1000 USD 2011 Best Guest Blogger Contest Article Approved
I’ve a question to ask you. Are you a nice blogger? Are you genuinely friendly or are you a faker? I’ve struggled a little with the blogging world even though I’ve found it to be one of the friendliest places on earth, I’m curious as to how genuine bloggers often are. Many people who have started blogging are eager to make money and I know that is a driving force for a lot of bloggers, they are motivated by money and are posting and promoting based on their goal of making some cash. To that end bloggers are perhaps often way too nice, and may say whatever makes them look good or gain a sale. Do you know what I mean? Let me explain myself.
Are you a genuinely friendly blogger? Or are you pretending to be friendly?
There’s nothing wrong with being nice, I’m not implying that bloggers should be more abrasive or intentionally offend people from time to time, but I am curious about the level of honesty that exists in the blogging community. There have been many articles written about the value of controversial posts and whether or not they are worthwhile and effective marketing tools. Of greater concern for me is why do bloggers find it so difficult to be honest about products, websites and their own opinions, and tend to be overly cautious about offending people? Bloggers in general seem to be really positive people. What needs to be made known is that being honest about a crappy product isn’t negativity – it’s just opinion, and it’s okay.
I was inspired recently by Brankica at Live Your Love when she wrote the controversial article “MarketMeSuite sucks“. Though her intention was only to be honest, bloggers retaliated telling her she way way out of line for writing a post of that nature and in such a definitive tone. It was taken as though she was attacking their reputation and potentially impacting their affiliate sales. I on the other hand applaud her integrity and willingness to speak her mind, and this is what I’m talking about when I ask the question are bloggers too nice? It seems there is this unwritten code in the blogosphere that if you’re blogging you must make sure everyone likes you.
I’ve found that a lot of the compliments offered in the blogging world are not genuine at all. It is hard to put your finger on what motivates a blogger. Did he really like my article? Or is he just saying something to gain a backlink in my commentluv links. Did she mention me in her article because she really appreciates me, or is she hoping for the same favor in return? (I’m really not this paranoid, I’m just making some examples.) Even I am guilty for dropping comments to gain backlinks (who isn’t?).
Sharing Your Opinion and Slandering are Two Different Things
I’m not one for insulting people publicly and I think the way Brankica handled her MarketMeSuite sucks article was really well done, she was true to herself and her writing style and other bloggers need to respect that. On the other hand there are some bloggers (I just won’t say who) who have intentionally gone out of their way to rant on people, websites and services that they think are garbage. What they are sharing may be accurate but sharing your thoughts and slandering someone are two different things! I’m all for sharing the truth about products and services (I just wrote a review on MyLikes which expresses my utter frustration with the service), but taking it to a level of being slanderous or retaliatory isn’t necessary.
Be True To Yourself
My objective with this article is simply to make you think about how you conduct yourself online, as a blogger, as a marketer, as a friend. Have you asked yourself what motivates you? Are you promoting content because it is quality and you want to share it, or because you’re manipulating hoping to get the same favor in return. When you vote on social networks do you read the articles, or are you just voting for your friends? The issue is certainly about integrity and I have written further about that as a guest blogger at Ileane’s blog basicblogtips.com, “Where’s your blogging integrity?”. As a blogger when you respond to comments do you say whatever you can to gain a sale and make the commenter feel special, or are you being true to yourself and offering the best advice possible. Do you take the time to research quality affiliate products or do you promote whatever offers you the greatest commission?
I had a reader on my blog ask me a question the other day about which product I would recommend between two. A sale with one would result in an affiliate commission, the other is free. For this particular individual the free program would be his best option. I seriously had to decided do I direct him to the pay product that makes me money? Or do I direct him to the product that will work the best for him? It was a tough choice (for a moment) but in the end I recommended the right thing.
What would you have done?
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I would Like to think of myself as a genuinely nice blogger. I understand how you would think about how people might be “fake” about it though.
Tanya recently posted..Finally a Customer Reviews & Testimonials Plugin for WordPress
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Tanya. Thanks for sharing your two cents! I’m certain you are a genuinely nice blogger – I know I am too… at the same time we all have ulterior motives often the drive to make money (when it comes to blogging) for that reason I wrote this article. Though we are nice people, bloggers often come across like car salesmen… I wonder how often this is the case (since we will never know!). I know I’m friendly, but I’ll also often say what I need to in order to generate backlinks or sales. Well does that make me a faker? Guess that’s the question now isn’t it.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Fifteen Great Blog Engage Personalities And Their Best Articles
Twitter: bbrian017
I can’t sit here and say I didn’t start blog engage for the money because I did. Truth is I started online by creating forums and it was originally to make money. I have 3 webmaster forums a few non blog related websites and then I started blog engage. Naturally it was to make money like all my previous webmaster sites and website development.
When I first started online I was actually making websites to sell. This eventually stopped being profitable and I started working on community oriented websites. I loved your example about Brankica’s article and it’s so true. When someone talks on a personal level about a bad experience people do attack and I guess we do have to be nice all the time. I’ve never noticed that but you seem to be correct.
Slandering a product, service or person is bad and that is wrong but simply stating your experiences shouldn’t be taken as a personal attack it’s called freedom of speech. I”m just talking in general as this can happen to anyone online.
Regarding your final question, I would refer the individual to both programs in hopes they do have success with mine as well. You can never predict that individuals future or other projects they may have on the go specific to your affiliate websites.
By the way Daniel I would love to see you joining us at Affiliate Lights I think you would have great potential
Thanks for the guest post and best of luck in the contest.
bbrian017 recently posted..I reached minimum payout with Affiliate Lights
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Brian! Thanks for being honest about the making money thing… of course it’s not a wrong or unacceptable motivation – but sometimes bloggers deny that is their goal, they come across as buddy buddy and friendly, whilst promoting poor products and leaving comments without even reading articles (I even heard of a blogger recently who was exposed for leaving the same comment on dozens of blogs!).
