Park it, Leave it, or Say “Good-Bye”

 124 Comments on Park it, Leave it, or Say “Good-Bye” 1 4428

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of blogs come and go.

I’m not surprised, considering how most blogs don’t make it past the first few months.

That said, the question becomes, “What’s the best way to put a blog to rest?”

Today’s Lesson

When I click on the links to abandoned blogs, I find the following:

  1. The blog is still live, however the most recent post is extremely old.
  2. The blog is still live and the blogger has written a “Good Bye” post stating why they are no longer blogging.
  3. The link redirects to a page which states “this webpage is parked*” and the domain is for sale.
  4. The link redirects to a “parked”* domain and displays advertisements.
  5. The link redirects to a 404 error page.

Seeing how others abandon blogs makes me wonder if one method is better than another.

If it’s a blog I frequented in the past, I like seeing a “good bye” post, however when the link redirects to a parked domain, it’s anyone’s guess what the blogger’s intent is.

Seeing a blog with outdated posts is one way of keeping a blog alive, however if the information which was shared is time sensitive, the content is irrelevant.

Most bloggers have a definite plan when they start blogging, but how to quit blogging is something we don’t discuss.

Maybe we should.

Today’s Assignment

If you quit blogging, what would you do with your blog?

Park it? Close it? Or leave it be?

Care to share?

~Barbara

*Domain parking is the registration of an Internet domain name without using it for services such as e-mail or a website i.e without placing any content on the domain. This may be done to reserve the domain name for future development, to protect against the possibility of cybersquatting, or to engage in cybersquatting. Since the domain name registrar will have set name servers for the domain, the registrar or reseller potentially has use of the domain rather than the final registrant.

Domain parking can be classified as monetized and non-monetized. In the former, advertisements are shown to visitors and the registrant gains revenue. In the latter, an “Under Construction” or a “Coming Soon” message may or may not be put up on the domain by the registrar or reseller. This is a single-page website that people see when they type the domain name or follow a link in a web browser. Domain names can be parked before a web site is ready for launching.

124 thoughts on “Park it, Leave it, or Say “Good-Bye””

  1. For me, I think I’m going to just leave it.. Who knows, maybe I’ll get back if I feel like it..

    2. I concur with Erica. I used to blog when I was still teaching in university. My blogs are still live, but they no longer have any new posts. Those weren’t personal blogs. They contained posts that may still be of help to those who stumble upon them. So, in my case, it was best to just let them sit idly, gathering dust. Who knows, one of these days I might get back to them and start writing posts again.

  2. Given the type of content that I share I don’t think mine involves time sensitive information, so I think I will leave the website the way it is. Another option which I often contemplate is to try and sell the website. Perhaps you can have a post on this? I mean on how to sell websites.

    1. Hi Gerald,

      That’s a good idea. If we get tired of blogging, we could sell our website.

      Selling a domain name or website/blog is something I’ve been researching. I have a couple of domain names I’d like to get rid of, so when I get the selling part of it figured out, I’ll share my findings. 🙂

  3. This is a good question. However, when people quit blogging, it implies they got another job, busy with other projects or not happy with the way their blog is ranking. As you rightly pointed out, most of the time these blogs are left unattended for a long time. I have a couple of blogs on PTC niche and was getting good traffic. However, as I moved more into the IM market, I have stopped used PTC and then I stopped updated my ptc blogs. After 6 months when I checked the stats, I was shocked to see that the site was still getting good traffic and is also ranked high for some keywords. So I updated the content there at least for visitors to not get annoyed.

    1. Thank you Christian,

      That’s a good point. Even though we abandon (and I use that term loosely) a blog, doesn’t mean traffic to it will stop.

      I know for myself, I have two blogs which don’t get updated very often, but they still get hits and even a comment or two,

  4. Hi Barbara – I have no intention of stopping.

    It irritates to find a blog not there though. Parked Domains and domains for sale – I’d steer well clear of.

    If I was finishing up – for whatever reason .. I guess I’d try and let everyone know … what was happening – just for good order.

