New bloggers: Following Back

~ beetleypete

This is some advice for all new bloggers who think it is ‘normal’ to ask other bloggers to follow back, once they have followed someone’s blog.

Try to remember that many of the blogs you decide to follow have been around for a very long time before you discovered them. That means it takes up a great deal of time to not only produce content for the blogs, but also to reply to comments, and read and comment on the blogs they already follow.

Imagine my own blog, with 8,000+ followers. If I had followed back every one of those, I would need to live five lifetimes just to read their posts and leave comments.

When we have been blogging for five years or more, it usually means we have already followed as many bloggers as we can possibly cope with. In my case, that is close to 120, and some other bloggers follow as many as 300.

So when you follow another blogger, PLEASE do not automatically ask them to ‘Follow Back’. I try my best to help any new bloggers with advice and tips, and always comment on the blog of any genuine blogger who follows me. I am also happy to receive emails asking for help and suggestions. But that doesn’t mean I will automatically follow you back, so presuming I will do so will leave you feeling disapointed. Especially when you ask me directly, and I decline.

If you only follow my blog because you want to boost your own follower numbers, then perhaps it is best not to follow me in the first place.

Blogging is not instant social media, and that’s just not how it works.

121 thoughts on “New bloggers: Following Back”

  1. I cringe when I see these requests. It also assumes you will follow in vain and not because you actually like their content. Even worse when they leave a blog comment asking you to check out their blog, but show no indication of having read your post.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. You’re welcome Pete, this is one of those ‘elephant in to room’ topics that tends to be avoided – but it’s good that you touched on it.
        Best blogging wishes
        Cherryl 🤗

        Liked by 1 person

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    1. Is that the followers part of blogging generally? It is nice to get some genuine followers, and to be one too. That way, you can become part of a community and make great friends. Unfortunately, there are far too many playing the ‘Follower game’, and just trying to accumulate a high number of them.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Thank you for putting this out there. Some bloggers assume that following my blog means an automatic follow from my side. That’s not how it works. I hate it when they leave comments asking for follows, a total no, no.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. Hey Pete,
        Oh soooo glad that my comment made it through. Thanks for letting me know. It didn’t appear to be posting.
        You’re welcome… It’s great you know your limits. There is a point when it truly comes to that,
        Stay well and blessed❣️

        Liked by 3 people

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    1. I hope that you find what you are looking for, Nameera. I think it is nice to feel that you belong to a blogging community, and to be able to engage with a regular group of people.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply
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  20. Great post! It’s quite often that this happens but it’s really not possible to read all posts all times! It’s every harder if you take a break and come back after a few months!

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. If you come back after a break, it is better to delete all the notifications, and have a fresh start. It’s impossible to catch up after all that time.
      Thanks very much for following my blog.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply
  24. Pingback: New bloggers: Following Back – stuff and poems

  25. I’d much rather be happy if I have few quality followers who give genuine feedback on my blog than a thousand who just follow for the sake of it.

    Liked by 4 people

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  26. I’ve just started out but I think although on one hand it’s amazing to have followers on the other asking someone to follow you even when they don’t have the interest for the kind of stuff you write about is a waste. Thank you for your valuable advice. 💛🌻

    Liked by 4 people

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  27. Blogging is about sharing. You are right. By trying to ask someone to follow for the sake of followers isn’t right. Before we give in to the temptation of having followers, I think it’s better to work on content and do this because you enjoy it. Your words are honest advice for any new blogger like me 👍

    Liked by 6 people

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  29. Phew its not just me then…Its just a numbers game to many and as we all seem to agree how on earth could we read and comment on all those we blindly followed and in all honesty sometimes its not a blog who topics interest me personally 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. With the big increase in new bloggers since the lockdowns, this is unfortunately increasing too. Some bloggers put up one post, then follow me asking me to follow back when I have no real idea what their blog is about. I don’t suppose they will read this, but it makes me feel better to post it. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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      Reply

  31. I think liking posts is a real boost and it takes very little time. I had to unfollow some blogs, even ones I really liked, because I was getting overwhelmed with notifications and stuff to read and respond to. The blogging community is strong! I prefer it to socmed (social media) any day. Social media is just too decentralized to get anything done. Bloggers rule!!

    Liked by 7 people

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  32. Reblogged this on My Corner and commented:
    A while back, a new blogger asked me to follow his blog, or maybe it was her blog. With an unusual name, it was hard to tell if this person was male or female. I ignored the request. Although I follow some blogs that interest me, because I have over 900 followers, I don’t have time to read and respond to more than 900 blog posts per day. I’m glad that Beetleypete is of the same mindset. So, if you’re a new blogger, I suggest you read this. By the way, if you’re already following me, thank you.

    Liked by 5 people

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  33. Recently I checked on some blogs I have faithfully followed. I discovered quite a few who liked/followed me four or five years ago and have never since liked or commented on one of my posts. I’ve unfollowed them.

