This Blog Is About


This blog is about---You! Each and every post is about you. Use it to challenge your usual patterns, as a tool for self-discovery, to stimulate your thinking, to learn about yourself and to answer your questions about others.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Your Advice, Please

Looking for your thoughts and suggestions

Dear Readers,  Something has been coming up here on the blog and I would like your ideas about what to do.  The problem is that visitors are putting advertising for their business/product sales/websites on the comment sections.  This began happening about 6 months ago.  
What I have been doing is removing them if they are blatant or, if they are quiet and subtle enough, I leave them there.  Lately, I have had some with links put on (I don't even know how they did that...!) and some sell jobs that are repeated on 3, to as many as 6, posts.
If it were a member I would feel like helping out since I have been trying to create a friendly, generous venue here.  Even then though, I would wish that the offering would be in context.
What bothers me most about it is the work I put in here, only to have someone come along and hitch a free ride!  This is not in  line with my feeling and intention about doing this.  The other thing is that I have made a commitment, which I have also discussed with you, my readers, to write this blog with no advertising on it.  This was decided when I put up the donation button---some of you who have been following for some time may remember that.
So, you can see the the quandary there:  I have given up the subsidization that advertising might provide me in order to avoid compromising the integrity of the blog.   So, it kind of rubs me the wrong way to have advertising appearing anyway, advertising that doesn't benefit me.
I am in favor of sharing information and of helping; does this situation align with those efforts?  Or am I just being used and allowing an annoyance to effect my readers?  

I am asking for your feedback.

14 comments:

  1. This is a widespread problem in blogs. On my blog, I delete the spam comments and remove the links to the comments that are iffy. They are not true commenrs but are link-bait spam designed to raise the search engine profile of the sites they are linking to.

    You can delete them without remorse.

    If you feel bad, try googling the exact "comment" and you will see that the exact comments appear on many other blogs.

    PJ

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with PJ. I'm in favor of deleting all ads/spam.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear PJ and Bama Psych. Thank you so much for your prompt response. Your comments are very helpful and clarifying for me. Paula

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Paula. When I submit a comment to the blog, I am prompted to enter my name and, optionally, the URL of my website. I have been entering both. I am not sure whether this is the kind of advertising to which you are referring; if it is, I can desist if you prefer and just enter my name (if the blog will let me!).

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Steve. Your name with your website, as you have it is no problem for me. It is your ID. Also, as a member, anyone can click on your or any other member's picture and get to your website anyway. The way you have it, people can begin to get a sense of you as they read your comments. I like thst.
    What I am concerned about is these blatant attempts at advertising, in my comment sections. For example, putting a link to their website (which is usually advertising something for sale), over and over within a text. Or, writing all about how great their product or service is and following that with contact information. This has a completely different quality from your ID being included with your comment. It is like they are using my blog as an advertising platform.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is the first blog post of yours that I have read. I am going to follow and read more of your blog posts. The insights into the mind of a therapist intrigue me. I am in therapy so it fascinates me to hear about therapists inner thoughts. Especially because for a long time I partook in transference and saw my therapist as some sort of demi-god rather than a person.

    I am brand new to blogging but I would say maybe just approve comments before hand. Maybe you do that already? I'll find out soon when I submit this.

    I put the link to my blog below my comments, but I actually read the article and have meaningful comments. I don't just leave a link and I don't say check out my blog or anything about it. I just put it there in case anyone wants to check it out. Do you have an issue with that?

    findingonespath.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Sebastian. On your other comment you mentioned DBT. I wrote a post on that; you can find it by typing into the search bar, Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
    I don't mind you identifying yourself, when you comment, further than your name by putting the name of your blog. As a member, anyone who clicks on your picture will also be able to see your blog info.
    I hope you enjoy perusing the blog. You may find it serves as an enhancement to your therapy process. I hope so!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Paula. I am a little confused by what you meant about "I don't mind you identifying yourself, when you comment, further than your name by putting the name of your blo."

      I didn't understand whether you meant it was okay for just putting the name of my blog there or it is uncomfortable for you and you prefer I not do it?

      Thanks. I look forward to reading more articles.

      Delete
    2. It's okay to put the name of your blog. Readers who want to know more about you can also click on your picture in the Members'section and find your blog that way.

      Delete
    3. Right on. Thanks for the clarification. : D

      Delete
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