Blogging is a fantastic, creative outlet that can offer you so many features, opportunities for you to learn and the chance to build a brand and business. I have been blogging for nearly 4 years now and I have seen the blogging community change and the opportunities grow.
I love blogging as it has boosted my confidence and given me so many amazing opportunities. However, like anything in life, both blogging and content creation have some down sides and there are some things that happen in the blogging community which are really frustrating for other bloggers.
This post is by no means aimed at anyone on particular; it is simply what I have unfortunately witnessed online. I am sharing 6 things that I have noticed, which both myself and other bloggers really dislike about blogging and will leave you feeling really frustrated.
1. Using incorrect hashtags
Hashtags are a great tool to utilise when promoting your blog posts, but also help you find blogging opportunities especially Twitter which has hashtags such as: #bloggerswanted, #bloggersrequired, #bloggersneeded. When used correctly, these hashtags are useful in spotting sponsored opportunities. However, some bloggers are using these hashtags to promote their own content. This is incredibly frustrating when bloggers are searching these tags for blogging opportunities.
There are so many other hashtags and accounts that are dedicated to sharing bloggers content and these are far more beneficial when it comes to promoting your blog posts. Other hashtags that can help share your content are: #Bloggerstribe, #TheClqRT and #cosybloggersclub. These accounts are currently actively tweeting bloggers content to a huge audience.
2. Copying of content
As a blogger, you know how much time and effort goes into researching, writing and sourcing the best images and taking the time to promote the post. Unfortunately, there are some ‘bloggers’ who will copy and paste and pass off content as their own. This is not only upsetting for the bloggers whose content it is, but can get that person into a lot of legal trouble.
If you have enjoyed a blogger’s post idea, or feel that you could share your experience, acknowledging that blogger can be the best way to share content on the same topic as long as it is written in your own words. If I have a great idea, or want to do some research, I am always a bit unsure about sharing on Twitter because I have seen at least one person share the same content as me at the same time. If you are guilty of this, you need to stop as it is really frustrating and disrespectful.
3. Sharing blogging tips with no blogging experience
There are so many bloggers who share their experience or tips to run a blog, which is really useful. However, I have noticed that bloggers, who only have a few months worth of experience, sharing tips about how to create a successful blog without having actually achieved this themselves. This does not make you credible.
This has also been the case for releasing ebooks based on blogging tips. When you are selling a product, you are putting your brand on the content, so it needs to be the best product. However, I have seen a lot of ebooks being released by people who have little or no blogging experience. If you want to learn and grow your blog, you must ensure that you are purchasing from reliable sources.
4. Not leaving genuine comments
No one has to comment on your blog posts; however, when someone takes the time to write a comment and it just says ‘Great post’, it can leave a blogger frustrated. If you are going to the time to comment, it can be helpful to the blogger to know why you have enjoyed the post.
It can also affect your DA and Spam score if you are leaving continuous comments that are less than 8 words. It can actually boost your DA by constantly commenting on other bloggers’ posts. If you choose to comment, make sure that you are leaving detailed, specific comments.
5. Incorrect or no disclosure
Disclosing your blog or social media content is not only a legal requirement, but it shows transparency and credibility to your audience.
When you are working with brands on sponsored content or a gifted campaign, it is important to disclose at the beginning of the post or social media post, making your audience aware. This will help you to be authentic with you readers and show professionalism for your brand and business.
6. Brands asking for work and no payment
When you start working with brands as a content creator, it can be so exciting and being able to turn your blogging hobby into a social media content creator career.
Creating content and blog posts for brands can take a lot of effort and planning. It is only right that you are paid for your work. If you are a hobby blogger and are happy to work for gifted products, there is nothing wrong with that at all. But if you want to make money from your blog, requesting payments and knowing your worth is important. Brands have a budget for social media and will sometimes try for content creation for free. However, stick to what you feel is right for you and your brand.
Can you relate to any of these pet peeves in the blogging community? I’d love to hear in the comments.
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I don’t mind when bloggers share their tips/tricks as you never know what experience they have outside their blog, even if it’s only been online a few months, and if they’re selling something at least they’re not forcing anyone to make a purchase. But copying content and ingenuine comments frustrate me for sure. I can definitely relate!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Yess to so many of these. The recent influx of blogging guides from bloggers who’ve been creating content for about five minutes makes me laugh. Also, the crap comments make me die.. why go to all the effort of reading a post and writing a comment just to write “great post”
Rosie
Say it louder for the people at the back! These are all pet peeves of mine too and drive me CRAZY. No disclosure – there is NO EXCUSE for not correctly disclosing content. And people handing out blogging advice (especially those who charge for it) with no experience. Don’t get me started haha.
