The Feature & Follow is a creative meme that allows bloggers to get to know each other, and gain more followers! It is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.
If you would like, it would be great if you followed me via Email, Linky, Bloglovin, or Google+ (all on the right). I have no idea what's going on with GFC, so I'd prefer you follow me in a new manner. Let me know in the comments if you did, leave a link to your blog, and I will comment and follow back! I always do, I promise! Thank you so much!
Q: Share something you've learned about book blogging or blogging in general in the last month.
I've been blogging for about eight months now, but I spent a year before that in the book blogging community, simply as a reader. I felt like taking that year to decide whether or not I wanted to create my own blog was an excellent decision - because I learned a lot about blogging BEFORE I actually started blogging!
But of course, as with anything, you can't learn everything at once. Recently, I've learned that some people will do anything for a comment or page views. I absolutely HATE when people copy and paste a comment and hop from blog to blog and paste it, the same thing over and over.
It's totally unethical and disrespectful, in my opinion, and it's not networking or being social at all. I've given up on commenting on THOSE people's blogs - and yes, I know which ones. I've blacklisted several bloggers because of this.
I've known that this is not a new problem. But I've been getting angrier and angrier about it recently. I like it when people personalize comments to what I posted. I DO THAT. I take the time to read blog posts, and THEN comment, with something specific to the post.
Do I expect paragraphs or essay worth of comments? Heck no! But something other than "Great answer. Old follower. Come visit my blog", or, "Great haul. [insert blog link]" would be nice.
To be clear - I don't mind if you ask for a comment back, or post "check out my blog". What I DO mind is when that is ALL you ask, or if you post the same generic comment on 100 other blogs.
Most people are considerate. Some people are not. I guarantee that between this post and tomorrow's Stacking the Shelves post, I will accumulate several of those copy and pasted comments. I got one yesterday on my Waiting on Wednesday post that INFURIATED ME - especially because I didn't realize it was copied and pasted until I saw the EXACT SAME COMMENT on other people's blogs.
Just... no. I will NOT comment back or follow or even visit your blog if you do that. So, please don't.
And that's what I've learned in the past few weeks/months. Or one of the things.
I feel the exact same way and I've noticed that in the past too!
ReplyDelete(I don't think this post was mean AT ALL! It's very true. I don't click on those types either.)
Liza @ Book Crook Liza
Isn't it terrible? Those people make me sad :(
DeleteThanks, Liza - I was trying to be honest but my sarcasm peeked out a little ;)
I completely agree with you. I don't see the point in leaving comments like that anyway, and for me it's not why I got into blogging. Yes I love getting comments, but generic comments are meaningless. I want to have discussions about books and authors, with other book lovers! I always comment back on someone else's blog regardless of what their comment was, but I personally prefer to build blogger relationships and share my love of reading. Isn't that the whole point of blogging anyway?
ReplyDeleteAnywaaay I'm rambling now…now following via Twitter :)
My FF
Right! Excellent points, Amy. I used to tell myself, it's a comment, don't complain, you don't get a lot! I still don't get a billion on each post, but I really don't appreciate the generic, copied-and-pasted comments. I think that is the point of blogging - communicating!
DeleteThank you, Amy!
I really like what you had to say here. Visit my blog? thisisnotreallymyblog.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteJ/K Wow. I had no idea people did this. Um, people, getting a comment on your blog only because you gave a comment and asked for a return comment is kind of like if your friends are only your friends because your mom pays them. Have some pride ;-) I'd rather be commentless than full of phony spam comments.
LOL Paula! :D
DeleteIt's not something new, just something that I'm so done with. I don't mind people asking for comments in return, but I hate when they copy and paste a comment on like, 60 blogs. The same comment. UGH.
HAHAHAHAHA, Paula!
DeleteYeah, it bugs the shit outta me, Alyssa. One sentence pertaining to actual content only takes a few seconds more.
