Hateful Online Behavior That Sets You on a Warpath

Image by ElDave via Flickr

@houseofpuroy sent a tweet yesterday. He held a contest on his flagship blog to gain more readers and subscribers. One of the requirements in entering the contest was to subscribe to Roy’s feed. After the winner was announced, Roy noticed a big number of those who did not win had unsubscribed.

^!?#&!!!

Yes, you can say that again. I felt the same way, too.

Being the gentleman that he is, Roy did not bust a vein ranting on his blog. If not for his tweet, I’d hardly know this has irked him. If I were in his shoes, I would have spent hours devising a painful revenge. But that’s just me. And my low frustration threshold.

Although, in retrospect, those are the kind of readers any blog author can afford losing. Really. They’re after the freebies. They come buttering you up in small talk, but with one eye cocked in the direction of your refrigerator. Or cupboard. Other than that you’d find more joy in talking and having a romp with your dog, or cat as the case maybe.

I’d rather be impaled by my quick-thinking readers on a questionable idea I raise here. Or be favored by a troll. At least you know where they are coming from. The former raises the level of conversation going on in your blog community. A troll can spice up a sleepy blog, but up to a certain point only, of course.

So this gets me thinking: What riles you up to the quick? Greasy online flattery? Grammar vigilantes who laugh and point at you every time you trip over it’s and its? Supposed online buddies who steal your blog post ideas? A stalker who wants to get into your blogging pants maybe?

Over to you, my friends.

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Jena Isle

I just read this now. I am fretful why I didn't find your blog during those early months. Anyway, here I am again digging into the archives of your juicy posts. Hindi ka kasi namamansin noon..he he he.

I hope you don't mind. I can't read the book's print of "One Hundred Years..." already. I'm taking a breather in your blog. I hope the coffee is served every visit? lol
.-= Jena Isle´s last blog ..CHAPTER 3 - UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW?) =-.
Jan

@fifi: No, they will not bite you. Anyone who does will neutered. lol. Or will be promptly injected with anti-rabies.

Well, thank you. :) It doesn't sound like you're fawning. Keep it coming. hahaha. I'm glad you like the spontaneity part of it.
fifi

hi jan, finally mustered enough courage to include my comments here. (because you said private messages don't count and you promised that your online buddies won't bite). gulp.

as a blog reader, i realized that i get easily annoyed with those who are unmindful of spelling simple words or those who equate good writing with the simultaneous tapping of shift+f7 keys. maybe my bias against too much effort to impress. that's why i like your style of writing, light to the senses and very spontaneous (i did tell you this before, right?). does this sound like i'm fawning?? haha! indulge.
Jan

@yatot: no word from elmo. watch out - he maybe plotting revenge. LOL. Oh no, it's me who should watch out pala being the instigator of this joke. hahaha
yatot

wahahhahha... i love the hongkong joke... no worries... next time i'll be flying to singapore to unwind! =D
Jan

@elmot: I'm sorry, elmot. This is my fault - Yatot never arrived from Hongkong. He's here all along. Hongkong is a private joke, meaning he's busy with work and thus unreachable, that got out of hand. Waaah. Although, the way he's giving birth to new blogs he's bound to take a breather in Hongkong in the near future. Peace! :)
elmot

well, he havent given a word about his trip form HK. thanks for telling me bro, at least I could ask now something from him..LOL
Jan

@elmot: I'm thinking of that too - how to make them leave the comfort of their chair and hop on over to visit the blog once in a while. And interact with other readers. But that to me is a minor point - as long as they subscribed I'm happy. :)

So you have finally snared Yatot the jetsetter, I see. I bet he gave some pasalubong from Hongkong as well. :)
elmot

@ jan: yep, the negative side of having subscribers is that they tend to connect only with you via your emailed posts and detached from making a community of friends in your blog.

thanks jan! the new look is courtesy of our good friend of course and, thanks for the referral...
Jan

@diTesco: That's interesting - but how can a blogger know which particular readers have unsubscribed? Is there a tool for that? Well, I'd rather not. What if it's a supposed online friend or a relative who opted out? hahaha. Scary, scary.

I'm doing well except for the lack of sleep. Very addicting, blogging. :)
Internet Marketing | diTesco

@Roy. I agree with you. They should have had the courtesy of at least "hanging in there for a while". Nevertheless, what's the point if their initial intention was just to "grab" the prizes anyway? Look at the bright side (there is always a positive), at least now, you know whom you will never subscribe to or even bother visiting their blogs.

@Jan. To answer "What riles me up quick"? I choose all of the above:) Nothing more to say..