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. I have an annual ‘clear-out’ of blogs I follow. Luckily, that usually only involves two or three who have ‘disappeared’. I follow two new ones to replace them.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  34. Thanks for writing this. I agree that some of the new bloggers are doing this, and it’s annoying. Or they read your blog for the first time and their comment is to ask me to follow a link and read a specific post of theirs. Occasionally there is a good reason for this, when a specific really fits, you know? But often times it comes across as a sales pitch.

    Liked by 6 people

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    1. Thanks, Luanne. I don’t think there is ever a valid reason to follow a blog then commenting, ‘follow me back’. I am old-fashioned, and it is just bad manners.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I completely agree. I meant that every once in a blue moon it might be ok to post a link to one’s own post if it is part of a detailed response to a specific subject (like the shoe buying habits of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes or something like that hah). That could initiate a good dialogue between bloggers. But the follow back thing is just nasty.

        Liked by 2 people

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  35. There is one reason to follow a blog: You find it interesting, entertaining, or informative (OK, that’s three). If I follow someone, it means that I want to see their feed without having to search for you or tags. If someone follows me, I’ll check out their blog because there is probably some parallel interests.

    Liked by 6 people

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  36. I’ve not has so many asking (demanding) me to follow back but there are definitely more followers trying to sell something from dietary aids to miracle cures for cancer! I guess key words in my posts alert the bots to follow.

    Liked by 6 people

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  37. I had one recently tell me to not only go see his site, but I should tell all my readers to go follow him. I, in no uncertain terms, told him to do the work that it takes to have a successful blog.

    Liked by 4 people

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  39. So true… It does take time to get to understand the culture of a new platform, so you’re very kind explaining the basics (I must confess I’m not always that patient anymore). Take care!

    Liked by 5 people

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        1. Because I am an Amazon Vine Tester, I get emails every day offering me ‘incentives’ to give good reviews on Amazon. Everything from books to food mixers. I just delete the emails. I just deleted one offering me $10 to write a review of something I have never owned or used.

          Liked by 1 person

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  42. I tried following around a hundred blogs initially. Then I had to unfollow them just so that my email and reader wouldn’t be bombarded with countless messages. Then I went back found the ones I really liked to read and refollowed them. I think these people will come around in time…or may be not… 😁 Either way, I understand why they have 50+followers without a single post! 🤣🤣🤣

    Liked by 7 people

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    2. My email provider started putting all WP emails in SPAM after a month or so, probably based on how many were pouring in and how little I’d actually open (I prefer WP app notifications anyway) 🤐

      Liked by 2 people

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      1. Yes, if you don’t read the emails, they eventually end up in Spam. That may affect some bloggers eventually being classed as Spammers, I’m not sure. I still get some email notifications, and also use the notification bar. As I have some email-only followers, I tend to open the emails.

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. This email provider I mentioned is whole another story, that’s why I had to make separate Gmail account for my work and important stuff, because they refused to white-list my employer and emails wouldn’t even appear in SPAM folder, they’d go into a void 🤦🏻‍♀️

          Recently for “safety reasons” they blacklisted LEGIT PayPal emails 💀
          Time to get rid of them I guess.

          Liked by 2 people

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  44. My friend, Capt. Tony Nelson, who lives in Santa Barbara (California), but hails from Eden (Texas), has a sexy boarder named Jeannie. If you rub her bottle, she’ll give you five lifetimes. That way, you can follow back over 8,000 bloggers!

    Liked by 4 people

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  46. I agree entirely with what you’ve said, but it may be I’ve been lucky, not many expect me to follow them.
    I’ve ended up following a couple pretty assiduously, not entirely sure why. I think actually because the bloggers are interesting people 🙂

    Liked by 7 people

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    1. Perhaps because your Tallis blog is very specific/niche, and some people don’t ‘get it’?
      Whatever the reason, you are lucky not to be fending off ‘follow me back’ requests. I get around ten a week, on some days five in one day.
      Thanks, Jim.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Good grief!
        Obviously there advantages in being an acquired taste, people worry if Tallis does start following them, what will he write 😉
        How’s the wizard’s tower coming on ? 😉

        Liked by 2 people

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  47. Thank you for writing this!
    I was admittedly overly optimistic when I started my blog, and loved following others. (Over 100 followed in a about a month’s time)
    Today, I am beginning to feel guilty that I can not read, analize, and offer meaningful feedback as often as I would like. I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone in needing to mindfully follow others from now on🌺

    Liked by 10 people

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    1. It is important to choose carefully, and select other bloggers who interact with you happily. Don’t be afraid to ‘unfollow’ some of those who rarely post, or never comment on your blog.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  49. Thanks for this post! I recently received 2 requests for me to follow their blog… I just deleted it bc honestly to me it’s more about the engagement than the follows or likes… Half of them as spam!

    Liked by 9 people

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