My post today was supposed to be a rant about diets, but instead I’m in mourning for my post likes.
Unbeknownst (I love this word. It makes me feel smart af when I use it- probably incorrectly) to me, when one migrates their site from WordPress or some other hosting site to self-hosted, their likes die a terrible death.
(I’m not positive it was a terrible death, but in my mind, it was terrible. They were screaming and crying and begging not to be left behind.)
So, yeah. I’m in my mourning attire. I’m crying into my Ben & Jerry’s. I’m not doing my eyebrows.
It’s serious.
For real, though, I’m crazy bummed.
Thousands of post likes that were basically my battle scars earned during the fight to be recognized, read, and enjoyed are gone. Gone.
A few really incredible blogger buds offered to and went about re-liking many of my posts. This just speaks to the unquestionable kindness of our blogging kind. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, you beautiful creatures.
As kind as that offer was, I’d rather ya’ll go and do something meaningful in the honor of my lost likes. Do a kind deed. Pay it forward in the Starbucks line (that reminds me- I need to do this too). Volunteer. Write a post to raise awareness on an important topic. Because as important as those damn stupid likes were to me, there are far more important things in life.
I’m trying really hard to let them go. I hope to be back up and running next week, because what else can I do? Blog posts, like life, go on.
For serious though, if you’re a like whore like me, realize that if/when you go self-hosted your likes won’t be going with you.
I wish I would have known. I could have at least said goodbye…
What’s been your biggest writing/blogging regret?
(I hope it’s a really good one, because I’m an asshole and I like to know I’m not alone in the potential bad decision department.)
Sister! Don’t be down and sad about it, we love you and you will get those likes back (by scraping it or by adding new likes). But no matter what, keep a head up high and wash away those tears, coz you will go further than before. Those likes will seem nothing compared to what you will get now and in the future 🙂 xx
I hope you’re right, sister. Love you!! 😘😘😘
Well said!!
I am just glad you kept all the brilliant comments. Fatty McCupcake comment-land is sooo funny. 🙂
We can all relike things to make you smile again!
I’m SOOOO glad the comments were able to be migrated! I agree, they are all so funny. When I’m in a bad mood, I just need to re-read the comments on my blog 🤣❤️
Biggest regret was my nearly 3-year hiatus while I started a new life and tried to maintain my online anonymity. When I got back into it I’d lost the community I’d built before, and I haven’t gotten that kind of camaraderie back. It’s slowly growing, though. Gotta get back out there more diligently, I guess.
That is my BIGGEST fear- that if I take a hiatus everyone will be gone and I’ll have to build it all back up again. HUGE fear 😬
My biggest regret isn’t about blogging, it’s about connections that come with blogging. In stage 10 regret right now over it. I’d blog about it but I can’t. So wooo….
UH.OH 😮😮😮😮
Agreed
I kinda really want to know about this pretty bad now…
I’ll facebook you
So would you advice someone to go self-hosted right now? As someone contemplating this path (but seriously loving WP community), I need some enlightment. 🙂
Gosh, it’s such a hard decision and one you need to base on what your end goal is. What are some of the goals you have for your blog? If one of those is monetizing, it’s most likely worthwhile. I would take some time to figure it all out if you’re newer to blogging. I’m still in the WP reader, so that’s a benefit!!
That’ll help. Thanks for the reply. 🙂
Of course!!
Do you have the same URL? If you contact Jetpack support, they should be able to transfer your stats over for you and maybe your likes too? I know you can transfer your followers on your own.
I’ve already asked if it can be done. All of my stats, followers and comments were able to be transferred, but likes are different 😢
Oh, I’m sorry :/ that really stinks.
It does! Thanks 😬
Hi i am very new to blogging, very few likes so far.. I’m confused between self hosting and my free word press blog.. for now I will just keep blogging.. but it is a real shame that you could not keep your likes as you work so hard for them. I have enjoyed reading your work, fun to read. I’m sure your like count will grow again.
Hi! Thanks for stopping by! If you’re new to blogging, I would keep your free plan for now. The world of self-hosting is pretty crazy. I’m glad you’ve liked what you’ve read so far ☺️
Hi yes I am liking what I am reading, thanks for your advice.
Any time!!
Sorry about losing all your likes! That sucks! Are your comments still intact? I think that would worry me the most–losing my comments!
My biggest blogging regret is starting a blog in the first place. I’m only half-joking. This shit gets overwhelming, sometimes.
If I’m serious-serious, I regret ever using my real name on my blog and linking it places where my family and friends would have access to it. When I first started and just planned to blog about baking and craft projects, it was a fine idea. But, since I ended up delving a lot into my mental health issues it’s a little more tricky. I have to be mindful of what I say and how I say it because even though I use pseudonyms for everyone it would still be obvious from details to know I’m talking about a certain person. It has made me feel really censored in a way that makes me wonder sometimes why I bother continuing, since I can’t get the cathartic release I really want.
My comments are there, thank goodness! I just found out that I can view my likes if I switch sites in WordPress. That’s great and all, but I want them prominently displayed on my visible site. It makes me feel like I look more legit, if that makes sense.
I totally feel you with this blogging regret. I’m not too worried about being pretty forthright, obviously, BUT there are so many other things I could write about or share (specifically mental health) that I’m not comfortable divulging just yet. Literally everyone in my IRL reads or at least knows about my blog. I have to be careful to not go too into detail too. It definitely limits a lot.
I’ve honestly considered making another anonymous blog for that stuff, but I already have so much on my plate that the idea of starting ANOTHER blog and trying to grow my readership there from scratch and all that makes my eye twitch.
OMG. SAAAAAAME. It’s all just too much but I’ve totally considered that myself!
Back in 2011, my blog was just starting to get recognition and develop a following. I had some posts I was particularly proud of.
Then, the UARS satellite was about to fall out of the sky. I wrote this piece joking about what I would do if I found a piece of it.
https://transformednonconformist.blogspot.com/2011/09/sky-is-falling.html
Do to the relevance of the event, tons of traffic came to my site. Everyone was getting online to look up information about this school bus-sized hunk of metal falling out of the sky.
My stats shot through the roof overnight and it upset. Normally, you want to see high numbers, but I knew these visitors had not really clicked over to read me. They were just looking for info and I happened to write on that topic that day. I doubt any stayed to actually read what I wrote.
I know it sounds childish, but that was one of my most highly rated posts for months and it was undeserved. I had many other posts that deserved the top spot.
Stupid internet.
I HATE that. Honestly, far too many things all over the Internet gets the attention they do not deserve. The stupidest things go viral on Facebook and I just shake my head. If there isn’t a pretty picture or it’s longer than a short paragraph, most people won’t bother.