A variety of people leave comments on my blog posts. In the beginning, it was mainly my friends and family. As the months went by, I started seeing comments from other bloggers. While I love the comments and really enjoy responding and interacting with my readers, many of whom I am a fan of as well, not all comments are left by people with pure intentions.
Shortly after starting my blog, I received a comment from someone wanting me to plug his bicycle repair website. He explained that he thought his product would be a great fit with my blog. At that time, I had not written the post (click here) about my brother destroying his bike and body on a crazy jump, so I could not fathom how he thought his product would be a good fit for my blog. Being the first time my blog had been hit by a spammer, it didn't not immediately occur to me that he hadn't actually read my writing. He was just throwing out a net and hoping to get a few bites.
Since then, I have been propositioned by a medical supply company, dating sites, prescription drug distributors and a variety of others I couldn't figure out due to the atrocious spelling and grammar who seem to believe that I would be an excellent venue for hocking their products. I have gotten so many of these, it leaves me asking the question,
Do these tactics actually work on anyone?
Are there bloggers out there so desperate for content that they are willing to plug products that have nothing to do with their site? I might consider it if there was some sort of monetary compensation being offered. However, even under those circumstances, it takes away from what my site is and I would surely begin to lose readers who do not want to read an advertisement.
I know that I will never take up the sad cause of these spammers, but I am curious how many people actually respond the way the spammer intends. It seems that it would be a huge waste of time and resources, but they must trick some idiots or they would not continue to use these methods.
While I have seen dozens of these requests, every once in a while, one really catches my eye. Yesterday, this one dropped in my SPAM comment folder. It was intended for my Saturday post, With Friends Like These.
 |
| I was going to click 'NOT SPAM' so everyone could see this, but then his link would be visible and I am NOT advertising for this moron. |
Does this imbecile honestly believe the way to win me over is by insulting the intelligence of my readers? Plus, once again, I can tell that he has not really looked at my site since my Facebook and Twitter info are both listed on the left sidebar of this blog. I advertise my social pages so I don't have to make a list. I even have my Goodreads link up. I am also not so stupid that I don't realize the only reason he wants this info is to capitalize on using my audience to send out more spam to attempt to
If you want to prey upon my audience, then do the work yourself. It isn't even that much work. My links are on the sidebars. Why would I send you the list? You have got to be the laziest spammer ever.
Do any of you choose to respond to spammers? If so, what do you do? Rodney at Mental Poo had posted some of the hilarious conversations he has had with them. Please share if you have any good spam stories.
Apparently, some people like SPAM.
I get a lot of those comments in my spam folder on Disqus. Occasionally they are entertaining, but I never respond to them. From time to time they do their homework and they find my actual email address and not by DBA one, and those I will consider talking to. As yet, I've not found one single product or group that I'd say fit my audience, but there's hope. Can you hook me up with this porn guy? :D lol Kidding.
ReplyDeleteI am getting more and more of them. About the only thing that is ever personalized is the name of my blog. But they never fit my blog.
DeleteAhh, spammers. I get these all the time. But mine usually talk about how the quality of my writing or posts have declined. Really, spammers? Is that really how you are are going to convince me to advertise your product? Ok, then. But you are right. It must work sometimes, or they wouldn't persist.
ReplyDeleteThey insult your writing? Who would have thought to try that?
DeleteHmm should I feel bad that not even spammers don't/won't visit my blog
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I would complain about that. Although, since it is only once or twice a month, it is not a big inconvenience.
DeleteI really like your writing style, humorous and straightforward. Check my link out for great deal on medicine. Blah! Blah! Blah!
ReplyDeleteI've been hit a lot in the last few weeks. While they rarely get through the spam filter, they keep trying. I always thought the same thing, do people really fall for this? But people must since they keep doing it.
Brett- I just received the EXACT same message in my Spam folder. Like you, it made me angry that he thought insulting my followers, was the way to get me to advertise for him.
ReplyDeleteAnd like Jeff said above, I've noticed an increase in spam over the past few weeks. Lucky us.
I would like to start a task team to track them down and take them out. Do you think we could get any takers?
DeleteI've only had two or three spammers try to send me anything. It was all like "Hey, isn't it great you can buy cigarettes online! Click here!" and I was like "ahahahahhahaha no DELETE". Even if it wasn't a spammer (and just plain stupid), I refuse to harass my readers with ads nor will I encourage destructive behavior (like smoking). I get A LOT of emails from people wanting to scam me out of money though, which all get blocked and deleted as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd once, my boyfriend's comment was somehow marked as spam, but that was just a mistake and almost irrelevant.
I have had a few legitimate comments get flagged as spam, but the actual spam almost never get through. Blogger's spam filter is pretty good.
DeleteI've only been blogging one year and I didn't know about spammers until my son explained them to me. I'd say I get two or three a week but my spam detections alerts me to them.
ReplyDeleteI love spam filters. Half the time we never even have to see the spam.
DeleteI've only been blogging since May so I haven't really had any problems with spammers yet, but from what everyone says it sounds like its only a matter of time. I guess there's always the delete button though!
ReplyDeleteThey are very easy to delete. You will get a spammer sooner or later. Hang in there.
DeleteDammit. Just realized 90% of my audience is spammers. And most of the rest are relatives. Way to take the bloom off the rose, Brett.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have a hard time keeping you happy. I may have to write a post directly to you.
DeleteLet's brainstorm.
That would require my having a brain. Your posts crack me up, no changes necessary. Unless of course you wanted to do an entire post on Donny Osmond? No?
DeleteDonny Osmond?
DeleteUm....no.
Donny Osmond! I loved him back in the 70s! Wow...the Donny & Marie Show was SOOO cool.
DeleteStill no.
DeleteI don't get much spam these days. I must not be that interesting to a web crawling script. Oh well, you can't please everybody. Or at least everything...
ReplyDeleteThat is not a bad problem to have.
DeleteI get spam occasionally and it's also from the bicycle repair dude. I can't figure that guy out..
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he actually repairs bicycles. I can't imagine it would be cost effective to send your bike to him. It's probably a hook for something else.
DeleteI get these e-mails all the time asking to review their site or plug their blog. One from yesterday made me laugh. It said, "We run a pro-women site, and because of your supportive nature of women, we think you would be an amazing fit."
ReplyDeleteMind you, the last time I posted a comic of my wife, she had a black eye and scratches all over her face, so... where's this great fit come in?
I have thought the same of some that I get. You would think if they would just take a moment to look at the site they were targeting, they might get more positive responses.
DeleteI get oodles of spam, I just delete it. If someone wants to advertise, then they should send a personal email, and be willing to pay for the service.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I opted to let an advertising company do a 'guest post' on my blog for two reasons - one, the amount of money they paid was hard to turn down, and two, I actually made fun of them in a post, and they were still willing to advertise on my site. I don't think I'd do it again, as the post was pretty sucky.
If I remember right, when you did it, it was actually a decent fit for your blog. It wasn't just some random product.
DeleteI have only taken someone up once. It was for the book review I did a couple of weeks ago. I don't know that I will do it again. It was difficult to maintain my 'voice' while promoting someone else.
I've gotten a few. None insulting. They usually take the generic "I really like your writing style. I think you would like..." but don't comment about the post itself, which leaves room for me to realize that they haven't read a word.
ReplyDeleteThere not usually too hard to pick out. Even the computers can figure out which ones are spam. Mine almost always land in the spam folder.
Delete