This is a topic I've seen a couple times in the blogosphere lately. Bloggers have been complaining that people unfollow them immediately after a giveaway closes, and that they only ever followed so they could win stuff.
To me it seems like a lot of work to go unfollow someone. Just don't read their blog. The only time I would go through the effort to unfollow a blog is if something wildly offensive was posted.
Another branch of this same issue is that people are hopping around different blogs, entering all the giveaways they can, simply to win free stuff. They don't actually care about the products being offered, which sucks for the people to whom the product matters.
For instance, I don't often enter giveaways on mommy-blogs because they usually involve baby items or Babies 'R' Us giftcards. Those are things I don't need, but someone else does.
Do you ever unfollow a blog? Do you hop giveaways for the sake of free stuff? Have you ever had people unfollow you?
I only enter giveaways for stuff that I'd like. I don't unfollow, unless I have good reason to.
ReplyDeleteI have had a *few* unfollowers, but not many.
I've had some unfollowers, but honestly, I tell myself that they're just cancelled spam accounts. It makes me feel better, like I'm not actually losing readers.
DeleteI hope people are picky with who they follow. That's how followers should be. I typically follow people who have something to offer. I wish I had a better word other than "offer." But when I join a blog it's because I like what they do...it relates to me in some way, whether it be with their words, pictures, recipes, DIYs, beauty, or whatever. If I follow somebody, I want them to know that I ENJOY and want to CHECK their blog every time they post something. I don't just want to be a number in their GFC, but a number in their stats. I learned this the hard way. I felt my GFC number was more important, but it turns out...at the end of the day...I want people following me to actually look at the material I present, because I work hard at it and I feel it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteI do not join blogs simply to win something, then stop following after the giveaway is closed. I do not enter giveaways that do not pertain to my interests.
I typically don't join blogs just to join. I join bc I like them.
I do believe people out there will though.
We're totally on the same page. I only follow blogs I want to support. If the requirement of a giveaway is to follow someone who I don't really want to follow, then the giveaway isn't worth it.
DeleteI rarely unfollow blogs - only if something is offensive or they have a few distasteful posts I've read that I don't want to appear in my reader again. Sometimes I have followed blogs for giveaway prizes but then they appear in my reader and I read them as much as the next blog ...and thats the point right?
ReplyDeleteExactly! Some of my favorite blogs are ones I've found by entering giveaways. I'd hope that people would fall in love with my blog the same way!
DeleteI've had people unfollow my blog right after a giveaway closes, but I think that's a risk you run of trying to get new followers through a giveaway. I am pretty picky too about who I follow. Yes, I enter giveaways, but I never follow a blog through a giveaway if I don't think I am ever going to read it. Free nail polish isn't worth clogging up my reader and missing posts from the blogs I do actually love.
ReplyDeleteTara
Penniless Socialite
Oh, totally. Most giveaways aren't worth clogging my feed with blogs I'll never read.
DeleteI've never followed a giveaway because of a blog. I've never lost followers because of a giveaway. I unfollowed a few blogs a few months ago because the blogs turned into just trying to get more readers. The writing had changed from being for the blogger, to suddenly based around what the writer THOUGHT the readers wanted to see. I hope that makes sense. It wasn't my cup of tea, that's all.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. In fact, I noticed that I started blogging more for the followers rather than for myself and for my more loyal readers. I had to make a change a while back.
DeleteI have unfollowed blogs simply because it turned out their content was something I just wasn't interested in, and I didn't want it clogging my feed of blogs that I DO want to visit.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I don't follow blogs that are hosting giveaways if I don't want to read their content, I'll choose one of the other options, like Tweeting the giveaway.
I'm picky about who I follow when it comes to blogging.
Don't take offense to people un-following, it just means your content wasn't a good fit and you should acknowledge that people reading your blog actually WANT to read it... like me. :)
As a matter of fact, I am hosting a giveaway right now... and watch... majority of the girls who "followed" will unfollow because they didn't win. That's not cool man.
ReplyDeleteI have unfollowed blogs and for one reason only... they discuss something that rubbed me the wrong way. I lose followers all the time. Sometimes it bothers me and more times it doesn't. I will be honest about this tho... I lost 15 followers on Instagram in one week and THAT really made me mad! Lame huh! LOL
I'm hosting a giveaway right now and to be honest, that's how I discovered you since you entered. I do follow a lot of blogs right now due to entering in giveaways in the past and I've never unfollowed anyone before. Most times then not, they still appear on my feed, but you really never know, because I always end up liking them.
ReplyDeleteI know when my giveaway ends, I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose a hefty sum of my current followers and honestly, i think I'm okay with it. Right?
Dear Tess, I do not unfollow blogs. Like you, I just don't read it. I am having trouble making sure I'm following all of my readers. Since I am no to the community, I am finding things that I want to learn and increase my efficiency. (Hope I don't sound weird. Probably already did tho. Hmm.) Thanks for todays post.
ReplyDeleteI do think it's okay to unfollow a blog. Sometimes the focus changes or over time youri interest changes, it's rare that I follow a blog for a giveaway. I really want to know that blog before I committ to following it.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic I am interested to know your opinion on is bloggers who stop by from a blog hop and leave comments like please follow back. I always feel obligated to follow back but their blog may not interest me. How do you handle?
Typically, when bloggers say "follow back" on a blog post, I ignore it. I'm fine with people posting it, but I won't necessarily follow them. In fact, I'm pretty sure most people ignore those comments. The best way to get someone to follow you is to have genuine content, and to show involvement on their blog. Leaving deeper comments is a really good way to start a conversation.
DeleteI'm looser with my Facebook page, though. If someone stops by and leaves a link to their page, I can easily follow back, and don't have to worry about clogging my feed with tons of bloggers.
I have a small blog, but I put a lot of heart and honesty into it. I've had people unfollow and wondered what I did to *offend* them, or if they just followed for the sake of a giveaway or a follow-back. I take things personally- I shouldn't. Your response to Jen saying you just assume they're canceled spam accounts is good advice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, just don't read it if you don't like their posts. Followers are important to bloggers and it is lame for people to unfollow and to enter giveaways they don't care about :(
ReplyDeleteI recently lost about 10 followers and it sucks
I've sort of evolved a kind of elaborate following system for myself to be able to enter giveaways while still keeping my sanity and not following too much stuff. I follow all of the things that I want to read daily with RSS in Google Reader, and I've turned off the option to import GFC to Google Reader. I will follow bloggers on GFC, Bloglovin', Hello Cotton pretty liberally in giveaways and bloghops because I don't use those services to house my daily reads, therefore I feel no need to unfollow anyone ever... AND since I follow lots of blogs on those services, I also have a few places where I can go and read blogs that I might find interesting without having to spend forever clicking on links... If I find that I'm gravitating towards a particular blog a lot when I'm reading blogs off of these secondary sources, I usually will add them to my dailies. I find that it works out in everyone's favor... People get followers, I get a repository of blogs that can amuse me at will.
ReplyDeleteI read an article that said don't be upset if people unfollow you. it means they're not your target audience. Now this was from a marketing point of view. but if you're blogging to sell something or promote things you don't want people who are uninterested anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've had a few people unfollow me--I'm not sure why, although the explanation that I told myself is that they were those spam-like follows in the first place where someone said, "I just followed you, now come follow me back" and I didn't follow them back because that seemed ridiculous...and then they'll unfollow me as my due punishment. It's still not fun when you see the little number go down, though!
ReplyDelete