How to annoy people while promoting your blog
Hello all my readers and bloggers out there. First of all, I would like to apologize if you were waiting for next post on OddBlogger.com. I have been a bit lazy for a while. But I am back, and will try to be regular with my blog posting.
If you are a blogger (actually, maximum of my readers are blogger) then I know half of your blogging job (or I should say blogging work) is to promote your blog or your blog articles. We all know how important it to promote our blog is. You might be using Facebook, Twitter or any other social network, forums or communities to promote your blog. But have you ever got annoyed by someone else’s blog article promotion or, most importantly, do you think people may be getting annoyed by YOUR promotion strategy. If you haven’t met that delightful moment when someone comes to you and say, “STOP SPAMMING and IRRITATING ME”, then here is the list of classic ways to annoy people while promoting your blog.
#1 Link bombarding
This is the easiest way to annoy people and your friends as well. Just start bombarding your blog links in the community, social network or groups you have joined. It happens with me many times. For example, I would talk about Facebook; I just open my news feed and see same links a million times on my wall just because one of my friends has posted it in many groups, his or her wall and fan pages. (Shhhh, I have unfriend-ed many of them from my list because of this.) Same is true for twitter.
#2 Spam commenting
Well, this is the one I am REALLY annoyed by. Here’s what you have to do, visit all your favorite blogs and your friends blogs and start publishing irrelevant comments. Like visit a blog which is about Mathematics and write a poem in comments. What? Not satisfied? Ok, here’s another suggesting, trust me it’s really annoying – Just write something like this in the name field “Best Curtains shop” or “Best Holiday Packages” and in the comment section, write all the keywords of your blog and hit the publish button. Most probably, you comment will not get published but the blogger would surely get annoyed by this. Here’s the latest annoyer I got on my blog:
What happened with me once?
I got a comment on my blog which was 14,000+ words long. I did choose that comment for the BEST SPAM COMMENT AWARD on my blog and when I tried to share it on Facebook fan page of OddBlogger, I wasn’t able to add this much comments in the status. I guess I deleted like 4000+ words to adjust it in a status. Isn’t that nice? I can’t tell you what was written in the comment exactly. I didn’t bother to read it. 
Here’s is that comment just for my special readers, go read (LIKE THE FAN PAGE AS WELL): https://www.facebook.com/oddblogger/posts/335847876497562
#3 Sharing link on irrelevant places
As I said in the above, visit a group about Mathematics and start sharing links to your poems there, visit a group about medicines and start sharing your blogging tips there. People looking for Mathematics or medicines will definitely get annoyed by you when they will see you sharing irrelevant links there. Well, this is really common these days. To be specific, I can say, Facebook groups. I have joined many groups on Facebook. I made a group as well named – Blogger Help (You can still JOIN IT, to promote or discuss)! Of course, now it’s not used for what I made it (I made it to share, discuss and solve bloggers problems). Rather members just visit the group and throw their links. So, if you are not doing that start doing it now.
#4 Annoy people in chats and PMs
Last but not the least. When you are ready to give up against all the humanity, then you can go this way. Whenever you need a share, comment, vote etc then just make up a universal message like “Hey, please vote for my article”, “Like this and Tweet that” and send it to all your friends in chat one by one. Nothing is irritating like this. Never say, hi or hello to your friends just directly ask them to do WORK for YOU. No hesitation, these are the manners of 21st century and social media age, right?
Are you brave enough to admit?
I admit I have done something like the first one, mostly because I have been in contest (Yes, come on, SUPPORT ME) for last 6 months constantly. And I am going to take care of that from now on. What about you? Have you done anything like above I mentioned? Or would you admit if you have done so? Well, I know if you are doing one of them (definitely you are doing few of them, my friends), I want to see if you are brave enough to admit.
Did you get me?
Now, what are you thinking? Did you get me? Did you get what I was trying to convey? Have you met any of these situations when you get really annoyed with your friends promotion strategy?
You know what, I am writing this because I am really annoyed these days because of all the reasons I mentioned above.
Need more, read this: Handy Tips to Scare Away Blog Reader
About Abhi Balani
Hello reader, I'm +Abhi Balani, owner of this blog. Computer Engineer (very soon), part time Blogger, a little of gEEk, Technology Lover, Mad for Gadgets, Software Freak, Hardware Junkie, Non-Political, Internet Addict, Funny! Visit my My tech Blog
-
-
-
I’m tired of getting requests like “leave me your freaking comments” (from folks who know we’ve helped each other out) – and yes, Culprit, if you’re reading this, you’re forgiven – but I won’t soon forget that little bit of linguistic hilarity!