    If disaster happened – then there’s not much anyone can do ..

    Cheers – I’m here for the long run … Hilary

    1. Hi Hilary,

      I hear you. It can be irritating to see a blog has disappeared, especially if it contained valuable information. I also feel a little bit sad – especially when, for me, the blogger appeared to have great potential.

  5. For blogs I would probably just leave it, without making an announcement. If the blog has just like, five posts, and I want to keep the domain name, I would just set it up to redirect to another one of my site. It’s only 10 dollars per year to keep it around.

    1. Hi Kelvin,

      Yes. It is cheap to keep a domain name. I like you idea of having a “dead” blog redirect to another one of your sites. That way the reader still gets to read your writings.

  6. Barbara,

    One of the things I like to do on the Internet is find blogs similar to mine – perspectives and insights on organizational finance and strategy from practitioners. These are actually more difficult to find than you think. There are a lot of magazine, consultant and personal finance blogs, but few “independent” ones.

    So I ran across one the other day – great content, similar name (“Simply Treasury”), written by a banker. Their first post was the one I found, dated about the same time I started mine, and was full of promise and good intentions. Two posts quickly followed (judging by the posting dates) and then…

    Nothing! For the last five months.

    I assume the person gave up the blogging idea. My reaction was “come back, come back”. I left a comment, sort of hoping that might reignite a motivation, but still nothing. I’m just left wondering what occurred that first week to go from such high promise to abandonment.

    If I were to shut down my blog, I would like to believe that I will let folks know. The content already there might be useful, so I can see ” leaving it up” (so long as the host will allow at any rate). But until it happens we never really know for sure.

    Thanks!

    1. You’re welcome David,

      How unfortunate that blogger hasn’t updated their blog; especially when it was one which you identified with.

      We never know why bloggers stop blogging, but like you said, it’s sad when the blog showed a lot of promise.

      Good point about if our web host would leave our blog up. I assume if we didn’t pay the annual fees, just like the other ones which show the site is unavailable, our URL would show an ad. 🙁

  7. I would certainly try to leave a goodbye message to inform my readers. I have friends who have blogged and then seem to have just abandoned them. Odd thing to do as far as I am concerned. Of course there is one reason you couldn’t tell anyone, but otherwise….

    1. Hi Jo,

      Letting our readers know we’re quitting would be the right thing to do. Even if we didn’t write a post, we could always add a note to the sidebar (provided our blog is still live), and let our readers know why. (We could also do that if we decide to go on a blogging hiatus.)

  8. Hi Barbara,

    I think my blog has a lot of useful content on it for teachers and also for hip-hop fans. That’s why I want it to stay up well after I am gone.

    I’ve written a fair-well post and left instructions with my cousin to publish it, if something were to happen to me.

    I don’t like when my favourite blogs go silent. It’s happened time and time again. I often wonder what happened to those authors. I don’t want my readers to have to worry. I want them to know. That’s why I have this plan in place.

    1. Hi Chase,

      How smart of you to think so far in advance. Maybe more of us need to do that considering how we never know what the future brings. Plus, like you said, it’s showing consideration to our loyal readers.

  10. Hi Barbara. Speaking as someone who has left my blog and come back, I have some thoughts on this. (BTW, it’s been a while, I love your new look!)

    When I decided to leave my blog, it was what I figured to be a temporary decision. I left a good-bye message (in fact, I think I have done this a few times). I noticed that my blog seemed to get more traffic when I was not actively blogging as when I was. It was nice to come back and see all of my previous posts and comments, it actually inspires me to begin again. I am not doing it for any financial gain, so I am sure my absence is not the same as someone who has to re-start all over again and build their visitor base.

    1. Thank you Danifer,

      It’s great to “see” you. 🙂

      It sounds like you’re not alone in finding your traffic increased when you weren’t updating. (see above comment from Christian). I find that ironic, considering how we learn by updating our blogs often, we’re more apt to rank higher with Google. Hmmmm.

