I'm not going to mention poor spelling or crazy designs here. If that is a blog's only fault, I think it's too small of a fault to completely drive away a reader like me.
Too many giveaways.
...of stuff I don't want. I won't enter a giveaway just to enter. I will enter if I already really like that particular blog or that prize being offered and if I perceive the giveaway as possible to win (i.e., not already 26,000 entries). But if a blog is all giveaways, that's just overwhelming--give us a couple funny stories to read, that's what I want!
Too trendy.
This is a case of like attracts like. I'm not interested in constant mentions of 'popular' tv shows, celebrities, 'the latest' in summer fashion, and 'desireable' brand names in real life, and I'm not interested in such things on the internet, either. I'm not a trendy person, that's all.
Too distant.
As much as we claim that blogging is about quality writing--it's also about personality of the blogger. If I come across a blog which has great content--and I read, and read, and read, and comment, and comment, and comment, and join a link up or two, and the blogger never responds to a comment, I'll probably lose interest eventually, because the blogger is so unresponsive that I can't sense that I'm getting to know a real person behind the blog.
Too boring/whiny.
Funny how those are so often the same. "Being real" and writing about something really hard that you're going through is completely different from an overarching theme of "poor me" and angry bitterness. If I come across a blog that consists primarily of complaining about in-laws, spouses, jobs, money, children, etc., I won't be inclined to read it. I'm sure such blogs have an audience, but I personally don't find constant complaining either relatable or entertaining, so I don't read them.
Too much like a product review blog.
This is probably a given. I don't trust product recommendations from people I don't know. I probably will trust the rare product review from a lifestyle blogger that I've been reading for a while, because I feel that I "know" that person well enough to have a little faith in their opinion. Blogs that are purely or primarily built on product reviews don't entice me because I don't feel that I know the blogger well enough to care about their opinion.
What do you think about lifestyle bloggers writing product reviews? What will cause you to decide not to read a blog?
so true. I won't read based on those things either. I would also add "super complaining and crabby" to that list too. If someone is complaining all the time about their terrible life and how awful it is--I loose interest fast :P
I totally agree with you. The giveaways is one of the biggest one, especially if that's ALL that's on their blog. Sometimes when checking out new blogs, I come across a whole bunch that every single post is just a giveaway, that's not enough of a reason for me to follow your blog.
I completely agree with you. There have been many a blogger that I have removed from my feed because of all the giveaways and product reviews. That's not why I got sucked in to the blogging world.
i hate it when everything is linked to pinterest and they are constantly asking you to 'pin' their posts.
I totally agree. Funny enough I wrote a post today that said the same thing about giveaways and rafflecopters.
I need some real personal content. Or something that I relate to, find funny, amusing or interesting. Otherwise...why bother?
I will take someone's opinion into consideration if I've been reading them long enough to feel like I "know" them enough to trust their opinion.
bisous
Suzanne
Yes, yes, yes! I agree with all of this! I just went through the blogs I follow and got rid of several empty, boring blogs. You're still on my list! :)
I'm sick of seeing blogs that have a link-up, give-away, or review every day. That's not what I'm into either.
I agree. Lately I've felt quite whiney on my own little blog and I'm trying hard to not be that way. Right now it's a case of 'if you can't write anything nice, don't write anything at all' - so there's that problem. =)
And link-ups and giveaways drive me crazy. I've done a few giveaways on my blog (like 2) and they've all be really very very teeny tiny.
I agree with most of these reasons, though unfortunately I won't read a blog if the design/writing is really bad either...it's just too annoying for me. I am not a huge fan of product reviews, and lose interest quickly if that is a blog's primary focus. If I'm looking for a review, I tend to turn to youtube...for some reason I have more trust in their opinion if it is in video form! (which probably doesn't make much sense...)
I agree with you that if a blog has poor spelling, that doesn't stop me. I'm an English teacher and my mom complains to me that I need to watch my grammar on my blog posts cuz sometimes it's terrible. Haha. But, I do like a fresh, clean design...doesn't have to be personalized HTML, but just not a lot of sparkles or too much pizzazz in my face. I also don't like it when bloggers have HUGE paragraphs. Break it down a bit, make it easier to read on the screen.
Our Fairy Tale
These are the same things that stop me from reading blogs! It just doesn't feel real, and I don't read blogs to feel depressed.
I completely agree! I stop reading some of my favorite blogs because most of their posts are giveaways...they are incredibly obnoxious!
Honestly I don't like reading/seeing bloggers all wearing the same trend one after another. It really gets played out and ends up being the same. But I do like to read product reviews here and there for any new products to test out :) Great & honest post!
I agree with this whole post.
Agree with all of this! The other thing I can't stand are sponsor posts. You know, the ones with 3 lead-in sentences and then the rest is all about this-or-that other blog we should all be following. I can honestly say I don't think I've EVER found a blog I liked that way, and you know the only reason they're being touted on the original blog is because of X amount of dollars they paid. Super annoying, and as soon as I see that a blogger does those kinds of posts, I pretty much immediately click away from their blog.