I updated this post and it is crazy how 2 years later the pet peeves are still the same 😩. Thank you for reading.
YES. 3 is the biggest pet peeve of mine, why are y’all creating things about things you have no idea about. I recently saw this and I just couldn’t. Also really not a big fan of people who copy, it’s lazy and makes me so angry!
I updated this post and it is crazy how 2 years later the pet peeves are still the same 😩. Thank you for reading. Xx
Completely agree with people copying your work, why can you not create your own or if you have a different opinion on it specify where it all started! Comments are another pet peeve, to be honest, if it’s not your cup of tea don’t comment or at least if you have to try to say something more! Thanks for sharing x
These are pet peeves of mine too! I definitely agree it’s annoying when bloggers using the wrong hashtags on Twitter to promote their posts & I despise the “great post” comments. Also copying someone’s post is 100% wrong!!!
It is great to hear it isn’t just me this frustrates. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I am still relatively new to blogging, but I hate when people don’t leave genuine comments as well. I’ve had people leave comments that have absolutely nothing to do with my post. I think the only thing that bothers me more, is when someone leaves a comment that they wrote a post just like mine and that everyone should go check it out. It may just be me, but I think that is incredibly rude. Thanks for sharing your blogging pet peeves and giving me a space to vent! 😊
Yes I have had that a couple of times. I just delete the comment if people do that. Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I totally agree with these points especially the first few! I hate it when other people directly copy a blogger’s post because they have no idea how long it has taken the blogger to write their blog post! One of my blogging pet peeves is when people simply just promote their blog post on someone else’s blog post or social media. Thank you for sharing this!
Oh gosh on your promo tweet and then they promote their content underneath, I block them instantly ha ha. Thank you for reading and commenting
This is a wonderful post – thanks for sharing your pet peeves. As someone who is just starting out I’m also very wary of those individuals who claim to know all and provide tips and tricks when they are very early into their blogging. Thanks for sharing this!
Yeah you have to be careful as I think new bloggers may purchase something when it isn’t correct or useful information.
Sometimes, you get just a heart in the comment section. Sometimes, they just say great tips. I appreciate a comment that is a full sentence at least.
I look at their blog post and there are tons of comments, but they really don’t reciprocate back the correct way.
You read my mind Lauren! So many super annoying habits. I can’t even decide which one is the worst 🙂 Maybe I’ll go with incorrect disclosure because, annoying or not, you’ll still be legally obliged to follow the official content marketing guidelines.
Sorry for the long delay in returning a comment on your blog and replying to this comment. Thank you for reading and commenting.
It is so frustrating isn’t it! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Omg yes! Im definitely useless with # and comments 🙁 but I wish I could improve because I’d love to be able to share and engage more with people and bloggers !
It is definitely worth engaging with others.
I absolutely agree with all of these! Especially people putting e-books and learning material together when they have barely and experience or even worse, haven’t actually achieved what they are trying to teach about. It muddies the market of genuine material that can actually help people.
Great post and really enjoyable read 🙂
Em
Thank you for your kind comments! Can you link your blog if you have one so I can have a read x
I relate to all! of! these! Especially the genuine comments and blogging tips with no experience. I see some people posting tips immediately after they start blogging or using a new tool, and I lose my trust. It takes time to learn everything well enough to provide tips on it. Otherwise, it feels like the tips are just reworded points from existing posts.
Definitely, I have been blogging for a while but still wouldn’t write posts on certain blogging aspects as I don’t know enough yet and I have been blogging for years. Thank you for reading and commenting.
You know the irony behind sharing blogging tips with no blogging experience, the success can be measured by the real life mentors coaches, who have never “made it big”. I coach the little kids hockey, but I have no experience, I never played hockey and never played a real game in my life, yet here I am finding myself coaching hockey. Ironic how this works, but in most cases you’re correct, don’t be handing out blogging tips unless you have actual experience blogging, we see this a lot don’t we?
Unfortunately there are some that are selling their “tips” that they have copied from others to help grow a blog or social media platform. You want to be buying genuine information. Thank you for reading and commenting.