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Really Annoying Marketing Tricks That Don’t Work – So Stop Using Them

By on October 13, 2012

Good SEO these days is about delivering high quality content on a regular basis and about teaming up with other webmasters and bloggers who have similar priorities. In short, if you can create content  that people want to read and associate yourself with sites that people respect, then Google will want to direct more traffic your way because it makes them look good.

However while this fundamental idea might seem pretty basic to understand, it seems that some people have failed to get the memo and instead insist on using heavy handed marketing strategies and black hat SEO to try and muscle their way to success. These strategies don’t work, they just wind people up and damage their reputation. Here are a few of my ‘favourite’ examples…

Link Requests

Link exchange requests are fine in theory, but the webmasters among you know the kind of thing I’m referring to here. I’m talking about the links exchange requests that have clearly been automatically generated and show no signs of any research. There’s no personal touch and no comment on why the person thinks you’d be a great site to swap with. At the same time the link is normally something that’s completely irrelevant to the content of your site and that you wouldn’t want to be in any way associated with. Surprise surprise most of these go straight to the trash.

YouTube Video ‘Responses’

Who do these people think I am? A mug? I’ve spent ages on YouTube developing content I’m genuinely proud of and thanks to this I have a good number of subscribers ensuring that all my videos have a few thousand viewers de facto. So then someone decides they’ll post a ‘response’ to my video which really has nothing at all to do with what I posted about and they’ll hope that I’ll include their link at the bottom of my video as a result. Rather than one of my own… Hmm…

‘This One Weird Trick’

What the hell is that all about? If you’ve ever seen the internet before today (weird if this is the first article you’ve ever read online…) then chances are you’ve seen an advert on how to whiten your teeth, build more muscle, or stop hair loss using this ‘one weird trick’.Okay so maybe this one does work in the short term and will bring you lots of clicks, but that’s at the expense of long term loyalty. To anyone who you might be interested in partnering with in the future, this kind of marketing is just going to completely destroy your reputation and put people off of working with you or visiting your site. If you’re going to use PPC advertising campaigns then be honest and realistic.

Spamming Forums and Comments

Again presumably somewhere in the world there must be a blogger who accepts comments on their blog that say ‘I really has have had a great experience enjoying this contents!’. However while I presume they’re out there, I really have never met one and I can’t understand what’s going through their head. If you’re smart enough to write a piece of code that posts this nonsense, then why not do us all a favour and turn your hand to something actually useful that provides some kind of value? It’s just a thought…

Ryan Smith often updates his blogs with informative articles related to SEO marketing techniques. He works for LinkWheeler – a firm that provides premium Linkwheel services.

About mitz

My name is Milica Pantic but everyone calls me Mitz. I am addicted to internet marketing and making money online. Who wouldn't want to live that life? I started out with one website as a hobby and now have over 20. Building websites and making money online is not that hard. You have to actually take action to make money...that is the biggest hurdle! :)

55 Comments

  1. Luis

    October 25, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    Link exchanging is a thing of the past for sure. I think we’ve all had experience with those pesky persisten users who come back again and again to try to get a link, I guess it’s something we’ll just have to deal with.
    Luis recently posted..Benefits of WordPress as CMS

    Reply

    • mitz

      November 11, 2012 at 2:06 am

      Hi Luis
      Yes I am glad we don’t exchange links any longer…It was a big hassle for me. I would much rather get a great guest post with a free link in that and publish it. :)

      Reply

  2. Ben

    October 25, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    We have a fairly little blog, which supports the rest of our site in generating content etc, but we still have to clear through 100 or so spam comments a day. There is no way I’d ever accept them. So why do they do it? It makes my blood boil. Exactly as you say: ‘I really has have had a great experience enjoying this contents!’ – no, I’m never going to approve that! So stop trying to trick and steal (because that’s what conning search engines actually is), generate good content, get into a community and do it properly. Ugh. Rant over.
    Ben recently posted..Gadget Girl

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 26, 2012 at 6:01 am

      Hi Ben
      Yeah it is really annoying!!! I do not have it that bad though as I have commentluv premium so it takes care of it alot.