I’m with you on referring the individual to both programs – and actually that’s exactly what I did do (I never really said either way what I did in my article, I just said I made the right choice!)
Too funny about joining affiliate lights (I mean I’d like to do it!) it’s just hilarious that you ask me at the end of this post, cuz I was just joking about bloggers leaving comments like that. But I think it’s great!
thanks for the opportunity to submit here as always. Cheers!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Blog Engage 2011 Contest- Let’s Get Going!
Twitter: bbrian017
I would much prefer waking up every morning and working with blog engage and it’s members then making sales calls. I wish my websites were profitable enough to start working from home but I’m just not there yet. I honestly think the affiliate lights program is a step in the right direction to start increasing my online income.
bbrian017 recently posted..I reached minimum payout with Affiliate Lights
Twitter: Daniel
Brian it is also my dream to work from home and earn a sufficient income online to support my family… WE will get there eventually. I think we are both aware that there is no get rich overnight scheme in the online world, it takes hard work and time. Right now I consider myself to still be learning. When I feel a little more comfortable and secure I have some money I’ll be ready to spend in order to start making more in return. I’ve just signed up for affiliate lights and will try to implement some of the links later today. Thanks Brian!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Stop the CRTC from allowing Internet Metering in Canada
Twitter: buyrightstocks
What I have learnt is that we as bloggers should be our self (if we should not pretend to be nice if we are not) but we must still be careful since our writing is available around the world.
Dana recently posted..Motorola XOOM- An Android 30 Honeycomb powered Tablet PC
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Dana! Being ourselves is great – if a person can be true to themselves… something that is not just true about the online world but in every aspect of ones life. Being conscious of what we’re saying is important, too many people write unsure of what really motivates them. Thanks for the comment Dana!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Blog Engage 2011 Contest- Let’s Get Going!
Twitter: bbrian017
That’s a good point Dana. At times it’s hard to be our selves. Take me and blog engage for example. I might not like many of the blogs submitted here but I still allow them to enjoy using our community site. I guess this is why it’s hard to be a community website owner and trying to stay non bias as possible lol. On the same note I do stay true to what I believe and if I feel a website has no potential to benefit our members I will not allow it. This is normally due to poor content quality or pop up ads etc…
bbrian017 recently posted..I reached minimum payout with Affiliate Lights
Twitter: buyrightstocks
Yeah, Community website/blog may be an exception. However, still, I think we can show our true self in there.
Dana recently posted..BlackBerry OS 6′s Universal Search
Twitter: Daniel
This is great, exactly the kind of conversation I was after with an article like this. I think I would find myself very frustrated if I happened to be the owner of blog engage. It helps me relate to why people censor and veto stuff all the time. I must admit I’ve been disappointed at times with the quality of submissions to blog engage (though they are not being published, thankfully!) and have thought if I was the owner these guys would be outta here. Thanks for reminding me Brian that it is best to remain unbiased and give everyone a fair opportunity. What doesn’t appeal to me, may certainly appeal to others.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Achieving Success with Google Adsense
Twitter: Ileane
Hey Daniel, what a great topic for us to discuss here at Blog Engage!
In general I’m a nice person and most people consider me as friendly, so naturally that carries over to my interactions with people online. That doesn’t mean I can’t get an “attitude” when something pisses me off.
Most of the time I tend to shy away from negative reviews or posting controversial topics intentionally on my blog. It’s not that I’m not being “true to my inner-self” or anything like that, it’s just that I’d rather present the more “positive aspects” of blogging to my readers. Now, on the other hand, when I’m on a forum that’s my chance to let it all out and give folks the pros and cons – or in some cases just the “cons” of a product or service. LOL! Sometimes I think it would be fun to set up a blog dedicated to slamming all the negative features of each and every website I run across. Wouldn’t that be a hoot!??
Good luck in the contest Daniel and thanks for the link love:)
Ileane recently posted..StumbleUpon Tops My Traffic Charts
Twitter: Daniel
Hello Ileane, thanks for the visit!
You are a nice and friendly person. It’s interesting to hear that you reserve some of your more direct ‘let loose’ info in forums rather than on your blog. I can understand that actually since I really want my blog to be a positive place as well… I struggle with that cause I want to share the truth about some things with people (like for instance my post on MyLikes and how it is just garbage advertisers lately), of course sharing my opinion and being a sour negative person don’t have to be one and the same.
I have had the same idea about a website just for slamming products, I think it may be TOO fun and might bring out the worst in people.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..What happened to MyLikes A frustrated review
Twitter: bbrian017
I can easily agree with what Ileane is saying. Not only is she one of the nicesest bloggers I have ever meet but also with adding a negative review on her blog. Myself however I would have no problems doing so as most of you might know from my past articles on the pligg communiy and their poor management. It’s such a hard decision because you never know what the out come will be or the responce from the online community.
bbrian017 recently posted..I reached minimum payout with Affiliate Lights
Twitter: Daniel
I’m certainly glad to meet all these bloggers who have no problem sharing their honest opinions on products and services. I too feel I want to be a positive and encouraging voice on the web, and not known as someone who is bitter and frustrated with all the scams and garbage – at the same time I feel a responsibility to inform and educate. This is a challenge, staying positive (not necessarily nice) and sharing negative information….
Daniel Snyder recently posted..10 Social Voting Networks for Bloggers
Twitter: dragonblogger
When I review products I am very honest and open about flaws or qualities that either are not effective or not sufficient, but I do my reviews by providing feedback and recommendations instead of just blatant distaste and hate. After all, what good is just bashing something without providing some constructive recommendations on what you think should be done instead. I have not used MarketMeSuite but echo’d your dislike about MyLikes in my own article which shared similar frustrations but included what I think MyLikes needs to do to improve.
Honesty and reputation are key for bloggers, you can’t promote products you don’t believe in, but you can’t blatantly bash products as well without being tactful in how you provide criticism. This risks not only alienating the company, parent company but if other companies see how blatantly you can slam another company they may not want to work with you. Either way unless you use professionalism, it risks your reputation all around from a readers perspective and advertisers perspective. Unless your blogging “persona” is built around “blatant honesty and disrespect” it works for some bloggers much like it does for some radio show personalities.