I agree! I especially agree with too distant. that bothers me!
Product reviews really push me away from blogs. No one (usually) cares about someone else getting free stuff. Sponsor posts are a close second though.
I agree on the trendy thing too. I don't consider myself particularly into the newest trends all the time because I'm, let's face it, cheap. I don't want to read about the hundreds of dollars other people are spending on clothing each month.
I won't read a blog if it's too dramatic. I mean you can tell... What I do love is when bloggers are kind of random but they include elements of being deep, funny, personal, and the like. And to top it off, how they respond to a comment let's me know a little bit more of who they are.
This is all waayyy too true. I can't get over the mass quantities of product reviews some blogs do. This just makes me think that they are reviewing everything given to them and saying they're great because they got money or a product for it.
Plus, who is going to buy EVERY single thing that one person reviews if they are reviewing things twice a week?
Ah yes! I absolutely agree with every single point and glad that your first two aren't actually in the list as I make many spelling errors every week (re-read veronica! how hard is it?!)
The constant product reviews really drive me crazy...a few here and there is fine but all the time, ugh. And the giveaways too are annoying. Like you said, good every once and a while and not when they involve ten billion people!
I don't like a lot of giveaways either. Usually when I enter, I'm already following the blogs that are in the giveaway. I also hate when blogs have 37837847 product reviews every week. I admit that I do them, but usually it is like two a month.
I agree with you. I don't like blogs that are constantly doing giveaways and product reviews. There's no real content in that. I'm not a big fan of the new trend where 8,000 bloggers all sponsor one giveaway either.
I totally agree with this! I actually hate giveaways (even ones for things I like because I never win... and I guess I never win because I never enter. Hmmm.) I do trust some product reviews, but it really depends on the product and who is posting the review!
I completely agree! These are just about all the things that will stop me from reading a blog. I don't mind blogs that do giveaways occasionally or the odd product review, but when that's all it seems to be...it doesn't even really seem like a blog to me anymore! :P
~Vicki
Decked Out in Ruffles
I totally agree. most of these are the reason I usually lose interest in a blog eventually.
yay! I totally agree with ALL of these! this is a GOOD post!
I feel ya on this! I will stay away for all of these reasons!
I completely agree. I've stopped reading blogs for the same reasons.
I think this post has to be my all time fave! You have managed to hit the nails bang on the head. Quick, clean and straight to the point! I like yah style and how you say things.... #hooked
My college-and-right-after-college blog (which is no longer in existence) was written primarily when I had a terrible and extremely frustrating job- and I realized after reading a couple weeks of posts that I hated my content. It made me sound so... annoying. Yeah, I was going through tough stuff, but my negativity really colored my writing, and didn't point anyone to the Lord.
I think that I stop reading blogs of writers who have vastly different experiences and values than my own, are really negative (ha! like my old one was), or if I feel like I don't connect to the writer.
Hi! Just stopping by from the Style Sessions Link Up. I have to say I can really relate to this post. I love, love, love clothes, but it's people who make the world go round! I enjoy a good (and not too long!) back story. I'm fairly new to blogging (just started in May) and am finding I share your perspective on the things that drive me away from other bloggers. Glad to know you're here! http://www.redsshoediaries.blogspot.com/
I stumbled upon this sifting through your "Best of" posts, and I have to agree with basically all of your points! I understand it gets overwhelming to reply to people's comments when you get a million people commenting, but there are some bloggers with plenty of followers/comments that still do it - and I appreciate it and like feeling engaged with them! The giveaways also drive me bonkers. I tend to not even read those posts anymore. And I absolutely love personality - the quirkier the better!
-Carylee
morepom.blogspot.com
I agree about the giveaways and sponsored reviews--too many, and it feels like a blogroll of advertisements. :/
Oh I can't stand the bloggers that never comment back or respond!!!!!
I really like this list! I 100% agree with the product review statement and the give aways statement! I don't feel that's what a blog should be ALL ABOUT. I'd add the design to my list though...if a blog takes 5 minutes to load because it has 100 buttons and ads in it's sidebar, I'm never coming back. Yours doesn't! :D Great post. :)
I agree on the product review. It one thing to write 1 product review here or there but basing your whole blog around it and every post is a different review. I don't trust you, I don't know you, and most of your reviews sound the same over time. I also don't want to read about someone complaining all the time, I hear it enough at work & it only brings me down, I want to read something that makes me happy not sad. I've never come across a blog with too many giveaways but I do see a lot of giveaways with stupid things and why would I enter a giveaway for something stupid. Put something up that is worth winning, even if its something you made like a scarf or something, as long as its cool. This post was a really good post by the way--I enjoyed reading it.
xx, Michelle
http://michelleolthuis.blogspot.com
this is brillant. You hit the nail on the head with too distant and too trendy. I work in fashion, went to college for fashion. If i wanted to know the latest and greatest of fashion I could figure it out myself, or read a vogue magazine. I come to blogs for fun, spunk and personality! the connection is the biggest thing!
http://aprettythought.org/
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