  11. I think I would keep my blogs alive even if I stopped updating them. Maybe I would remove the dates from the blog posts…

    1. You’re right! even we stop blogging. It should be to keep the blog live. We also need to post a short message to let readers know that we are busy at recent time; and ask them to check back to a specific time.

    2. Hi Vered,

      That’s a good idea – to remove the dates from our posts, as long as they’re not time sensitive. That way, the content would/might appear current. (At least to new readers)

  12. I doubt that I will ever stop blogging. But if ever I would, I would probably leave a goodbye and thank you message addressed mainly to those that have frequented my blog.

  13. Hi,
    I think there are a lot of difficult situations in life of everyone, that’s why a lot of people just forgot about their blogs, because it’s in the end of theirs priority list. We can’t blame them, anyway it’s just a digital world like a ghost-world, but for some of us it becomes much more real than off-line life.

    1. Hi Emily,

      I hear you. Many will give blogging a try only to find out it takes up more of their time, doesn’t meet with their expecttations, or…., and the blog gets forgotten about.

  14. If I were to stop blogging, I would post a message of intent. My subscribers and loyal readers deserve to know what is going on.

    I’ve wondered about posts remaining that belong to a loved one who died.

    I subscribe to a blog that has been going for a number of years. Bill has a serious health issue and was given “so long” to live. He decided to blog about his dying. Miraculously, he is still with us and is a tremendous help to many who have been diagnosed with life threatening diseases. He’s amazing: Dying Man’s Daily Journal http://hudds53.wordpress.com/

    When he dies, he has told us that his wife will let us know. But what does she do with the blog afterwards? Does she want it there forever? What if she doesn’t?

    I have also wondered if platforms have considered a policy of automatically closing a blog that has not been accessed by the originator (or delegate) after, say, 5 years. Would they honour a request from a widow or widower to shut it down?

    We really are turning new turf.

    1. Hi Amy,

      Yes. We are turning new turf when we start a blog.

      I clicked over to the link you provided. I like Bill’s blog and what he’s doing to help others understand what a person goes through when they’re given a death sentence. Thank you for sharing the link. 🙂

      You’ve raised a good point. What does happen to blogs which aren’t updated or accessed by the originator? Do they just sit in the blogosphere or does “someone” eventually purge them? Seems like the internet could get awfully cluttered with outdated posts and dead sites.

  15. *Knock on wood* hopefully that never happens, but I think it would be best to leave a goodbye message. I mean that will only take you a few minutes and you could save people from coming back to your site over and over looking for new content.

    1. Hi Khleo,

      That’s true. A good-bye message wouldn’t take very long to write, plus like you said, it would save others from continually coming back to our blogs to see if it’s been updated.

  16. Something like 90 or 95% of blogs are abandoned, and I would imagine it will eventually lead to an expiration-date policy to let new people in, especially if the site has only 2 posts on it or whatever.

    1. Hi Routing Numbers,

      Those numbers are staggering, aren’t they?

      I’d bet if a blogger was given an “expiration date” to post to, or update their blog, they’d think twice before starting one.

  17. Hi Barbara,

    Well to be honest, this whole thing of abandoning blogs really bothers me whenever I see it.

    I guess it’s because someone was not guided properly into what a blog or website should be for or simply because someone wasn’t meant to having a blog in the first place.

    Many believe that having a blog is very easy right from the beginning just because you can write a few “Hello World” lines and publish that in a few minutes.

    But it requires VERY HARD work and many people don’t understand that “small” part of the equation.

    Anyway, I did leave a blog in dust but I never parked it or left it hanging, I just put up a maintenance page and never took that away.

    My reasons were that blogging was taking me nowhere and I wanted to modify my approach to Internet Marketing so I decided to quit on the blog as I had this “great idea” to try over that.

    I think I installed Optimize Press to create a membership site there for training for new Internet Marketers but then I got stuck again when I had to buy a really expensive membership script and other solutions for video and storage to be able to address this idea of mine.