Justin Germino recently posted..3 Fatal Reasons Why Your Fanpage is a Funeral Home
Twitter: Daniel
Thanks Justin your advice to offer tips for improvement is brilliant. It of course will give a responsible viewpoint for reviewing products/services rather than just a negative opinion. Bloggers can have great influence and if we share our advice for improvements publicly then perhaps developers will listen! I agree with what you said about how some radio personalities have built their persona around negativity and disrespect – it may have worked for them, but it’s not an area I’m going to touch!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..What happened to MyLikes A frustrated review
Twitter: bigfeetmktg
Honestly, Daniel, I’m much nicer online than I am face-to-face.
In the online world, I have time to think about what I really want to say rather than having said something before I put any thought into it. I love sarcasm, and it’s difficult to keep my tongue bridled. This has led to me hurting people’s feelings unintentionally.
If you try hard enough, you can find the good in almost anything or anyone. It’s been harder for some bloggers than others, but I try to find something nice to say or add something that will continue on the conversation they started in their post.
Is this faking it? Maybe, but I look at being nice as an action and not a feeling. Just because I want to make a snide remark about the ten misspelled words in their posts, doesn’t mean holding that thought back and complimenting them on their point instead is fake.
When I review something, I give both the good and the bad. If I truly thinks it sucks then I just won’t write about it. What’s the point? Unless you’re in the business of writing reviews, how does that benefit your site? Protecting your readers? Wouldn’t it be better to write a great review on something they could benefit from rather than give them another problem without a solution?
I have no issues at all recommending what I think is best for someone. Whether I make money on that recommendation or not doesn’t factor into my decision. Yes, that sounds pious; however, you did ask the question.
Brad Harmon recently posted..When that Guest Post Isn’t so Original
Twitter: Daniel
Brad, very interesting… and I appreciate your honesty, I actually think this is the kind of thought provoking discussion I was trying to inspire with a post like this. My thinking was running somewhere along the lines of just that (I too am certainly much nicer online than in real life… just ask my family, hahaha). Just like Justin you agree that sharing only about problems and not giving solutions is not productive, and I think this is fantastic advice… your readers will most definitely benefit from good reviews or suggestions on how to improve things, rather than negative feedback on products that just annoyed you.
It sounds to me like you’ve got a solid grasp on how a blogger should conduct themselves, and you don’t feel like your compromising your own integrity. This is the essence of being poised for success online! Congratulations. Thanks for sharing, your last paragraph summed it up perfectly for me.
Twitter: liveurlove
Hey Daniel,
thanks for the mention.
I had no intention to piss anyone off with the review or create enemies. Some people took it too far in the comments making it personal and slamming me for the review with some really nasty words.
I am actually OK with that. But instead of doing that, if it was my product, I would go and fix it instead of trashing people.
I think that good customer service is seeing what the problem was and fixing it. Because the best review you can ever get is from a person you “convert” from “hater to lover”. So instead of trashing me, they should have found solutions for what I said didn’t work and the stuff I didn’t like.
Again, I really didn’t mean to create all that fuss, just felt like saying it in open manner what I thought about the product. There was this feature for example that works and I had no problems with it But I think it looks bad and I don’t like it. So I said it, I don’t like it. But everything was taken out of the contest to create bad feelings between me and another blogger.
Something I would never think people would fall for. But…
I guess I wanted to say that there were no bad intentions in the post but I am not sorry for sharing my honest opinion. I had problems with it and I didn’t like it. I wrote my opinion and end of story.
What really made my day was seeing so many people agreeing with me.
@Brad Harmon, I don’t think I wrote a review to “benefit my site”, and yes, I do think I protected some of my readers. Everyone has a mind for themselves. They still might go and buy it. They might love it. But I think it is a fair thing to say if you don’t like something instead of just being quiet.
However, I do understand what you wanted to say, makes a lot of sense.
@Ileane, you are a genuinely nice person and I was always worried not to annoy you with all my questions I had thru all these months of knowing you, lol.
Great post Daniel, and my last thought is that bloggers should speak their mind what ever that brings!
Brankica recently posted..Wanna play a game The contest is ON
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Brankica, thanks for dropping in and sharing your thoughts! I agree bloggers should speak their mind. Blogging is complex, there are various types of bloggers, there are those who run blogs to interact with people and share information and there are those who blog in niche sites just to sell products and make money and there are many types in between. My impression with blogging is that one will almost always have to wear a different hat at times to succeed at their goals… this can at times be seen as being fake – but it is a means to an end that is effecting and something that can only be done online. Online I can build a niche site, harvest some content from around the web and claim to be an expert, but I could never open a store and do that in real life successfully. The essence of anonymity, and this is why I struggle somewhat with being fake at times… but is it wrong? Not really, especially if I’m providing a valuable service.
I’m glad I have info carnivore to be myself at! People appreciate that and they get to know me for who I really am. Thanks for your feedback!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..What happened to MyLikes A frustrated review
Twitter: AlisonMSmith
The post title intrigued me because it presumes a position that isn’t true. It assumes genuine and nice go together and/or that bloggers are generally trying to appear “nice.” I’m not.
My response got so long that it ended up being a post on it’s own (don’t think you wanted an 800+ word response).
If you care to read it, it’s here:
Why Barbara Boxer Doesn’t Deserve Niceness
Thanks for the though-provoking post!
Alison Moore Smith recently posted..Why Can’t I Sleep
Twitter: Daniel
Alison! Most excellent, I’m so glad I inspired you and am jumping over to read that article shortly. Thanks for the “post response”, it’s really neat to see an article responded to in this manner. I’m appreciate that you can be honest about not feeling the need to “appear nice”, that’s great… and with that level of honesty people will appreciate you all the more!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Fast- Free music downloads straight from google
Twitter: kirapermunian
Hi there Daniel, I like your post. It made me feel guilty of being a faker because I have to with the nature of my job – SEO. I’m not saying that I am not real, in blogging I am the real me but when it comes to my job I used different names. And you know sometimes being a faker also pays! But I can always tell a blogger who writes with a certain amount of authority and sincerity.
