…I’m Just Re-Learning How to Live in It
Last year, all at once, after ten years of non-stop growth, and despite ongoing new subscriptions, my total subscriber numbers began plummeting. More importantly, visits to my blog site plunged over 35%.
WordPress happiness engineers assured me everything was just as it should be. Which, I pointed out, was like a pilot saying, “That’s OK, the engine is supposed to be on fire.” I don’t charge anyone to read my posts (I write to be read). But if visitors were dollars, I’d have gone broke.
Meanwhile, I discovered that not only were people being auto-unsubscribed from my blog, I was being auto-unsubscribed from theirs. Plus, I was receiving fewer and fewer notifications. I was blogging in the dark! What should I do?
At WordPress’s suggestion, I moved “up” to the Business Plan. Result? Bigger declines than ever! Then I noticed that the old, “Subscribe” option had been replaced by a new email-oriented Follow button — and that WordPress was steadily un-subscribing people who weren’t email followers.
So, I decided to play their game. I chose to receive emails of every post from every person I followed. I got almost 2,000 emails in the next few hours! Disastrous, yes.
But…
Once I started figuring out how to channel the deluge, I realized I was seeing your posts again! And you were seeing mine! And now, as I continue to hunt down absentee blogger friends and re-follow them by email, traffic has finally begun to flow again. Hey, it’s WordPress’s world. I’m just re-learning…
How to live in it!
Good to hear that it’s getting better!! And well done on receiving 2000(!) emails 😳 I don’t know if I could do that!
Thanks for sharing
My pleasure (sort of ;>), L.G.
Oh, I feel your pain… while I get that things should evolve, a lot of tech is so complicated and overly functional, it takes you forever to learn how to use it and when changes come in, it’s such a nuisance. PS – don’t bother with the business plan. Unless you’re selling stuff or want to upload videos directly, it isn’t worth it at all.
I agree with you about the Business Plan, Emma. But I already responded to a two-year discount offer, so I’m in for a while to come.
It seems to be that way on many platforms. Meta decided not to let Instagram automatically upload to Chatbooks and now I have to go in and select every photo from my gallery by hand and add my hashtags. I had been using the other method for years and years so I would have an ongoing record of my daily Instagram postings in book form. I’m too old to keep relearning! 🥴
I hear you, Julie!
Thanks for the insight, I will try it. I’m not getting notices about some of my favorite bloggers, so I have to search for them and it doesn’t always work.
Hope it’s of some help, Rob.
I definitely hear you on this! Things are always changing it seems
Yep, always, Hannah!
Interesting. I’ve only been blogging for nine months, but I notice how each blogger’s site seems to have a different format for subscribing/following. The number of emails i get now is crazy, and I’m picky, because if I subscribe to a blog, then I’m going to read it. But, for me, the frustrations are far outweighed by the friends I’ve made here in WordPress World.
💪👏👏
Friendships really are the silver lining here, Lynn.
Sounds like Substack is hurting WordPress. That’s my first thought ,anyway . Adapt or die , as they say! Glad you figured out how to get your viewers back. I’m sure they were wondering what happened, too .
I think you’re on the money, PK. I suspect WordPress pivoted toward newsletters and email subscriptions, when Substack began undercutting their market share. They love bloggers who sell products via emails too.
I am glad you have everything under control again and you gain back your readers. I know there was a time when bloggers got unsubscribed by WordPress. It is crazy that this happened big way to your blog. Thank God, I have always seen your posts.
Glad you’re still around, Erika — you were one of my first blogger friends!
And I am happy to know that, Mitch 😊
WP is the best platform out there. I’m also having problems like yours, they even tried to censor a post because of one word that triggered their AI. Not a happy camper right now.
I can see why, Phil.
Oh, good!
I had the unsubscribe problem a couple of years ago. I still don’t get new post email notifications. I gave in and started using the WP Reader.
Me too!
🙁
🙁
As with all tech things, reinventing the wheel and fixing what’s not broken seems to be the norm. Very frustrating indeed!
Sigh. Yep.
Crazy! At least they could have told you about the change. I’m glad you shared this. Now I know why I have not been getting notifications from blogs I had been following.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who has had these problems. Not that my numbers are anything like yours!
Some battles are not worth fighting. You were wise to play along. Tech has become such a foundational part of our communications that they truly have us where they want us now. Kool Aid been drunk.
Holy smokes, is that for real?
While I’m happy you seem to have figured out at least a partial solution, it just seems wrong that you had to go down this path at all.
Well, I hope this fix keeps working for you!
Thanks, Booky!
Do you really notice a difference? Just wondering if I need to start doing the email thing.
I definitely do. But I also get a ton of email. See my reponse to Annie (seekingdivineperspective) below regarding handling email notifications.