People are presumptuous. Yep, I’m guilty of spamming Facebook groups (and who taught me to do that? ::cough, ahem::) but I try to add entertainment to the posts. I don’t just throw up the link and say “Vote for meeeee!” (That always reminds me of the little fat kid on the diving board at the community pool in the summertime. “Lookit! Lookit! Lookit me! I can dive! Didja see me? Huh? Watch! Lookit!” After about the fifth round, even the grandparents are silently praying the kid tries a gainer and bonks his head on the board. You know – just to keep it interesting.)
I tend to annoy people who think it’s okay to annoy me. I try not to inflict my contesting self too much on family and friends (though I do ask them – after all, if your own dad won’t vote for you, maybe you should ask yourself if you have any business competing), but I need them to be around for other times in my life. I try not to annoy my coworkers and professional contacts with it. Not everyone has such “scruples.”
I have to say, though: IT’S BETTER TO BE ANNOYING THAN TO CHEAT. If you’re cheating AND annoying, you’re just doing it wrong.
-
haha… I know, I am tired, too. Well, to be honest I don’t think there is not any problem if someone who is in our friends list and is asking for a favor. But the way he or she is asking, matters a lot.
It happens many times with me. On Facebook, I just get chats like this… no hi or hello .. just few links…
Fb share: link
DIgg: link 2
tweet: link 3
and so onI mean, what is this. How can someone do like this when I hardly know him or her. I can’t say about their shares but I just un-friend then instantly.
I really loved your last lines. So true they are, it’s better to be annoying than to cheat.
Thank you for your comments, Holly! And sorry for late reply.
-
-
That’s the thing – friends will say, “Why didn’t you tell me?” but strangers will say, “What’s in it for me?” And link traders will name a price and make demands.
It’s not much effort to click or share something, but to make IM demands of strangers – that’s kind of weird. Unless you’re thinking of people as not really people, just numbers and clicking fingers. I’ve known people who had half a dozen “throwaway” Twitter accounts for the sole purpose of spamming as many people as they could reach before Twitter caught ‘em and shut ‘em down. That’s not the kind of person I really want to do business with – do you?
I’ll put up with a lot of silliness (and even inflict it on friends and acquaintances), but there’s a time and a place. I had to respect the one moderator who warned me during a previous contest. I left the group because, honestly, it offered me NOTHING of interest. But that they kept it on track, true to its purpose? I couldn’t fault them for that. Now, in some groups, you see nothing BUT warnings to spammers – to me, that says they didn’t have much of a purpose or a plan to fulfill it to start with, and didn’t keep it on track from the beginning. And I see no point in being in a group that’s nothing but warnings, bans, and blocks – you know, if your group turns out to be link building central and you haven’t offered anything more to keep that out, don’t bother warning, blocking, and banning – it just makes you look like an a**. Just close the group – or offer more, so that the members respect each other and contribute. (Brian’s Blog Engage page is a great example of this. He doesn’t often have to “warn” anyone, now that he’s got a good community going there.)
-
-
LOL!! You know, I tend to forget THAT part of how we met, Abhi – a true testament to friendship. I keep thinking back to ME “annoying” you – and being surprised to find out that you would, in fact, accept a guest post.
What’s a little “annoying” between friends? But if that’s ALL there is – forget it. And that’s what I’m referring to – complete strangers who have NO sense of what’s appropriate.
-
-
-
-
-
lol…I share links of my newest post on my timeline, page, on a few groups(of same niche), I do understand that this annoys people but what to do? it really feels bad when you write an article and just a few people read it. Yet I try to keep it as nominal as possible, cos if I don’t it would ruin the impression of me and my blog as well.
