This post is inspired by Forever and Everly’s post.
When I was reading her post, I thought to myself how I’ve never really discussed this before. I’ve talked about what I look for in a blog when I follow them. That post mainly had to do with first impressions, like design, original content, and ads. I never talked about after I follow a blog. What about when I don’t comment or read their posts often? Why do I do that? Well, I figured I might as well discuss it now!
*This is not meant to be directed at anyone or to be mean in any way. These are just my opinions on what I like when reading blogs. We all have different tastes! You’re free to disagree with me 🙂
I JUST DON’T CONNECT
Sometimes I follow a blog because they have a beautiful design and content 100% relevant to me – then later on, I realize that their content just isn’t for me. Sometimes, this has to do with their blogging voice.
We all have different tastes. Some of us like to read humorous posts, some of us like to read informative posts. For me, the former can become a bit too flamboyant. I love what they’re talking about but maybe not how they go about it. Subtle humor or lightheartedness is great, but sometimes it might be too much for me to the point that it becomes distracting.
THE FORMATTING GIVES ME A HEADACHE
Okay, this is kind of in relation to the above, but most of the time it mainly has to do with plain old formatting and not their blogging voice. I usually have no desire to read posts that are long with little to no paragraph breaks. I don’t like to read essays and that’s how those long posts make me feel. That’s not to say I don’t read long posts, they just have to be formatted correctly. As in, break main points into sections, have clear headers, underline or bold important points. If every post is just one long, or several long paragraphs, I tend to never read them. Like this, but longer:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam maximus velit nec sollicitudin vehicula. Aenean in pulvinar lorem. In commodo enim vel diam suscipit luctus. Donec semper mauris odio, vitae congue magna venenatis eget. Nam blandit eget tellus sed finibus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam maximus velit nec sollicitudin vehicula. Aenean in pulvinar lorem. In commodo enim vel diam suscipit luctus. Donec semper mauris odio, vitae congue magna venenatis eget. Nam blandit eget tellus sed finibus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam maximus velit nec sollicitudin vehicula. Aenean in pulvinar lorem. In commodo enim vel diam suscipit luctus. Donec semper mauris odio, vitae congue magna venenatis eget. Nam blandit eget tellus sed finibus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.
On the same token, if a blog has too much separation, my eyes start wandering and I get a little lost. At that point, I only read the big, bold text and ignore everything else. So, I still read those posts, but sometimes if it’s too much, I’ll stop.
THE IMPULSE FOLLOW
I have a tendency to follow a blog because I read one of their posts, liked it, but didn’t even bother looking at their other content – later I realize that we have nothing else in common. Either they read books that I don’t read (at all, like adult romance), or they post nothing but book reviews (May is so right on this). If a blog only has book reviews, I usually don’t read them. Maybe I don’t unfollow because sometimes reviews are helpful, but it won’t be a blog I’m actively thinking about when I want to go blog hopping.
I’M SCREAMING INTO THE VOID
Yes, I’m bringing up commenting again. I think commenting is so important. Sure, people get busy or have way too many comments to always reply – but if they never reply to comments? I’m usually less inclined to read or comment on their content.
I have encountered this several times: I find a blog I love. I regularly read their content and comment on their post. Months go by and I realize I’ve never had any interaction with that blogger. They’ve never replied to my comment. They’ve never commented on mine (which I don’t expect, but sometimes people do this instead of reply). When I go to their posts, I realize that they don’t reply to 99% of their comments – I’ve actually seen some that don’t reply at all.
This is baffling to me.
INTENSE DEBATE:
On a related note, I usually unfollow blogs that use the comment system Intense Debate. This has nothing to do with the blog’s content, it is literally just because they use Intense Debate. See, for some reason, I’ve never been able to comment with that system. Ever. Not once. I’ve tried various methods and my computer just hates it. So, if you have that, and I’ve never commented, it’s because I physically can’t and when I can’t comment, I hate reading the posts because I want to interact! It’s like FOMO, tbh – I feel I’m missing out on a great conversation!
Have you ever lost interest in a blog? What usually makes you lose interest and/or unfollow a blog? Do you impulse follow like I do?
55 Comments
I hate when I try commenting on a blog and I just can’t get it to work. And I agree, it’s a bit frustrating when a blogger never replies the comments on their own blog. Sometimes I can see this, we all get busy, but if it’s a pattern, it makes me wonder if they want the interaction at all. But yeah, the impulse follows are bad, like when I think we have a lot in common, but then we don’t, or if they do a lot of videos, which I personally don’t have the patience to watch. It’s hard, though, I feel bad about unfollowing a blog, so I rarely do it.