    I am closer to get it started but yeah, that site is still just hanging around, I’m a bit ashamed myself from that, but it is what it is!

    I’ll get it back to life very soon though.

    As a side note: I like your site and the text font used here, really cool! My font is huge and I really don’t like it but I’ll dabble with that later lol

    Anyway, take care and hope you had a great start of week! 😉

    Sergio

    1. Thank you for your kind words Sergio,

      Your comment has inspired me to write more about starting a blog. You’re right. There’s a lot more to blogging than just publishing a post or two.

      Like you, I have some blogs/domain names (which I use for testing purposes) on which I have a maintenance mode notification. As I mentioned to Gerald (earlier comment), I may try selling one or more of those and then blog about the process.

      I can empathize with you on blogging road blocks. Often when we decide to try something new, it can challenge our knowledge base and slow down the process.

      I wish you well on your endeavors. 🙂

  18. I think it depends on the reason why I quit creating posts on my blogs. If I have decided to really stop bogging, maybe saying goodbye will be my option, but if I’m just too lazy to write then leave it the way it is, then who knows I’ll be back after some time, when my momentum to write gets back.

    1. Hi Ira,

      You’re right. Sometimes we don’t update our blogs because we’re unmotivated or lazy, so in those cases it would be best to just let the blog be and wait until we’re re-inspired.

  19. Hi Barbara,

    I think leaving a good bye post is how I would end my blog if I ever needed to. It seems like the people who have connected with me on my blog are like friends and even though friends can drift apart, it’s just nice knowing why a blog wouldn’t be updated or around anymore.

    I guess it’s different for some blogs that are less personal.

    btw., I installed that GASP plugin and it’s made my day! Thanks for the tip!

    1. You’re welcome Maddie,

      I’m happy to hear the GASP plugin is working well for you. 🙂

      I agree. A good-bye note shows consideration to our loyal reader base, especially if we feel a bond with them.

  20. Hi Barbara,
    I felt I “outgrew” my previous site so instead of redoing the entire site, I created a new one. I believe in releasing the old to make room for the new, but many of my peers suggested I leave my previous site up because the insights have the potential to inspire someone far beyond this point. I did write a goodbye post and linked to my new site.
    Although it has only been a few days, I have heard from several readers who took a “Fall break” that had I closed the site they wouldn’t have known to try to find me.

    1. Hi Joy,

      That’s a great idea. Anytime we start a new blog, it’s wise to link to it from the old one. Like you said, you had readers who would have never known about your new site had you not done that.

  21. Barbara,I think I would just leave my blog.Who knows why people stop blogging?.There could be many reasons for that to happen. That should not stop them coming back and start re posting in the future. I am not a big one for “burning my bridges”

    1. Hi David,

      Burning bridges isn’t usually a good idea, is it?

      Leaving a blog up can provide tons of valuable information to readers even if it’s not updated. All the more reason to make our blogs easy to navigate and display an “archives” page.

  22. The thing that annoys me most of all is “Page not found. Error 404”. I have met it for so many times( And I do think that we should write “good-bye” post, if we decided to leave it and stop blogging

  23. I found it very strange and curious why people just leave their blog, in which they spent so much time and effort…. But what I think is more odd is why after leaving it people continue to comment on it?

    1. Hi Anna,

      I think what happens is readers/visitors do not realize the site hasn’t been updated. As bloggers we know what to look for, but for the average online reader, they probably assume the author is still active.

  24. I have not thought about this question until I read this post. After a little thought, I think I will be writing a Good Bye message to my followers when I decide to stop blogging, if at all happens. I will feel really bad if I am unable to inform my followers that I will be no longer maintaining my blog.

  25. I would probably write a good-bye/conclusion post to let everyone know what was going on. I would provide a link if I were creating a new blog, and a description of what I would be doing. If I were leaving for good, I would just say good-bye, and try to stay in touch with friends.

    1. Hi Linda,

      Letting our readers know what’s going on would be beneficial. Not only could we link to a new blog (if that’s the route we’re taking), we could also tell them they can find us on Facebook or Twitter, or…, so the communication doesn’t stop.

