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11.11.2010

Book Blogging 101 - Spamming and Nasty Comments

This is where I pretend that I know what I'm talking about.

Spawned from the Big Sis, Little Blog program, Book Blogging 101 was born. Do you have a question? Leave it in the google docs form and I'll try and answer them in the order they are received.

Q: I desperately want to get new followers, so I went to everyone's blog and I left a comment and left a link to my blog and then I only got two new followers. What did I do wrong? How can I get more followers? I really need more followers? I only have like two. 

A.Yeah. Stop right there. That is called SPAM.

Imagine yourself in a room. It's a party. Yeah you like parties right? The goal is to make as many friends as possible, like speed dating or something. Ten seconds with each person at the party. You have a preprogrammed message to state and shake.

"Hi, I'm parajunkee. I'm an Aries and I like peanut butter. Will you be my friend? Shake once for yes, twice for no."

Swim Swim by Lerch
On to the next person, and the next and the next. Think you are going to make friends this way? Or just a bunch of Bloggers that think you are a PITA because you are spamming their comment box?

Say something nice, say something pertinent, or don't comment. Don't spam.

Going to each person's comment box and leaving the same message over and over again is Spam.

Saying stuff like... "Check out my blog... http:///www...." is spam.

Leaving a happy comment, like "That was a great review. I really agree with you about the POV shifts. I have a similar review here http://www..." is not spam. You are contributing to the conversation.

Don't have a review to share and just want to make an introduction. Leave a comment, that is fine, just make sure it sounds personal, and not just a generic line that can be directed to 30 other bloggers.

DO NOT GO THROUGH EMAIL to promote your blog. I know everyone puts their emails on their blogs so readers, publishers and authors can get in touch with them. That is not an invite for you to send an email to promote your blog, your giveaway, or an event. Unless you have a friendly report with the person, that is spam.

If you haven't read the post, don't comment.

That is a big one for me. Ever get those comments that have nothing to do with the post? Or one that is like a comment directed to another book? "Oh I love fairies." On a review on a dystopian novel.

It is nothing but a bit of common courtesy. If you haven't read my stuff, why ya up in the comment box? Just dropping by to say hi? That's fine, but don't pretend like ya read it.

I really think there is nothing more insulting.

Nasty ANONYMOUS comments.

And last but not least...if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. Well, not really. But, don't say it hiding behind ANONYMOUS. If you have the gumption to disagree, back it up with you profile. It might make you word your comment a little better. Save a hurt feeling or whatever. Or at least give your comment a little more credence. These are opinions and everyone has one right? So, yes, if you are throwing out an opinion 9 chances out of 10 a few people have the opposite view point. Stimulate the debate - leave a comment. But Anon comments are usually just disregarded. It's almost cowardly - the guy heckling in the crowd hiding behind the sound booth.

I personally want to know if you think I'm full of sheet. Let me know. Just, I'd like to hear it from a real person - instead of guy wearing and anonymous mask.

Upping Those Followers

For a little advice about the followers thing, you'll get followers by
  1. Making friends
  2. Socializing on those happy social networks
  3. Making sure your content is worth reading
  4. Joining in on conversations on other blogs
  5. Working on those handy dandy Google Stats
  6. If you build it they will come...just have a little patience
Now a questions for you guys...

What book blogger terms did you need to get explained? Terms like ARC, WOW, and FF.




    Ask your BB101 Questions here...

    26 comments:

    Flippin' Fabulous said...

    Awesome post... I was just trying to explain this (what's considered spam) via twitter the other day. I wish I had this post then :-)

    Also, about the anonymous nasty comments. I got one and it annoyed me. Not because the comment was unjustified and not even matter of an opinion but an attack of sorts it was because it was someone who posted with a profile it looked liked they set up to ONLY leave the 'nasty' comments with. If you want to say something at least back it up- don't say something if you aren't willing to 'tell it to my face.'

    Great post- thanks!

    ABookGeek said...

    Another very informative and useful post! Thank you for this series of blog posts - they are so helpful for all of us new bloggers. Although, some of this should be self-evident, but you know. . .

    Mrs. DeRaps said...

    Great post. I do not love getting comments that are generic and ask me to check out a blog. Why would I when you didn't really even converse with me?