      Reply

      • Ben

        October 26, 2012 at 10:57 am

        I’m going to have to check it out. Is it really that much better? We use a bespoke front end off a WordPress back end so I’d need to talk to the developers, see if we can even include it! Would be good not to see ‘immuraraxinty’ and his/its trash in my comment stream every morning…
        Ben recently posted..Gadget Girl

        Reply

        • mitz

          November 6, 2012 at 9:55 am

          Yes that is the best option at the moment and I think Andy works hard to keep it that way. I have loads of comments on a few blogs and comluv made my job easier by far!
          mitz recently posted..WordPress Website Basics (dofollow)

          Reply

  3. Shane Ryans

    October 25, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    I have to agree with you. I see it as a waste of time, and as Mitz said in one of the comments, even when you give them comment and keyword luv they still try. It does get old.
    Shane Ryans recently posted..Why keyword negatives are important

    Reply

    • mitz

      November 6, 2012 at 9:48 am

      Ha ha yeah shane..I give them everything and they still want to spam??? Why?? Because they are not real!! So most spam does not get through here. I read each comment to see if it pertains to the post and I also have comluv spam protection. :)

      Email is another story though.. It gets hard when you have a lot of websites..Ahh even the guest posts requests are out of hand. :)
      mitz recently posted..How to Monetize a Website – The Rocket Science Behind it All (dofollow)

      Reply

  4. Jacqueline C.

    October 25, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Ha! I have a bread baking website (that I am revamping per your awesome advice) and I LOVE getting comments from SexyPurpleShoes and people who tell me, “Your most intriguing contents deliver many thought of how I shall proceed. Much Thanks!”

    Reply

  5. Garen

    October 25, 2012 at 1:40 am

    Oh god I hate these link exchange request. Do people think email blast still work? They usually start with dear sir and are poor English. I also hate how people spam Twitter direct messages. Very annoying!

    Garen
    Garen recently posted..Too Good To Be True Links!

    Reply

    • mitz

      November 11, 2012 at 2:10 am

      Yes I agree!!!!!! Also the Twitter direct messages… I used to look at them and now I have to ignore them as most are rubbish! :) They eventually ruin it all and contacting someone will become very hard in the future.. :)

      Reply

  6. Jeff

    October 24, 2012 at 2:25 am

    There are a lot of marketing tricks available online yet only a few really works and help. you must employ techniques such as social bookmarking, blogging, use of social media, video marketing, article syndication and link building.
    Jeff recently posted..How to Choose A Great Copywriter

    Reply

  7. Gianni Marcello

    October 20, 2012 at 8:36 pm

    Mitz, i have a half off topic question for you then… i am in the process of starting up a digital publication i have been exploring many ways to build inbound links. i totally agree with you about the youtube posts, and the “prevent hair loss” stuff, but i just want to be sure i read and understand this right. i was looking at softwares that build inbound links which allow me to post a comment that i pre write across several blogs. Am i correct in my understanding that this is bad juju for seo and does not help increase PR or traffic at all?

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 22, 2012 at 2:14 am

      It depends on a lot of factors.. Are the blogs new or old, do they hold any value, and is the content original good stuff or junk? Not doing it right in the first place is just a waste.

      Reply

  8. Maiah

    October 19, 2012 at 7:43 am

    That one weird trick. LOL That is absolutely true. Not everything works for everyone. Chances are, your visitors may just get disappointed if your trick didn’t meet their expectations.
    Maiah recently posted..Winning in the new world

    Reply

  9. Brittany

    October 17, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    See I haven’t gotten to exploit YouTube yet as a marketing outlet because I don’t really think I have a lot of good content to put on YouTube. I guess my business isn’t really geared for it. I didn’t know people did replies like that though. How odd. I knew a guy that did black hat SEO…needless to say I don’t know him anymore.

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:28 am

      Oh I have had all sorts of spam on youtube… In fact there are so many people commenting you are bound to get junk.. That includes the video responses!

      Reply

  10. Aayna

    October 17, 2012 at 4:52 am

    Hi Mitz,
    Earlier spamming links and comments was used by each and every website to generate more and more of traffic, but it has become quite risky these days, so must be avoided. Thanks for providing these pointers.

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:29 am

      Yes I think all newbies start out as spammers and then realise it does not work.. :)

      Reply

  11. hira

    October 16, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    hello mits, you are saying write, link exchange is not working any more. thank you for sharing this awesome post
    hira recently posted..How To Cure Acne Naturally For Free

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:30 am

      Yes link exchanges have been a waste of time for me… even the ones I trusted have burned me…taken my link down and did not even tell me…

      Trust me it is not worth the trouble.
      mitz recently posted..Top 10 Features All Websites Should Include (dofollow)

      Reply

  12. Pavel

    October 16, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    I don’t know who still uses these outdated annoying practices but to those that still do it wont be able to keep it up for long. These practices don’t work and only harm your marketing efforts and your brand image. Spammy blog comments are the worst! People have to realize that when they post a comment such as the one you referenced they are going straight to the spam folder.

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:32 am

      I hate spam comments but people just try anything!!! I am giving them a comment luv link and a keyword link but they still try more???