As of now what’s important to me is the spirit of blogging in the post, just like your post. It should be fun. It should be social. It should be rewarding. It may be hard-hitting, but it’s always a journey.
Thanks Daniel, I am grateful with your post.
kirapermunian recently posted..Facebook Likes to Power Up SEO
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Kira, I can relate to what you’re saying in a way. I can understand how SEO may require a person to be a faker at times – or does it? Perhaps there are successful methods of undertaking SEO that don’t require aliases or faking at all. I’m no SEO expert, but I know what you are talking about is not unusual at all. I’m glad the article inspired you, and I appreciate your response!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Fifteen Great Blog Engage Personalities And Their Best Articles
Twitter: maddencorner
You hit the nail on the head with this one. I was just thinking about this over the last 2 or 3 weeks. I am a genuinely nice blogger and about technology. I don’t write about things that I don’t use or do myself. I’ve been a techie for as long as I can remember. When people have problems or they’re thinking about buying something they normally call me for advice. For me, blogging is still living by the golden rule. Treat others as you would wish to be treated.
A. Tatum recently posted..Are Your Search Results Protected
Twitter: Daniel
Hello Alvin! Maddencorner! yeah, I’m with you treat others as you’d like to be treated! This is so true, and one thing that has always annoyed me about You Tube (you ever notice how brutal the comments are there?)
Writing about things you do and use gives you an angle that others may not have, experience and expertise! This is valuable information to your readers so sharing it with them is the nicest thing you can do, sharing what you know is being genuine!
Many bloggers will run niche sites and claim to be experts, when they have know personal knowledge of the product and are simply harvesting content from the web. Is this wrong? I’m certainly thinking it’s not, it’s an effective way of marketing that the web has given us.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Achieving Success with Google Adsense
Twitter: debudeodhar
Yeah! It is “really to think” question about one’s power of creative imagination. From couple of years I am very close to blog media. In fact, I have started it as passion to explore my writing skills. Many times I have faced hurdles but without stopping by I moved ahead. Certainly, the word “GENUINE” itself explore the importance what you have explain here with. Thanx a lot to open up such eye opening pieces at this platform.
Aniruddha recently posted..Bad Credit Loan – Your Dreams Come True
Twitter: Daniel
Aniruddha, thanks for commenting, and I’m certainly glad this article inspired you to think deeper about being ‘genuine’. Have a great one!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Blog Engage 2011 Contest- Let’s Get Going!
Twitter: Blognetworking
Hi Daniel,
I agree with your viewpoint and I congratulate Brankica for writing that article. As bloggers, we need to write truth, don’t urge your readers to buy something unless it is really useful.
I do have a question for you : I write sponsored reviews (through Social Spark) about different sites (that are free – of course). Before, I write a review, I do look at different sites that are related to this site (Google Search is a useful tool for this). Can this situation be considered as a “integrity selling decision” ?
I try to be honest as I can (and I think I am honest, especially in blogging). I wouldn’t write a review of a product unless I have used it (don’t consider the case of twitter advertising here)
I used to use Mylikes for Twitter, but now, I don’t use it due to the wide spreading spam ads (Nowadys, I used Sponsored Tweets).
Anyway, that’s all I have to say about Blogging Integrity. And thank you for the awesome article, Daniel !
jeevanjacobjohn recently posted..What a project can teach you about blogging
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Jeevan! You bring up an interesting point about writing what is useful. What is useful to one person may not be to another. For me I took a post like Brankica’s (the example here, thanks Brankica! :-$) and found it useful as a warning, it’s a tool I could potentially be interested in and since I trust her opinion I would no longer consider it, hence, useful content. For others that may not be useful, but it certainly doesn’t mean she should of avoided writing that article!
Jeevan your question is excellent – sponsored posts are a classic example of showcasing whether a blogger has integrity or not. Are you taking every offer that comes your way? Or are you specifically only taking products/offers you believe in and that fit into your blogs niche? I took an offer that I shouldn’t have and it doesn’t look right on my site – people ask why did you write about that? And when the only answer is “because I got paid to.” you sound like a sell out with no integrity and no genuine concern for what your offering your readers!
Thanks for chatting.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Stop the CRTC from allowing Internet Metering in Canada
Twitter: netchunks
Well as for me, I have always been what I am in the real world in the blogging world. Blogging for me started out as an experiment, I have always been trying to learn about new things in the online world and Blogging too started as one of them. I cam to know that I could make money only later on in my blogging life. Through out I have been helping all my friend bloggers with all their queries and comments. Well, ya certain times some people can become to irritating when you help them ..In our own native language we have a phrase for that “When you give them a finger, they try to swallow the whole fist”. Many people tend to go on irritate you when you start helping them, they would go on asking help for each and every things, even things that they can themselves solve. So it is preferable to be helpful but not excessively.
It is really important not to “pretend” being nice or being bad, you just need to be you when you are blogging. Well commenting because I need a link, Yes I have done that a lot of times but most of the times I have read the post and added value to that post. I would rather not comment than to comment without knowing the context. As for writing posts about the negative or positive if a business or product, I write whatever is my thoughts about that product. If it has shortcoming I write all of that, If it is good I tell about that, there is nothing that If I am promoting a product I need to write good about it. Also like you, I would rather recommend a free plugin to the person if it fits him/her more than the premium one
Shiva recently posted..How To Increase Affiliate Sales
Twitter: Daniel
Haha, we say “when you give an inch they take a mile!”, I like your version of the saying very much. Shiva, thanks for your thoughts. It looks like you have a pretty solid handle on what kind of blogger you are and how you want to be perceived. When a blogger establishes these sorts of ‘boundaries’ for themselves they are sure to be liked and succeed since they aren’t bouncing all over the place uncertain of how to be. Be yourself! Awesome comment, thanks man.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..How Can I stay safe on a Torrent Site
Twitter: netchunks
Lol ya the same thing…I translated what is said in our native language to English…sounds funny right. lol Thanks for replying back.