EXACTLY! It's not like I (or the blogging world in general) want a paragraph. One sentence of personalized content works for me! One sentence of generic crap DOES NOT work for me :\
DeleteOh my gosh Alyssa! Thank you for posting this. I received the same comment on my WOW this week, and I was so outraged by the obvious flattery of the REPEATED comment, just to get more followers.
ReplyDeleteOnce I figured out that the blogger was just re-posting the same comment everywhere, I wasn't sure what to do... I ended up just not commenting back and definetely not following. I was also assuming others would notice, I'm glad you and probably others did.
I am infuriated at what so many bloggers think is acceptable. Argh. The whole point about blogging is building REAL relationships with fellow book lovers.
Now, I am really sorry for ranting on your post. I just have so much fire to release. Thanks for writing about it. It is such a problem in the blogosphere.
I think we're talking about the same person, Emily Anne. I bet it is. I was all like, OMG YOU SO NICE! But then I saw the exact same comment on several other blogs... she didn't even change it up!
DeleteYeah, I don't know why these bloggers (there aren't that many, but still) think that they'll build their audience this way. I've been networking the HONEST way, by actually commenting and whatnot. I spend HOURS networking, and they blow all that away in like, twenty minutes.
Don't feel bad! It's what the post is for - healthy discussion ;)
Alyssa, thanks for your F&F! What, I can't believe people do that! I've been blogging about a year and to be honest it's taken me a while to get out and start networking, so I had no idea this happened.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm following you on Bloglovin and this is my new F&F! My blog is here: http://www.happyindulgencebooks.com
Yep, it's been a problem. I don't know if they take advantage of the people that they KNOW will always comment back (like me - I always do), or they do it to literally EVERYONE on the list. But it's disappointing.
DeleteThank you, Jeann!
Eeeek! I didn't know people did that! yeah.... how is that not spam? It's lazy. and rude. This is the only meme that I do, but I have discovered some cool blogs and bloggers through this... commenting solely for page views is pretty weak. I want people to be interested in my blog. how interesting do people look with generic comments? Seriously rude and boring.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Happy Friday! I'm a bloglovin' follower.
it practically is spam! I didn't think of it that way. I agree - many of my bloggy friends and blogs I follow, I discovered them via memes. But when people just hop around and copy/paste the same thing on everyone's blog? Yeah, not worth my time.
DeleteThank you!
Yes, THANK YOU, for this WONDERFUL and THOUGHTFUL comment. It is CLEAR to me that you are interested in what I just typed. You are MOST appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIf you had read the post, you would have seen that I wrote it about PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
AND THAT IS WHAT I HOPE TO AVOID, EVERYONE. THAT COMMENT RIGHT THERE.
As you know I'm a new blogger, so I haven't experienced this yet. I sure hope I don't! Part of my favorite part of the book world is the socializing! It's what makes it fun. I didn't find this post mean at all, it was just to the point. I followed on bloglovin btw ;)
ReplyDeleteCrystal @ Crystal in Bookland
http://crystalinbookland.blogspot.com/
I hope you never do! It's not nice at all. I agree - socializing is probably the best part of book blogging! Thank you and thank you, Crystal! <3
DeleteI'm fairly new to blogging (I started in January) and I don't receive a lot of comments, so I wasn't aware of this. Thanks for letting me know that I should keep my eye out for people like that. You know, this kind of reminds me of the spammers I used to get on my blog, the ones who posted links to shoe sales and the like, before I figured out how to block them. Too bad there isn't a way to block this type of spam too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's really sad that the exact kind of comment you were talking about in this post was left as a comment! Ugh :/
I'm following you via Bloglovin. I really like this Feature Follow. I'm going to talk to my blog partner and see if she's ok with adding it to out blog :) Here's my blog: http://www.fictionsnoop.com/blog/
Then we started around the same time! :D
DeleteI know what you mean. Spammers are NOT cool, especially when they are book people! I hate spammers :\
And right?! That person... UGH!
