Your readers hate it when you...

Put yourself in the position of an ordinary reader. I know you’ve been one and I know you still are. Now, remember the things that made you curse a blog, or at the very least, leave it. Have you remembered anything? I’m sure you do. Me, I remembered a great deal. So what are those things and how can it help your blogging career? Well, I’d say read everything and find out yourself.

Number one: Leave your blog like an eye sore. Too many bright colors contrasting in your reader’s precious eyes. I’ve (unluckily) encountered a few blogs that was messier than an art room where preschoolers have just finished finger painting (and I mean it). Everything was out of the proper position, the buttons were everywhere, the text color were clashing (all the colors were!), and the sidebars were out of order. Fix your blogs people. Readers appreciate it when you save their eyesight from any further damage.

Number two: Rage a war in the comments area. It’s healthy for a blog to have arguments in the comments section. That means that your readers are really participating in your blog and want to voice out their opinion. However, arguments on comments are only healthy when it’s the readers who tries to crush each other. It’s purely BAD for a blogger to debate with the readers/commentators. Some bloggers will fight for what they have written, even if they have to raise a battle for it. Dear blogger, give yourself a break will you? After you write your controversial post, lock your fingers together and don’t try to start world war III when someone comments against it. Be a real blogger and try to understand what they say. If you can’t understand them, just shut up and let them. Besides, if you’re really on the right side, I guess some loyal fan would stand up and beat the flamer away.

Number three: Don't use human language. An example on a computer tech blog: “IEEE 802.1x authentication provides authenticated access to 802.11 wireless networks and to wired Ethernet networks. 802.1x minimizes wireless network security risks and uses standard security protocols, such as RADIUS.” By writing like this, you have successfully turned your reader into a floating deadwood. Persons who visit your blog may have only little knowledge about your topic or might only understand limited terms. Try to refrain, no, refrain from using terminologies. If you did, make sure you explain what they mean. Many of your readers are not as smart or as experienced as you are. Try to give them the opportunity to understand what you’re saying. What’s the point in writing if nobody can even get it?

Number four: Redirect them to ads. I personally hate this one to the level of infinity. Once, I was happily browsing through a great blog. Suddenly, I found a nice topic and I proceeded to click on the link. But before I got to my desired page, an advertised website claimed the whole screen and I found it hard to continue to where I wanted to go. Guess what, I closed the tab and turned to another blog. Serves it right.

Number five: Concetrate PURELY on money-making. Guys listen up, blogging is not a substitute for you to pay your bills. There are bloggers who have dedicated their lives to blogging and are even making a good sum of money out of it. However, running a blog that is PURELY concentrated on money-making is something really low for a blogger to do. You can make money out of this (you really can and you know it) but am totally against bloggers who have turned blogging into their money-making machine, and I know thousands of readers and co-bloggers are with me on this one.

Number six: Write very short lousy posts. I know some of us really making this stuff once in a while, but to do it on a usual basis is nothing but crime! Think of it, if you were the reader, would you be interested to stay in a blog that has little (or probably nothing) good to talk about? When you write something, make sure someone would find it useful and not just another blog post throw-aways.

Number seven: Look too much of a diary. Unless your blog is a personal journal, then I would say stop doing this for Pete’s sake. We bloggers tend to write in some personal happenings once in a while, but for some, it’s like their blogs are centered to them. Come on, nobody would be interested if your pants got messed up with pasta sauce during your niece’s birthday party (even your niece wouldn’t be), or when you can’t go to sleep because your beloved dog is still barking mad with that moldy dog food. Who cares? Maybe someone would give you a comment or two but do you think they’ll be interested to return afterwards? Me, I don’t think so.

Number eight: Go boring! I don’t really know what to write with number eight. Well, it’s like this, some blogs don’t seem to have anything interesting with them. I’ve seen a few who’s basically just writing so-so stuffs and nothing else. There’s not even a single thrill in it. Too plain, too simple, too usual, too boring. Skip.

Number nine: Tell them about a product or site (on being an affiliate) which was not so good after all. There are times when we use our blogging for affiliate deals to try and get some money out of it. However, when you do affiliate marketing to your readers, please make sure you’re really referring them to great deals or at the very least, you were honest on what the product or service really is. Nobody likes to be led to scams and worthless stuffs. If you really want to do affiliate, forget about 100% positiveness, be honest and tell them the pros and cons. Your readers will appreciate all the right things you’d tell or even warnings you’d share with them before they decide to go for it.

Number ten: Don't update. You know what this is and what this would do to you, your blog, and your dear readers. So better not dare to do this. You might not like what’s going to happen.

Number eleven: Is there a number eleven? Actually, I can’t think of anything to write for number eleven. I’ll leave this one to you. Try and remember other things about a blog that made you point your thumb towards the ground. Hey wait, I remembered something for number eleven: reader’s hate it when you don’t appreciate them. So to all my readers, I just want to you to know that I appreciate your every single visit! Hope you come back for more!

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