Shiva recently posted..How To Improve Alexa Ranking
For me it’s simple. I am being genuine if I am having fun writing. If I am not having fun, that probably means I am writing something dull and boring and obviously not being me.
Twitter: Daniel
Hey David! Good and simple rule of thumb, thanks for sharing that. Now that proves challenging when writing content for a client doesn’t it? Sometimes you don’t always believe in what you’re writing, or do you? What about niche creation and promotion of products that may not be ‘too exciting’ but are certainly important and generate income. You can still be yourself when writing this stuff? Yes, I think so.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..What is the most popular web content of all time
Twitter: TemplateFaerie
Great article, Daniel! I really enjoy reading it!
When I first created my blog, it was going to be a basic blogging tips sort of blog, with tutorials and templates and such. But then I realized that not only was that boring for me, but it’s overdone, so I decided to change direction and post my opinions and advice. I still plan to have templates, I just haven’t gotten around that that.
On my blog, I can be critical and I often post about controversial topics, but that’s what my blog is about. I thoroughly enjoy writing about the things I do, and it wouldn’t be the same if I wrote things just to make my readers like me. If my readers like what I have to say, that’s great, but if not, that’s fine too, because I write for myself. It’s not that I like to pick people and things apart—I would never do that. I simply give my honest opinion, and I happen to have a lot to complain about. 
I try to be friendly and helpful on social networks, and while I don’t have all the time in the world to sit in front of the computer, I try to leave a valuable comment on articles I enjoy (like this one!). If all I have to say is “nice article”, I don’t comment at all.
Sarah recently posted..Why You Shouldnt Use Disqus Comments
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Sarah, thanks for your response and sorry I delayed in writing back to you! When I read your comment and see your blog I get the immediate impression that you are who you say you are. A lot of the bloggers I’ve known that give you the impression they’re all talk or ‘fakers’ seem to disappear soon after they pop on the seen (I could list so many names!) … you’re avatar reveals you as a friendly person as you say as well. Thanks for sharing!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..You think your keywords are ranking well- but are they really
Twitter: moonheart85
Hi at first I want to say thank you to Daniel for informing me about this post. Well guys I want to say thanks to all of my blogger friend who encourage me in my work. I start my online marketing journey from blogging and all the great blogger guys really help me lots lots. Well I do not know if I am a genuine blogger or not, but I just want to say that blogging was the turning point of my career. I do not get much time for blogging, but I always ready to help people if I can.
Thanks
Twitter: Daniel
Well Chandan, I’m glad I was able to share this with you and that you found it somewhat valuable! Bloggers are often consumed by information and fail to STOP and take in some deeper issues – such as this, how real are you being? It’s bloggers that can stop and make you think that really add value to our online experience. Brian the owner of blog engage here has always been someone that made me stop and consider my online relationships as a priority over my ‘busy blogging schedule’. I write articles like this to help bloggers take a moment and consider things like integrity, and being who they really are! Thanks for your feedback.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Twitter: blokube
Hi Daniel,
Fantastic post man and thanks for submitting it on Blokube.
What an awesome discussion is going here. Daniel, you did great work in explaining every point.
I like the point of “Be True To Yourself” and i think that is what makes a blogger stand out.
Brankica, did great work on doing that awesome review about Marketmesuite and being honest.
Anyways, Thanks for sharing this awesome post and good luck.
Have a great weekend.
~Dev
Devesh recently posted..Why Your Blog Needs a LinkedIn Page
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Dev! Yeah will Blokube is a rocking community too! Honestly in all my backlinking travels of late (as I’m building niche blogs now) my experience with social networks it that the good ones are far and few between – blokube and blogengage both ROCK! Anyway, I’m glad that I was able to get you to think of and remember how important it is online to “Be true to yourself”, as you say it is certainly what makes a blogger STAND OUT! Thanks for your comment and support!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Great article Daniel! I would have to say that no matter the reason for a person to blog, they need to be genuine in their purpose. With such a variety of blogs and subject matters , you will run into a variety of reasons for blogging. Whether it is business or for hobby there is a purpose for it. Now I am guessing that if you are looking for a specif subject you will know before hand just what you may run into. So, if your going to say for instance, a blog on Affiliate Marketing, you may see an offer or two. It is a good thing I think that the mood of the blog switch things up! I recently did an article “Affiliate Products And Those OTO’s which raised a few eyebrows! So my advise, switch things up. Let people see both sides of you through your article writings!
Ken McDaniel recently posted..Affiliate Products And Those OTO’s
Twitter: Daniel
Ken, thanks for your input. I agree as their as so many approaches and varieties in blogging – my blog engage personality and writing style (including that on my main blog at info carnivore), does not always line up precisely with the way I communicate on my niche sites. That doesn’t mean I’m being fake though, it’s just a different side of me coming out. I would never lie, or manipulate for a sale, I want to give facts and truth and as much hard evidence as I can. There’s a lot of bloggers out there launching niche sites however that will say anything just to get the sale. And that to me is unfortunate.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Twitter: andrewrondeau
Daniel
I have many clients and there is no need to fake it. I do tell my clients that making an income via blogging takes a lot of effort and time and I only recommend tools / products that will help them…whether they are free or not.
I can see those that are desperate to start making some money would sell their ‘Granny’…if they could get a good price.
Andrew
Andrew recently posted..4 Surefire Ways to Stimulate Comments and Increase Your Blog Dialogue
Twitter: Daniel
Yes! a successful blogger who admits there is simply NO need to fake it! Andrew, more people need to hear this message, because to many bloggers think they need to pretend and be someone they’re not in order to be successful. Being desperate may not be a good starting point for a blogger, but being yourself certainly is. Thanks for your feedback!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Twitter: robertbravery
Congrats so far on being #1 in the guest blogger contest. It was a great and competitive article. One that cust right to the bone. Hopefully I’m not a fake, but the real deal.
