Chadrack
Branded as the new media, blogging has taken roots quickly and at a pace unimaginable. It is reported that every minute, hundreds of blogs are started all over the world. One thing that is very noticeable also is that like most things on the net, there are really no regulations anywhere for bloggers to adhere to.
However, over the years some un-written standards have come to be accepted by all and sundry. But unfortunately, the blogosphere is filled with all manner of practices that most times puts question mark on what these bloggers are really doing.
From my experience on the Web Income Journal and what I have seen on most blogs, I’m tempted to ask if it will be a good thing to start a Bloggers' Hall Of Shame to high light some of the bad practices that many bloggers involve themselves in.
I actually got this idea when I came across an article a few days ago on MSN.com, “2012 Customer Service Hall of Shame” that is targeted at major players in industries like banking, credit cards, cable, airlines, insurance etc.
Conducted by MSN in conjunction with pollster IBOPE Zogby International, the MSN Money's annual survey of customer service is aimed at bringing to the open the negative attitude of these companies in respect to customer service. What really interested me is that from all indication, it does appear that the MSN customer hall of shame is working wonders as the 2012 report shows that customers are more satisfied than the previous year.
This is what has given me the idea that if a similar thing is started focused on bloggers bad practices, we might just see some improvement in the blogosphere in the days to come!
And so, I’m throwing this open to all today in our community timeout for the week. The question is, if a Bloggers' Hall Of Shame is started what unwholesome practice of bloggers would you want to be used as a yardstick for judging the winners in that hall?
Would you consider things like comment spamming using automated tools or auto-generated content pulled in from RSS feeds? Would you go for lean content scrapped from other blogs and that adds no value to the blogosphere? What would you go for? And do you think this will help create more awareness for bloggers to stop these things?
Share with us what you think should be used in judging those who should appear in the bloggers hall of shame. Post your comments below.
Note: This is part of our weekly community time out. If you want us to discuss any issue on this page, simply send it with this form. Read more about the community timeout on the webincomejournal.com here.
Hey Chadrack,
You’ve come up with an interesting point. In my opinion the MSN’s article which you shared is talking about a big companies which has a millions of customers.
For Bloggers like us who is just a newbies, it would be a bad idea.
@Ehsan,
I understand that MSN is focused on those mega companies, but come to think of it, are there no wrong practices that can actually be displayed in the bloggers hall of shame?
I’m not really asking that we begin to name bloggers or point fingers at anyone, rather that we chronicle some of the bad habits of bloggers with the mind that somehow it may affect some change. Or don’t you think this can help?
Hey Chadrack,
Yeah, if only it would work but you read the statistics. I think it would be pretty hard pressed to get this in front of everyone and then you’ll find those people who will never agree on what are the best practices when blogging and which ones aren’t.
I would have to put spamming at the top of that list and right behind it would be content scrapping. I don’t mind the auto posting as much but for those who are never around to respond to comments then that’s a big no no.
Great idea though.. I’m sure our list will grow over the years.
~Adrienne
@Adrienne,
You’re definitely right that not everyone will agree on what is right or wrong when it comes to blogging. Of course, it’s this freedom that many are exploiting right now. However, as in every human relationship, there are etiquetes even when we may have our own ideas of what is right or wrong. I think the blogosphere is maturity to a point where certain standards will stand out as accepted norms.
As for getting this idea in front of everyone, I think that may not be neccesary. What could be done is may be, a group can decide to do this every year and then publish their findings of what bloggers considered as the most unwholesome practices amongst bloggers, just as I’m doing right here 🙂
I know if some popular blog or a group do this, the blogosphere will over flow with the news and other bloggers will talk about it in their posts and by so doing more and more people will come to know of it. Possibly, over time, more and more bloggers will come to know that, doing this or that is not really acceptable to majority of bloggers. And this will help to reduce most of these annoying things that most bloggers are doing today.
Again, I agree with you that spam comments top the list. I’m really surprised that even when GASP is installed which ensures that the blogger visits the site before posting a comment instead of using some software, these spammers will not care to post something reasonable. Just imagine someone coming to a blog with a “ready-made” and then copy and paste without even reading the post! It’s annoying.
But wait, did you say our list will grow over the years? Do you mean by that instead of reducing, these unwholesome practices will definitely increase? But I was thinking if we speak out against them they will somehow reduce. So, you don’t think so?
Hi Bro..
I was thinking in the same direction few days back……when i read how one bloggers used ‘AdSense Cicked Bomber’ technique to block the AdSense account of blog owner because the blog owner has reported that bad blogger was copying the content from some respected bloggers blog.
I thought we must high light such bad bloggers so that other blogger can stay away from such bad bloggers.
