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Black Hat, Grey Hat and White Hat Blogging – Blog Rules for Gazza-Land – Read ‘em or Weep!
by Gary ~ December 26th, 2008
Well, Christmas 2008 is over and we are heading inexorably into 2009. I hope you had a FANtastic time. I certainly did.
I have been doing a few “catch-ups” on sites that I have really wanted to visit PLUS update my blogroll which I refer to as the blogeroo (as in kangaroo coz it enables me to hop from site to site – I’m an Australian, if you didn’t already know, and damn proud of it too! LOL!).
Anyway, I was just over at Stephen Bray‘s excellent blogsite (hi Steve!) making a few posts to put me back in his “good books” and I saw a discussion on black-hat and white-hat marketing and blogging. In fact, it was a tongue-in-cheek comment made by Erwin Chua (hi Erwin – I just commented over at Erwin-Ville too!)on Stephen’s blog that sent me back here to engage in this… well… er, RANT, I guess.
Here is what I had to say on the matter over at Stephen’s blog…
“Anyone wearing ANYTHING but a white hat on my blog over at Gary-Land will get a visit from me via email pointing out the “offense” as I see it. Repeated attempts at skull-duggery and cheating will see me give them the Gazza-Slap. When they wake up they can have ONE more chance and then that is it. Black-hat or grey-hat me again and I will BLACK BAN them.
That’s MY stance and I think it is generous.
As the late Yul Brynner said (on smoking): “Don’t do it! Just DON’T do it!”
MANY students have complained (it has happened to me here and to Dean Holland and to Garry Parkes and Nigel Yip and, it would seem, many others) that SOME “students” – of the Black Hat variety – are cloaking their name field in the comments box with their marketing sites and their PPP (Profit Pulling Platforms). Let me say this… it is UNFAIR to siphon off a fellow student for YOUR personal gain. In fact, it is downright sh*tty! In fact, in my book, it’s like having an affair with your best friend’s partner. Unpalatable in the EXTREME!
Now, just in case you don’t understand, here are some definitions:
White Hat – playing by the rules, honouring other people, adding value, being decent,
Grey Hat – trickery and con-artistry designed to give advantage elsewhere (ie bleed off to another site through deception),
Black Hat – outright contempt, skull-duggery, KNOWINGLY pi**ing all over another person through the use of cloaking and bleeding.
Let me say this, and I am sure it goes for the MAJORITY of other students… If you repeatedly try that SH*T after being ‘kindly’ informed via PRIVATE email or IF you retaliate with further BLACK or GREY hat “techniques” then you will be outed right here in front of everybody and yes… you will be ostracised by me and PROBABLY everyone else too. Don’t prey or scunge off other people’s efforts and hard work. We HATE this cr*p!
Play fairly like almost everybody has been and everything will be wonderful in Blog-Land and we can all be happy little Bloggers and marketers.
PLEASE, just DON’T do it! PLEASE!
Am I too harsh, about right, not strong enough or whatever on this matter?
Can I have your comments please…
Gary SIMPSON
PS: If this black or grey hat stuff has been happening over at your blog and you are too “nice” or timid to say what you REALLY feel then just put a heading up and a link to this post. Let’s STOP this right now (oh, and please don’t name names here if you “suspect” somebody. I know of some newbies who have made innocent mistakes. But this can be a warning for ALL – especially to those who think it is “clever.” It AIN’T clever!).
December 26th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Hi Gary,
As a newbie here I am quite behind my fellow student bloggers and was unaware of this – I only have 1 comment
!!!!
I am trying to catch up with the rest of you so watch this space! I’m sure I will make mistakes along the way so thanks for pointing out a posible pitfall!