Robert Bravery recently posted..Its No Joke Its Personal Now
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Robert! I’m not sure that I’m “ranked #1″
I was just the first entrant in the contest. Haha… We’ll find out how all the bloggers in the contest place within a couple weeks now!
You’ll know if you’re a faker or not. We all just have to be honest with ourselves. But if your desire is to be a genuine blogger, you probably will be.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Twitter: MavisNong
Hi Daniel,
Interesting topic. I believe in being yourself instead of being someone you’re not. As for the products/tools, recommend what works best and what is giving you great results.
Thanks for sharing.
All the best,
Mavis
Mavis Nong recently posted..Blogging Schedule – Where is Attraction Marketing Online Headed
Twitter: Daniel
Mavis, thanks for the visit here. Your simple response is the foundation for blogging integrity. However too many people are recommending products they’ve never even used… this for me is a problem, and one reason a lot of the web has a reputation for providing wrong information. When money is what drives you some people will say anything!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!
Twitter: tomshark
Daniel, I’m definitely motivated to make money with my blog, but I know that most people who actually read my blog know whether I’m misdirecting them or not so I don’t write about things I don’t have first hand experience with. Being genuine is often easy to detect even by a stranger and in my opinion that is a sign of good writing, or as you say be true to yourself. When a stranger posts a comment I figure I’m on to something.
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Twitter: Daniel
Hi Tom, it has been encouraging for me to hear that so many bloggers are only interested in promoting products they have personal experience with and are genuine about their product recommendations.
I appreciate your feedback here! Thanks for the thoughts.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: problogsuccess
Hi Dan,
Excellent. You have brought up some personal ethics here. I too read that post of Brankica and to write such a post, you need some guts. Ya. However even if you don’t write about the truth, it is FAR better to not to write a fake testimonial just to make some affiliate sales.
And, with being true to oneself – I just can’t imagine how to teach/preach/recommend something to people without me having practiced the same concept or tried that product.
You have touched some very sensitive and vital aspect in the blogosphere.
You deserve to win, Dan. My support to you.
Cheers,
Jane.
Jane | Find All Answers recently posted..How I Managed To Get My Posts Featured On A-List Blogs
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Jane! What you bring up is the primary underlying issue that I was attempting to (subtly) address in this article: there is a lot of bloggers who are writing fake testimonials to make affiliate sales (I shouldn’t stereotype this as bloggers, but rather as marketers or website owners in general), guilty of writing whatever will get a sale. Are you genuine or fake, is a serious question – that those who want to be successful must consider!
Thanks for your support and comment Jane!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..You think your keywords are ranking well- but are they really
Twitter: adriennesmith40
Hi Daniel,
Well, I am genuinely a nice person so when I read a post I like I will definitely leave a comment. I started on my blog hopping journey to initially get more traffic to my site but soon found out that I was learning a lot from my new found blogging friends. I am very appreciative of how much they have gone out of their way to show me support and offer me help.
I do know that there will be those who are only doing this for the backlinks so I like to think that there aren’t as many of those types of people. I like to think that…
I also think that you should voice your opinion but stay true to yourself. Like I agreed with Brankica’s rank on the MarketMeSuite product mainly because I felt the same way. We won’t all like the products that are out there so I believe people should either go with recommendations from people that they know, like and trust or just try the product out themselves and let them form their own opinions. She was talking about a product and not any one person in particular so I believe bloggers should stay true to what they believe and not be afraid to voice their opinions.
So those are my thoughts on this particular subject and thanks for sharing this with us. This really is a good question and one I would hope the majority of bloggers out there are being real with their comments. All I know is that I am so I guess that’s what’s important.
Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted..Triberr- The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Adrienne. I suspect a lot of the more experienced bloggers begin to see through those comments which are left only for backlinks. In addition there are the bloggers out there who are braggadocios and seem to have a lot to say about a lot of thing but no real substance to any of it. These are the things I’m referring to, and your comment is a great encouragement. There are so many friendly bloggers out there who are willing to go out of their way to help others, and are genuine about the products they use and the products they recommend.
In Brankica’s case I too was supportive of her as her article was directly written about a product. I’ve written multiples of articles about products that left a bad taste in my mouth or didn’t perform as expected, though mine haven’t (yet) generated the controversy Brankica’s did, I still commend her for speaking her mind. Why people respond with such defense to things such as that is beyond my understanding?
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: togrulguliyev
Well,
I guess I’m a nice blogger, noone would say heor she’s a fake blogger. Everyone has a motivation – some blog it for money, some does it as a hobby and some does it just to help others.
I guess I can put relate myself to all three of these categories.
I liked your post, makes you think.
Cheers,
Togrul
This article shows the struggle and hard work the author did. I got a lot of information from it. I hate Fake bloggers, Spammers etc. There should be a strict law for them… Thanks for providing us great article.
Wijdan Rohail recently posted..Tips and Links to get more traffic alongwith Like and Followers
Twitter: rumblinglankan
In the end its about being comfortable with what you are doing. If you get a guilty feeling after writing a fake or partial review then you shouldn’t be doing it. It also depends on the visitors of your blog as well, if you are getting regular visitors who trust you then you feel more guilty writing about something like that. One reason I like to stick with niche sites
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Twitter: Daniel
Nishadha, thanks for your comment here. I agree with you completely – if you are aware of yourself, and know who you are, you’ll also know when you shouldn’t be writing something or when you’re not being honest. Thanks for sharing!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: lahesha
Great post Daniel! I am honest in sharing that I started to blog because I wanted to create a “brand” around my name in something that I am genuinely excited about, helping people succeed in life and in their careers…however, the more you are exposed to this blogging realm, the more you see topics and sites about how to MAKE MONEY from it, or how to SELL advertisment, etc. so it can be a NATURAL reaction to probe a lil deeper into that niche. I’ve created my adsense account and whatnot, however, I don’t aspire to be a “make money blogger”, if it adds a few dollars to my account – that’s great, but that’s not a direction I want to go.