  26. Hi Barb! Funny you should put this post up when I just last week experienced finding dozens of abandoned blogs – no goodbye, no nuthin’. I would certainly do that if I was ending mine. I think you owe your readers that much. If a person quits cuz they do not have any readers, then oh well. I do think the numbers of people actually blogging are a far cry less than what stats say. I think if a blog is abandoned it should disappear after one year and the domain name become available again. Too much clutter on the web!
    Hope your turkey was wonderful, btw!
    Susan

    1. Hi Susan,

      Like you, I’ve been seeing more abandoned blogs, some with the old post just sitting there and others which have been parked.

      I agree. There is a lot less blogging going on than what the stats say. It’s one thing to say we have a blog, but another thing to maintain it and keep it alive.

      My Thanksgiving was great. Now I’m looking forward to my Christmas break. 🙂

  27. I have a blog that I used to update regularly. As I started to lose interest, i was wondering what I should do with it. Rather then shut it down and lose all the thoughts i had put together over the years, I decided to let it continue running, just no current updates.

    1. Hi J Cecamore,

      I don’t think it’s uncommon for bloggers to lose interest in blogging. As we all know, it can be a real time commitment.

      One thing about leaving a blog live is we can easily add a new update to it and maybe even have the blogging fire reignited.

  28. To be honest I haven’t heard of Domain Parking before, for me it sounds like putting it on-hold for a while and I can not understand how it can be for sale then… well-well… If I had to/wanted to stop blogging once, I can’t see myself deleting and suspending my blog. All my posts are too valuable for me, I would let it run, I guess.

    1. Hi Emilia,

      Domain parking appears to take on different scenarios. With one, you can park your domain and keep the name (and maybe even make some advertising dollars), whereas with the other, if the webhost hasn’t been paid the annual subscription, they will park the domain and advertise the name is for sale (with hopes you’ll sign up for their web hosting services if you do decide to buy it).

  29. I think it’s best to leave it be. Most content can still be relevant for some time and if it’s out there it should stay there for people to use or enjoy.

    1. Hi Matt,

      True. In a lot of cases, even though the blog hasn’t been updated, that which has been published may hold value for new visitors.

      That said, if a blogger has only posted personal stories or photos, it may be best to take it down.

  31. I will definitely leave a goodbye message on my blog before leaving it. That is how we respect our viewers who have helped contributing our blogs.

  32. Happy post postpartum Holiday dinner and exercise feast…:) Hope you had a good one.

    I think this is an old dilemma_ churches have suffered this for years and years… members just suddenly disappear…then many appear years later and are angry that the church could not keep going – had to sell the building. Groups have an ebb and flow as do sports…

    I have not run across many defunct blogs recently, but I have run across lots of folks talking about how much work it is and how hard job hunting is right now ( reflecting disappointment that their blog is not making income)

    I do not know what I would do….if I am still blogging when I die, well, I am sure IT Girl will announce my demise and leave the post for a decent period of time and then – well then my youngest would want the best price for it!

    Good to think about these things…another gem found here

    1. Thank you Patricia,

      You’re right. It’s not just blogs which come and go, we see it in the real world, too.

      Your comment reminded me how it’s important for us to have a discussion with our loved ones with regard to our blog. If our blogs are income producing, they’d become a part of our estate and would be an issue which needs to be discussed. If they’re not income producing, having someone notify our readers would be the proper thing to do, as well as letting them know if someone plans to continue updating the blog.

  33. I think it is important that you notify your visitors that you have given up blogging, or in fact that you are taking a break for a while. I do find it very frustrating when you find a blog that has just been abandoned by the owner, especially when you are a frequent reader.

    1. Hi Scaffold Suppliers,

      Yes, it is frustrating. And like you mentioned, even if we decide to take a blogging break, if we let our readers know, they’ll be more than likely come back.

      1. Exactly! Then you’ll have people checking your blog every day to see whether you have returned or not!

        I appreciate you making the effort to reply to me, thanks!