Exactly! I mean, yeah, we all get busy! Look at me today taking almost a week to reply to some comments. But I’ve definitely encountered blogs where it’s a patter of just…silence. hahah I also don’t have the patience to watch videos! That’s why I’ve never gotten into booktube lol
When I first starting blogging I encountered the last point ALL OF THE TIME. And it was actually really sad. I’m still working on the “commenting back” portion from my end as a blogger, but I ALWAYS at least responded to their comment. I don’t understand why bloggers do that! Maybe they get busy and don’t even realize that they’re ignoring people, who knows, but I try to avoid that now, because it was so disheartening in the beginning! The content point is 100% true – I have a few blogger friends who do only suspense/thriller, and I have zero interest in those novels. More often than not I can’t figure out what the heck to comment on their posts!
I actually never do the comment back thing because I just wait for a blog hop day. so I guess I SORT OF do it? Just not when they officially comment on my post? lol Also, exactly! It’s not that I hate their blog or whatever, I just don’t know what the heck to comment when we don’t share similar interests! lol
I LOVE the House gif!! That is so ME!
I’m a very visual person so format matters a lot to me as well as photos of some kind. I’m not a fan of blinkies though…and while I get pulled in by just the right amount of visual effect, I get turned away quickly by too much.
hahah it was perfect! I am pretty visual when it comes to formatting too. I’ll decide whether to read a post or not sometimes off of the way it’s formatted. Also, sorry, what are blinkies? haha
I agree with everything you said, especially the fourth. It’s so frustrating when you can’t comment !
YES. I don’t know why Intense Debate hates me so much lol
I totally agree on not connecting and impulse follows! There are so many times where I’ll look at a blog afar but not follow them because only a couple of their blog posts are too my taste, but then there are some that seem like just the right fit, and then I realize they’re not. At all. 😂 I agree with not wanting to read too many humorous posts or “peppy” blogging voices – I’m not a fan of peppy people in real life, so reading blogs with that voice isn’t to my taste (but it’s definitely popular since I’ve seen so many blogs like that)! 😁
I do that too >.< I'll check out a blog SOMETIMES when they have a post that I connect with but maybe won't actually hit the follow button. It is popular to use that extra humorous peppy voice right now! I personally just like posts that get to the point without too much fluff around it. So usually those peppy voices don't fall into that category. to each their own though! haha
Hi Molly!
I so agree about replying to comments… I’ve run into a few of these lately… I get it with school and everything it may take a few days to respond but come on, lol. It makes me feel less interested it opening their posts in the future because more than likely someone else will write a post similar at some point.
And YES about formatting… This is something I keep playing around with on my own blog… making reviews easier to read while not compromising on what I want to say about the book… My perspective is different from most book bloggers so I have to keep that in mind…
<3 Such a thoughtful discussion.
Ah yeah, if someone is busy, I totally understand! But I have encountered a few blogs that just don’t EVER reply. It’s so strange to me! I think it’s possible to format a post so its easy to read without compromising thoughts! Honestly, I’d rather read a long post with good formatting than just one long paragraph or something. If that even makes sense haha
Agh, thanks for linking to my post! I so agree though — when posts have really big chunks of text, it’s SUPER hard to read and I just get so distracted! (It’s a wonder that I can focus on reading books haha!) And I also have those impulse follows where I realize, later, that I don’t REALLY want to read their posts.
Oh, and thanks for linking to my post! 🙂
You’re welcome! I loved the idea (obviously) 🙂 haha Ok, but true, it is a wonder we can focus on books? hahahah because on blogs, long paragraphs are just TOO MUCH. lol
“I usually have no desire to read posts that are long with little to no paragraph breaks.” OMG YES. I hate giant paragraphs. I can’t deal. I have also impulse followed and then not connected really. Also sometimes either my interests change or a blogger changes and we no longer really fit – if that makes sense. Great post 🙂
YES. Honestly, if a paragraph is more than like 6-7 lines, I usually skip it >.< or hard core skim it lol Also, that does make sense! I've had that happen to me as well with other bloggers.
I’ve stopped following blogs or lost interested too for some of these reasons. I agree about the humorous posts. There’s nothing wrong with them, but diff people have diff senses of humor, and sometimes they’re just not for me, or they’re too much for me. It just depends on the blogger and type of humor and whatnot. And I also don’t understand the bloggers who never interact and I stop bothering to comment on their blogs as well since it just feels very one-sided and I don’t feel like they even care or want me to stick around.
