There are many things that intrigue me about blogging. Maybe too many things? I have written a few posts on blogging, the latest being on comments. Now I'm wondering about phantom followers? Everybody has them.
There are people who follow my blog who are mysteries. They just appear. There's no blog with them, no contact, no indication that they read the blog and no comments. They must have some reason for following my blog or maybe they accidentally followed me! You start to wonder if they are real followers or just some digital code of some kind that got lost.
Now some of these little mysteries have ulterior motives. They are pedaling something on their blog. Some wish to sell travel, pictures, art or any number of things. However, I make a very poor customer. I also will not give their blog any exposure.
Some people may think I'm a phantom follower too. Sometimes when I follow somebody it doesn't show that I have a blog. I've had people like that and some I have accidentally found commenting on some one's blog and then when I click on them I find they have a blog. So that could be some of the mystery.
Another phantom is myself. I'm down twice as a follower of my blog. This happened when I knew very little about blogging. I'm going to have to find out how to delete myself.
Now I see nothing wrong with someone following me and not making any comments. Some people just like to look at the material and that's fine. Very few of my relatives make comments even though they are fairly active readers. They are not bloggers and that makes it a little more difficult to leave a comment.
I guess I'm going to have to cool my intrigue with phantom followers and let them do their quiet thing.
Phantom followers.. funny term. :) I don't give it too much thought. Fewer than 10% of my followers comment on any given post. I don't know who many of them are or if they really know my blog. I like to think that they do but like you, I let them do their thing. :)
ReplyDeleteRegular commenters make sense and are valued. I'm thinking of the people who show up as followers and they don't seem to have a home.
DeleteWell Mate
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blog, have no intention of having one, even though one does exist - done by a friend. I only look at a few, 10 or maybe 12 - the interesting ones, which really have something to say or see. Two of your commenters I follow, one I e-mail, the other I comment on.
Now all those delightful 12's have passed us, doomsday etc. Brisbane didn't explode or implode, so you can stop building that doomsday proof igloo, I am sure Red Deer City is going to be still there come the 13th. I did send you an e-mail on my fortunate escape - ha ha.
Now on today's news, the word "mate" at one hospital in NSW is not to be used between staff, the new immigrants to OUR country do not understand the terminology - holy hell, haven't the papers gone beserk and the TV channels over this utter nonsense. I think some of these over paid bureaucrats live on another planet. The word, "Mate" and it refers to both genders has been in existence here since the bloody First Fleet of 1788.
Anyhow I have no intention of calling you, Mr.Kline, so there you have it, MATE!
If these new arrivals don't like it, then bloody well leave!
Anyhow I think you have a most informative blog, well done "MATE". Stuff the stupid bureaucrats - ha ha.
Colin (Brisbane. Australia)
Colin, you are the least phantom of all. You are very well known and appreciated.
DeleteNot something I had considered. I'll have to look into the matter now.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a biggy. Just something that I think about once in a while and it makes me curious.
DeleteOne of the down sides of being a 'mature-age' blogger (i.e. over retirement age) is that many in our age group don't know HOW to comment. I've got friends who have expressed interest in my blog, and I send them the URL via email. Next time they'll tell me they enjoyed reading some entries there, but sometimes can't even manage to get back to the website again - let alone comment. Face it, Red, we bloggers are a small minority in our age group - at least that applies to people I know. And it's too bad because so many older folk are a bit lonely and blogs offer a pleasant way of communicating with other like-minded (and even some unlike-minded) folk of all ages.
ReplyDeleteI know that some seniors have not touched technology at all. I am always amazed though at how good many seniors are.
DeleteI agree that the blog community would be good for seniors...at least it is for this senior. But to blog you have to like to write and that's what stops many people.
I have a fewq Phantom Followers - neat term... I was just using the term "UNKNOWN". I like your term much better. I never really thought about it much. I figured, some Phantom Followers just enjoy reading my posts - I did start to receive quite a few comments from the unwanted, selling their wares, which I detest. I changed my settings so I wouldn't receive them. I had to take Anonymous comments off my posts, as this is where the medlesome creatures were coming from. I totally agree with Colin above. Our Newfoundlanders have always been "Newfies" and Cape Bretoners - "Capers - now it is unappropriate - WHAT THE ? I am a Cape Bretoner and proud to be a "Caper". Who the heck instigates all this crap.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day :)
I don't think too much about my phantom followers but I thought I would throw it out there.
