Blogging Observations

~ beetleypete

2022 seems to be a rather quiet year for blogging. After the surge in new bloggers during the pandemic lockdowns, WordPress appears to have less new bloggers than ever before. Not that I am concerned, but this year has seen less new followers than I would have got in one month in 2021.

It could be that they tried it, and didn’t like it. Or the recent changes to WordPress plans with far less space allowance and higher charges for upgrades might be putting off potential new bloggers.

Perhaps it is just my blog that feels quiet? Is anyone else noticing this trend?

Luckily, we already have a well-established community, developed over many years. But it does seem a shame not to see so much ‘new blood’ appearing on WordPress.

With that in mind, if you are hesitatnt about staring a blog, or feel it is all too complicated to tackle, reach out and ask for help. Bloggers are friendly and helpful people, and most are hpapy to offer advice and tips, as well as supporting new bloggers with guest posts or features.

You can always contact me by email if you have any questions, so I will start you off with an email address.

petejohnson50@yahoo.com

If any others in our community feel they are willing to help new bloggers, please add a link or contact details in the comments.

77 thoughts on “Blogging Observations”

  3. I have definitely noticed a drop-off in views but not followers… it’s a nice gesture on your part Pete to offer to help new followers…I have an extra month here as I couldn’t get a return flight only at a very increased cost until the end of July…all because of the canc flight and my son having to book me one way on the day for me to get me here…I’ve had to scramble for another return as a consequence…its been a nightmare…x

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    1. I have seen all the flights fiasco on the BBC news. I haven’t been abroad since 2011, which was the last time I went to an airport. But that was a British Airways secheduled flight to Prague, and there were no issues back then. I don’t even have a pasport now. Mine expired in 2016, and I saw no reason to renew it.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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      1. Its been a nightmare, Pete some of the prices were as much as 5,000 pounds, crazy prices…I’m just pleased I got a reasonable priced one at last and it was all because my original return flight was canc on the day I travelled…

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  5. I have not noticed a slowdown on my end, Pete. But then again, I don’t post as often as you do. You are so kind to reach out to others and offer a helping hand and encouragement. We do have a wonderful blogging community!

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      1. I feel exactly the same way. I have some surgery coming up, and hubby has instructions to email you and two others if things don’t go well. We are definitely a wonderful community. 🙂

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  6. The blogging community is very supportive here on WP but I have noticed a slow down too. You’ve been one of the most generous and supportive bloggers I’ve ever met Pete. You helped me get started when I first joined WP and I am ever so appreciative. Hugs, C

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  7. Thank you, Pete for your kind support when I first started blogging.
    I have not been blogging regularly this year as life happened like… Traveling to be with my mum in India, my son getting married and then having a complete “blog block !”
    But I am hanging in there and enjoying blogging as and when I can.
    Best wishes.

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  8. In the world of statistics, I have four followers who comment. That has not changed since last year. I stopped looking at WP statisticas they make me wonder if there are bots following me. Warmest regards, Theo

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  9. Hi Pete, before the pandemic, the English and US summer period always seemed quieter on my blog/s. I have noticed this trend returning somewhat this year but not with my core blogging community. I generally stick with my regular blogging friends and community and they are all active. I have actually been getting a number of new followers when I post recipes but I never investigate other blogs unless the blogger in question visits me a few times and interacts. I don’t follow for following’s sake and I am kept quite busy with my good blogging friends.

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  10. Despite posting every day since the beginning of the year, my hit rates are declining month on month, unfortunately the halcyon days of the blog are over.

    Some of my London favourites have fallen by the wayside. A Peace of London, The Londoneer and the excellent The Accidental Londoner are no more. With other commitments, it’s not surprising that some are now defunct, and many more haven’t been updated for a long time, including the hilarious Pigeon Blog, written in the first person by Brian the pigeon.

    I published tips on blogging a couple of years ago:

    Protected: Why won’t the blog just write itself?

    Here is my top tips:

    There’s still a huge (older) audience
    Blogging is rewarding
    Blogging is not a guilt trip
    Don’t mess around with your website
    Don’t get into blogging to make money
    Offer something worthwhile
    It’s not all about you
    Find a routine
    Keep your posts short
    Don’t worry about the stats
    Branch out and collaborate with others
    Don’t give up easily
    Be nice to people
    Don’t get jealous, but be controversial
    Remember real life, don’t get obsessive
    Try to write without spelling mistakes
    Use your blog for other projects

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  11. I never got into blogging but since newspapers don’t print news anymore – but political opinions, of which I found biased, and I never got into social media – so I started to send mass email outs of corrections & thought provoking comments. These emails were passed on by others around the world and I am told some read by at least 4,000. I get little feedback but each other cannot see each others responses.
    I also wrote an autobiography which got a lot of stuff off my chest but you get no feedback from. It does annoy me that all the work I went to in writing that book and I can be in the company of friends who will ask me a question about my life. When I say the answer is in the book, I get met with a sheepish “I haven’t got time to read your book – just tell me now”. I just ask for my book back now.
    But Covid & Ukraine has had an affect on blogging.
    There are several private sites that pass on 3 bullet points of the day as a mass email out. I get several. Again it is a way to bypass the influential right wing media.
    Another factor Pete is that the cartoon industry is growing and in a new age where people understand pictures & not understand words . . .

