All of us know that we get followers who are not really followers. They are trying to sell stuff.
This is getting worse, at least as far as my blog is concerned. Here are a few examples. I have not included links to their blogs, as I refuse to give them any publicity.
1) I write a post about acne in old age. It was a reblog from years ago, and I don’t have it any longer.
Next thing I know, I have two new followers. Neither of the blog names suggest anything remotely concerning selling, so I check them out.
One is selling ‘remedies’ for acne, and the other selling miracle cures for any skin complaint. These are 21st century snake oil salesmen.
2) I write a post about my wife having tests to see if she has breast cancer. I get an email from a new follower urging me to check out his site. It concerns the sale of some magical formula made from something like mushrooms. You can bet I spammed the blog comment they tried to leave too.
3) In my alphabet series, I wrote about how much I am disgusted by most forms of hunting, especially trophy hunting.
Tonight, I get a new ‘follower’ whose site is advertising the latest in telescopic sights for hunting rifles, slings to carry them with, and cases to keep them in.
This is the bad side of blogging, and I really don’t like it.
I won’t put ‘Followers’ on my list of things I don’t like though, as most of you are wonderful of course!
You’ve reminded me I should check my spam folder. I used to have plenty of Chinese messages and financial stuff and plenty of gobblediguck… I also get e-mails of people asking me to write guest posts for the old blog I no longer use… I’m not a fan either, Pete. Very annoying.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are not in Spam, Olga. They avoid that by becoming ‘folllowers’ instead. That makes them even more annoying.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I don’t usually check my spam folder but the last time I did, it was in the 100s. I hate that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These avoid Spam folders, Lara. Those filters do not intercept ‘followers’.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As blog writers, we want to be able to reach readers. To entertain them, to inform them, or to provide a daily/weekly insight into the mind of a writer. I’m sure there are programs that search blog posts in order to market.
It’s an annoyance, true, but if we can reach one real reader with a post, it’s tolerable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Leon. It is indeed tolerable, if it is something worth reading. But selling Bitcoin or dubious medical remedies doesn’t count. At least as far as I am concerned.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I just followed but I don’t sell anything
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to hear that! đŸ™‚ Many thanks for following my blog.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
You could say . .”I don’t like Fake Followers” -I don’t either!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Michele. I have said that in the past, and have a tendency to keep saying it! đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of the prices we have to pay for still having a relatively free internet, I guess Pete. Notwithstanding the subtitle of your other blog, on balance I’d rather accommodate irritations like this than live in an authoritarian world in which I had no choice about what I was ‘allowed’ to like or enjoy. I know Britain isn’t perfect by a long stretch, but from what I’ve seen of places like Iran and North Korea, I know where I’m better off! Cheers, Jon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it has to be expected, but I still don’t like it. đŸ™‚
(If I was in charge, it would be nothing like Iran or the DPRK, promise… đŸ™‚ )
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am getting lots of them and like you don’t send my normal thanks and now some seem to think it is alright not to comment but just leave a link to their blog and we won’t go into the spam folder which bulges but I have to check as sometimes I find regular commenters to my blog in spam….sigh
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find real comments in the Spam folder almost every day. I do check it regularly because of that.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here, Pete I wish they would get a life or a real job đŸ™‚ x
LikeLiked by 1 person
For awhile I was getting 70+ spammers a day, but thankfully this has dwindled lately.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This type avoid the Spam folder by just ‘following’.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too many people are selling me viagra and a Ms N*** has been waiting for to click her link and see her. Not sure why they think that I should be interested though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The churn this stuff out without reading a word of the posts. It can often be insensitive or upsetting.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I have very few commercial hits. Indeed, while deartedandjody, according to W-P, has 279 followers,. I only ever get likes and comments from you and five others. when I do get an unfamiliar like or comment, I do go and check them out. I have added a few folks to the ones I check in on now and again, but very few commercial links, aka spam. Hang in there. Warmest regards, Theo
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I see the number of my blog followers (including email only and Twitter) approaching 7,000, I often wonder what happened to the 6,400 who never like a post, or comment on my blog. đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It shows up in their reader and is like a magazine they pick up from time to time (?) Warmest regards, Theo
LikeLiked by 1 person
the hunting and breast cancer ones are especially despicable!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, John. I thought so too.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
(1) Snake oil is a great remedy for acne. Apply generously.
(2) Magic mushrooms don’t cure cancer, but they do take your mind on a wonderful hallucinogenic journey.