I’m on record saying though, that I am grateful for the money making bloggers, it’s because of one of them I FINALLY understood what adsense was and the best way to use it!
I’m all genuine!
Lahesha recently posted..The NEW Career Tips Blog Carnival
Twitter: Daniel
Lahesha, Thank you for your feedback. Blogging is a fantastic way to brand yourself. There aren’t a lot of bloggers like yourself who are simply not at all concerned with $$$ figures. Attaching a blog to an already established business would be a great way to blog and be honest about things. It’s unfortunate but I think all too often when bloggers put money before their passions, it is too easy to start saying whatever one can to make the quick buck. Thanks for your sharing here!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: vinayagaonline
I agree with your points Daniel, I like this quote by Henry Ford “The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed”. Money could be the main factor to joining in blogging but as long as value, useful services and information provided they deserved to be rewarded. Law of universe
Rammesh Perumal recently posted..Top Ways to Make Money And Become A Super Affiliate
Twitter: vinayagaonline
I agree with you Daniel. I like this quotes by Henry Ford “The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed.” Its doesn’t matter what motivated someone to be a blogger, but he deserve to rewarded as long as he provide value useful information and services. Law of universe
Rammesh Perumal recently posted..Top Ways to Make Money And Become A Super Affiliate
Twitter: Daniel
Rammesh. Brilliant quote, great response. Thanks for sharing that. Attitude is everything isn’t it. It isn’t really about ‘how you blog’ but rather more about who you are, and your general outlook on life. Thanks for sharing!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: theeupperhand
Hola Daniel, great article and I appreciate your invitation to comment. There are a lot of words of wisdom in the comments here too.
I would side on being a genuine blogger. My main reason for starting my blog was to help others in similar situations. Hoping that my story, and my view or suggestions, on how to deal with certain personal matters can inspire others to think outside the box and react differently to harassment and abuse, has truly turned out better than I expected.
Money is not everything to me. People are far more important, and the relationships I have forged through blogging. I have met so many genuine bloggers in this, and I can see a *faker* coming. Those who are good bloggers will guest post for each other, provide constructive ideas and support, and reciprocate.
Although one day I do plan to make an income from my blog, perhaps by offering up some excellent e-Books and maybe a member forum, first I have to figure out how to make untraceable income! It is a little more technical than I thought it would be. Hiding from a psychopathic stalker can be done, I know that, but I have to learn a bit more about making money on the internet without it tracing back to my real self first. When I figure that out, I will post a story about it too.
I also live by the phrase, if you cannot say anything nice, then dont say it at all! Constructive feedback is what I am open to, not a bunch of endless ranting or personal attacks. Had enough of that in my past life, so if one wants to be a genuine blogger, its important to know how to be a good friend too. Two way street.
Cheers,
Flora
Flora Loveday recently posted..Massachusetts State Resources for Stalking- Harassment and Abuse Victims
Twitter: Daniel
Hi Flora. Interesting comments you have there, I’d be curious about knowing more about this untraceable income.
… in any case it is continuing to encourage me to hear how many bloggers have posted here that money isn’t everything, and that they are simply passionate about blogging! I agree with you about being constructive, too much that people say online is motivated by childish emotions rather than a mature outlook which seeks to encourage and contribute. Thanks for your contribution!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Hey Daniel,what a nice topic
I hate it when people comment “nice post” just for a backlink so what I do is I remove their link but let the comment stay 
I would say i’m a genuine blogger because through my blog I would like my thoughts to reach many people and in that process if I could earn something,its great,but blogging is not all about money for me.
And yeah I am friendly and I help my fellow bloggers,if they ask for a comment I don’t randomly comment “nice post” or something like that,i go through the post and see to it that what I comment is something related to the topic
Twitter: Daniel
Another great blogger who says it’s NOT all about the money.
good stuff Amogh! Thanks for being friendly and helpful even here by sharing your thoughts with the community. I’m with you on the cheap comments left just for a backlink. Thanks for your feedback man!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Founders of triberr sound off on the services early success
Twitter: sfihomebizz
Congrats on winning the contest, Daniel. Excellent post. I must admit sincerely that since some time I have been not regular on my blog due to one reason or other. So I do not know whether I am genuine blogger or faker. But certainly I do not like comments mentioning just nice post.
Whether we all are here to make money, to make friends and share information or both, blogging is an excellent job and hobby through which we all give and share useful information. I especially liked the last paragraph in the article that mentions you recommending a free product or a paid product that will can get you a commission. After all blogging is mainly about sharing true information. You are a true blogger and I salute you. You truly deserved to win the contest. Keep it up. But next contest you are going to get competition from me too.
Kavita recently posted..Do you make money blogging without spending a dime
Twitter: Daniel
Thanks for your honesty Kavita. You know a blogger like yourself who just says it like it is, and isn’t trying to portray themselves as someone they are not is a great person to have around the blogosphere! Too many bloggers want to ‘appear’ like they are A-Listers when clearly they are not. There is far too much lying about earnings, and marketing tactics that should not be used in the blogosphere. Thanks for sharing!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..A Thousand Dollars For Blogging Your Heart Out
Twitter: osvme
I am generally nice on my blog, but then again I do not blog about stuff like HOW TO DO THIS OR THAT. I do some posts where I voice my opinion on things, but when I do that I am very honest and sometimes come off as mean or not nice.
But that’s just me!
Jenny recently posted..It’s Haunted!
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Jenny! Better to be mean and honest, then a total liar. People like reading honest opinions (especially if they agree with them) and not everyone sees everything the same way, so we need your voice in the blogosphere. Thanks for being true to yourself!
Daniel Snyder recently posted..A Thousand Dollars For Blogging Your Heart Out
i really appreciate this.i am full time blogger,currently i have running many blogs.but my 5 blogs are best for me.i am earning from adsense too.really great experience with blogging.