      Reply

  13. Luis

    October 16, 2012 at 4:40 am

    Before when google panda and penguin not updated, forums posting is one of the effective way of getting backlinks and traffic but now it is too risky especially if the forum sites are not authority sites.
    Luis recently posted..Going Retro with Your Yearbook Ideas

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:33 am

      I still use forums for traffic though… If you add value to the forum the people will check out your link.

      Reply

  14. BlackWoods

    October 16, 2012 at 2:13 am

    I thought building backlinks are still useful these days.
    However I really agree with the Video Response in Youtube, some people are too desperate to get views in their channels and they post unrelated video responses.

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:34 am

      We are not saying link building is bad, we are saying these methods are. :)

      the right link building rocks!

      Reply

  15. Amit Shaw

    October 15, 2012 at 6:01 pm

    Hi,

    Timely post.Link requests are really annoying for many because most of them have nothing to offer.Conviction is more important here.
    Amit Shaw recently posted..Google Penguin Update: You are seeing the Tips of the Iceberg

    Reply

    • Bhushan

      October 16, 2012 at 7:56 am

      Yes Amit,
      Link exchange can makes disgruntled to everyone.I also if there are not something very worth to show then why it is given and have a hoodoo by having that links.
      Bhushan recently posted..Client Management Software

      Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:35 am

      Yes. Unfortunately I have to ignore these requests now as I have been burned too many times..)

      Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:37 am

      Yes I hate them now! :)

      Reply

  16. Javi

    October 15, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Most of the annoyances that you’ve mentioned are, in all probability, bot-generated, particularly link requests and spam comments. For instance someone I know who’s managing a ton of fairly large websites has his mailboxes flooded with bot-generated guest-post requests on a daily basis! Tends to irritate the crap out of him, and I totally know how you feel!
    Javi recently posted..How to Be an Effective Blogger: Tips for Effective Blogging

    Reply

  17. Steve Jude

    October 15, 2012 at 9:21 am

    I agree with you on all counts except on the “One Weird Trick” case. This one actually works, especially in PPC (any one seen the “six pack shortcuts” ads?) and it is a legitimate way to increase conversion as people WHO are interested in that product would definitely want to know what that weird trick is.
    Steve Jude recently posted..Sleeping In Style: Luxury Lagos Hotels | What Makes A Hotel “Boutique”? | What To Expect In A Luxury Hotel

    Reply

  18. Bhushan

    October 15, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Hello there,
    I think if someone is making these type of tricks and using something like that it means it is all waste at this time.Every blogger even everyone on this blogging world know all that.
    I also think social media sites are highly engaged with these types of elusion.
    @Mitz,
    This themes are eye catching and I like that.
    Bhushan recently posted..Inventory Management Software

    Reply

    • mitz

      November 11, 2012 at 2:57 am

      Yes it is a waste of time for all concerned and you are right, there is a lot of social media spam tactics too.

      As for my theme…I was trying thesis 2 but I had too many tweaks to do so reverted back to thesis 1.8 for now.
      mitz recently posted..Finally Achieving SEO Value from Google Plus! (dofollow)

      Reply

  19. Aditya

    October 15, 2012 at 6:47 am

    Yes Link exchange is now out of trend technique.And those who are still following it are just wasting their time.There are times when it is considered as a good strategy to get backlinks but nothing is permanent.
    Aditya recently posted..MLM Software in Noida

    Reply

  20. Cathy Summer

    October 15, 2012 at 6:14 am

    While there is nothing exactly wrong with plain old link exchanges, and they certainly do help your traffic a teeny tiny bit, mostly they are a waste of time. You are better off spending your time sending out links within your pillar articles knowing that other bloggers will do the same in due time, returning the favor in a very natural linking way by linking to your articles as a reward for providing great content or to continue the conversation you may have started or contributed to.
    Cathy Summer recently posted..Welcome to Executive Landscape Designs

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 18, 2012 at 4:38 am

      Hi Cathy
      Yes you are better off making great content. that works for sure!

      Reply

  21. Alden

    October 15, 2012 at 6:13 am

    You are absolutely right that building backlinks in forum especially spammy links are not useful and it is risky. It should be natural links.
    Alden recently posted..Buffalo Video Production: Business Benefits of Digital Video Production

    Reply

  22. vishvast

    October 15, 2012 at 6:04 am

    Nowadays, seo linkbuilding strategy is very risky and if you do linkbuilding to your site and it should be natural and not spammy links.
    vishvast recently posted..Top 10 diwali gift-diwali gift ideas

    Reply

  23. Jay

    October 15, 2012 at 4:44 am

    I agree with you and wonder why people use these kinds of techniques
    Somehow it must have some efficiency otherwise why would they use them?
    Jay recently posted..Immorente – Bulletin du 2e trimestre 2012

    Reply

  24. Mike S

    October 15, 2012 at 4:17 am

    Nowadays, seo linkbuilding strategy is very risky and if you do linkbuilding to your site and it should be natural and not spammy links.

