Mostly because I'm curious, the other night I posted this fill-in-the-blank question on my Facebook page:
"I lose interest in a blog when ___________."
Clearly it's not a scientific study, but I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the responses. Several people pointed out that the comments contain a treasure trove of helpful info for bloggers who don't want to lose readers. I agree. I'm definitely taking notes.
Some of the things mentioned include auto-play music; intrusive, moving or auto-play ads (especially the video ones); too-long posts; and too many hoops to jump through when entering giveaways. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I highly encourage you to head on over to read the rest.
Related: 15 Basic Blogging Dos and Don'ts
One of the more interesting themes that emerged was that several mentioned they lose interest when there are too many contributing authors or guest posts. Here are just a few of the comments that addressed this:
I found this interesting because I've recently noticed that when I read some blogs, I often check the author of the post first. If it's a contributor or a guest post, I often click away and don't read it at all. I think it's because I enjoy the person behind the blog so much, I look forward to hearing from them!
On the other hand, there are some blogs with lots of contributors and I don't mind at all. I think it's because I enjoy the variety, particularly when it started out as group project and I never got attached to one contributor in particular.
I have to say, I see the conundrum. From an individual blogger's point of view, it's really difficult to keep coming up with a steady stream of original content over a long period of time. But from a reader's point of view, the person is often what readers come to hear.
A bit tricky to navigate, to be sure.
One thing is certain, never underestimate how much others are drawn to you being you!
But anyway, if you'd like to hear some great thoughts about why people lose interest in a blog, go check out the discussion. And also, I'd love a Like over there at my new Facebook home! 
I find this most interesting, Amy. It comes at a time when I've opened my blog more to other bloggers. It will make me re-think my decision, for sure! Thank you for sharing.
Corinne, I too am right where you are. Actually, I've had so much guest post content sent to me lately that I have felt like I've need to post something every week from a guest blogger just to keep up with the posts I've agreed to publish. In turn, I've gotten a little bit more free time, BUT I've felt like I'm losing control of my site and its original mission.
This post is so timely, Amy and I think it's just what I needed to hear!
Ah so I'm not alone in this
. I'm trying to make sure I spread the guest posts out and make sure I intersperse them with posts from me. I hope that works out for you too, Eliza.
Wow, Amy! I have to admit there are a few blogs in my reader that I rarely visit if it is a guest, but I thought that was just me. I didn't realize how many others also feel that loss of connection. Definitely something to keep in mind if you are a multi-author blog or accept guest content.
I am not a fan of guest posts either, unless it's a very specific niche blog and the posts are sharing expertise. I'm thinking problogger here.
This was great!! Thanks for sharing.
Amy, thanks for asking this question. It reaffirms what and why I keep my blog simple. I prefer words from the heart, no monetary or popularity agenda. Simple, no flash, little or no ads, no music, just good content.
It's definitely a negative when I have to comment on Facebook to enter a giveaway or share in a topic. This makes is hard for those of us who don't have Facebook.
Very interesting read. I'm not on facebook so I'll just post my comment here.
I really like blogs that have a clean, calming feeling…maybe because I look at blogs while I have my mornnig coffee and too much chaos is hard that early.
I really don't care for comment verification. Yes, you will sometimes get spam but it usually goes into a spam box and you can delete it.
I don't have a problem with bloggers promoting products on their blog, even sponsored posts. I think the segway between the blogger's "story" or content to the fact that the post was sponsored is a hard one to navigate seamlessly. But blogging times time, so I'm ok with her (or him) trying to figure out a way to be compensated for that time. No different than having a book published. I do quite a few sewing tutorials on my blog and something that would normally take an hour to sew can turn into a 3+ hour project once I stop to take multiple decent pics, edit them, write up step by step instructions, etc. I don't really make money off my blog at this point and have never done a sponsored post. But, you know, if Janome wanted me too, I would because I love and use their stuff anyway.
I also understand why some bloggers don't respond to every comment. It's a time issue. Now if they only have a couple of comments per post they should probably respond but one blog I visit each morning can have 50 – 100 comments a day. How does anyone have time to comment on each on? This blogger does answer any questions that people ask, so I know she reads the comments.
Just my .02
Thanks for your thoughts, Angi. I with ya on a lot of your points.
I lose interest when the blogger gets more judgemental and tells everyone how wrong they are and become argumentative with the readers…I stopped reading a lady's blog because of that…She has very strong views and doesn't seem to understand that not all christians share her views. She deleted her Facebook account..but I've found wonderful christian bloggers who've helped me in my faith instead of put me down.
