A couple of days ago, I asked a number of fellow bloggers what really annoys them in the blogging world. As us bloggers are quite an opinionated bunch of people, you can imagine that I wasn’t short of answers. The interesting thing is that many of us hate the same things, so I thought I would compile a little list of bloggers’ pet hates and share it with you:
1. Not being able to comment
Be it Captcha, Disqus or commenting systems that don’t allow you to comment via your mobile phone, bloggers like to make their voice heard, so being restricted by commenting systems or anti-spam plug-ins like Captcha really winds us up.
2. Shameless blog pimping
Almost as much as not being able to comment, bloggers hate comments that don’t have anything behind them or comments that have been made simply to pimp another blog or website.
3. Bad spelling and grammar
Nobody is perfect and we all let it slip sometimes, but blog posts that are full of bad spelling and wrong grammar can be a major turn-off. Letting spell-check run or editing aren’t asking too much, are they?
4. Lacking disclosure
Not disclosing relationships with companies or payment for sponsored posts, does not go down well with Britain’s bloggers. The majority of us doesn’t have anything against reviews and paid for links, but we want to know, if another blogger has received payment or a product in return for their post.
5. Not giving credit
In a niche like parent blogging, it is no surprise that we’ll sooner or later will blog about the same or a similar topic, but if you read a blog post and write something in response, crediting the original post will be really appreciated. Lifting someone’s blog post and giving it out as your own won’t though, so don’t even think about it.
6. Memes
They might be fun for some, but quite a few bloggers find memes annoying and feel like they are put under pressure to write about things they aren’t really interested in when they receive a chirpy ‘You’ve been tagged’ via Twitter.
7. SEO ‘experts’
They offer you ‘Free and unbeatable content in exchange for a link’ and tell you that your blog will benefit from it. Shame that bloggers are quite happy to create unique content themselves. “SEO ‘experts’, go home” is a chant most bloggers are singing, especially when they are trying to threaten UK bloggers with US laws.
8. Blogging about blogging
Do this, do that, don’t forget to do this and don’t you do that. Bloggers telling other bloggers what to do, do not have a massive fan base – simply because most of us love to blog by our own rules.
9. PRs that don’t do their homework
Many of us like being approached by PRs who are representing brands that we like, but being offered a baby grow when your youngest is currently studying for his GCSEs is just wrong and most of all lazy. It takes 5 minutes to scan a blog and read an ‘About Me’ page and it will be worth it.
Obviously this is just a collection of thoughts and in no way meant as criticism on any blogger. I like to think that we all have our own little space on the internet and what we make of it, is entirely up to us as an individual – that’s the great thing about blogging. Of course, the one or the other issue will get on our nerves, but what annoys the hell out of me, might be perfectly acceptable for the other.
So what do you say: What’s your biggest blogging pet hate? What gets really on your nerves and what can you live with?
That's a great collection, and I agree, especially with the non disclosure thing. But you did see the irony in including number 8 in this post didn't you? Made me giggle. 🙂
I did, haha, but as I said not everything on this list annoys everyone and I for one am quite partial to a bit of blogging about blogging…
What an awesome graphic!! I love that picture.
Ahem, anyway, where were we? Oh yes – great post, lovely colours, see my post for more info, I swear I wasn't paid for this comment (much), I have a great PR opportunity to improve your SEO. By the way, you're tagged, but you'll have to enter two ridiculously hard to read nonsense words before I tell you what in.
Think I got them all…
Good post btw 😉
Haha, you never fail to make me laugh and thanks for the lovely comment on my graphic. I loved playing around with it x
I think they have to people's most pet peeve's.But as we all say you can't dictate to others how to blog but some are common curtsies.Thanks for the mention 🙂
My pleasure, Aly and as you sad, a lot of the things that annoy us could be avoided, if people used common sense and would think before they post x
Think you got them all in there! And no spelling mistakes that I could see, so I will keep reading x
Yay, that's what I like to read 🙂
Phew, lucky me 🙂 Thanks for popping over and commenting!
I do a bit of blogging about blogging lol. I think we forgot photo theft too as it seems to be more common than lifting text.
I agree, I really have to make sure that I start adding a watermark to my images.
Good summary!! 😉
Thank you (also for contributing) 🙂
I put a PDF to help a craft for kids parties on my blog and today I've discovered someone is making the craft using my PDF and selling it on ebay. I put it out there for people to use for free not so people could make money off my work. Bit cross about that abuse of my blog today.
Bit cross? I would be furious. Some people really take the micky…
Very true! Except I get the highest numbers of readers when I blog about blogging. I never tell people how to blog though because there are no rules, but I've posted before about companies asking bloggers not to disclose sponsored posts and got more comments than most other posts. I agree with everything else though!
I personally really enjoy reading blogging posts as I find it interesting to get an insight into other people's experiences with PRs, SEOs etc. I also think we can learn an incredible amount from other bloggers. I love Nickie's blogging posts, because they teach me all the techie blogging stuff without me thinking I am an idiot…
it just comes, what you have been doing, events in your life, a photo you have taken, a funny comment one of the kids has said. you would be surprised. I been at it 14 months and published my 500th post last week. See it as an online diary for you and yours to look back on in years to come and strangley other people like to read it too
ps scuse spelling and grammar never was any good at English
Wow, congratulations on your 500th post. I'm off to count now 🙂
Same here. I find spelling and grammar really important. I know I am by no means perfect, especially as English isn't my first language, but I always try to make sure that my post have the highest possible standard going by my skills.
How we find stuff to talk about? I guess, life just throws things at us. Every-day life can be pretty exciting, if you give things a little twist or try to look at them from a different angle 🙂
I am not a blogger but I found your list interesting and if I was a blogger – I’d agree! A real pet hate of mine is spelling mistakes anywhere – if a restaurant has a spelling mistake on their board outside, I won’t go in lol!