New followers, this message is for you.
Why does your blog have no posts?
Why do you follow me when you have posted nothing?
Why does your blog only have a WordPress ‘Example’ post?
Why are you following me at all?
I am grumpy tonight, and very fed up with supposedly ‘new followers’ who have nothing at all on their ‘supposed’ blogs.
So here’s an idea.
Don’t follow me.
And if you already have, unfollow me.
I promise you, I will not mind in the least.
Here’s a tip.
Before you follow anyone, WRITE SOME CONTENT ON YOUR OWN BLOG!
Actually, I understand. Some people are readers, not writers. They want to follow and read what others write. I can see why someone would want to read your serials and never post a blog.
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That’s a real possibility, Jennie. But the numbers of people doing it are so high now, it doesn’t feel ‘right’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hmm… that would make me feel the same way. Best to you, Pete.
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It doesn’t even make sense! Why are they even following?? Lol
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This has been going on for years. Some bloggers are not bothered by it, but I sense a scam of some kind lurking somewhere.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I volunteered at the elementary school last week to read to the children, just a chapter or two for a couple of classes. On the way home I felt happy, lighter? Can you read, or teach creative writing, pet care at a local school? It’s a mood elevator! Hugs, C
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I did volunteering for a few years, Cheryl. That included teaching cycling safety to kids at the school, and working in Fire Safety for the County Fire Service. I was also a guide at the local restored windmill.
I did offer to help ‘remedial readers’ at the town library two days a week. They rejected my application, saying I was ‘Unfortunately a man too old to be around children under 14 on a one-to-one basis’.
The implication that they suspected my motives were sexual really upset me.
My volunteering days are over now, I believe.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’m stunned they turned down your application to teach children who are struggling to read! What a loss for our children, our libraries, our world. You’ve done a ton of volunteering so you know the positive effect it has on our frame of mind. It’s pure sunshine! Sending my love, hoping your clouds give way to the sweet sun! C
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I have content! Good content at that. May I follow you?
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If you are sure you want to. 🙂
But why is your site private?
Blogging is about communication, surely?
Best wishes, Pete.
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Setting issues. I’m not private here. http://twillspannwrites.com
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Ah, okay. Thanks for the link. 🙂
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I simply don’t care how many followers I have, and I don’t bother if they are “real” or not.
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Fair enough, Pit. Whatever works for you, my friend.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That reminds me that I really need to post something at my blog….
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The shock would be too much for us, David. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I had never checked my follower number until I read this post. In theory I have over 300 followers but actually there are about a dozen I communicate with regularly.I read any comments new followers make but ignore the rest. I doubt if they continue to read after the first look. Funny thing, I am beginning to get likes for old posts. A like is not a conversation.
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Comments are the heart of blogging, I agree. I have so many thousands of ‘followers’, but it is almost always the same readers who leave comments.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I am still getting my feet wet in the blogging world. I enjoy learning from the posts of those I follow, and the comments. I sometimes feel that I have nothing to say, that hasn’t already been said in comments by others. So I don’t comment. Conversation doesn’t come naturally for me, so I shy away, usually. Doesn’t mean your posts don’t enlighten, educate, or entertain me 😊
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Oh dear, Pete..some followers ahh… like you I always check …I won’t start on the spam that WP catches but I still have to check as I find regular commenters in there at times…sigh x
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Last night was not the best time for those ‘followers’ to irritate me, Carol. I was cold, had been soaked twice in torrential rain, and been backwards and forwards to town three times for different reasons. I sat down to enjoy some blogging time, and was confronted immediately by half a dozen ‘ghost-followers’, as well as three others who had deleted their blogs immediately after following me. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
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It makes you wonder what they are up to I often wonder if they are connected to some of the spammers… x
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Just don’t look when someone follows you 🤣
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It’s like I’m drawn by a magnet. I try not to look, then find myself looking. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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🤣🤣🤣 you need an intervention.
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But yes, I am unsure how someine gets 50 followers without a single post. I guess, they are famous! 😁😁😁
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Hey Pete! One minor reason could be that they want to follow you but they can’t do it without having a WordPress account. I did that long back when one of my friends started her blog. I loved her writing but didn’t know how to follow her so I created a WP account. Two years later I wrote three posts and gave up. One year later, I restarted posting regularly.