Hope all is well with you.
Jan

@enhenyero: Cool. Thanks for this visit. How's Singapore, not cramping your style I hope. :)
enhenyero

ei tol, just dropping by muna.
Jan

@Dee: Here's Urban Dictionary's definition of a troll: "One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument. "

Really? Well, it really helps to be philosophical about it huh.:) Me, I choose to be secretive about the count. Let's just say the Count in Sesame Street will have an easy time counting it out loud. hahaha.

But when the time comes subscribe count exceeds the tight circle of my friends (who I hold at knife point to subscribe)then I'd break the news everywhere. Preferably on Twitter. :)

@Elmot: I love my readers and subscribers. I just wish feed readers will every now and then visit and mingle with the common folks. hahaha.

Hey, you've got a new look in your blog. Cool. :)
Dee

I'm used to subscribers unsubscribing regularly. It's a common occurrence with my other blog. It got me worried just a little bit at first, but I am now more than used to it. I guess my blog didn't turn out the way they wanted it to be. And, wala na rin kasing regular update, why would they subscribe anyway. Makes sense.

What's a troll, by the way? The ones I know are those in LoTR...
elmot

i agree with Jan, at this point when you are still starting your blog, each and every single subscriber even commenter is like a long lost heirloom.

but that is where the determination of the blogger comes in.

kudos roy. well, its just but normal that such thing would happen.

ei jan, love the pic on the post, hhaha
Jan

@lemuel: That's true. It's a universal fascination. Would you change your mind if what's at stake is an iPhone or a MacPro? :)
lemuel

me too, i seldom join contests, in fact i have a hard time regularly making posts because of limited time. come to think of it, hindi lang pala pinoy ang mahilig sumali sa contest para makakuha ng libre.... marami rin palang hindi pinoy... thanks!
Jan

@bingkee: Religion can be such a big deal for some people. Although it puzzles me why can't they reconcile differences in outlook. Maybe it's tiring for some to take the extra mile in the name of tolerance. Hahaha.

@yatot: We did? Can't remember it though. hahaha.
yatot

i am already prepared for this idea... that's why i wont make my supposedly upcoming blog contest (we have talked about it before, remember? and oh dont mention it... it's a surprise! ^_^) a subscribe to my feeds contest because there is really the idea of unsubscribing... i really want to make sure that people will going to join my contest because of their free will and that the idea that they like my blog as well!
bingkee

I had one contact in BlogCatalog who expressed her admiration of my blog. She favorite-d me on BC and we exchanged links on blogrolls. When I posted about God and America, she left a polite comment saying, "I respect your opinion but I don't feel that way and I disagree. " I published the comment coz it was polite and nothing bad about it and since I treated her as a friend, I welcomed her opinions. But then I discovered she deleted me in her bloglist, unsubscribed and deleted my blog on her list of her favorites. It's not only through subscription, you lose readers...sometimes readers will back away when they don't agree with your opinions anymore. Which is kinda immature for me.

Well...that's why my contest will be different from any other contest because most contests I see in the blogosphere are of the same mechanics and running the same gimmicks. Which are mostly like a marketing scheme acting on satisfying temporary desires. There's really nothing wrong with it, but if the product (blog) doesn't really interest the subscriber, and was only subscribed because of the freebies, there is a big chance that subscribers will unsubscribe later especially if they don't win.

That's why I don't join contests (even if the prizes are attractive ) especially run by blogs that don't really interest me.
Jan

@Jehzeel: My sentiment exactly, Jhez - if and when I have let's say 5k subscribers. hehehe.

But at this stage, I'd lose sleep even if I lose one subscriber. Of course, Yatot would say I'm cheating because I'm up up to the wee hours because of Twitter anyway. hahaha.

Thanks, Jhez. :)
Jehzeel Laurente

i mean.. or a "subscriber" without S.. wahehehe :D
Jehzeel Laurente

For me, I don't mind if a twitter follower unfollowed me, or a subscribers unsubscribed in my blog. :D

Just keep on blogging. Readers will come and readers will go. It's their choice :D
Jan

@Roy: This makes me to rethink what to give to top commentator award in the months to come. Perhaps I should be giving away prized jars of bagoong (pickled fish)instead. hahaha. Thanks, Roy.
Roy

So there you are!

It was expected actually, although not 'right after' some would have the courtesy to let a few days passed.

that's the trouble of 'bribing' subscribers with a contest, they make you feel unwanted after.

but as you said, they're the type of readers you can afford to lose.

;)

Hateful Online Behavior That Sets You on a Warpath

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