Exactly! (about the humor posts) We all have a different sense of humor so sometimes it just doesn’t click with me. Also, yeah, never replying to comments will always be something that baffles me lol
I almost never unfollow, but I guess I can kind of lose interest? Like, if the person NEVER responds in any way, like you said, I tend to just kind of forget they exist? Like- I don’t think I intentionally lose interest, but I just get too involved in talking to people who I engage with more regularly. (That said, I can be absolute garbage at responding sometimes, which makes me feel like such a blogging fail!)
Other than that, the only time I have actively unfollowed is because of some behavior that flat out appalled me (this has only happened once or twice, but it is the ONE reason I will hit unfollow super fast hah) and ONLY promo. Like, if you have some promo, I can live with it, but if that is ALL that is being posted? Nah, pass. Great post!
I guess that is kind of me too? I don’t physically click an unfollow button often, I just sort of forget they’re there haha Also, agree with promo posts! I’m assuming you mean like blog tours and what not. I NEVER read those so if someone only has them, yeah, I tend to unfollow >.<
I totally agree, especially with the whole impulse follow thing. I can’t deal with blogs that are all reviews and blog tours, or with blogs that focus on romance or horror. Nothing wrong with any of it, just not my interest. I don’t have strong opinions on formatting, as long as the writing is black on white, or close to it. There are a couple of blogs I follow that are sort of “aspirational” blogs–they read and discuss books that are more serious than what I read these days, but I USED to read books like that and hope to get back to them someday. I probably don’t visit these quite as often as the blogs that deal with the books I’m actually reading these days.
Isn’t it funny that we’re book blogs but hate blogs that are full of reviews? hahaha but I actually don’t read reviews that often! lol
Interesting post, it’s always helpful to see just why someone unfollows. Like you said, I sometimes follow based on one post, but then none of their new content catches my eye. I find if I’m constantly skipping their posts in my reader, then I know they are just not for me.
Ah yeah, I noticed there are some blogs that I tend to just skip in my reader. I should probably start cleaning it up again >.< haha
I love this post and I couldn’t agree more, especially about the formatting! While I’ve been exceptionally awful lately about commenting back, I am also baffled by people who NEVER comment back or blog hop. What even is the point?? And YES to Intense Debate! I hate that system with a mighty passion.
Tracy @ Cornerfolds
I don’t comment back…ever…actually. I do reply. I save the commenting back aspect of it for blog hop days! I find it easier to separate the two tasks haha UGH THANK YOU. Another person with issues with Intense Debate! I was starting to think I was crazy. I literally just CANNOT comment on that system and I have no idea why! haha
Good ones 🙂 I’ll agree about the formatting – some of the blogs I’ve known.. don’t just have the paragraph problem (it’s not much of a problem, really) – it’s more like they have 15 different fonts and graphics that just make your head swim %0 now that’s something I can’t take. Even if they write good content, I’m not willing to get a headache for it 😀
And you’re also right about no reciprocation. I can take not visiting back, because I don’t always have time to visit back myself – blog hops can be so demanding. But not replying comments just makes me sad. There’s a blog I loved but just stopped visiting because of this. Nobody likes talking to a wall.
I don’t recall intense debate, but I think I must have encountered it once or twice. Really hate it when they try to make you sign up for stuff to comment as well (not a big fan of Disqus myself), but the worst for me are WIX blogs. My phone won’t let me comment on most of them. Puts me in despair! Lol
Ahh yes! I just think visuals are so important with blogging. Yes, good content is important, but it has to be visually appealing as well. So, like you said, I’m not wiling to get a headache for it haha
I don’t usually visit back because I tend to do that during a blog hop day, so I don’t mind if people don’t immediately (or ever) visit mine after I commented. BUT replying is sort of a must to me. Why bother if there isn’t even a reply?
I actually used to use Disqus but I noticed a lot of people said they don’t like signing up for things so I’ve gone back to WP. It’s made things SO MUCH EASIER. I actually don’t think I’ve noticed any WIX blogs. Technology is strange lol
Yeah, there are not many wix blogs cause… there are not many upsides to having one xD I know like…. 2?
hahah sheesh, that explains it! >.<
Formatting seems so superficial, but I agree, it can be a turn off. There is one blogger, who I find very amusing, but their posts are too much for me to look at. There is so much stuff in-between each paragraph, that I forget what the last paragraph was about. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but negativity is. I try to surround myself with positive things. If all a blogger does is say negative things and complain, I get turned off. It’s ok every once in a while, but it just brings me down (one reason why I stay away from Twitter).
