Friday, May 31, 2013

What cheek - using my blog for free advertising

I have been mulling over what to do about some comments that were made on a blog post of mine in which a company posted a comment that was a blatant advertisement for their genealogy product.

What annoys me is that I have purchased this product and find it inferior to other similar products; I do not want to promote it. The company in question does not have a social media presence and their website is quite tragic. I find it annoying that they don't have a company commitment to social media yet they use my little blog to promote themselves.

Would I be mean-spirited if I deleted their comment from my  post?

23 comments:

Judy Webster said...

Either delete it (they won't even notice) or write a reply to their comment (explaining why you don't like their product) - whichever you think is more beneficial to your readers.

Bob McAllister said...

Certainly delete any comment that is "offensive" and that is the case in what you describe.

If you can cope with the emails it generates, set Comment Moderation on and delete any attempts to abuse your hospitality before they are seen by anyone else.

Rosemary said...

Delete Jill. If this keeps up you may have to moderate the comments just to keep the junk off.

Anonymous said...

Jill, is it really an issue? The majority of visitors to your blog most likely won't take the time to look at old posts and comments, so if it was a ploy for advertising it won't work!

In any case, the subject here is Genealogy -- good genealogy -- so don't waste precious time being negative. Onwards and upwards!

JL said...

I get blatant attempts to use my blog for advertising quite often. I simply delete it. I don't bother sending them an email explaining myself because I don't think their disrespect deserves a response.

Alona Tester said...

I don't have any issue deleting a comment, but if you do feel bad about just edit their comment. If there is a link to a product (take the link out).

Anonymous said...

I don’t like commenting on comments, prefer to make my own mind up. Any chance of a pointer to the alleged ‘blatant advertisement’?

Dan Poff said...

I agree with JL. The comments section is for opinion and ideas, not adverts. The courteous thing to do would have been to at least ask first. Since you get quite a few, perhaps you could put a short blurb in the "Leave your comment" section that says adverts will be deleted from the comment section.

Anonymous said...

CHUCK IT!!! It's your blog... your space and I can't even begin to understand why you haven't done that already... Cheers, Catherine.

Julie Goucher said...

Like JL delete it & don't bother informing them.

Crissouli said...

I think most of us get them. I delete the first time, after that I I tend to mark them as spam. rarely do they return after that.

Boobook said...

Delete or mark as spam. I get a few of these every day on a travel blog I wrote several years ago - and the comments are always on the final blog entry so they haven't read anything at all. Pure advertising junk.

Anonymous said...

Seems most posters here don’t read everything either because some are assuming it was a junk advert, yet you clearly described it as “some comments” and “a comment”. Which was it, a relevant comment, several relevant comments, or advertising? Seeing as how you’ve already trashed the company, I guess you can’t direct us to the actual post so we can read and decide for ourselves, and then give our considered opinion.

Sharon said...

It is your blog Jill so it is up to you what you want to appear. Advertising without your permission is really spam, so do not feel that it is being mean if you delete it.

You don't want it to appear that you support their product, so I agree with Judy, either delete it or comment to show that you do not support their product so your readers know (as we value your opinion).

GeniAus said...

Thanks, everyone for your input. I now feel justified in deleting the offending comment that was not SPAM but an advertisement for a genealogy product signed by a rep from the company.

Australian Family Tree Connections said...

I should also have added that we have always offered members of Family History, Genealogy and Historical Societies a discount off the cost of annual subscriptions as our way of encouraging people to join Societies. We are often contacted by people new to tracing their family history and always recommend they join their nearest Society for at least a year to be shown how to do it in the most efficient and cost-effective way. On those occasions we also take the time to provide contact details of the Societies.NOTE: this is NOT advertising. It is presumed that everyone who follows this blog is NOT a genealogy beginner!

Australian Family Tree Connections said...

The above was the comment that Jill removed from her “A Volunteer learns a few lessons” post of 26 May. It followed Louis Kessler’s comment and was in context.

Just for the record Jill, I am not “a rep from the company” – I own the company! I might add that I have been commenting on a variety of blogs for several years under the magazine's name and you are the first to have taken exception to my so doing.
Michele Stephens
[Managing Director, AFTC Publishing Pty Limited, publisher of Australian Family Tree Connections magazine]

Linda said...

I've been watching this thread for a while, and the original post (on which I commented and "advertised" my blog). So I am wondering if your concern is because the post that concerns you is from a commercial operator, or is it because you do not like their product?

Just curious (and because I have been blogging for a long time, and take an interest in the blogisphere. especially in the craft sector)- if you had liked the product, would you have been so concerned?

Unknown said...

Thanks for the information. I like your blog.

Alta said...

This is cool!

Unknown said...

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Unknown said...

Hello Dear Value Customer

we are a certified and legitimate and international licensed loan lender
We offer loan to Business firms,companies and individuals at an affordable
interest rate of 3% , It might be a short or long term loan or even if you
have poor credit, We shall process your loan as soon as we receive
your application.

Our aims is to provide the best to our customers and give the a secure
service OUR PACKAGES INCLUDE: *Home Loan *Auto Loan
*Mortgage Loan *Business Loan *International Loan *Personal Loan *And
Much More.You can contact us with this email { worldonlineloanfunds@gmail.com }

BORROWERS FORM

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Full Name.........................
Loan Amount Needed................
Duration:.........................
Gender; ..........................
Religion :........................
Province/ State :.................
City :............................
Country................
Age.........................
Contact Address;...................
Occupation :.......................
Monthly Income.....................
Cell Phone Number :................
Email :............................
Purpose Of Loan :.......................
Have you apply before {yes or no}........

Regards
Mr Eric Wilson

Venkat said...

Thanks, everyone for your input. I now feel justified in deleting the offending comment that was not SPAM but an advertisement for a genealogy product signed by a rep from the company.Jobs in pakistan | Free classified ads

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