Latest Punjabi Music recently posted..Jimmy Sheirgills Forth Coming Movie DHARTI Ticket Booking
Twitter: Daniel
Okay. Looks like you missed the point bro! Just the fact that your comment name is a keyword phrase shows that you are not a genuine blogger. You are probably a faker. Your comment also suggests you didn’t even read the article. And who cares if you’re earning from adsense, we aren’t even discussing that here. FAIL! Looks like ‘latest punjabi music’ was just after a backlink. My point is demonstrated. Thank you.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..A Thousand Dollars For Blogging Your Heart Out
Twitter: bodynsoil
I like your blog post and I am not just saying that for the backlink..
In the health and fitness arena we have this same conversation but it is more about what would you say to someone who spoke highly of their health/fitness plan when it obviously had huge holes in it. Would you be a casual friend and say the plan sounded great and wished them well or would you be a good friend and suggest a few things to make it better. Of course with a close friend, the type that you can really speak openly without repercussions, would be able to tell you it was all bunk and still get a hug in the end.
I am glad that you have blogger integrity and advised the commenter in the right direction. In the end it is word of mouth that brings people back and when people think you are driving by the almighty buck then that is a huge turn off for anyone.
BodynSoil recently posted..Contest- BlogEngage is giving away up to 3000
Twitter: Daniel
Hey, thanks for your feedback. It’s good to see that people can recognize this issue transcends blogging. Certainly this is a life issue that all of us need to grapple with at some point in our journey. Thanks for your thoughts.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..A Thousand Dollars For Blogging Your Heart Out
I think that bloggers tend to either too positive or too negative – because saying a product/service is mediocre isn’t really very interesting to read. Plus if you don’t have strong opinions one way or the other you would probably have never started writing a particular post anyway …
Sam recently posted..Knife Block
Twitter: Daniel
Hey Sam, I’m with you there. Bloggers love extremes, since it is those extremes that get them noticed (whether you agree or disagree). Strong opinions make the world and the blogosphere go round. Thanks for your feedback.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..The Future of Computing: Cloudy with a chance of showers
Wow, provocative post. I blog to further my career as a writer in the technology sector. In this case, I’m really not sure how ‘nice’ factors into the equation. I believe I’m a nice person. Which I suppose makes me a ‘nice’ blogger. It’s somewhat akin to asking if someone is a nice doctor or a nice taxi driver. You can’t compartmentalize your personality and your work.
Ruth Zive recently posted..Getting Customer Consent for Case Studies – 5 Easy Tips
Twitter: CCelli73
Hi there:)! I think you’ve made an important point about being genuinely nice! For me personally, I think it’s a fine line between being nice or wishy washy. I don’t mince words when it comes to my opinions, but I also don’t make it a point to be rude to people. You’ll never gain readers if you are rude to them. People don’t like being talked down to or insulted.
What I always try to present is a learning tool that could be useful to my readers. It’s about sharing my experience and knowledge to help salespeople become better. I get tired of sales being looked down on, like we’re all out to get people. There are some great salespeople out there, who really care about their clients. I don’t think it could hurt me to help other people learn how to be better. I’m learning at the same time I’m teaching them…CC
I would have directed him to the right product. Building a long term foundation based on trust and integrity is simply more sturdy than telling a lie to make a measly couple of bucks. Even if that one customer does not come back, your long term vision of trust and quality will manifest in your work and products.
I agree that there is a lot of back slapping going on in the blogging world. But it is possible to tell the truth without being rude. For me the thing is simply to visit sites where I don’t have to pretend to be interested. I genuinely am. Simple.
pea recently posted..Here’s To The Mad Men!
Twitter: nirmalche
Well , I have been a pretty good blogger. I haven’t tried any affiliate marketing yet. I would agree with you on your points. I would stick on to reputation rather than money!
I consider myself a very genuine blogger. I have taken up professional blogging and would like to succeed in it by helping others.
Wow, I have really enjoyed reading through a few of the posts here in this blog as well as the comments. I would have to say I am a nice blogger. I am a genuine person. I am also going to weave in my comment to this post with the previous post about the 5 important questions for bloggers to ask themselves.
Though this is cyber world, I try not to say anything unless it is positive. As I am more out spoken in my personal life and when face to face with others, I guess this might make me a fake. But truth is – I feel more intimidated here than I do in the real world. I’m new to all this blogging and social media stuff – I’m learning something new everyday, others in these types of discussions are far more seasoned at all this than I am. One of my biggest fears is getting blocked out of a “social” group where no one even really knows me.
My biggest fear is being seen as a possible fake because I have nothing significant to share on my blog. I have broken all the blogging rules. I don’t have a clear cut goal – other than to develop my skills -( I’m a practicing blogger,) I don’t blog about finding solutions to pressing problems, I don’t blog to make money. One day I hope to have a clear goal and make money as a writer or as a blogger or both.
I have joined several groups in hopes of meeting other genuine bloggers – and yes there are many: Great talent, highly intelligent and well informed bloggers abound here and in a few of the other groups. Yet sometimes I get the impression there are also a great many of them who make themselves out to be better than they are. I also have become discouraged by the number of “if you follow me, i’ll follow you” requests. It all seems so fake and like a big contest to gather followers. Do people put the number of friends, followers and connections on their resumes? Are we coming to a time when we will all walk around displaying these numbers on our lapel? Honestly, I would love to make money with a blog. That time hasn’t come for me yet – I have a long way to go and I do need to make some clear cut goals. I think it’s great that so many can make money with their blogs. But some of us would like a little guidance and constructive criticism rather than be ignored or discarded as an impostor because we don’t meet the required number of followers or friends to be accepted as a serious writer/blogger. We all have to start somewhere.
I need to set a goal, I need to identify my audience. And I will eventually. Well, this is truly a great topic and I’ve rambled enough. Perhaps I have found inspiration for my next post.
I intend to follow this blog because I appreciate the info I have found here – not because I want to be followed in return. (lol – fat chance of that I’m sure)
Twitter: Daniel
Glad this got posted up to Blokube! Thanks Devesh.
Daniel Snyder recently posted..Put the iPhone 5 on your fridge today!