(3) To capture a trophy elephant, you’ll need tweezers, a jar, a punch, a nail, a hammer, a pair of binoculars, and a sign that says “NO ELEHANTS ALLOWED.” Proceed as follows;
-With the hammer and punch, create holes in the lid of the jar.
-Then use the hammer to nail the sign to a tree.
-With the binoculars, watch for an elephant to show up.
-Elephants are intrigued by the stupidity of humans who can’t spell e-l-e-p-h-a-n-t correctly.
-While the elephant laughs at the sign, view it with the wrong end of the binoculars.
-Grasp the elephant with the tweezers, pop it into the jar, and close the lid.
-Display proudly on a shelf.
-Don’t forget to chop up the peanuts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you tried some mushrooms before writing the bit about elephants, David. đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you, Pete. I can’t prove it, but I have the distinct impression that that kind of followers has increased a lot over the last year or two. Sometimes I think it’s done by bots a I suddenly get spurts of new followers and especially of likes: up to ten or fifteen at a time for quite old posts. But I must admit, I don’t care.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I ignore the fake ‘likes’ and Spam comments, Pit. But ‘followers’ with innocent blog names do annoy me. They should call their blog ‘Selling Stuff’, and be honest. đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I ignore them, too. And I simply refuse to be annoyed – for my own (mental) sake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we can usually tell the genuineness of people through their comments or lack thereof. The ones that seem to come after me a lot are those selling vitamins. Perhaps this is a commentary on my age. Let’s target the segment of the population known as “old farts.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get a lot for Viagra! They are almost always caught by the Spam filters though.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As you can imagine, since posting my cancer diaries I’ve had a few ‘followers’ who just want to sell their miracle cures or cancer busting diet plans. However, there have been some lovely new followers who are genuinely supportive and make up for the spammers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s good to know, Mary. By far the majority of bloggers are community-minded and supportive, I agree.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes the raw vegetable miracle cures!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those spammy comments have dwindled some for me, Pete. Maybe because my blogging has been less of late. I usually investigate new followers once a week or so. Do you block said followers or let them be?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t be bothered to remove followers, Maggie. I know they are never really following anyway.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i hear you Pete. i’m glad they get filtered to the spam folder đŸ™‚
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are the ones that escape the Spam, Wilma. Because they are ‘Followers’, not necessarily commenting.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The hunting one trumps them all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does show that none of them read a single word, Janet.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Know what you mean. I’m getting Followers with dog-training websites since I posted a couple of items about our new puppy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I posted about Ollie being ill, I got a dozen dog-products related followers within 24 hours. It’s so insensitive, as they don’t read the post content at all.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait, does this mean that you’re not interested in my discounted off-brand viagra? Cheaper than store price, don’t miss out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought I had already bought that from you… đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here…I have so many weird people that occasionally end up giving me a follow that I’m wondering how they found out about my blog in the first place. I’m creeping up on about 2000 followers now, but at the same time I know that a lot of these aren’t even real followers. Oh well…I don’t let it bother me too much….but yeah at times it is annoying. Especially in the examples that you’ve gave here PeteđŸ˜”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes they can be very insensitive. When I posted about the anniversary of my mum’s death, I got a new follower offering bargain undertaker’s services in Melbourne, Australia.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I really should check out who follows me, I never bother to look them up unless they comment. Someone might be selling something I want! đŸ˜‚
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always go to the site of new followers and thank them for following. If they have a selling site, I don’t bother to comment. If they also leave a comment on my post, I Spam it then delete it. đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well now that you’ve posted about blogging, I guess imma just stop by and welcome you to a blog about blogging lol. jk I wish I had actual products to sell.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Stuart. I should think of something really weird to post about, just to see if they have something suitable to sell me. đŸ™‚
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Yep. Ditto!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure this has got worse since the lockdowns, Lorraine. More people trying to make money online.
Best wishes, Pete. x
LikeLiked by 2 people
I now. I reckon the pandemic has contributed to it too. Xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
THere has been a massive uptick on IST as well….but most are about dick drugs and drugs in general…..I seldom write about those subjects but yet I have been singled out…I don’t like it either….chuq
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am getting at least 3 a day at the moment. I think the lockdowns are making them more active.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Every time I check the Spam folder I have 10-20 and I check 4 times a day or more….chuq
LikeLiked by 1 person
The ones I refer to are getting through the spam filters, chuq. As for ‘caught’ spam, I had over 80 just yesterday.
LikeLiked by 1 person