    And, the thing about fairies on a dystopian post...I get that a lot! It can be frustrating, but funny too.

    Thanks for the post!

    Mrs. DeRaps said...

    And, I'm an Aries who likes peanut butter.

    Just saying.

    Dazzling Mage said...

    Okay, I'll admit, I wanted more followers at first too, BUT my priority was trying to regulate my posts and improve the blog. Do what you love first, interact, and the audience will come.

    Awesome post. I have this bad habit of starting out with personal comments, but when I get to the last few bloggers on the list the comments turn generic. =/

    Also..FF is a blogger term? (Always associated it with Twitter for some reason xD).

    I do, however, read the post. =D

    Julie@My5monkeys said...

    Good stuff again and I figured when I had gotten my first nasty comment--I made it with the blog..because I haven't any nasty comments since 1 incident.

    Awesomeness is shinging through you again.

    Melissa @ Mel's Books and Info said...

    Thank you for addressing this! I usually try to answer all my comments, and even make a point to visit the blogs of everyone who does comment, but sometimes the comments are so vague, or don't even pertain to what I am talking about. I love it when comments provoke thoughtful discussions, but when they are generic and thoughtless it makes me wonder if going back to their blog is a waste of my time. Thank you for taking on SPAMMING in this post.

    Ailsa said...

    I don't remember when I learned the term 'ARC', it feels like something I always knew, I think it was from a long time before I was a book blogger, when I would just read author blogs and then when I started thinking about publishing, from following agent/editor blogs.

    I had to learn FF recently, and I confess that WOW is not a term I particularly understand, don't think I've seen that one before

    ~Ailsa

    Anonymous said...

    I HATE when people email us to promote their new blog. I have never followed a blog that emailed us to say 'hey look at my blog and follow please!'


    Stephanie G
    Paranormal Haven

    ParaJunkee said...

    @Flippin' --> I was spying on ya…hence the post ;) Anon comments are annoying, just because they are really kind of cowardly. If you have to do the comment anonymously maybe you shouldn't make it at all. Something that is so mean or controversial that you can't take credit for it…well that says something right there. I can't believe that someone would create a fake google account just to make stupid comments. Too much time on their hands.

    @ABook ---> Your welcome. Thank you for coming back to read. You know I find that some things that you think are obvious are not to other people. Mamma forgot that lesson of life ;) Or the person just isn't thinking how it will be perceived. Its always different when you are doing it.

    @Mrs. DeRaps --> You must have more sense of humor than me - cause I just get insulted. LOL

    Two things we have in common then… hee hee.

    @Dazzling --> Everyone wants more followers in the beginning - it is like the justification for what you are doing. Yeah they like me…they really like me.

    FF yeah, twitter term I guess, not a blogger term, but it is piled together especially now with the blog hops and stuff like that.

    @My5 (Jules) --> thanks sweets!

    @Alisa --> Waiting on Wednesday

    @Para --> I get a lot of those…it is aggravating. I get a lot of promotions with contests and stuff like that. Go through goodreads peeps like everyone else, we expect it there.

    Darkeva said...

    Great post, Rachel! I think that posts like this are really helping to foster even better communication between bloggers about the importance of followers versus regular comments, and personally, I find that comments and repeat visits are more valuable than some of these contests that are all about "Giveaway if we reach x amount of followers," which is fine, because everyone who operates their blog is free to do with it as they will. But I really liked the challenge that one of the bloggers whose site I landed on because of FF said, challenging those participating to pick one blog that they've never visited before and to comment for five days straight, and then write about the experience. I participated this week and I think that it was a fantastic effort, because I got to know the blogger better, and I got a great sense of her style and the kinds of books that she really likes, and it was great to see what kinds of posts she did, which were varied.

    Thanks for this post :-)

    Angela Tolsma said...

    awesome post especially the anon thing. I hate that. And spam comments just to get follows I delete them all!

    Missie, The Unread Reader said...

    I love fairies.

    Ailsa said...

    "waiting on wednesday"
    Oh! Thank you :-)

    Missie, The Unread Reader said...

    Okay, just kidding, but I really do love fairies, and this series! Always so helpful. Luckily, I've never had any off the wall comments but I do think that making bloggy friends is a big part of it because it is exciting to find like minded people with a passion for book which inspires discussion.