@Sandeep Kumar,
Hmm, that’s really going above the usual. Never heard such of things. But this clearly shows that many bloggers are now more than ever bringing in the negative side of humanity into the blogosphere.
Well it does appear that if we must succeed in stopping these negative traits, a more concerted effort must be taken. Only if some of these our highly acclaimed pro-bloggers will join this movement, then we will begin to see results very soon.
Hi Chadrack,
I found this to be quite an interesting article and views you’ve shared. Though personally – I think they should be judged on their whole digital footprint. Any- and everything they have done concerning public actions online should be used in determining the level of shame at which they should be placed.
@Anton Koekemoer,
Totally agree with what you said. Thank you for sharing your great idea, chadrack.
@Anton Koekemoer,
That’s really interesting but trying to pick up those digital footprints will prove tasking. However,if there is a consensus on what all of us regard as unwholesome and use these criteria, don’t you think that will help?
Hi Chadrack,
bloggers are like normal people (and companies too). Most of them are “good” bloggers, but we can find some “bad boys”. It’s normal situation – we must only try to be a “good” one 😉
Thanks for sharing,
Chris
@Chris,
Yes, we can only try and be the good ones! But you know as the blogging business of a thing continues to mature over the years, I think some form of sanity should be introduced. Best practices should be set so that when some one continues with these practices we will know such a one is an odd number, don’t you think so?
Hi Chadrack,
Sadly it’s just the law of the land. We have good and bad eggs in the box.
Just as we all have our own opinions, bad practices will sometimes differ from person to person. Having said that, sometimes it’s nice to point out things that bloggers should try to avoid – In an educational way not as a “DON’T DO THIS”
What you’ll find is, the people that would be on the Bloggers wall of shame, wouldn’t care less anyway.
@Simmeon,
Do you really think that our perception of what a bad practice is differ from person to person? Don’t you think that every bad practice being perpetuated by many bloggers today is spoken against by everyone? Is only that this bad guys really don’t care. They are more concerned with their results. To them the end justify the means. But should this really be the case?
Interesting idea Chadrack.
Anything that is copied content is definitely a no no. If you are not original, why would people bother reading your work?
Blogs which allow spam comments to be published should be on a hall of shame list I think. Why pollute your comments section with rubbish that adds no value to the blog or anyone’s experience.
It would be interesting to see where this goes – if you choose to run with the idea 🙂
@Christopher Roberts,
I’m intrigued by what you want included in the list. And about running with the idea I’m already thinking of doing something about it. Let’s just hope it comes out great! lol!
Hey Chadrack,
I think top of my list would be not replying blog comments. The second, like it would be not commenting on your readers blogs.
Come to think of it, bloggers have customers too – their readers. It is only proper to respond when your customer makes a comment. Going over to their own blog shows you are personally interested in them. Leaving a comment shows you are a giver as well as a taker.
It is understandable that it may not be practical for some of the large blogs to do this (Smart Passive Income gets as much as 1500 comments on some posts), but while on our way there we can afford to be friendly.
So when a blogger does not handle commenting well, I guess that puts the blog in my hall of shame.
@Yeremi Akpan,
That is really interesting. We are really getting somewhere! 🙂 Most bloggers have not realized the community building aspect of blogs. I’m really surprised most times when I see blogs with less than 5 comments and yet the blogger never cares to reply those comments. Indeed, this is something we definitely need to include in the list. Thanks for the insight.
Thanks Chadrack for this great post….
I really love the idea.. It’s best we spot the bad habits that exist among new and pro bloggers… Some pro bloggers also have some bad habits too…
I believe that most bloggers started with bad habits and then later started changing… I was there too one time.
Nice post again
@Kelvin Wealth,
Kelvin, I must appreciate your sincerity. It’s a good thing to know that having passed through that road some time ago, you have decided to go the right way.
I truly wish that every blogger will have such a mind and change. After running this blog for 3 years now, I know that the blogosphere is fast changing.
About pro-bloggers who still indulge in some unwholesome practices, such cannot really be termed as a problogger. All the same, I would have loved if you mention some of those things that these probloggers do. If you can please mention some of the things. I’m really thinking of doing something about this.
Thanks for the comment.
hi
i am jacob new visitor of this web site, great article about Bloggers’ Hall Of Shame, great tips, thanks for posting your views. continue this service. have a nice day.
@jacob,
Hi Jacob, it’s a pleasure to have you around. Just moderated 3 of your comments and must say, it’s your freshness here that moved me to approve the comments. As you can see from this post, we do not appreciate those who are out to post a quick comment. We appreciate a clear contribution to the conversation for that is what a blog is about. We are here to build a community.
And so, not allow us to put you in the bloggers hall of shame, we challenge you to be a better member of the community by making comments that will help others.
Will you do that or do we put you in the hall of shame?