        Michael

    1. Hi Hogward,

      Not making an income from a blog is probably one of the biggest reasons bloggers quit. I like your idea of blog flipping as it’s another option to make money with a blog without becoming too attached to the content.

  35. Keeping a blog alive always leaves the potential for coming back. A month, six months or even a couple of years down the road that urge to write may hit again and picking up where you left off is always a possibility. Returning to a blog with a goodbye post seems strange while starting a new one may be a bit overwhelming if you’re interested in quickly sharing your thoughts. Perhaps one of those “Be back soon” messages would be an alternative.

  36. Dear Barbara:

    I honestly haven’t thought about the issue you are raising. I wonder what I will do. For now, I cannot imagine leaving blogging. What I have written over the years painstakingly cannot be just left like that. I will certainly do away with my blog with proper funeral rites.

    Hope all is fine with you, Barbara. A month more to end this lovely year.

    Joy always,
    Susan

    1. Thank you Susan,

      I hear you. It’s hard to imagine leaving blogging, but if the day ever comes, by thinking ahead we’ll be a little bit more prepared.

      Have a great December. 🙂

  37. These are two different things – to put the blog to rest and to kill a blog. If I wanted to put my blog on vacation, I would have just stopped writing, but would have extended the domain. The site would remain in the index and may be useful in the future.

  38. Yeah, I think if I need to stop blogging, I’ll create a last post explaining to my avid readers the why’s. I won’t just leave or abandon them like that. That would be too inappropriate.

    1. Hi Reinaelliston,

      If we do quit blogging, I agree, it’s important to let our readers know why. I know I’ve often worried about fellow bloggers when they quit posting but didn’t provide an explanation.

  39. If I quit blogging… hmmm. I can’t even imagine myself quitting. It’s like saying I’m done writing and that is impossible. I always have ideas inside my head and I can’t go on if I won’t write them down. Maybe I may take some rest someday but I will never kill my site.

  40. Great points.

    While I mostly try to write on timeless and durable things, I don’t think I’made my blog timeless enough yet. I experimented adding articles to make it more of a site, but I don’t think that was the answer. I actually think the answer to making a more timeless impression is:
    – the landing page (less like a magazine)
    – topic pages (rather than categories)

    I think if it truly appear more like Knowledge Base of timeless wisdom, and less like a batch of timely blog posts.

    1. Thank you J.D.,

      I like your idea of writing timeless articles. That way, even if you did quit blogging or took an extended hiatus, that which you shared will still apply.

      Blog structure can create problems, as can the theme we choose. If someone lands on our site but can’t find past posts, all of our efforts may be for naught. Lots of decisions, hey?

  41. The question made me do a self-check. You see, I am guilty of having an abandoned blog.

    In my opinion, the best thing to do in the case is to make a goodbye post so that the readers will know that the blog is no longer updated.

    You made me want to continue my old blog. Let’s wait and see.

    1. Hi Christopher,

      Don’t feel bad. That happens to a lot of us.

      I like how this post has inspired you to reactivate your old blog. Stop by again and share the link and I’ll come by and take a peek. 🙂

  43. Hello Barbara, In my part I just leave it. We don’t know after a couple of time you will like it once again. Then you can get it immediately. a\

  44. I think a Good Bye message is nice, especially if you had a following. Doesn’t leave them hanging!

    BTW: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the design of this site. Notebook look for a blog….appropriate!

    Cheers!

  45. I once saw a picture in google image search of a guy wearing a really crazy hat. I decided to look him up and found his blog. It was fun and I read for a long time & decided to send him a message about how fun he was. He was like an early internet hippy. But there was no contact on the blog. As I read the last entries, it seemed his health was a bit iffy. I think the last entry was by his son or daughter. He had died, though they didn’t put it exactly like that. It was hard to believe since he seemed so alive and real through his blog.