    Reply

  25. Alicia

    October 14, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Oh, these are certainly annoying. But some of these spammers just do not get tired as on a blog of mine, I always get the same spam comment almost everyday. Although I mark it as spam, but it keep coming back.

    Hmm.. come to think of it, perhaps I need to add another spam protection plugin.
    Alicia recently posted..Best Minimal ThemeForest WordPress Themes

    Reply

  26. akhil

    October 14, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    hai…..i found that videos are also displaying in search result…so whether creating a video will help in ranking in google…. hope for your response
    regards
    akhil
    akhil recently posted..Floor sanding tips by FloorSandingPerthWA

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2012 at 12:18 am

      yes I have used videos to rank when I cannot get a page to do so.. You can link build to the video or embed them into guest posts etc…That helps the ranking..

      Reply

  27. Raina

    October 14, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    But, seriously, if you could just come over to my site – there’s this one weird trick that I can teach you for… :) This article should be shared far and wide. It’s hard to imagine that anyone thinks these tactics do anything but annoy people. However, as a short stroll around the internet will show, forum spammers are alive and well (along with all the other stuff you mentioned).
    Raina recently posted..Data Centers and Disaster Planning Protocols

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2012 at 12:21 am

      Hi Raina
      Yes I still have spammers on my forums but they get deleted and banned! They are just wasting their time..:)

      Reply

  28. Ameenah

    October 14, 2012 at 2:13 pm

    I have to admit, we just started a “niche” site (Video Game Reviews) – but I read and comment on quite a few blogs targeted towards SEO/Marketing because the content is generally useful and relevant to me in the sense that I’m trying to apply the information. But, I definitely understand the irritation in getting completely off-the-wall spammy comments and link requests.

    We also had a rogue Facebook fan the other day who was using the wall as his personal adboard. After being blocked, he repeated the process with a slightly different account username, and was reported again. (Your screenshot seems to convey the same)

    Like George mentioned, you’ve got a great voice in your writing! Witty and to-the-point. That’s not always true of the marketing articles I’ve come across, so I appreciate it.
    Ameenah recently posted..Forza Horizon Review

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2012 at 12:26 am

      Yes some people think we are stupid by trying to give different IPs, different names, and more… I will try harder to block these people as they just don’t get the message the first time or the next.. :)

      I agree that we got a voice, so use it.. But use it right. :)

      Reply

  29. mohit rajwani

    October 14, 2012 at 10:46 am

    yup i agree with you that building links in a spammy forum or site is not at all useful for you..
    mohit rajwani recently posted..Programming With C #3 Checking Entered Number Is Perfect Square Or Not

    Reply

  30. Maja

    October 14, 2012 at 10:35 am

    Hello Mitz
    I have bad experience of link exchange. Because of link exchange ranking of my site is lowered in a week. I am in favor that the reward should be only for those who have knowledge and research in their niche.
    Maja recently posted..Massage at Hair Salons

    Reply

  31. Michael Huddleston

    October 13, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    Hey Mitz,

    Ahh… automated link requests – so tacky. Each time one of these lands in my inbox I just laugh and wonder if the person is plugged into current SEO trends and is just ignoring the entire idea OR they’re just desperate.

    A little off topic… (I’m just really curious!)

    I see you’re messing around with Thesis 2.0. I started using it on a new website and so far it has been a pretty steep learning curve. Make sure you run some speed tests from various sites. I did, and Thesis 2.0 for being billed as super fast did not fair so well in things like first byte time, compress text, and cache static content all of which received a score of “F” at http://www.webpagetest.org/.

    On the plus side, I REALLY like the backend of Thesis 2.0, a lot!

    Michael
    Michael Huddleston recently posted..Hydration vs. Dehydration

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 14, 2012 at 12:19 am

      Ha ha I am playing with Thesis 2.0!!! I can see how it can get slow too..Dropping things into the wrong spots with css clashing and other things…But I am learning quickly. :)

      Reply

  32. George

    October 13, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Your writing style is what I would call crispy. To the point, conveys anger and what you have to say. So you’re getting lot of traffic from youtube. That’s an area i’ve not exploited that well. I came from basicblogtips and was impressed with your bio. I’ll create one very similar.

    Reply

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