Love this! So informative for bloggers. Here a few things that I would like to add: bloggers that sound very condemning if you don't believe *just* as they do, and those that are soo big that they never reply to reader questions/comments. Sad stuff indeed. I guess I like the bloggers that are humble and down to earth.
Lillian~That's just what I was talking about. Stuff like that turns people off. Instead of working on ourselves they work on others. As a christian woman the only way I can get the word of God out to others is working on myself…If I try to turn people into the christians I think they should be I might as well be a dog chasing my own tail. haha….I tell my children you can't control other people's actions only your own.
I'm just getting started with a new blog and love reading your articles. I want to have a "following" of folks who want to read what I have to say, so I'm glad to hear about what keeps people coming back for more. Thanks for the great tips!
Ms Dunn: Do you have a blog? If so, how do you log into it?
Thank you
Jane@onlyonejane@gmail.com
This was an awesome post! This has to be a first. I have read a lot about what to post and what to do with blogs but never what annoys readers!
Loved it!
Thanks
I've often thought the same thing, Tonya, that I always hear what I should do but rarely hear from readers themselves. Funny how that is!
I totally agree about the multiple-author blogs and guest posts. I don't like seeing a bunch of those on the blogs I read, and I have noticed that my readers rarely respond well to guest posts on my own blog. So, I don't run them often at all.
Loved this article as I'm fairly new at blogging (since February) and love to know what readers like. I have two questions: Do you have suggestions on how to get people to subscribe to feedburner? ( as it appears they are immune to the "sign up" box) And when they do subscribe, will their subscriptions count as page views?
Thanks!
Timely again Amy. You always seem to post just what I need to hear. Well, you caused you followers to say what I need to hear. I've stopped feel so terrible about my break from blogging. Thanks for asking this question. It's good food for thought.
Cheers,
Miss Ellie
I find it surprising that so many say they lose interest in contributor blogs. You have to look at the successful models….and SO many of those bloggers who are truly successful DO have contributors. I think these ladies (and men) have figured out that they need those fresh voices–albeit in the midst of their own–to prevent both writer and reader burnout!
We can look at so many examples: Keeper of the Home (where I contribute monthly), Life…Your Way (more of a magazine-style), Simple Mom (if she isn't a successful blogger than who is?), and even Money Saving Mom seems to have at least one guest poster every post (and has contributors like Stephanie of KOTH and Mandi of LYW compile some of her more niche-specific deal posts–but you have to look closely to see their bylines in there).
So although this sampling doesn't seem to like contributors, I think contributor blogs can be hugely successful. I think the key is to include contributors whose voices mesh well with the original author. I think it's key for the original author to post more often than contributors as well.
I am very excited to have some guest posters lined up for my upcoming maternity leave…but I am also pre-writing a lot, so my readers will continue to hear from me at least once/week–although I'll be snuggling my newborn.
Yes, it's so interesting to ponder, isn't it? It's a bit goofy, but after I read all the responses and I thought about those blogs I know of that have contributors, I wondered if their traffic would shoot further through the roof if they got rid of all contributors and just posted themselves. LOL!
I think the bottom line (as it's always been) is, you've gotta find what works for you and go with it. There is definitely not a one-size-fits-all method to blogging. In the end, I think it's very forgiving and flexible. That's the beauty of it!
For me, if the blog is "labeled" as a contributor blog right off the bat, (like Life…Your Way), then I'm thrilled to read the perspectives of all the different bloggers.
But, there have been several of the big blogs that I started reading religiously about 2-3 years ago, and I got quite attached to the voice of that particular blogger. So, when they started having a lot of contributors, I found myself clicking away a lot more often.
(However, I totally understand why the bigger bloggers need contributors to help with content- this blogging gig can be exhausting!)
I also know that guest posts on my own blog never get the same amount of interaction that my own posts do– and that has kept me from "hiring" on contributors on a regular basis, even though sometimes I have a hard time keeping my head above water. But like Amy said, it really depends on your situation and I think every blog is a little bit different.
Amy, this has been such a helpful post! As I am contemplating the future of my blog, I needed to hear these comments. Thanks for addressing this issue…
I lose interest when a blog is so loaded with ads and other pictures I can barely see the content. And the other thing I hate is ANY ad that pops up from anywhere!! No matter how interesting the article, when that happens I'm outa there in disgust! And if I'm bombarded with one ad after another popping up, I make sure I NEVER go there again!
I agree with you,I also hate unwanted ads.It really lower my reading experience.
That's interesting…I actually have a blog that started out with multiple contributors and I don't notice a difference between the readership between each post…it just depends on the subject.
I can see how having a guest post too often would annoy readers…but I don't regularly read too many blogs, so I don't really have an opinion!
