Latest posts by Brandon Connell (see all)
- How Plugins Make Bloggers Stupid - July 15, 2011
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It’s kind of funny that I had the idea to write this article, because I just came across a recent guest post here on ComLuv about autoblogging. One of the various plugins that make bloggers stupid is one that automates the process of importing other blog content.
Such a plugin is not meant for a traditional blogger however. The main goal for such a plugin is to allow money-hungry people to utilize other people’s content to make them some quick cash. Usually, these types of plugins not only import content, but spin it as well. This tricks the search engines to make them believe the content is unique to the autoblog.
On a positive note, auto-blogging plugins leave links in-tact. This means that the original author gets some sort of credit or benefit. It doesn’t however, reach the top of my list for plugins that make bloggers stupid. Auto-blogging plugins are not meant for real bloggers after-all.
Worst Plugins & “Easy Functionality”
While some plugins or other functionality makes blogging and marketing “easy”, some just go beyond that point to make them lazy. Some such functionality include:
Auto-pinging – This actually fits in with auto-blogging, but I have seen it used on actual “real” bloggers sites. It takes “related posts” from around the net, and pings the blog that they link to. The problem is, such plugins are never accurate. I have seen pings come in from blogs totally unrelated from my niche.
I have never approved a ping from such a blog, and never will. I am sure the plugin developer was well intentioned, but they simply missed the mark. Real bloggers watch pings closely, and the link-building method of the plugin will never benefit the user.
Auto-SEO – There are lots of plugins out there to automate the seo process. I actually use the All-In-One-SEO-Pack, but I don’t just set it and forget it. I will admit that I sometimees forget to insert my own meta tag content, but that is rare these days.
The
If you leave your search engine optimization up to an algorithm, expect to pay for it in the long-run.
Video Overload – I have been blogging for a long time now, and one thing that I hate with a passion, is when I come across a blog made up of nothing but videos.
When I go to a blog, I intend to read what an author has to say. I don’t want to watch and listen to it. Neither does a search engine.
While it is smart to have audio and video content, it should not be used for more than supplemental content. Many bloggers like myself, are readers too. And some of us like to listen to music while we go blog-hopping. If we are listening to music at that time, then your blog will be skipped over without hesitation. Chances are, it will be skipped regardless of whether or not our ears are available.
If you want to live the movie-star life, then start a channel on YouTube and leave your videos there. Write about them on your blog.
Misuse of Pop-Ups – There is nothing worse than a blog that uses pop-ups in a bad way. I actually use a pop-up, but I have limitations with it. For instance, it only appears once every so often, and not every day like some bloggers.
While a pop-up appearing every day sounds bad, some bloggers go beyond that point and have it appear when every single page loads. Do you know how distracting and annoying that can be for a reader? What about the readers that have already subscribed and don’t want to see your subscription message constantly?
Misusing a pop-up plugin can and will turn away readers. There are so many blogs I simply don’t visit anymore because of how they use them. Are you one of them?
General Issues With Plugins
While plugins can be great for adding functionality, nothing is worse than a buggy plugin paired with a non-technical blogger. Plugins are expected to work as designed, but that isn’t always how it plays out. Some plugins simply error in some way. Some actually error because they are incompatible with the blog theme.
If the blogger is unable to fix the problem, then the error stands out like a sore thumb. It’s ugly, and it distracts from your content. If you really need that functionality, then pay to have someone fix it for you. Otherwise, you are better off without it.
Are You an Automation Offender?
- If you have caught yourself doing some things that are questionable, are you prepared to change?
- What will you do if you find another blogger that is offending?
- What other features and functionality do you think falls into the “blogging for stupid” category?
Share your knowledge below, and tell me your experiences in blogging.