-
-
-
-
What an awesome way to tell people to stop spamming. I have to agree with you though. I am not sure how many different people or bloggers I have had to quit following because all they do is tweet their links. It truly is a turn off. It’s like they have never read anything on how to productive in Social Media. And I know there are articles on that every where. :]
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
I think Abhi’s suggesting a return to old fashioned civility and an exchange of pleasantries, but I would suggest you can do both (I’m with you, saad – if you’ve got a request, don’t waste my time being coy) – you can craft a nice message, like “Hi, Holly (or Mrs. Jahangiri, if you’re young, don’t know me well, and want to be exceedingly polite) – I’d really appreciate it if you could take a quick look at my [latest post, contest article, funny picture of my cat] and let me know what you think. It’s a contest entry, so of course I’d love it if you could share it, too – but only if you like it!” All in one message, please – I read fast. I really hate the random IMs that go like this:
“hi how r u?” Okay, by now I’ve focused on the fact that I don’t know you well, you don’t know how to properly capitalize a sentence and spell two simple three-letter words, and you clearly don’t know me well enough to understand that it does matter. Against my better judgement, if you’re lucky, I may answer:
“Um, fine. You?” I don’t really care. I’m just trying not to be rude and wondering what you WANT. Because – I KNOW you want something from me, and I’m wondering how much time you’ll waste beating around the bush and getting to the point.
“gud” Oh, great. Here we go again… I’m gritting my teeth, refraining from stating the obvious. This is usually followed by a pause long enough for me to walk downstairs and refill my coffee, put on my make-up, and head to work. I’m not texting a reply to this nonsense while I drive! Eventually, there’s something like this on my screen, “can i ask u a favor?”
Seriously?? What are you going to do if I say “No”? Let’s try that, shall we? “No.”
“why not?”
Eventually, we WILL get to something resembling a point. I’ve had requests to comment, vote, share, donate, and, of course, my personal fave – marry the lads (and a few ladies) from Lagos. Ain’t happenin’. And no, I’m not that cute and behind my great smile are teeth. I bite.
But I rarely bite anyone who is honest, polite, straightforward, and courteous of my time – someone who manages to ask for what they need or want (understanding that I have NO obligation to say yes) with courtesy.
And if you’ve read this far, anyone else wondering why Abhi requires two checkboxes to prove you’re human? Abhi?
-
-
Hey Abhi,
With a picture like that, I couldn’t help but read what you had to say in this post.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sharing a link to your blog posts on Twitter, Facebook, etc., but sharing it ONCE is plenty. I get annoyed when people keep posting the same link over and over again. Actually I think a lot of people have their Twitter accounts set up to re-post their messages over and over again at set intervals. UGH.
-
-
Great stuff here Abhi. I agree with all of them, but I might temper things a bit with #3.
The reason is because if a person has a blog in one particular niche and that person decides to start commenting on blogs as a way to drive traffic back to their own blog, they really don’t have any choice in what link they use for themselves. Commenting only on blogs in one’s niche isn’t logical all of the time (actually it’s not logical most of the time, as I covered in one of my recent posts).
However, using the link to indicate where you’ve come from and adding a link in your comment are two totally different things, and if it’s the second and it has nothing to do with the topic I’d fully agree on that one.
-
I am glad you liked the post, Mitch! It’s really good to see you on my blog, commenting.
Well, I wrote this post, when I was kinda annoyed with all of the things I mentioned above.
I can’t say, anyone to be the most annoying, because I feel all of them are really annoying in themselves.
We can just hope, they are reading the post, and learning from it.
Thanks for your visit, Mitch!
-
-
-
Great article Abhi. Everything you listed is annoying but there is nothing I hate more than people who post their links on every site with a submission form. It doesn’t matter wether it’s related to their own blogs content or not, they still spam their link all over the Internet like a dog marking it’s territory.
-
-
I have to agree that everything you listed is VERY annoying. When you go on twitter, thats all you can ever see! It is so hard now to find a social network where people don’t spam it full of their sites and blogs. And it shocks me that so many people will just write “thank you for this information” on other peoples blogs just to get more traffic! I dislike spammers.
-
Hey Abhi,
You and I may not be well acquainted but let me tell you that I’ve been visiting your blog quite often these days.
Your post is exactly what happens to me everyday, I see a hoard of unnecessary links as soon as I see my news feed. I also see rather uninviting and awkward spam commenting in the wrong places.
However, I’m rarely annoyed via PMs or Chat messages.
Nice post.
Aditya
-
-
Hello Abhi,
I went to that page to read that lengthy comment. I felt dizzy but did not understand anything. No offences meant. I know that many people get annoyed by reading comments which are like:
Great Post. Keep it up!!!