  46. I would leave it on air, without the slightest doubt. I personally think bogging isn’t all about making money or gaining influence, but about helping others. If I know that at the end of the day i have helped at least one person with my posts, I feel very happy. Nowadays, that’s what matters the most…to help others.

    Yours,
    Jack Sander

  48. It was nice to come back and see all of my previous posts and comments, it actually inspires me to begin again. I am not doing it for any financial gain, so I am sure my absence is not the same as someone who has to re-start all over again and build their visitor base.

  49. nice share…its really sad when someone might decide to close a blog…actually i guess most blogs die because the blogger started blogging primarily to earn money and as we all know IM is no easy deal but way more than possible and when within few months no revenue is generated the blogger quits…i know few famous bloggers of my country who are earning about $4000-$5000 per month…when asked how did they achieve this almost every one said it was their passion which turned out to be great source of income…
    it all comes down to passion…because then we can write contents on the blog and keep it updated without worrying about traffic or money…

    regards
    Aniket

  50. I don’t think parking is a good way to make your all emotion dead. How can someone forget the time and emotion that they left in each of their post? The best idea for me is, leave it as it is. It’s always better to keep the door open for a comeback.

  51. I’d probably leave the blog as is, just in case I changed my mind down the road. It has likely generated some domain authority and it’s a shame to get rid of content that took time to create.

  52. One thing that that can be done is to gradually slow down the maintenance of the blog to something like 1 or 2 posts a month. And in parallel, put the site up for sale on Flippa.com. That worked pretty well with one of my blogs.

  53. Perhaps some people would say I have OCD, I don’t know, but I do tend to collect things that interest me, a lot of things. But my interests are so varied that I inevitably lose focus and move on to the next shiny curiosity, leaving much behind, but not abandoned forever. I tell myself that I’ll return someday. I justify my online activities as ‘projects in the works’, or ‘future projects’, or ‘speculative investments’. I’m not bragging, but the truth is I have about 300 websites. Unlike Yeshua Hamashiach, I’ve never thought much about my ‘followers’. I’ve never posted a ‘good bye’ message, because like Yeshua, I fully intend to return someday soon.

  54. That’s also one question which has been hanging around my head, when planning on ending a blog, how should we do it? I think having a goodbye post makes more sense?

  55. Hi Barbara, You are right. The advent of social networking has meant that many blogs on the web have been (unfortunately) abandoned. I think it would be good for the blogger to post a goodbye message just so we know they won’t be putting up anymore posts. Especially if it is a blog that we have bookmarked and frequently check for updates.

  56. This article made me think! I had created a number of blogs, all of which I have just left as is. I agree, there should be a closing, but I never bothered to inform those who follow the blog that it is the last post. Maybe one of the reasons why I don’t say goodbye is to leave it still there when I want to use it again.

  57. I would choose for a goodbye post. So all the articles are still there for the traffic comming from google. A “parking page” is a bit spammy

  59. I think the best way is to post a farewell-post with some nice words in it. If i saw a 404 message that feels “bugyy” for me, it is much better to read some goodbye-words from the author. It is more personal, and the blogger must show some respect to his/her followers with some last words.

  60. I would have to say that I would keep the site going with the intention that i could always return to it someday. if we view the blog as our online diary, then it should atleast command some respect. how many analogue diary writers would ever erase or burn a volume ? Its a little piece of us and says a bit about who we are / were at a given point in time.

    Of course should we stop writing its only polite to leave a note…. to be continued…. ( at some point in time )

  61. Yeah, I probably would just be leaving it as it is. You’ll never know if one day you would just feel like going back to the industry again and your old site would make a good inspiration or a stepping stone.

    I think most bloggers usually do this, for reasons that may be different from one another. Some maybe because they are no longer interested, and some just got really disappointed and decided to focus on something else.

  62. Hey Barbara, I follow a blog that suddenly stopped making new posts. I missed those articles but what I have learned is the writer died of natural causes and reality hits me that we are just humans and the show can’t always go on.