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Thanks, Shaily. Anyone can follow by email without having a WP account. It is on the sidebar, just enter an email address, and hit ‘Subscribe’.
I was in a bad mood last night! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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😁
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You should have called yourself the Pied Piper of Hamelin rather than Pete from Beetley.
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They caught me on a bad night, David. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I have had a few that have no content but if they comment I give them the benefit of the doubt in most cases….but I am with you if they follow just for something to do then I can live without them chuq
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Thanks, chuq. They just seem to be ‘ghost-bloggers’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I don’t like the ones who obviously have no interest in my blog at all (never get a comment) and who are trying to market something or other, they follow in the hope you will follow back. Not happening.
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I ignore the marketers, but just lately I have had so many of these ‘blank-blog’ followers, I flipped a bit last night! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
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I follow blogs, read the posts, but rarley comment. That doesn’t mean I have no interest, or do not appreciate the blog and posts. I am, essentially, a shy person. Maybe some who follow your blog are the same, and for various reasons never comment, yet enjoy reading your blog?
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Thanks, Kate. I have many readers who follow my blog and never comment. Many are not bloggers, and some follow by email. That’s fine. This post is more about blog followers who have blogs that contain no posts or other content, or sometimes recently ‘deleted blogs’. There is a strong suspicion in the blogging community that such people are spammers of some kind, trying to get ‘follow-back’, or ‘clicks’ on their site.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Ah, I see. I do learn every time I read a post 😊 Thanks, Pete!
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Fair enough Kate, but maybe try making a comment occasionally, people are usually very happy to get a comment and will respond. You may be surprised at how many blogging friends you can make ☺️
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Great advice, and I’m happy to receive it. 😀 Besides, one must step outside the comfort zone to experience what life has to offer.
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💖
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I agree that in some cases they may genuinely wish to follow you so they can easily read your content in wordpress. Perhaps with the intention of eventually creating their own material or maybe not.
I’ve gotten grumpy over new followers, who appear out of nowhere and ‘like’ a whole string of posts without reading them just to give their own blog visibility. I’ve gotten business followers like that and have removed them, but they come back and do they same thing. I’ve given up ‘managing’ followers.
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I do a purge on my followers every now and then getting rid of the sales ones, but like you say they often come back (and yes vitamin.org or similar, I am looking at you) and it does take time to manage them. I also get rid of the me, me, me ones and the religious fanatics.
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They can just follow by email if they want to read stuff. I have had so many of these lately, and got very grumpy about it last night. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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It could be they are some of the folks who want to read your and other blogs and either have to sign up or feel they should sign up on WordPress to do so. Just a thought. Warmest regards, Theo
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I reblog others post sometimes because I’m trying to share important information. I don’t add much because it doesn’t need it 😊😊 I am probably not a real blogger! Just learning.
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I think it’s only polite to ask whether you can reblog a post. I don’t have the reblog button on my blogs, but I still find posts are copied.
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I don’t usually mind reblogs, as at least we are credited for those. But some photo bloggers I know have seen their photos copied, and appear on other blogs.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Always possible, Theo. In which case I don’t understand why they don’t just follow by email. But last night I just wasn’t in the mood for a lot of ‘blank bloggers’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Maybe they don’t want t be bloggers Pete and just follow you because they enjoy what you write. I don’t mind it as it’s less work for me if I don’t have to respond. You might just ignite a little interest in some for trying it themselves and your posts give them an idea. But not everyone needs their back scratching.
Hugs
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Thanks, David. You could indeed be right. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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May I add, bloggers that post news bits from the net, but offer nothing of their own. Lame.
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Completely agree, Phil.
Best wishes, Pete.
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And those who just pinch other peoples posts and pass then off as their own. Has happened to me lately!
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i think some are like bots. im being attacked by them atm lol
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I don’t know either way, Al. But they got me in the wrong mood tonight!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Grumpy Old Men was a very funny movie.
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I watched it for Ann-Margret. It doesn’t get better than her in maturity. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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One of the disadvantages of your popularity!
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Not just me, Geoff. It is some kind of epidemic. They caught me on a bad day! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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That drives me crazy!
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Terrible weather here today, and I had lots to do. Not the right time to follow my blog with a ‘blank blog’. I am ready to take them on! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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