I don’t encounter formatting issues ALL the time, but it does sometimes make it or break it for me. I just have a hard time focusing haha >.< Eek, yeah, negativity can be a turn off! I stay away from Twitter for basically the same reason lol
I totally agree about commenting. I got into this to make friends. And if you don’t interact you aren’t worth my time. I am constantly impulse following people and having to go back and check their stuff out more carefully. Its a problem. *shrugs&
YES EXACTLY. I am only here to chat with people. If I’m not chatting, then what is the point? haha
I tend to impulse follow a lot, and then end up having no desire to actually talk to the blogger. Also, the not-commenting-back is so frustrating to me! I know how much comments on my blog mean to me, so I always make sure to reply to each one. It seems weird to me that some people don’t do that. I also agree with you on the humor. I think there’s this trendy, over the top humor style going on right now that I just don’t care for. I don’t mind it on a couple posts, but after a while it can get really overwhelming. I guess it’s really popular though, which is interesting.
I love this discussion! Great post. Also, your blog is so pretty! I love your header.
Yeah, I always reply. Even if it’s late! (Kind of like right now, I haven’t been on in a few days so I’m playing catch up). There is sort of a trend of over the top humor right now huh? I don’t ALWAYS dislike it, but I have stopped reading posts sometimes if they’re too much >.< Also, thank you so much!
I love May’s blog! Her posts are just fab <3 I definitely get the 'screaming into the void' with a few blogs and I really feel like…why am I even following? They're not even replying to my comments. OMG same on the impulse follow. Sometimes i see a blog with a good, post, design or name, hit 'follow' but realise I don't actually like their blog? Sometimes I go on these un-following sprees where I go through the list of people I follow and think ' do i really enjoy their posts' and then well..unfollow. It reduces stress a lot!
I actually don’t unfollow blogs all that often because I’m lazy, but I just stop reading them at all or as often >.< haha I should probably start unfollowing though just to keep my feed clean and reduce the stress when I DON'T read someone's post!
Commenting is so important. I can’t imagine doing so would bring controversy. I like making connections, so when I receive comments, you best believe I’m replying. Also, I agree with formatting. If your paragraphs are too long, I’m gone.
Great post!
Ah, yeah, I HAVE to reply to comments before I do anything else blog related. I’d rather reply to the comments people already left on my posts than write more posts >.< haha
I have a few blogs I’ve lost interest in but normally because my interests when it comes to blogging have changed. I mean, I used to follow loads of blogs that blogged exclusively about YA books and I still follow some but now I read a heap more romance and I like to follow more romance blogs too. I like to have a mix. I find some bloggers I follow who read none of the same books as me but I still love their reviews and posts. It means I find books I’d have never have read before and it’s great. I am a bit of an eclectic reader, though.
I think we’re all guilty of following a blog based on one post only to realise we have nothing in common with that blogger. I am also especially bad for following for pretty design (I am shallow) only to learn their content is so not me.
I do find bloggers who don’t reply to comments or interact a lot are ones I lose interest in most. I’m not expecting immediate responses (I can sometimes take a couple of weeks when I’m behind on blogging) but if I get nothing back repeatedly I forget I liked their blog in the first place.
Oh yeah, some of my tastes have changed as well. I actually find myself reading more reviews for books I never was typically interested in. Also, I’ve definitely followed a blog because of the design then discovered I had nothing in common >.< haha pretty blogs are a weakness lol. YES. See, I'm fine with a long wait period. Even right now I'm finally sitting down replying to comments after not being on for several days. But when people NEVER do, I definitely lose interest >.<
I’ve definitely done the impulse-follow thing before, and have followed loads of blogs because I loved one post, and then had all sorts of things I’m just not interested in coming up in my feed. I now definitely try and check out a few blog posts before I follow, because having to go through and unfollow blogs is so hard work!
On the other hand, I absolutely love it when you read a great blog post and then click through to the rest of the blog and end up on there for ages, reading all of their recent posts. I just like that feeling of having found a new favourite! 🙂
The not replying to comments thing is definitely a big one for me too though. I sometimes take a while to reply to mine if I’m busy, but I do always try and reply to every single one eventually, and so it does really put me off if a blogger never interacts with their readers at all. It just seems to defeat the point of having comments if you aren’t going to have a discussion with your readers!