Thanks. I’ll go read it now.
Yes, I do. But I’ve had to work hard to the the influx of emails under control.
Wow!
My site did the same thing, but I did not receive any advice.
Sorry to hear that, GP. For what it’s worth, I didn’t really receive any advice either, only a sales pitch to move up to the more expensive plan, and an offer to purchase promotional add-ons.
haha, they would have lost me saying that!!
Wow, that explains a lot. I’ve had the same decline but just thought that post-Covd people were spending less time reading blogs and more time getting out. I’ve been glad to still see an occasional “like” from you and a few others, but now I’m wondering if the people I haven’t heard from have dropped out of blogging, or if WordPress has just arbitrarily decided to disconnect us from one another.
Good for you for taking the bull(****) by the horns. I’m not sure what I’ll do, since I’m trying to spend more time on my books, and there are only 24 hours to a day… :/
I totally understand, Annie. I’ve learned to choose “Daily” or even “Weekly” email notification preferences for the really active bloggers I follow (rather than the default setting of “Instantly”). That helps, but it still takes a huge chunk out of my writing time.
<3
I thank you for taking the time to answer that same question I have had. I have had to track down folks whose columns I like to read, as they have disappeared from my feed and as you say it is nigh unto impossible to replicate the numbers of a few years ago. Since I have not wanted to monetize my space I was not deeply upset, but I do want to reach a larger audience. Thanks Mitch.
My pleasure, Pete.
Interesting, I’ve had a huge slow down too! Maybe something I should look into. Hugs, C
Hugs back, Cheryl.
Interesting! That happened to me with a couple of bloggers. I thought I had unsubscribed by mistake but I guess not. Thank you for sharing this.
Welcome, Edward. We’re all in this together, after all!
Oh my! Well, we know that whatever ain’t broke MUST be *fixed* but really… (This must be the seat of the unsubscribing problem I’ve had, too!)
Sorry not everyone can afford the business plan, I think the pandemic/lockdowns going away also may have sent people to go away in droves.
It’s a strange and wonderful service, isn’t it? If I’m supposed to do something–click something, follow something, please let me know. As a so-far free user of WordPress, I find things odd in that the ritual’s always changing, no matter how faithful we followers (or e-mailers or whomever) try to be. Thanks for sharing your experience. And I hope things go more smoothly for you, please. (That’s a prayer.)
Thank you, Christopher!
Wow this sounds messy!
It is indeed, Kitriona.
Is it still the case? or has it been resolved?
If I’m understand the WP logic, subscribe is a no-no and follow is the yellow brick road? Ugh. Thanks for the warning Mitch. I’ve had my share of problems. I feel like I need to start paying more attention to see what else is going wrong beyond the things I’ve already noticed. Very disappointing.
Actually, they still seem to use the words “subscribe” and “follow” interchangeably, Brian. But the bottom line, I believe, is that they’re pushing us towards email, because (I gather) that opens new opportunities to monetize.
Monetize. Ugh. I guess it always comes back to that simple phrase: “Follow the money.” It’s sad, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Thanks Mitch.
cora when will you redo the counting?
I also found a host of followers unsubscribed in my list of folllowers which the HE told me was “normal”… except friends who used to receive my blog were NOT getting them anymore as of Wednesday. Did the same thing you did and had DOZENS (at least not thousands) of emails.
We’ll see where this goes.😫
Soldier on, my friend!
P.S. the “premium” plan is adequate for those of us not in it for the money… with a new definition of “premium”.
I told the HEs “premium” no longer means what it used to mean.😅
Sorry to hear Mitch of the distress you had to go through and not to mention the time it took to figure out what was going on.
I had a similar situation myself recently. Either scan the code with my cell phone or I don’t get to see the place in which I’m considering living in.
Thank God this world is not our home.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
I’ve had this happen to me as well off and on. people I’ve been following for years of who have been following me have been suddenly dropped and have to resubscribe and the same on my side.
I’m mentally preparing myself for a future without wordpress. The attrition of the bloggers I interact with has been growing for years. I have a steady stream of new followers 5-10 per day, but I believe they are all bots. I think people just don’t want to read any more. Further, I rarely find new blogs that interest me. I think the medium is mostly played.
Ah, so that’s what’s going on . . . Thanks, Mitch. 💐
Thanks for explaining Mitch. I wondered why I wasn’t seeing the usual blogs come up and now I know. It also explains why I was auto removed as following some blogs as I didnt usually choose to get the email notifications. I’ve got used to searching out the blogs I enjoy reading and then have a big catch up on their posts.