  63. A few years back, I had a blog tried it for a while but it didn’t make that much money not enough to say it was worth it. Like everyone else, if there’s no income coming in, I tend to lack interest. So I left it and forgoten about it until my domain name came up for renewal. I never renew it.

    Now I have a new energy, cause I have a different site. It is actually doing better then my old blog.

    So to answer your question, I think people forget about their blog because they don’t see any reward (income) for their hard work.

  64. Excellent topic. It is indeed frustrating to see a favorite blog to be abandoned. For me, it depends on what kind of blog you have. If you want to preserve the blog and the content, then a goodbye message or post is most appropriate. 🙂

  65. Hi yes you are right…the problem is people seen to think that if you build a few website and point links back and forth that they will get more traffic…but as we know this dose not work and over time people forget how many websites they have a abandon them I say work with one website put all your effort in to it and you will get there….the video gives a clue to sticking to what you know in the end pays…my WordPress website is also commentluv do follow but no spammers you will get deleted leave comment on any of my post point your link back to a relevant post or page on your site this will gain us all better alexa page rank thanks..P.S nice layout.

  66. I prefer to just leave it, it still has useful content that can benefit anyone visit my site.

  67. I would leave it be. Probably try to sell the blog if it has decent traffic and let someone else keep it going.

  68. You can’t accomplish something if you will just leave it and ignore it. In order for you to achieve that certain level you wanted you have to exert effort. And also to have patience and be consistent on what you do.

  69. I think the natural thing would be to let the domain expire. Unless the content already published is likely to be valuable to the readers, there is no harm in letting the blog go.

    But if the content can be useful to others, it is worth exploring how to keep the blog alive. After all the domain costs are very less and if one has a couple of cups coffee less, one can easily afford the domain. And with shared hosting and addon domains, if at least one other site is online, there is virtually no cost of hosting.

  70. I agree with Amanda. I just would like to add another option. There is a method of transferring all the site content from wordpress platform to the blogger platform. Blogger do not charge any hosting fees so your site can still remain alive.

  72. Barbara,

    You can update the old site and remind your followers that you moved to another blog. You can do that by adding or putting a reminded telling them that you will be parking this certain blog. So that some of your loyal fans and followers will still continue to visit and follow your post.

  73. I work on blogger, i have 2 main blogs. I have been left blogging for many months. I prefer to leave my blog as it is, because my main purpose is to give quality content and for this is have to see many others blogs and learn from there and this takes time to get knowledge to give quality content.

  74. I totally agree with Erica, Barbara. I would leave it be as well because I might go back when I feel like it. Actually, I already have a few I left while we speak. I’m only maintaining one at the moment and I’m afraid it will be shut down soon because of the SOPA.

  75. Hi Barbara – They say that domain parking can generate a lot of passive income. Unsure how true but this business is to be quite good for those who has a registered domain but yet to utilize it. He can make some money by selling the domain to a prospective buyer who is interested in the specific domain. And it does not make sense to renew the domain if the domain has no use. You can go for developing the site or rather monetize it by doing the domain parking business.

  76. Hi Barbara, First, I like your theme. Second, your article makes sense as it’s really something which we don’t talk about, I mean when to quit blogging is something which we don’t discuss. Why not just monetize your old site or blog through domain parking? Let me know what you think.

  78. I’ve been blogging for three years and every 6 months I start having thoughts about quitting. If I’m writing this now, it’s because every time I feel like giving up on blogging I read the ring’s inscription and know that this will also pass.
    Inspiration is not an endless and constant force. It fluctuates. It comes and goes with the tides of your moods and mindset.
    In fact, as human beings we tend to take situations to the extreme. So every drop in our motivation makes us think if it is worth persevering. When in reality, there is no reason to think that dramatically.
    If you are not inspired to write today, forget about the issue and wait until tomorrow. Don’t force it. Writing without inspiration produces flat and un-engaging content.

  79. Hi Barbara, I like this idea of domain parking. It’s one that would generate a lot of income though you are not doing anything at all. I guess it will still help if you update your blog once in a while. Or really post an article which would not become irrelevant even when time passes.

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