Great post! 🙂
It’s WAY more work to unfollow! hahaha I try to read a few now as well before I decide to follow since I’ve done impulse follows so many times lol
Agreed! I love finding new favorites!
YES. At least try! I just don’t understand those who don’t reply OR blog hop. What’s the point?!
When I first started blogging I followed EVERYONE back which I eventually realised was a huge mistakes, haha. Now I’m a lot more picky about who I follow. I think one of the main things that cause me to lose interest if I see a blog start to become nothing but those Cover Reveal and Blitz type posts? It almost makes them seem non-human because there’s zero personality, haha.
I can’t deal with text that isn’t formatted into paragraphs either!!
I admit I’m pretty bad with commenting sometimes, but I definitely try and always make the effort to reply as much as I can. I saw a poll on Twitter once were the majority of people said they didn’t blog hop/comment and I was just like ?????? HOW ??? haha.
I did that too! I ended up following SO MANY blogs that I never read haha. I’m a tad pickier now as well. I don’t like those book features either, or nothing but weekly memes. I get a bit bored with that.
I think there’s a noticeable difference between people who DON’T EVER comment back and people who at least try. So as long as you try, that’s all that matters! I’ve just seen several blogs that don’t reply OR blog hop and I’m like you…HOW WHAT WHY?!?!?! haha
I completely understand the dilemma of the paragraphs being to short! It might sound a little weird because I used to adore reading bloggers who use one line bullet points, but now I find that they tend to annoy me a little. Perhaps school is messing with my mind. Sometimes I can’t help but want people to ELABORATE on their point. I’m reading someone’s post for original thought, not surface level observations! However, I do appreciate that most of the blogs that do this are also quite funny – which means that, if done well, I don’t notice it as much.
I like a happy medium. Not too short, not too long, just right haha. Otherwise, I’ll skim too much and miss the point OR I’ll completely skip over the paragraph all together
AHHH THIS IS EVERYTHING!
First of all, yes, if reading your blog gives me a headache, I won’t be doing it again. Also if a blog has a pop-up subscription box 2 seconds after the page loaded, um excuse you let me read a word first, thanks. And I couldn’t agree more about commenting back and not being able to comment at all. We all have busy days and I even reply almost a month later but I always reply to my comments, so a blogger not commenting back just doesn’t sit well with me.
Seriously, this post is me on every lever!
OMG I didn’t even think of the early pop-up box. That is a little premature huh? Like, I haven’t even read your blog, IDK if I want to sign up for it! Also, 100% with you on commenting. So it looks like we’re a lot alike when it comes to blogging! haha
People’s reading interests change all the time, so I feel like half the time I stop following a blog is because I am no longer interested in the topics they write about it.
Although I also do a lot of the above to, like impulse following! If someone follows me, I will probably automatically start following them without checking what content they write about. Then finding out the only post book reviews, on books that I have no interest in reading… I’ve done this on more than one occasion…
I also get disappointed when I find and love a blog post, only to discover that that blogs other blog posts are nothing related to the one I found and loved.
I feel like I need to go through my bloglovin and unfollow the blogs I never read/comment on! Then I will be able to stick to the blogs I love to read.
I went through Bloglovin’ recently and unfollowed a few people that I knew I never read but I follow so many that THAT even got daunting hahahh But yes, it is disappointing to find one blog post but the blog overall isn’t something I’d be interested in. Wah!
I’ve missed your blog, Molly! I keep meaning to stop by and then never get round to it 🙁 Sorry about that.
When I first started blogging, I was incredibly impulsive when it came to following other blogs. Now I’m trying to be more aware of their content because I click the Follow button, but I’m still following way too many than is possible to visit 😉 Lol.
The chunks of text without breaks or bold highlighting, and the whole blog design and graphics, are probably the biggest things I look at when I’m considering following a blog. A website’s appearance says so much about the blog, and I can’t stand ones with unreadable text, oversized, distorted graphics, and a messy sidebar. I’m so picky when it comes to design and layout 😉
And same as you, I’m also very likely to skip big chunks of text. I don’t have the time or patience to read the whole post if it’s written without breaks or highlighting.
Really great discussion 🙂
Eep! Well, I’ve been a bit absent so you haven’t missed too much on my blog hahahha
I definitely try to be more aware now because I, too, just followed everyone lol.
hahaha I can relate, obviously, with the appearance of a blog. Some are just so hard to read >.<