks for posting.
Great list Mandi, thanks! 🙂
BTW: did you change the font on your site? I’m finding I have to squint to read your awesome insights now…
I don’t have a blog, but I LOVE to read and follow all that interest me. Your top ten list is SPOT on and spells out what will make me want to become a fan.
Amen Sista!
susan
GREAT post, I am so guilty of #6….will try to remember.
The music thing is the worst!
I’m also guilty of not having pictures of myself..we definitely need to get some family pictures taken!
I also have a big pet peeve that may not be a big deal to others..I hate when I click on a picture instead of whatever link is underneath, and it doesn’t go to the link. Not a big deal and not a lot of people take the time to link the photo too.
Thanks a bunch for this post! I am a fairly new blogger and am always looking for ways to improve my blogging skills! I am following you now. You have a fun blog!
You hit the nail on the head with this list. Seeing as I read your blog on my lunch (which I take late in the afternoon), I am super-appreciative that you are not guilty of #4. Whenever music blares from my computer at 2:30 in the afternoon, my colleagues thinking I am goofing around, even though it is “me time” =)
[says the girl leaving a comment on your blog at 11:43am. Guilty!} LOL
A perfect top 10. I totally agree with all of them.
I got a few nasty comment recently, and although I might have brought them on myself by being very vocal about a $50 million house in foreclosure (I called the post “Disgusting”)…I was amazed that people thought it was ok to leave negative comments anonymously. If someone feels the need to say they hate my post, I’d be FINE with it if they attached their name.
I had one person comment anonymously and then type her first name at the bottom. SO NOT THE SAME. There is no link back to who she really is that way – which I’m sure she knew when she did it.
We don’t write anonymously, and I think we shouldn’t accept criticism from people too cowardly to use their profile to comment.
There’s my rant. Great post!!
Stacy
Just sent a vote your way for crafting with the stars! I so enjoy your blog. Loved u on Nate as well. Thanks for all of the detailed information on projects that you share.
Blessings.
Roxanne
Just sent a vote your way for crafting with the stars! I so enjoy your blog. Loved u on Nate as well. Thanks for all of the detailed information on projects that you share.
Blessings.
Roxanne
Thanks for posting this! I am always looking for advice to make my blogging better. I’m going to go take my word verification off now….
this is gospel. way to put it!
Hi there! I’d have to say that #2 is my biggest peeve…its just not right!
It also bothers me when people use the words “then” and “than” in place of each other. I’m reading some blogs daily that constantly do that and I love their blog, but that stands out like a sore thumb! Maybe it’s just me and I’m being too picky, but you asked. Heehee! Thanks for all the great points! You’re awesome! 🙂
Thanks for the reminders…looks like I have some things to correct.
I almost dropped my favorite blog because of the music thing. It was really hard to remember to put the mute on before clicking over there. I did actually like her song choices, but I read blogs at the kids sleep times and it is such a jolt when everything is quiet.
Thanks for the list Mandi 🙂 It’s always great to have a few tips from a great blogger….. I’m adding my picture right now sheesh lol 😉 P.S. I also HATE when people leave comments and then ask you to check out their blog. It totally makes the comment pointless in my eyes.
Thanks for reminding us to be kind and courteous… Gotta remember that blogging is just like talking to someone!!! If you wouldn’t say it to their faces….just don’t TYPE it!
I’m always learning from you. Who knew that centered posts bothered people? I will stop doing that. I think I can “blame” my daughter for getting me started that way. Honest. I hope I haven’t been guilty of reposting when I’ve added a link to a party. I don’t know if it shows up again. Last, my pet peeve is incorrect use of “voila”. I’ve seen so many misspellings of this word and it drives me crazy. Just me.
SUPER helpful for a girl that’s next project is revamping her blog and putting more effort now on driving traffic to it. At first I was just worried about being able to put up regular content but now that I have that covered (most of the time) I’m ready to work on extending my reach and accessibility.
I’m so happy you took the plunge and decided to start forming your style, voice and blog. It’s been a huge inspiration for me and I always look forward to see what idea you’ve come up with next. So I guess… love your guts back!
Dear Miss America,
Thanks for the list…just starting blogging though I’ve lurked for a very long time (okay well not VERY okay but at least 6 months). That makes me sound stalkerish – sorry. I swear I’m not.
Ahem, soooooo, I just tried to reply to the comment you left me and guess what I got for an email address? [email protected]. Naughty, naughty girl. lol
I liked the way you have put it.
It definitely is a YES YES LIST for BLOGGING NO NO’s 🙂
I remember reading a blog entry on someone’s blog sometime back and believe me, every word of advice in there was something I had already been doing for past couple of years. And that’s what I wrote in comment to it – That, it feels like as if I have written the blog myself, word to word, and that it feels good to know our thoughts are so in sync..
And WOW! My comment was instantly deleted by the blogger.
Just because my thoughts are not penned, doesn’t mean I can not think/write like you have.. They have just not taken the shape of a blog, THAT’s ALL !!
I love that you did this post. There are a few things I need to fix on my blog. But, can I tell you how much I hate the automatic music thing too. I hate when you know your friend has it, and it’s the same song for the last 3 years, it makes the page take forever to load so you can’t see pictures, when you turn to a new post it restarts instead of playing from where you were. And you can’t stop it in time before it blows you off your seat or like you said wakes up the baby. Okay now I am off to fix my blog. P.S. I love your blog
Totally agree with everything, but would like to add:
PLEASE don’t apologise about not blogging for a while!! We all have lives, we all have hiccups, we know that blogging takes second (fourth, hundredth) place sometimes. Just talk to us. It’s so boring when posts start “Sorry I haven’t blogged for a while…” Tell us your story – THAT’s why we’re here…
Just found you for the first time tonight. Love you already!! (is that a “no, no”? Lol) This info is super useful thanks for posting! I’m still learning!
J
AWESOME!!! So helpful
Just found your blog and LOVE. Can’t wait to follow!
Great list! Thank you for this. I immediately added a picture of myself to my blog.
Love your BLOG!
I totally wish everyone would just get rid of word verification. WV is such a ninny!
Great list.
Obeying all but one rule….but I just fixed it! Love your blog…..It’s pretty much the awesomest ever! Just sayin…MUAH!
Great post! As a newer blogger its nice to have someone point out these potential mistakes. Thanks!
Great list. :o)
Just wanted to add: you can disable anonymous comments in your blog settings under the Posts & Comments section. Easy peasy. Hth!*
I came over from one of Centsational Girl’s BOTB posts, btw . . .
*Hope this helps.
Mandi this list is awesome! I particularly love #7. I HATE to go to someone’s blog, go to leave a comment and see someone has left a comment to follow them also AND they never comment on the project they are looking at. Great list, thanks, Mary
I am guilty of #10. I need to bite the bullet and just have my hubby take my picture and get it over with. Thanks for the great tips!
Great advice! And I love that you have a favorite hate mail section, what a great way to add humor to something that is otherwise quite hurtful.
Thanks Mandi! I love you and your blog! I read this when you first posted it, but didn’t have a blog then, so I’m glad I found it again, now that I’m blogging. I had no idea you could turn word verification off! And I fixed my email address thing too! Thanks for the tips!