I'll follow you, Jalyn! Thank you for adding to the discussion and commenting :)
YES! This frustrates me so much too! It's annoying when people don't take the time to leave a thoughtful comment. When I comment on someone's blog - for example, a Stacking the Shelves or WOW post - I like to say something specific about what books they got/are talking about. It's just so rude to copy/paste the same thing over and over. :/
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing up this great point!
Exactly! I know everyone is busy, but I'd honestly rather they didn't comment than they copy and paste some BS that I really don't care to have on my blog. I'm glad you do that - good practices, Kaitlyn! ^_^
DeleteUGH! I know, I hate when it is so obvious it is the same comment copied and pasted everywhere. I have a follower who does that to all my giveaways, so it isn't just bloggers that do it. So annoying.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit. Following you back :)
Julie @ Chapter Break
Yeah - when they make it obvious, I'm all like O_O REALLY?! That must be irritating :( Thank you, Julie!
DeleteI'm a new follower via bloglovin. And I totally agree with what your saying that does suck. And as much as I hate seeing that they didn't say much, at least they took the time to stop by and comment. Maybe I'm just trying to look at the "bright side of things" but that's just how I look at it, that's why I don't let it bug me. Also I was looking at you blog, a saw a lot of buttons for Dante Walker, who is that? What book is that from? :) I hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy Feature & Follow
Whit@Whit's Book World
Thank you! The sad thing, they'll never read the reply on my blog, or this blog post... so they'll never know. Unless I comment directly on their blog or call them out on Twitter or something.
DeleteI used to think like that - that a comment was a comment no matter what. But I'd rather they didn't comment at all. They're not taking the time to comment on my blog like they care - they're taking the time to try and get as many pageviews and followers and comments as possible. I disapprove.
Dante Walker is from The Collector by Victoria Scott! I'm a huge fan :D The Liberator (book two) comes out in a few weeks.
Thank you! <3
I agree with you, I think the point of commenting the blog's post is to interact with the blogger. The advantage of doing that besides increasing the pageviews is to do networking and making new friends. Interesting answer.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by my blog. I'm a new bloglovin follower :)
*Phew* I'm glad you agree! I think getting the stats is a great bonus, but I'd be happy knowing that I left my mark in a positive way, on someone's blog.
DeleteThank you!
ugh, i've been blogging for a month and i've already noticed this too. at first i was so flattered but the minute i clicked on the next blog, boom, same comment :/ thanks for checking and following our blog, followed you via bloglovin :D
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry! I used to be like that as well - just appreciating the fact that they commented. But nope, I'm tired of it. You're very welcome! And thank YOU :)
DeleteGood thing that you raised this one, Alyssa! I was seriously thinking about doing the exact thing. But my honest and good-natured side prevented me from doing a lowly thing. It's always good to personalize comments. :D Plus what you said. I know I could never stand having to face that awkward moment when a blogger points out that I'm just copying and pasting my comments. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this is happening on my blog though. Maybe, I'll check!
Thanks for following me, I'm following you back.
Thoughts and Pens
Hmmm, I see ;) And I doubt that person will ever read the comment I left hear. I kind of want to go to their blog and say something, but I'll leave that for another day. I hope you're not getting these spam-like comments!
DeleteThank you, Charlotte ^_^
I agree. If I can't think of anything interesting to say about someone's post, then I just don't comment on that one. Although I will say that one week, I literally visited every single FF post and commented and I did find that my posts were getting a little repetitive in some instances. I found that there were only so many ways that I could comment on 100+ similar posts! But, I never cut and pasted and I really tried to think of something different to say to each person. :-)
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
It IS difficult to make comments vary, especially when you're going through so many posts! I totally understand that - but it was good of you to make the effort. I find that my best comments (the most thorough and creative) are the ones that I take the most time to think about.
DeleteThank you for adding to the post, Nicole!