Nice Post.Thank You!!!
As if they are doing a favour to the blog/site owner. Comments can be made genuinely but not to gain undue mileage. You have experienced all those and shared them here.
Regards,
Raj Kumar -
Link bombarding? Yes, that is really one of the top things bloggers drive possible visitors on their blogs.
Most of the time they think that planting links all over the place is the best way to go, even if they are planting these links on irrelevant blogs and websites.
This is more of like an ‘eager beaver blog promoter’, but I do hope that these guilty bloggers will come to their senses and be more responsible in promoting their blogs.
-
Ha. I agree on most of what you have said.. this is why I deleted my Facebook account. Now if friends which to contact me they have the option to call or to email. Luckily the spam filters are pretty sweet on email
I never quite understood the fad with commenting.. there are easier ways to connect with people. -
Namaste Abhi,
This is a funny and enlightening post for me because I can see myself in some of the points presented. First, Facebook and Twitter help me a lot in generating traffic for my entertainment news blog from where I earn money to pay for some bills. You know the type that I have to do it, not because I love doing it. So, I do post some articles once or twice. And I post all of my articles once because they’re on Twitterfeed. Oh, yes, your articles too, together with DiTesco’s and Holly’s.
I started blogging because I love to write, and that was the time my posts were heartfelt, but nowadays, I rarely express what I really felt, because my posts should not contain my opinions. That’s a Herculean task for me because I was used to previously writing my own thoughts. But I have to earn to survive this material world…lol… those who haven’t experienced being hungry because of lack of money to buy food, couldn’t understand this fully. They would say, “Where are your morals, writing just for money? That’s unacceptable!” but I tell you, when you see your loved ones hungry, you have to swallow your pride and work your bunnies off to bring food on the table. But of course, I would rather beg than steal, if worst comes to worst. What I’m trying to say is, people could do things because they have their own reasons, but being obnoxious while doing it, is not proper.
If a person, who is not a friend, spams me, I immediately cut him off. But if a friend spams me, I let him be, what are friends for? Being candid, without being rude, should be the practice among friends. So, if you feel that I’m spamming you, just send me a PM. lol…Why did I say that? Are we friends already? I hope so..LOL…so presumptuous of me. When Holly endorses a friend, I know it’s for real.
Sometimes, I’m also guilty of “Can you please help me of promoting so and so…”
I’m doing it now, if you can spare the time I’m inviting you to read some of the posts of my student bloggers posted on my FB wall. That is, if you’re free only, no pressure… I’m encouraging them to blog, and they would surely be encouraged if they hear someone other than me commenting…
Abhi, did I annoy you with my request? and in a post which mentioned it as one of the things not to do. Inform me if I have annoyed you so I’ll try better methods next time. This is a dry run.
Thanks for sharing this post with us. Apna khyal rakhana.
,
I agree that people should not approach someone they don’t know well online and-
Hello Jena,
I am glad to see you here. And I bet you can see yourself in some of the points. It’s good that you did admit.
We all are somewhere in these points. As I said above in a comment, there is a very thin line between promotion and spamming. I share my articles on all my networks, on my social profiles, fan pages and all. But not in excess, I mean I don’t share it 7-8 times in two days.
I agree what you said about writing your thoughts, earning money and stuff. You know, I would love to read YOUR thoughts rather than the obvious thing. It is the perspective which changes the whole thing, whole topic and debate.
If you know or if have read my previous article where I mentioned I earned some money, basically from contests only. You know what I did, I just wrote MY THOUGHTS in those article. 4 articles full of my genuine thoughts helped me earn $1000. Yes! So, I would say, you can earn even if you are writing your opinion.
You are absolutely correct with what you said about friends spammers… LOL! Yes, what are friends for. And if still it annoys being straightforward can help solve the problem. And yes you are my friend and I won’t be having any problem is you spam me, because I will spam you in return. LOL!
To be honest, I don’t actually recall which of your request you are talking about. LOL! Hope you don’t mind. And I don’t really get annoyed so easily. I take things easy.
And you too, Apna khayal rakhna.
-
-
-
Ooops, were you talking about me? @Hajra I’ take that as a compliment. I don’t really sit down and write my thoughts nowadays. I write short entertainment news items, etc. but not on something I love talking about.
@Abhi, see, I can’t even spare the time to get a gravatar. But I promise I’ll try again tonight.