What does annoy me is difficult comment posting and I really hate blogger blogs! WordPress is the best
I have to say, I have enjoyed the comments on FB and here as well. I found it completely fascinating, especially as a new blogger. I do agree, that I don't like too many contributors. I don't mind guest posts, or contributors that don't happen too often, but I think when you start to lose your own voice because of so many contributors (or b/c you are big and writing for other blogs/magazines) it is disheartening for readers that were with you when you were "small" and truly loved your individual voice.
I think I lose interest at *too much niche.* I guess I understand that "niche" is kind of the thing, and you're going to get better positioning in search engines when you're specializing, but my personal preference is for blogs that are written in a way that's relaxed and honest.
I don't mind when writers go on a tangent and write long posts. As long as the content is good and the blogger seems to have an understanding of how to break a line or start a new paragraph, I've never come across anything that's too long to read. (Then again, this could all just be because I have been known to write tangentially long, seemingly pointless posts myself. Once or twice.)
Here are some things that would make me stop reading a blog: impossible to navigate, no easy to find FB or RSS buttons, advocating something I strongly disagree with (e.g., physical punishment for children, sleep training), silly commenting guidelines, too cluttered, and excessive typos and grammatical errors. Whew. I actually complained about this, er, wrote about this a while back and even recommended Blogging With Amy as one of my favorite resources! (http://mommainprogress.blogspot.com/2012/03/7-quick-takes-friday-26.html)
It IS interesting. I never know if I have much of a "voice" going on on my blog or not. I'm not that charismatic and I'm only slightly funny. So I'm not sure my readers would care about guest posts on my blog? I could be wrong though.
I also have very little confidence, LOL. Maybe that's what they like about me!
My least favorite things are jumping through hoops to make comments, those pop up adds, music. The biggest one has got to be the music, because I do most of my blog reading early in the morning before the family is awake and I hate it when I don't realize the kids have turned the computer speakers up full blast and then suddenly bam, my morning quiet is invaded with noise. Also I prefer reading in silence, I have never been the type to have on back ground music.
I noticed that many people commented that they did not like long blog posts. Do you have a recommendation in length via word count?
I really think it comes down to really providing value / entertainment / great information consistently.
Once you achieve an audience, it is not easy to lose one, in my opinion – The problem is obtaining that audience in the first place.
Wow! I'm so glad you posted this. I have my main blog (lessonsfromivy.com) and I also run a contributor based blog and no matter what I seem to try I'm just not able to get as much traffic. I could not figure out why because it seemed like that one should be getting more traffic.
Interesting that the common theme is too many guest bloggers. I don't usually have guest bloggers on my blog but that's because it's pretty new. However, I feel like the blog needs to be more my voice than someone else's. That's why I created it in the first place.
I've lost interest in a particular blog recently because her information has become repetitive ~ same content, different package sort of deal. One commenter stated 'too specific of a niche', which lends itself poorly to expanding content and boredom as a reader. Other reasons I don't visit often is a very busy blog page…too many ads or scrolling, too many links within a post taking me elsewhere and highly opinionated voices who will become derogatory or scold readers' comments (ultimately I do not visit those!). Those that I continue to follow are those that deal with their daily lives (in areas I'm interested in), lessons they've garnered from that, tutorials for crafts/recipes/other diy, and those with pictures.
This is so interesting because the most common complaints are different from mine.
I enjoy guest posts if they fit with the blogger's style. I read MoneySavingMom regularly partly because she's introduced me to so many great bloggers with interesting stories.
I do agree about distracting music and poorly written content being turn-offs.
The biggest reason I lose interest, though, is when a blogger posts content that isn't original (the primary reason I've dropped many frugal blogs), or when the blogger blogs so infrequently that I just plain forget about him/her!
The comments about sponsored posts were interesting. While I limit the number I do, I do write sponsored posts as part of my ad packages. I work Super hard on my blog, and I think it's a great resource. I have no problem saying I'd like to make enough money to justify the time it takes! I feel like my readers understand that-as least no one has complained yet! I also try to be very selective about only taking on sponsors that are a good fit for my site. Thanks for another thought provoking post, Amy!
Maybe I am weird, but I don't like blogs with too many giveaways! I mostly like personal blogs and lots of and lots of giveaways aren't very personal. The occasional giveaway is ok.
I also prefer it when people don't post every day- my life doesn't revolve around someone's blog. A few times a week is nice. (2-3 times is plenty) I like a nice looking blog, not a generic blogger one. I don't mind a guest poster now and then. I have a small blog but it is more for me than anyone else- I just have a couple followers. 
