I have compiled a list of five things I see on blogs that annoy me. (It’s always lists of 5 on blogs, isn’t it?) Anyways:
1. Blogs that have a crippled RSS feed
When I subscribe to a blog, it is because I want to read it using a feed reader. I only want to click through if I leave a comment.
The most annoying blogs in this category are the ones with two lines of text, followed by “Click through to read the site” or something. I subscribed so I could read the blog, not so I could read ads! Note to blogs that do this: your readers are not your pets.
I used to put up with excerpt feeds, but now I take a scorched earth approach. If it ain’t a full feed, I unsubscribe immediately.
One of the less obvious advantages of RSS feeds is that it allows people with crippled Internet connections to view your blog, even when your blog is blocked. If you offer a crippled RSS feed, they won’t be reading your blog, will they?
Two blogs that I do not read for this reason are Jesus & Mo and The Comics Curmudgeon.
2. Blogs that apparently don’t offer an RSS feed
Blogging platforms typically offer a feed by default, but many blogs do not have a link on the front page to it. I occasionally take a wild guess what the feed URL is in order to subscribe, but why should I have to do this? I mean, honestly.
I recently tried to subscribe to every blog that participated in the Middle Zone Musings group writing project, but out of 15 blogs, I only managed to subscribe to 10. This was one of the main reasons.
3. Blogs that require registration
This is done to prevent spam, but is totally unnecessary thanks to programs such as Akismet. It is unwise to put unnecessary barriers in your users’ way before they can comment.
4. Blogs that hold all comments for moderation
It is much more satisfying when commenting to see the comment appear as soon as you submit it. Again, this is not necessary to prevent spam. Most blogs do not have many nuisance comments and these can be deleted after the fact.
5. Commenting on Blogger blogs
Because if you’re logged in, the displayed link takes people to your profile rather than your blog, and the only way to get around it is to manually type in your URL - every time.
***
I’m sure I could think of other things that annoy me, but I’ll leave it there for now. What do you see on blogs that annoys you – and is this blog guilty?
16 comments
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June 4, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Mat
Hey man
Firstly, update the look of your blog. Please.
Secondly, when adding feeds to the blog reader, very often you can just add the URL of the blog and Google Reader will do the rest
June 4, 2007 at 7:09 pm
markk
Mat, I’ve been adding plugins, and I’ve about finished that side of things. Changing themes is next on the list. I know that’s putting the cart before the horse, but yeah.
I find putting the URL of the blog into Google Reader works sometimes, but not often enough! But thanks for clarifying that.
June 4, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Jon Newton
Haven’t read your blogspot for a while. What I don’t like is when there aren’t quick easy links to the other sites I want to go to next.
June 4, 2007 at 9:55 pm
markk
Like when bloggers refer to sites without linking to them? Doesn’t happen often, but it is annoying.
June 5, 2007 at 8:19 am
themolk
I’m with you, dude… the list of annoyances about blogs is almost as long as there are blogs…
- like blogs that seem to have died that no-one removes
- like blogs that start on a great topic, and stall (e.g. Eating McDonalds every day - where’s the follow through, people?!!)
I won’t go on, but you get my drift.
June 5, 2007 at 9:23 am
Lisa
Issue with Blogger - which I use anyway ’cause I don’t usually read my own blog - there’s no way to go to the last post or the next post. You have to go “home” and then scroll ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE!
and if people have links on the side to “previous posts”, that’s all it is… so if you’re looking in April and you want to go back now (ie May), you have to hit “home” again! totally annoying! Why can’t they just have a “last” and “next” or something!!! Grr…
June 5, 2007 at 10:44 am
Robert Hruzek
Whew! I’m glad I’m the GOOD example!
June 5, 2007 at 1:22 pm
markk
Lisa, that’s one of the reasons I moved my blog to Wordpress - for the navigation. So I definitely agree with you on that one!
I can’t whinge about abandoned blogs since I have two of them, but it is disappointing when you find a good blog, you bookmark or subscribe, and nothing ever happens on that blog again! Aargh!
Robert, you have just passed the first stage of our rigorous blog certification program. Only nine more stages to go. Congratulations!
June 5, 2007 at 1:54 pm
SaRz
i confess to having a blogger page. i was going to go with wordpress but unfortunately it wouldnt let me use my hotmail address to sign in with, and i couldnt be bothered getting a new email account. so unfortunately ur going to have to deal with it =p
i also confess to having several abandoned blogs. i must have another 5 blogger accounts…but i forget all their usernames, let alone passwords…
as well as a dead xanga.
i know. i ought to be sued.
June 5, 2007 at 3:06 pm
markk
6 dead blogs. You’re like a serial killer or something.
June 6, 2007 at 12:13 am
Robert Hruzek
Yikes! What’s next, peeing in a cup at 10 meters?
June 6, 2007 at 1:37 pm
markk
Nothing so easy! Ever been in the army? I haven’t, but it’ll be just like that. Apparently.
June 9, 2007 at 9:28 am
J.D.
I run away from blogs that are too cluttered-looking.
You don’t have to have a great template, just something that doesn’t hurt my eyes. Of course this is an entirely subjective pain that depends on the individual.
June 9, 2007 at 2:09 pm
markk
JD, good point. And while it is subjective, you do have to wonder about the value of all the huge amounts of widgets people tend to put on their blogs.
With icons, ads, awards, avatars, 100+ blogrolls, Diggbait etc, many blogs leave their content gasping for breath!
June 19, 2007 at 12:08 pm
deptaro
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June 19, 2007 at 12:30 pm
markk
Err … okay …