Mera naam Jen, hai. Practising…lol
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Jena,
Did you go to Gravatar.com and sign up? I can’t believe you don’t have one already; I know you have profile pictures, so registering at Gravatar SHOULD be easy! Let me know what I can do to help you. You must use the same email (you can register more than one once you have a Gravatar account!) as the photo you want to appear by your comments.
Holly
-
-
You know how hard it is to comment when you’re template’s messed up???
A Gravatar tutorial? I was hoping Jena would tell us what problems she’s encountered – I mean, I assumed she knew how to sign up at Gravatar. She’s done so many, MUCH harder things.
She’s a Clinical Chemistry teacher for heaven’s sake!!!-
OMG! I hope this doesn’t mean you did see that weird template again.
Tell me you didn’t. Yeah, a Gravatar tutorial. There are many things, tutorials which are easy for some and complicated for some. That’s why we have articles for almost everything. LOL!
Write “How to” in Google and see the suggestions.
-
-
-
Good! Because while you look very professorial in your sickly, upside-down green triangle – squiggly mouth, raised eyebrow and all – I find it disconcerting NOT to see your face next to your comments.
And to write the tutorial Abhi suggests, I’d have to get a whole ‘nuther freebie emails – I think I’ve hit my personal limit for the number I care to manage.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Abhi, I was just teasing you. Indeed, now you know. I was tempted, at first, to put that one of my daughter, She’s pretty, but that would be misleading, because I can’t label it. I don’t usually use my gravatar before because I don’t want to be discovered, especially when I’m spamming..lol…I’m kidding again, Abhi. But it would defeat the purpose because you all have your faces on your gravatar, and I don’t. So, for you., here it is. This was me when I was younger.
-
-
-
-
-
Wow, 14k words as a comment? That’s way off. Never had that but still, I think the worst is definitely #2. There are consequences whenever you leave a digital footprint, even commenting. I do admire the spammers’ diligence for keep coming back with more and more irrelevant link-dropping and comments. They just wouldn’t stop. Sigh..
-
This reminds me of my forum days – out-of-topic replies, spamming, numerous PMs, etc.
Yeah, I still get to see those types in the blogging world too, but not as much as it was on online forums, though.
Yup, it’s quite annoying. But I have an antidote for that. The ‘lookaway whenever I see them, I just “look away” lol!
-
I admit I also often do #1, but on groups with related topics when promoting blog post.
If you’ll gonna ask me what annoys me most, #4. That’s why I’m always offline on facebook chat and other chat clients.
Awesome post bro! BTW I love the spam checker below
! hahaha ” I swear to God I am not a spammer or bot!”-
-
-
-
-
@Abhi, please reply in Hindi and translate so I can learn. If I can’t practice it, I could never learn. Right, Hajra?
Anyway, Holly gave me the prodding I needed to reconsider joining the contest. I would be happy to win after you. lol…I will try to post my entry today. Are we allowed to write about our google adsense earnings? Because that’s the topic I want to write about. Thanks for all the help. I can’t access my FB right now. thanks.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hi Abhi, I’m getting pretty annoyed with the users submitting links to Blog Engage Facebook group so I imagine how others are feeling when I do it in their group. I’m also bad for trying to submit my post to all my Facebook groups and I’m sure people are annoyed of seeing the same post being posted after another. I wish Facebook had a way to catch on that I’m posting in like 20 groups. This is a really great post my friend! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
-
-
-
Yup, I’ve been guilty of #1 being over zealous at “over-promoting”. But I do my best to try and share others content too!
The thing I’m guilty of poor time management. I rip out a post finally get it published then jam it out to every outlet I can think of to get it promoted.
But the article made me laugh so I don’t feel as bad for doing it
-
Hey Jason,
That’s good, you did admit it. Well, you know me, how much I participate in contests, which makes me look like a spammer most of the times.
Did you read the latest post on this blog? I guess, you are also in $1000 contest right?
Just making tough for me right? hehe/…
Glad you liked the article and it made you laugh.
-
-
- Comment Feed for this Post
LOL! This is such a cute way to telling it to the people. I hope they are listening. I remember that last time when you were in the contest, I got about five friend requests from another participant and they kept sending me tweets asking me to come by.
You know what, I would have come by but not when they irritate me into it. There is always a polite way of asking…