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    1. Thanks, Gavin. I never wrote a book about my ambulance experiences. People don’t want to believe the truth about the job. I have even been accused of ‘inventing’ the Ambulance Stories I post on my blog, which I used to find offensive until I realised they could never understand unless they had ‘been there’.
      Cheers, Pete.

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  12. I started blogging in 2009, using WordPressdotcom and switched to self-hosted in 2013. (Upside = total freedom, downside = responsible for website maintenance [although it’s an excellent learning experience, if you like the technical aspects]). Still at it, but I’ve experienced many bouts of blogger burnout and take regular breaks. This seems to affect many others too, judging by the drop-off in stats and comments. Blogging the right way (IMO, this involves engaging with other bloggers, reading, commenting, replying to comments, sharing, etc.) is time-consuming and sometimes, real life has to take precedence. I’m in awe of those, like yourself, who can keep it up on a daily basis!

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    1. Thanks, Debbie. I am retired from work, and blogging is my main hobby. (Above photography, and walking with my dog) So I have time to spare. I have been blogging here since 2012, and do not have the tech skills (or patience to learn) to go self-hosted. I upgraded to a Premium Plan, and that gets me tech help on demand, more space for content, and no ads. That suits me fine for now.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. I’m thinking about eradicating everything on my blog that isn’t a limerick. As for writing new limericks, they take a back seat to my fiction writing, among other things, and that back seat is at the rear of the bus.

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    1. At one time, I corresponded with a group of friends by letter. I would send at least four letters a month. I had my fountain pen, and ‘luxury’ stationery. Three of those friends have since died, and one stopped writing letters, transferring to email.
      So bloggiing more than makes up for my desire to write, even though I no longer use pen and paper.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I loved having nice paper! My mother kept most of my really long letters that I wrote while travelling and they have been useful to refer back to. All on airmail weight paper of course!

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  16. I have seen a decline also. For the longest time, when someone clicked on email at the bottom of my post, it did nothing. Now, it directs them to my personal email. Time to chat with the young’uns and get it fixed. I don’t believe there is a better platform out there and I have been on WP for 10 years.

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  19. I’ve noticed this too. I’ve also noticed that every time I log on WordPress has blocked any notification emails. I sometimes forget to unblock them, and so I miss some blogs. Generally though I get less comments than I used to.

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  20. I have noticed it too but I thought is because I’m not so active anymore…I hope people will not stop blogging because is a wonderful way to get in touch with other people alike…bu then, is also a hard work maintaining a blog ☺️

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  21. I think everyone goes through phases where a blog goes silent. If nothing happens for 6 months that usually means it has been abandoned.

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  23. Harmony is right, Pete. I follow some blogs regularly, and I must remember to check because I don’t always get notifications. One wonders, as well, because I noticed that WordPress was not available in Egypt, for example (I tried to read posts when I was there, and I couldn’t even read my own posts, while Blogger worked. I’m not sure if the same happens in other places). I think as some other readers have noticed, many people seem to be eager to do other things at the moment, after being stuck indoors for so long, so things might go back to some kind of pre-COVID (or new-normal) state at some point. Thanks for offering your help as well, Pete. Many young people prefer social media and other media, like videos (vlogging), Instagram, Tik-Tok, so we shall see… Keep us posted.

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  26. Yep. I put it down to the fact that fewer people can be bothered to actually read any given post. Instead they’d rather just click ‘Like’, and move on… When publishers come up with something similar to ‘Like’ regarding books, the world won’t be worth living in!

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  28. I have noticed that a lot of my regular bloggers aren’t posting as often and some have totally stopped appearing at all. I wonder if a lot are moving to Instagram, especially photographers.

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  30. The one big change I have noticed this year is that more people are finding my posts through search engines, particularly Google. The trouble is that these people tend not to leave comments (or, at best, comment as ‘someone’).

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  31. One thing a lot of blogs are experiencing is WordPress drops followers and stops sending notifications of posts and even comments. This problem is widespread and seems to be getting worse. Myself and quite a few fellow bloggers have noticed this. I wonder if this could be affecting the numbers and interactions too?

    Lovely post, Pete 💕🙂

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    3. I think you’re right about the numerous WordPress bugs, Harmony. Since I have had to go back to tracking posts on a spreadsheet to make sure I haven’t missed any of the blogs I reguarly follow, I’m reluctant to follow any more bloggers. Have you submitted a help ticket to WP? From what I saw with the unfollow bug earlier in the year, the Misery Engineers blow bug reports off unless a lot of people complain.

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