©2023 michael raven
Once again I find I must remind people:
- Do not ask for follow-backs. I’ve been at the blogging scene long enough to decide for myself if I want to follow you. The best way to get me to look at your site is to meaningfully engage, not give me a ton of likes or bot-like comments that illustrate that you have not actually read my posts. I check out people who provide quality conversation or show they are human in their interactions. If I like what I see or your content interests me when I check out your site, I will follow — but never just out of reciprocity arrangements. So please: Don’t ask me to follow your site. The more you ask, the less likely I am to give your site a gander.
- Do not link to your own site in comments just to scape readers from this site. Your comment will be deleted and you will be put on comment moderation. If it continues to happen, you will be put onto spam filters and I won’t bother to read your comments at all. If your link it relevant to the posted content, I will let it stand.
- I do not share subscriber lists. Don’t be absurd and don’t bother to ask. The information I have about individual readers is private and will not be shared with anyone, for any reason short of a court order legally obligating me to share that information.
- I am not above reporting you to WordPress for continued bad behavior. It is as last resort, but I will do it with zero remorse if you continue to disrespect the above expectations.
I shouldn’t have to write this post, but I find that I need to remind people on occasion that I’m not interested in these kinds of engagements.
sceadugenga 
Thanks for this, Michael. I am pretty cautious myself. But… I didn’t know subscriber lists COULD be shared 😳😳😳 I appreciate the heads-up…
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There are ways when you own your site, but it’s not something I care to worry about, so I don’t maintain a list (I’m not into SEO and related “customer retention” tasks). I can’t believe I’ve had people ask in the past for that information.
I honestly hate having to be a jerk about it, but “no” means “no”.
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👍👍👍
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Same old story then. Most new ‘likes’ I get all seem to either a) want me to buy something or b) clearly haven’t read what I have posted.
Nothing, it seems, is without its pitfalls.
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We’ve been trying to reach you [name] because your car’s extended warranty is about to expire…
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Yes, and I don’t even own one!
And something else that pisses me off is companies who sell your phone number on (hardly anyone knows mine yet I still get loads of spam/fraud calls).
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Hard enthusiastic clapping.
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You’ve had similar issues? Ugh.
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: ) I know something’s up when I get “Interesting article! Really useful information!” Definitely not what I am offering : )
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🤣 I know that one all too well.
“Thanks for sharing this. Interesting information!”
It’s a freaking poem…
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I’ve had some seriously weird ones lately, more so than ever before. I had someone read my poem aloud on their blog and then link the recording in the comments saying they are trying to get me more followers (they have 25 followers and were using my work to get followers for themselves). I had someone else offer to write out my poems in calligraphy on instagram and then asked me to pay them for it for exposure (they also have a small number of followers). It’s all absurd. Do good work and I’ll find you. Don’t use my work for yourself. Do the work. Period.
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Ugh. Bottom feeders, all of them.
As you say, write something that interests me and I will follow you, focus on your own work and become amazing. Don’t try to leech off of me to jumpstart your own cult of personality.
My daughter had a guy trying to “buy” her art off Insta and I warned against taking it too seriously. Turns out he wanted to profit from it in the manner of NFTs and (probably) charge her for the privilege of making money off her art. Sad, but I’m sure it has worked in the past for him.
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I had someone make that offer to me too! She offered me $500 (supposedly) to use one of my photos for some mural and NFT project. She kept using really vague language and referring to some imaginary client she represented. The old saying, “too good to be true” holds out. When I started asking questions she disappeared. Sorry this happened to your daughter too. It’s the wild west online.
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Yep. Unless I know the person or can see a written contract, the answer is always no. Scammers can be bothered with contracts.
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