    Thanks for another great BB101. Love the new button. Your creative mind never stops, does it.

    Anonymous said...

    Please be my friend! (this ain't gonna work, is it?)

    Patsy said...

    Sorry about the above - I just couldn't resist it. I did actually read your post - honest.

    I guess I'm weird as I quite like spam posts. That's because I delete the worst ones which gives me an awesome sense of power.

    Lucy D'Andrea said...

    Hey! Thank you for the post! It was really helpful considering that I'm planning to create my own blog someday, perhaps next summer.

    I have seen alot of spams on numberous blogs and on other websites and I agree that it shouldn't be done.

    I also agree with the Anon comments, how rude and cowardly right?

    Anyway, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your tips and keep them coming!

    Emily said...

    I like fairies too :)

    hehe

    Awesome post...and I like that you didn't list 'hold a contest' as a way to get followers because that just seems weird to me.

    You know...I still don't think I quite know what FF is....

    Savannah said...

    Great post! And I completely agree with you. I think that it is imperative that you interact with other bloggers. I will follow those who stop by leaving friendly comments. I have yet to get a nasty one, but I think I will get one soon. Being a blogger, I know that someone out there will have something to say.

    Barbara said...

    I really don't get comments on any of my blogs but I have a soap one I just started and some random person leaves a comment inviting me to follow his blog. Just because I'm a curious person I went to it thinking that maybe it was a soap blog too but nope it went to a profile where the favorite book was listed as the bible and the blog was Christian so I'm not sure what this person was thinking. Maybe they thought I would go to hell for watching soaps.

    I think i know what FF is but I have to admit that most acronyms are lost on me. Wow just makes me think World of Warcraft but I kind of doubt that's what you're talking about. Yep I'm the girl that probably needs a little translation book. I don't even want to think about how long it took for me to figure out what LMAO meant but people kept saying it to me and finally after who knows how many times I looked up it finally sank in.

    It is pretty lame when people use the anonymous comment but in rare cases the comment is legit since a person might not have a blog so as long as it's a real comment I'm okay with that but those are very rare. Oh crap you're probably now going to add to the list of annoyances and use me for an example aren't you since I sometimes get a little babbly when leaving a comment.

    Enbrethiliel said...

    +JMJ+

    I get spammers a lot when I participate in the most popular memes. These memes are the sort that you can join without making the effort to write proper content, like listing books you've received or books you want, or sharing some random lines from your latest read. So I suppose I deserve them. =P

    Maybe I will return the favour and visit their blogs, leaving this comment . . .

    "Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I'm here to return the favour. I didn't read this post; I didn't look at the rest of your blog; and I'm probably never coming back. But here's a comment, anyway!"

    Then again, that might be too much. =P

    Unknown said...

    Another useful post, thanks. Your BB101 has been incredibly helpful since I started blogging a couple of months ago.

    The anonymous and spam comments are definitely annoying. I got one the other day that was kinda not really even English. Couldn't make sense out of it for the life of me even though I really tried wanting to give every commentator the benefit of doubt.

    I did know what an ARC was when I started blogging. Have yet to receive one but now that I know what they are I'm trying!

    April (BooksandWine) said...

    I find those spam comments incredibly annoying. I remember one day I made the concious effort to visit every IMM post and leave a comment. Now, the comments I left were genuine and did not have my link in them. I remember seeing another blogger on all of the posts I had visited but the comment was the same on every post with her link, which just rubbed me the wrong way. There's nothing wrong with commenting on a ton of blogs, but there is a problem when it's not genuine.

    So thank you so much for this post.

    Marla said...

    I have a question pertaining to this topic. I do at least one of the Friday blog hop events every week and I have noticed a particular serial spammer. This person appears to visit every blog on the list and simply pastes a pre-written, form-type response in everyone's comment box. It is obvious that they haven't taken the time to so much as skim what each blogger has to say. Is this the type of situation one should address, or is it better left alone?

    IngaSilberg said...

    I like the humor in this post. I understand that some of these things are really not funny at all, but still - you write hilariously :)

    I am still working on my blog terms, haven't got them up yet. Need to prepare several things for it. And I take it step-by step.

    Haven't had any spam posts yet, but no wonder.

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