Hi Amy, I love your site as well as your heart! I just read your about me page and I could so relate to your, "I don't like to write" statement. I'm with ya on that one, however, the Lord told me to write, so I do. Thanks for all of your tips. They've helped a lot.
Thanks for this article. I find that all of the things mentioned are turn-offs in one way or another. I would like to add to the list that blogs that take too long to load (usually due to lots of adds and graphics) are a turn-off too. I also really like personal content in blogs. Even when following a blog on a particular topic or niche, if the writer adds bits about him/herself I find it increases my enjoyment as I get to know the person a bit too.
I have been doing this in my blog since it is what I like to read. I have a few followers and I am not aiming to be a 'big' blog but I will certainly take the tips into consideration. I will also make a bigger effort to reply to comments as I enjoy getting feedback from a blogger, although I do not expect it at all.
Hi Amy,
I loved this article and reading through the comments. I've only read some of the comments on the facebook page and will be heading over to read more of those next.
As a blogger, this information is wonderful to know. It's nice to know what most readers do and don't like. For my own blog, I don't have guest posts, only do a few giveaways, and I post around 3x per week, although, I DO want to start posting a bit more often than that.
I'm also going to focus on creating posts that show my personality, but that aren't long and drawn out. Instead, I want them to be shorter and to the point. I do have 5 kids after all.
2 things cause me to click off immediately: music (startles me, makes it harder to concentrate on the words) and excuses ("I've been meaning to blog lately but blah, blah, blah").
2 things cause me to never comment: that horrible captcha thing, and the blogger never responding to comments.
2 things cause me to quit reading a blog entirely: snarkiness, and too much profanity.
2 things cause me to gradually drift away: typos and repetitive material.
2 things cause me to get irritated with the blog: hard selling, and fakiness.
This is great information! I've learned a lot reading all the comments and FB.
Not many have mentioned one of the main things that have made me drop once popular blogs (esp. in the DIY/craft niche): there are a number that after reaching a certain "bigness" only post linky parties and giveaways/sponsor "shout-outs." Ugh. There's only something truly new from them maybe once a month – they haven't even bothered with contributing authors.
I go round and round with the respond-to-every-comment thing: It seems silly to respond to "great post!" or "Love this idea" or "thanks" over and over… I usually just respond to questions or deeper comments.
Wow… Great advice! Love that you asked real people what they thought before presuming anything! Featured this over at my blog Actually Allie.
Thanks Allie!
Thanks for this post! I read almost all of your FB comments. . .couldn't agree more. I blog mainly for my family — we live far away and grandparents like to keep up. I've considered doing other blogs for more specific topics but truly know I don't have the time to keep them up.
I do have to say, though, that blogs that have "made it" (began as hobbies and just happened to grow into businesses) are my favorite — those bloggers don't tend to lose the personal part of what they started with.
Thanks for the discussion.
Thanks very much for this post–it's interesting! I don't have a real problem with reading guest posts when I visit a blog (I like Copyblogger.com and Problogger.com a lot, for example), but I have to say that generally speaking I do appreciate the blogs in which the owners write posts frequently themselves; it tells me their hearts are still in being involved in the site and content. Also, I'm a minimalist, so I agree with people who say busyness–flashing images, lots of distractions and so forth–on a Web site is a turn-off. As someone just more or less getting started with blogging, I think you're doing a nice job here. I appreciate the education!
Thanks, Scott. Minimalists unite!
I am so happy you posted on this topic, as you say we don't often hear from readers what they really want and don't want. I love your blog and follow you in my reader (and now on Facebook!) and have benefited from your tips (and signed up for Swagbucks, referred by you, too!).
I tried to think what annoys me most about blogs, and I think it would be the following …
1. Really cluttered websites with ads, toolbars, gadgets and links, in a dazzling color carnival, that take twenty minutes to navigate through
2. Video ads! Autoplay music doesn't really bother me that much, and it is especially helpful if the music control panel is visible and quickly clickable. I have a favorite site that uses autoplay music, and sometimes I click it off; but I like that the music controls are visible, above the fold, and easy to click.
3. We follow bloggers because they know something we would like to learn, have an interesting story, have knowledge. However, it is a turn-off when a blogger sounds really know-it-all, or bossy. An engaging voice inquires for more information, asks readers for thoughts and opinions, and humbly shares knowledge. (This is just another reason to love your blog, Amy – you have a beautiful, teachable spirit!)
Thanks for everything, many blogs (including my own) will be much improved thanks to this exercise of yours
The value of your articles is first class. I found this article very worthwhile, so much to learn with being a blogger. Fortunately Amy we have someone like yourself who gives so much great content. Thank you.
You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by, Mike.