Is it wrong to promote on social media? if done in excess is it unethical?
Should we bloggers promote our content on social media shamelessly? should we go to the extent of annoyance? should we stop at a limit? if yes, what is that limit?
'Unethical' is a strong and irrelevant word. Nuisance/annoying is more accurate. Ethics is completely different. You can't even technically call scoop-whoop style link-baiting as unethical.
I think the most important filter is would you be ok with a friend doing it. For example are you ok with a friend tagging you in a post that has nothing to do with you, or even if it does, doing it too often? I personally untag myself and that person falls a few points in my eyes.
What are you asking your friends for? It might make sense to make it a two way conversation. That's the point of a blog. It's not only about "Please come and read my blog, please click here and vote for me" Make it a give and take not only take. Are you giving them value for their time and attention? Is it something they're interested in a) Consoming and b) Sharing (Sharing could also mean Liking, because it is in a way endorsing)
I think that's one of the first things a blog teaches you. To value your friends, well wishers and readers.
On that note, here's a hilarious video I found that I think is relevant. (Mods feel free to remove if it violates any rules)
A part of me is of the opinion that those who are into a 'shameless promotion' are the real winners in this real world... the rest are winners in an ethical world that is virtually non-existent.
Well... the real questions then are:
Is winning everything?
Do such victories come hand-in-hand with happiness?
But if we keep things to ourself no body is coming ..Atleast we need some listeners so we can be little happy .I am not saying i am unhappy ,but we need some body to follow you .Thats why people are tagging others.If it goes too much that is the problem .Tagging should not be annoying ..
A large list of followers or a bloated list of friends doesn't mean you will be 'happy'. What will give you joy is when you have done something... for instance, a blogger is happiest when s/he has written a post that comes out well. The right way is to share it in groups, on your own timeline, tweet about it with the right hashtags... and then wait. Tagging is like trying to kidnap a person and forcing this person to read what you've written... and you know such actions never give anyone any happiness.
It is not unethical. You can do anything from your profile, that is what your profile is there for (Unless it is against the rules of Facebook and others)
You yourself added an "excess" to it... i.e. your answer is already formed... so, I'm sure there's nothing new you're expecting from fellow forum members.
You are right. I have got many new things from fellow forum members...More than I expected.
Well, @Shahen, I'm sure "going to the extent of annoying others" isn't going to get bouquets anywhere. You have also asked if there can be a limit to annoying others... come on, one doesn't need to annoy anyone to get attention.
The secret to getting attention is to write what makes sense. You do this and readers will line up.
Exactly but Iif someone does annoy others to get attention it is unethical!
Well If you have good content to share there is no harm as long as you share relevant information in the relevant groups communities on social media sites other wise from where else social media sites will get great content :)
Yes but if we promote tips on SEO in a group or on our timeline on which our relatives and families interact it is useless...because No one is interested in our families to know about seo if they aren't blogging.
The question here isn't of 'promotion'... but 'shameless promotion'. And Shahen really needs to define 'shameless' first.
If 'shameless' means unloading cartloads of shallow posts on SEO and other techie fascinations on an FB group where fashion bloggers meet, then it is condemnable... and almost aknin to spamming. Thetragic fact is that such unloading doesn't get the tech blogger any views too. In all probability the blogger will be kicked out from the group if he persists in this unholy blitz! :)
Arvind...I mean "going to the extent of annoying others" just to promote your content when I say shameless.
TS and CyberKid have summed up everything... so all that is left is to add that...
1. Unsolicited tagging is unhealthy
2. Promos and sales messages in groups that do not focus on such updates is foolhardy
3. Being an online nuisance is a title that doesn't do anyone any good
:)
Excess of anything is bad, and it does apply with self promotion on Social Media as well. Self Promotion (Shameless) to the point that the person who opens his/her account to see your promotional stuff right at their face has to be stopped. People, usually block such contacts, irrespective of how close they are. So, unless you've decided to do it shamelessly, and at whatever cost, I won't go shamelessly promoting any of my stuffs online, to the extent of annoyance for my contacts.
Instead of gaining readers, one may end up losing all his followers...they do not want only shameless promotion in their feed...
Yes many people tag others to just get their attention and the attention and friends as readers. Hashtags are always better. However if the post is relevant to a person he or she can be tagged...instead of just promoting one should also make an identity of himself as a thinking individual...which places do you promote your content on?
On the contrary, not everyone will entertain that even if they're into it. I have an acquaintance who started working in a pc component brand. To promote the stuff he tagged practically everyone to is relevant to it not only in the brand's facebook page, but also his profile. Annoying people kept on posting that kept on putting notifications in the person's FB thing, which also kept on pinging through his phone as well. Out of frustration, 1-2 people said on the facebook page that the brand should hire a better promoter or atleast fire the current one- which obviously created a rift. I kept on untagging myself but unfortunately he just doesn't get the message. If someone wants to read your content, they will add you in your feed. If not, their wish. Learn to respect that. You can invite him/her once/twice to like you page- but if they don't like it, respect it. Move on. If you want to piss somebody off just to get one page view, you really need to re-think your blogging goals.
I use FB, google+ and twitter, although twitter is meh IMHO. Most of my crowd comes via search engines and referrals when random people post in forums, comment sections, discussions, etc. Then again, the nature of my content is like that, therefore...
Not to a point that you spam on someone else's wall- or tag most/some/everyone from your FB list- or spam in people's groups or comments. You do what you want in your own page and own profile. If people will like it, they will read- or else no.
If you want readers, you can try using hastags. those who want to search for relevant content might look it up, but that's about it.
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