DeleteThe anonymous people lately are just out and out spam.
I'm proud to be a "stubble jumper." At one time it was a little negative but fun now.
I enjoy your blog and want you to know it, so I comment rather often. I do it for your enjoyment and to keep you blogging. Your take on the world is unique and I find you interesting. Some people are boring, but I don't think you ever are, so there! :-)
ReplyDeleteWell thank you. I appreciate the complement.
DeleteI think of Eye on the Edge and Djan-ity and I look forward to what you have to say. You post some very thoughtful pieces.
I get a lot of comments from Anonymous. Usually there's a strange compliments in what sounds like English as a second language and then a request I check out the products for sale on their site. I just delete these.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like these and they are checked off as spam.
DeleteI receive a lot of comments from people called Anonymous. They start with a mangled compliment and then ask me to check out the products for sale on their sites. I just delete these.
ReplyDeletewhen i first started getting followers, i'd try to click on their little i.d. and go visit their blog to say thank you, etc. even if they didn't leave a comment. nowadays, if they follow quietly and never comment, that's okay. i call them 'lurkers'. :) but i appreciate them all the same.
ReplyDeleteI really like your term "lurkers" I sometimes feel that the people I'm thinking of aren't even lurkers.
DeleteWell, there are followers -- and they've clicked to "join this site" -- and then there are the people -- TexWisGirl refers to them as "lurkers"! -- who click over to you because they found your comment somewhere else and decided to check in, see what you were about.
ReplyDeleteSome people never leave their names, never truly "follow". We let them come in and out as they will. :-)
Pearl
You are right on with your summary on followers. I quite often take some time and check out some of the followers.
DeleteI, to appreciate my lurkers, the clicks to see what is up in our tiny section of the world is always rather cool!
ReplyDeleteLinda
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I appreciate the lurkers. They just make me curious. For example, you followed me for quite some time before I knew about it and I appreciate that you took a good look and then decided to follow me.
DeleteMy kids are lurkers! I write the blog for them. Then I found a few followers. It's been amazing. I get 2 or 3 requests to place ads on the blog. I don't do it willy nilly.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
My kids follow a bit but they are both pretty busy . They are both down as writers on my blog. My daughter has written a couple of posts. My son does the header.
DeleteI have ignored the requests for ads but I would be interested to hear about it.
My relatives read and never comment. Let them lurk!! :)
ReplyDeleteMost of my relatives lurk but they let me know about it when I see them.
ReplyDeleteA friend lurks but he reads every post and razzes me to death. It's fun and I really appreciate his comments.
Some people have a thing about how many followers they have.
ReplyDeleteSome people become a follower hoping you will follow back so that their number of followers go up. Some even brag about it. Some will tell you that 'I'm your newest follower and hope you'll follow back.'
Looking at my stats, I can see how many times a page has been viewed alongside the comment ones. Those numbers nowhere near come close to the number of supposed followers so most of those people aren't following. Some are the lurkers. When I visit a blog requesting I follow I have to like it and it has to be of interest to me. If a blog's content is far from what interests me I never go back.
I noticed on my comment numbers in Blogger last week that someone +1 a post. That I guess is a feature of Google+ which I don't like or use. Have no idea who it was or if they shared it - not sure I like that either. :)
Actually I think the term 'follower' is misused in this case. That's only my opinion. Which my opinion has gone too long here.
I follow you Red because I like what you have to say and I like your take on things that make us think. :)
yes..i wonder about the followers in exotic countries...scared me a little at first and then I was told they read blogs to learn the American culture...not sure if I believe it, but my blog is public...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting look at 'phantom" followers. I have some too. I always wish they had a blog that I could visit.
ReplyDeleteYou just never know who's out there!! I know a couple of local people who read my blog religiously (which is great!) but NEVER leave a comment. But they can always tell me (in person) exactly what I wrote about that day! :)
ReplyDeleteRed it's interesting to see who has been following our blogs, I detest it though when someone spams my blog and within this past few months it's happened twice and not very nice spammers to say the least. I was considering putting the word verification on my blog, but why bother? The word verification is a royal pain, but if the spam keeps up I'm going to have to do so.
ReplyDeleteWhen I too started blogging I followed myself and it took me some time to figure out how to delete myself. I had another blog but can't even remember how to get into it so there sits some information I was posting and I have no idea where or how to access it! oops.
Have a wonderful weekend Red!