The Annoying Side of Blogging

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You’d think people would take a hint…

When I started writing this blog, I never imagined that I would have any followers. It was just a private journal that I had started. But slowly, it started to grow! I had about 1500 followers a few years ago. And I LOVED it! I was obsessed with my stats the first few years, but then I started to realize that the number of followers didn’t really mean all that much when only a handful were engaging in the posts that I was writing.

If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember that a few years ago, I spent the days between Christmas and New Years deleteing all the people in my followers who I didn’t engage with or who didn’t engage in my blog in a meaningful way.

That simple act of like 6 hours spread over a few days of deleting my 1500 down to 60-something was eye opening. It really changed how I viewed my blog and the people who are reading it.

Before, I’d never even consider the idea that I would personally remove someone from my followers. Yet now its actually common practice. I value the people who engage in my blog and love those interactions.

Except when you get a follower who you delete and they just keep coming back. I think its a serious downfall of the WordPress platform. Because I have been dealing with this blogger for MONTHS.

And it’s not that this person has done anything horrible, I just don’t enjoy interacting with them. I don’t follow their blog, I don’t enjoy replying to their comments, their comments rarely ever fit the actual point of my posts.

So about 6 months ago a few of you gave me some suggestions. I had already stopped interacting with the comments left by the blogger a few months earlier. Then I was taught how to block the comments from this blogger, which I did. So comments go to spam. And then I removed the follower from my list of people who follow this blog.

Now you’d think that would be enough! But let me tell you it hasn’t been. I had a nice month or so of nothing from this blogger. Then they followed again. So I removed again. And so the cycle has continued every few weeks since August. They refollow, I take them off. Over and over. Liking posts whenever they discover that they have missed a few because I have taken them off the list. Now they don’t re-follow, they just like the posts.

So here is my request: stop it. There has been ZERO interaction with you since the spring, I have removed you no less than 10 times, yet you keep coming back. Its enough already. Just stop.

I wish there was a block button on WordPress because this is exhausting.

21 thoughts on “The Annoying Side of Blogging”

  1. I hear you. I’ve made it loud and clear to a couple of people that their comments will not be accepted unless they follow my rules, but that doesn’t stop them from leaving comments anyway. You’re right – WordPress could use a block button!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Yeah I don’t want to to private just for this one annoying person. I know a few people who have gone private but its because they sometimes have a dangerous or aggressive person they are trying to rid themselves of.

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  3. I had that issue with that creeper who was visiting my blog all of the time and then started stalking me on other blogs. I hated it. He was the person who showed up at a party he wasn’t invited to. Going private stopped it and I was able to retain my sanity. As far as followers who don’t comment? They’e hollow follows. A lot of them just hope that you reciprocate and give them a follow. I’ve seen bloggers with hundredds of “likes” on their posts with little if no comments. No thanks!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Rob that sounds so dangerous! I’m glad you’re safe from this crazy stalker. Xoxo

      And I really dislike the hollow follows!! They will like a post 17.3 seconds after it goes up so I know they haven’t read it because I write a LOT. I took a bunch of them off my blog when I cleaned out the list a few years ago.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • Awww well I always see your likes here and comments! I’m trying to be better at engaging in the blogs I follow. Sometimes I want to follow more but I just don’t have the time or energy to do it properly so I haven’t expanded on my circle in AGES

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. I have a Twitter follower who does the same thing but I don’t kick them, they just unfollow for a few months before they follow again. It’s very annoying but I just ignore it. If they are so desperate to keep following and unfollowing, that’s their problem.

    Liked by 1 person

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