Wow that’s complicated. I also noticed strange changes and I’ve been unsubscibed from blogs I follow and I’ve seen a sudden drop but not as dramatic as yours, but then I have much fewer followers. They’ve also made much more difficult to subscribe. I am glad you tried the Business Plan so I don’t have to.
Yes
I’ve always seen and read your blog every night in my feed, I don’t think theirs been a day since I first subscribed that I haven’t. So anyway WordPress has been working aok with me.. 🩵
Bless you, Fiona.
I’ve noticed a slow down in traffic this year also. I thought perhaps at the end of 2024 some folks decided not to spend as much time reading blogs. I admire your perseverance, Mitch, to figure it out and get your phenomenal numbers back. Shame on WordPress for changing their policy without notification to their constituents, and not offering instructions for retaining one’s readership.
Thank you, dear friend.
It’s been awhile, Mitch.
I remember a time with you HERE in WordPress – being prophets in THIS world that is changed so much in a very short time. I liked this article of yours because it examples how things change quickly in the world – and the stress of it for “a-Likes” that are turned into full gift boxes – full of curios as mail.
I loved comments, too.
Instead of money, you’d rather drink from and share from “WELLS!” THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT JESUS DID…That previous CHRIST.
He loved the Samaritans. They were poor and hated…untouchable and unclean to GOD’S people, but he VALUED their wells enough to multiply them for FREE, and he also touched them anyway. It got him crucified – but he did what GOD told him.
SO, Mitch…I do not covet YOUR spirit. The world has driven me Mad – and so reading your abbreviated exposé reminded me of how simple Christ is. “Love God. Love your neighbor.” We must be neighbors because you touched my heart HERE!
Peace be with you. Not long ago…when I was madder than a hatter – and more than I AM now, I was thinking of restarting my old blog with the same name I’d use before…when you knew me. I wanted to expose THE WORLD. And now I see – The world is still changing quickly, and I actually don’t like to be mad. I gotta keep it easy.
Love God.
Love your neighbor
Follow Christ’s example, and Multiply wells.
HERE is a Trinity for sure.
Amen.
Good to hear from you. Untold blessings, my friend.
That is absolutely insane!
Why WordPress insists on making it so hard to blog, I’ll never understand. I’ve been having issues, but nothing that compares to yours. And yes, trying to get help from the happiness engineers is an exercise if futility. They always tell you everything is fine on their end and that the problem is you, your browser, or both.
Sigh. I know.
Glad that switching on receipt of e-mails worked for U. I’ve had that switch on from the get-go, but it recently stopped working for me. Apart from using Reader, another thing that works for me (at the moment!) is switching on receipt of “notifications” of new posts in blogs I follow. Same dialog box as for switching on e-mails. Each new posting adds a colored ball to the bell icon; clicking on the icon displays recent notifications.
Here’s a nice feature of using notifications that Reader does not have. Shading indicates whether U have clicked on a notification, so U can easily defer reading something that may be too long to read at the moment with less danger of having it lost because buried under later posts.
What a nightmare! I have the Business Plan, and that means I can chat with a Happiness Engineer. Oh, they try to give you the AI first, but they are there for me, AND, they stay with Live Chat until the problem is solved. You might be glad you upgraded.
Lots of stuff to figure out. 🙂
I’m glad you solved your Word Press dilemma, Mitch. That’s devotion! 🙂
Thanks, Nancy.
Good to see you again! WordPress is like a loose noose around my neck! I’m dragging along!
:>(
good for you! i’ve been going through much the same and notifications that [….] this person looks like spam–the very ones i’ve been reading and interacting with for years–while new to the blog unrelated gets top billing. who decides who i should see? what kind of stats do they look at and no, i won’t up to business as i have enough problems with this one.
I understand your frustration.
I’ve never trusted the WordPress following feed ― that’s why I do all of mine via RSS in an external app, currently Vienna. It’s been working well … As far as I know. 🤔
Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly helpful information! I sometimes miss what should be obvious, and posts like yours make everything so much clearer and easier to understand. I really appreciate it!
My pleasure, Ben.
I’ve been doing the email thing too, and the “instantly” option floods my inbox with hundreds of emails. It’s overwhelming! I tried switching to “daily” or “weekly” for some of the more active blogs, but now I don’t get notifications for those at all. 🤦🏽♀️
So sorry to hear that, BK. I have plenty of other issues with WordPress, but so far the switches to Daily and Weekly are showing up.
Whatever happened to “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? I’ve stopped getting notifications for most of the blogs I follow and it’s really annoying!
I feel your pain, Nelli!
Wow, Mitch! This explains so much! Thanks for the info!
My pleasure, Lori. WordPress does seem to operate below our radar.
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Stay happy always Mitch! 💐▶️:-)
Thank you, Ramani. Wishing you the same.