Mallet from Daily Post
Between one thing and another, Word Press has killed off my following. In ONE month, they’ve knocked me down by more than 80%. I’m finding it hard to convince myself to bother writing since it seems no one can get to me to respond.
I’m getting many new followers. Dozens and many per day, but I hear from a few and all say that no matter how many times they sign up, each time they try to like or comment, they are locked out and have to do it again.
After a while, they give up.
My hammer
If I had a mallet, I can think of a few heads I’d really like to crack with it.
Meanwhile, please forgive me if my enthusiasm for writing seems a bit dimmed. Should they ever fix whatever is wrong with this site, I’ll be back, but right now, it seems like I’m at square one, getting the kind of responses I got 6 years ago. If WordPress is fixing this, I haven’t seen any evidence of it. There are problems all over their platform and they are forging forward with more changes which are causing more damage.
Their search engine is whacked. Their sign-up isn’t working. People can’t comment or “like” and many blogs come back as “not there” when they really are. But yet, they push forward — and to what purpose? To attract the kids who blog for two weeks, get bored and leave while simultaneously driving away the people who helped them build their success?
WordPress needs to stop forging forward and figure out what you are supposed to be achieving. Then they need to work together to make the platform FUNCTIONAL for everyone. This isn’t a game where you just press “end game” and “replay” and that will fix everything.
I don’t want to play this game any more. I’m not having fun and I’m tired of paying money for nothing.
If the point was to convince me to give it up, it’s working. I’m just about ready to throw in the towel and I never imagined I would say that.
Share this:
Categories: Customer Service, Software, Technology
IT’S A GIANT PLOT. THE CABAL OF CABALS. 
FRETTING WHEN YOUR NAME DISAPPEARS IN WORDPRESS’S SEARCH ENGINE? – Marilyn Armstrong 
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
I don’t want to add to your understandable anger but I really COULD NOT get through to THREE of the few bloggers I follow and I was particularly mad as I left a very long comment on a friend’s blog and when it just wouldn’t be ‘accepted’, did it AGAIN and as you can guess, didn’t go through either, plus 2 shorter ones on other blogs – I just get their main page, and also it didn’t work on the reader nor on the reply or main site…. Even though I haven’t got my own blog, I’m a faithful follower of those few and it angers me too that I waste my precious eye-sight and time to get ‘lost forever’….
BUT I shall be glad if I can get through to you again, although most days I have to sign-in again although when I open the site, I already have my icon showing up – it’s a big mess-up there in WP’s world.
LikeLike
They are very screwed up. And in a lot of different ways. They have a lot of work to do to unscramble the mess and I don’t know how hard they are trying, either. But you should write to them because sadly, telling me doesn’t get them to do anything.
LikeLike
Aw. Well if you go, please please take your reader base with you! Let us know where we can find you to continue to read your excellent blogs and see your beautiful photography. I’m truly sorry to read this post. Discouraging. And for you? An obvious nightmare. 😦
LikeLike
I am not encouraged by the alternate offerings. I don’t like Blogger and I already have an account there, so I could simply switch over without much fuss … but TypePad is really for businesses — which I’m not — and I haven’t entirely worked out how Medium is supposed to work. I think I’m still stuck with WP, much as I want to bang their heads together.
LikeLike
I’m sorry to hear that you have been having these problems Marilyn. I usually come to your blog via the reader and have not had a problem reading it. I guess after several years I probably count as one of the long time readers so that may not be relevant. I certainly have come across blogs where I could not like or comment from time to time. After reading about your problem the other day I did try typing in my own blog names into the search box with the result that the doll blog posts all showed up but the “Other” blog did not no matter how I searched. I’ve never had as much traffic on that blog but had put it down to the fact that it is just general topics while the doll blog is a niche subject. Maybe not. Anyway I do agree that WordPress makes far too many changes without really explaining why they are needed. It seems to be a Millennial Generation thing, they just can’t leave something alone even if it is good, everything they think of must be better because it is theirs. It is frustrating that WordPress has to be geared to the whims of bloggers with short attention spans and limited ability to learn anything that has more than a couple of steps. It seems to be part of the general dumbing down of the world.
LikeLike
I just realized I’ve been disconnected from your regular blog. It’s not on my reader and if I click on you, I just get dolls, nothing else. So yeah, i think maybe you also have a problem!
I think I’m getting a lot more readers than the stats are showing. It’s impossible to tell what is wrong, whether it’s the counting or the database or any of these AND the search engine — which is very messed up. We should all show up as ourselves, regardless of any other considerations. You can put your name into Google and it pops up dozens of times — but not on WordPress? Doesn’t that sound a bit peculiar?
You should be able to enter the name of a post or your name and it should all pop right up. That it DOESN’T pop right up means something is really broken. The question is what is broken — in addition to the stats and the search engine. It’s just awfully frustrating. I really love doing this, but I do want to get “read.” I’m not one of the people who believe it doesn’t matter if anyone reads our stuff. If that were the case, I’d have a diary, not a blog.
