Editorial status: This is a retired historical WPArena article. BlogRush is no longer a service WordPress publishers should install or recommend. The old setup instructions have been replaced with cleanup guidance and current alternatives.
Why the old advice is retired
BlogRush belonged to an older era of traffic-exchange widgets. The original idea was simple: add a widget, trade exposure with other blogs, and hope for referral traffic. That is not a credible growth strategy for a modern WordPress site.
Today, a serious publisher should avoid abandoned traffic widgets. They add clutter, can slow pages, may create trust issues, and do not build the kind of audience signals that search engines or readers value.
What to do now
- Remove old BlogRush widget code from sidebars, custom HTML widgets, footer templates, and legacy theme files.
- Do not replace it with another traffic-exchange widget just to fill space.
- Use editorial internal links, useful related posts, email capture, RSS, and focused social distribution instead.
- Track results in analytics and Search Console rather than relying on widget impressions.
If you want a current approach, start with Social Sharing Automation for WordPress Without Spamming Readers and keep promotion tied to reader value rather than traffic exchanges.
Legacy cleanup checklist
- Remove the BlogRush script or badge from the site.
- Check that the sidebar and footer still render cleanly after removal.
- Clear cache and test a few old posts where the widget used to appear.
- Replace the space with a newsletter block, popular guide links, or nothing at all.
Responses (1 )