Blogging pet peeves

A list of things that people do (or don't do) on their blogs that bug me.

1. No search box

Search boxes are useful for 1) finding posts on a specific topic and 2) finding a post you already read. But if you don't have a search box on your blog, I'm forced to try to find what I'm looking for through the archive (if you have one available) or tags (which may or may not be helpful).

2. Pop-up subscription box

When I click on a blog post, I want to read the post first. I don't want a pop-up getting in my way. If I want to subscribe to your RSS feed or newsletter or check out your free e-book, I'll find the information for that on your site. Don't get in the way of me reading your content in the first place.

3. No dates on posts

Depending on the content of your blog, knowing the date that you posted is essential. If you review technology or online services, chances are those things change often and quickly. A two-year old post about Spotify might not be relevant anymore, so I need to know when it was posted.

4. Irrelevant or unnecessary images

Somewhere along the way, we were encouraged to include at least one image in every single blog post. Images draw people in. They're more attractive than a block of text. That's true for relevant images that add value to your content. But if you're combing stock photography for an image to stick in your post, I'd rather not see it. Skip the fluff and post good content. If I'm interested in the topic, I'll read, regardless of if you included an image.

5. Small, thin font

Blogs tend to be text-heavy, and the design should complement the content. Choose font and spacing that make your content easy to read.

6. Low contrast between background color and font color

This goes with #5. Your text should be easy to read. If I'm struggling to read light gray text on a white background, I won't spend much time on your blog.

7. Multiple pages for one post

I don't see a need to post one article over multiple pages, except for people who focus on page-clicks as an indicator of a successful site. Photo slideshows are one thing, but don't make me click through 10 pages to see "10 tips for your job search." I've found dozens of interesting-sounding articles and then never read them because the site was set up to make me click through several times before I could read one article.