The good news is we went to a party tonight and people actually knew me because they read my stuff. I had not idea they read me. I mean, they NEVER comment, so who knew?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s always nice when you meet people who say they have read your stuff. I get emails from people about dolls so no problem there but the other is just being read by regulars I think and people I know on Facebook.
LikeLike
All I’m saying is that it is very hard to find at all and it comes up showing lock, as in “closed.” It’s just so you know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have emailed them about it.
LikeLike
This is a test comment, Marilyn. My other comment showed up fine, but I did that through the Reader. I’m doing this one directly on your site. If it appears, then everything seems to be ok on this end. BTW, I use Internet Explorer most of the time, so that doesn’t seem to be the problem with the WP site, although I have had problems with other sites and have had to switch to Google Chrome for those.
LikeLike
Got it. But we’ve been following each other for a long time.
LikeLike
I hear your anger, Marilyn, and I understand it, even though personally, my blog count has risen. It almost seems like WP is trying to knock off the larger bloggers and build up us smaller bloggers.
PS: What, exactly, were you planning to do with that battery charger? ….. No, don’t answer that.
LikeLike
One of the things I realized today is that they are — at least on my site — not counting posts read. I got 303 visitors. Count 303. No counts for number of articles or pictures. So that’s approximately half what i was getting before. I’m pretty sure they haven’t really changed the count for everyone. Just me.
LikeLike
Was able to “like”, read your post, and comment. We use Google Chrome. Hope things turn around for you.
LikeLike
They will eventually fix it … and I’m pretty sure their stats are totally wrong, but a lot of people are having trouble connecting, so until they figure out why … Thank you for your loyalty. It means a lot!
LikeLike
I read your post. I assume you will get this comment. So is it working?
LikeLike
Yes, got this one 🙂
LikeLike
Don’t give up… I’ve just discovered you!
LikeLike
I can’t NOT write. It’s sort of what I do 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
just tried the reply thing twice on another post and couln’d get to you….. ;(
LikeLike
Got it this time!
LikeLike
I read your posts on my iPhone using the WordPress app for iOS. So far, I see all of your posts in my reader and can like and comment on them. Please don’t get too discouraged and stop posting. Yours is one of my favorite blogs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All of the people who had no problems with me earlier are fine, but anyone newer … well … different story. It IS discouraging. Literally I’m back to getting the kind of response I got when I just started … which I also don’t believe is true. Something’s really wrong with their stats, database, and search engine. Thank you for the support. I get very discouraged sometimes. The problem is that changing to another platform would cost some pretty big money that I just can’t bring myself to spend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What other blogging platforms would you consider? I’ve used a few and think that WordPress, for better or worse, is the best of the bunch.
LikeLike
I was looking at TypePad, but it’s expensive and it’s really designed for business. AND to get it so I could have multiple authors, the price suddenly jumps. They have a beautiful platform … but it’s more money than I’m willing to spend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I once used TypePad. It is good, but it is expensive and my blog, even after a few years, didn’t gain much traction. So I moved my blog to WordPress.
LikeLike
TypePad is really designed for businesses. I don’t think they are going to get the kind of “friendly interest” we get on WP. But WP is making a godawful mess of things in the meantime.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I go to your actual site, I cannot “like” (using Safari. I haven’t tried another browser) but reading from the reader, no problems.
I don’t even know how many people read my blog. I don’t check my stats at all ever. I did for a little while back 5 years ago when I started this but I lost interest in that. It was (along with my books and writing in general) part of my overall evolution as a writer, I think. I’m a lot happier about writing and writing my blog since I went through that transition.
Taking a break from writing my blog the various times I’ve done that has been good for me. Maybe you just need a break and different reason to write. ❤
LikeLike
Maybe. I have been writing less. It’s just frustrating. The only people who seem able to find me are “old followers” who’s been linked to me for a long time. All the new people can’t even make a comment without getting bumped. I know their stats are way off, but that means other than the people who have told me they can’t get through … how many others can’t?
LikeLiked by 1 person
My count is down too, Marilyn. I wonder what would happen if we all boycotted WP for a few days?
Leslie
LikeLike
You think they even care? I’ve never felt cared for by them. Not ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have to find the clout.
LikeLike
I think with the right head, the clout would come. Pretty sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLike
I hope they sort the problem soon for you. 😦
LikeLike
I hope they sort out their problems, period. this is NOT the first time I’ve been through this, but I’m finally getting really fed up with it. They don’t know what they are doing. They really don’t.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have absolutely no problem from my side with WordPress, although I should not say it so quickly, you never know. You did tell me that you were not seeing my photos, although no-one else seemed to be having problems. I have no idea what WordPress have for problems, but they have not yet reached me.
LikeLike
Hope that it stays that way because I hear they have … are you ready? … BIG PLANS for the spring! Big plans. Oh goody.
LikeLiked by 1 person