It’s good to rant sometimes
with the amount of things that can go wrong by chance we need all the help we can get
Valerie
http://daybydaymarketing.com/
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Just click on ALEX JEFFREYS to find out how.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
December 26th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Hi Valerie,
You won’t even notice this unless you check the links. The ONE link that you simply MUST check is the NAME link in the comments of the DASHBOARD side of your blog. If the www name link and the www link that most of us put beneath our names (like you have above) are DIFFERENT then… “Houston, we have a problem!” That will be a cloaked link leading to some page that is being hidden from view by ALL visitors (blogsite owner included – unless you perform my little check) until it is actually clicked on. Then, lo and behold…
… Voila! Somebody else’s PPP where they can bleed leads and money off you like a vampire – v v – that was a pair of vampire bat teeth, by the way! LOL!
I am watching this like a HAWK now and I am disabling these cloaks as soon as I see them. And I am contacting the people who are doing it PRIVATELY to determine their innocence or otherwise before I apply the FEATHER DUSTER then the HAMMER then the SLEDGEHAMMER. And those who want to argue the point about the “effectiveness” of it as a “legitimate marketing technique” then I suggest you better go and listen to an old Elvis Presley song called “Steamroller Blues”…
I’m gonna ROLL all over YOU!”
I’ll teleport over later Valerie.
Regards
Gary (just polishing up my hammer and my sledgehammer over here. The steam-roller is in the garage but it has plenty of fuel and it fires up at first turn of the key).
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Gary,
I think your comments are dead on target.
Since you are willing to be such a defender I will be more than happy to support yor requests to Garry for a “terminator” avatar on his blog….LOL
Ken
http://www.kennethdouglas.com/blog
December 26th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Thanks Ken – I was a bit concerned that I may have gone a bit overboard but I am seeing complaints popping up on so many blogs now. I detected this sort of thing several weeks ago and Garry Parkes and Dean Holland and I all agreed then that it had to stop. Parkesy has a warning on a level 2 page of his site but I want this in PLAIN VIEW.
A “TERMINATOR” avatar? – Hmm… I LIKE that!
In a heavy Austrian accent… “Ah’ll be back!”
Thanks for your endorsement Ken!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Hi Gary, just a quick thankyou really. I had no idea how to add people to my blog roll until I read your guide. Very helpful.
many thanks
andy
http://www.andy-beveridge.com
December 26th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Hi Andy – Are you OK with it now? Thanks for the comment.
Folks, if you don’t know where this is on my blog it is on the main page on the RHS about half way down under “HINTS & TIPS” with a number of other small “tutorials.”
Regards
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Hey Gary
I guess I’m a bit naive to not even consider this could be happening. Oh well, it’s like you say if it does then I’ll just have to swap the offending link for one that points to my platform.
You should add that feed I created to your site somewhere. I’m already ontop of peoples latest posts and I feel a bit more involved in whats going on now…
Dave
December 26th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hi Dave – I guess you could do that – LOL! But I just reckon this BS should get squashed now. It is very unsavoury and sneaky. I have been doing a lot of surfing of the blogeroos today and I see it is an issue in a lot of threads. I just want it to cease.
I’m not on top of the feeds yet. That is part of next week’s plan.
Regards
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Hey Gary,
You little tease, dropping a comment like that on my blog – of course I’m going to come over here and comment
My main reaction is ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ my man. I’ve no idea whether Alex intends us all to become pro bloggers ourselves or whether we’re just here to build a list and the blog is a social platform for the time being.
IF the aim is for us to continuously build a blog based on the Internet marketing niche then come the day you have 100-200 comments left per post, it is going to be very difficult (and time consuming) to track down every link to see if it is a cloaked redirect or not.
I think of the current traffic to my site as ‘psuedo’ traffic – 95% of it is from the AJ community at the moment.
I’ve been rather hoping that Alex will (one day) get the forum together so we have somewhere central to communicate with one another and share ideas.
I feel that any central site needs to be run by Alex himself (or his staff) to keep everyone in check and allow us to concentrate on his training and building our respective businesses. Everyone here deserves the same opportunity.
And if that does happen then the blog traffic will die down a lot anyway. Hence the reason for his $1k competition – to encourage us all to get traffic from outside the community.
My opinion tho’ is that before we seek traffic we should be concentrating on content that is going to be of value to anyone visiting our blogs. I doubt very much that any non-member would be interested in much of the content on our blogs as they are.
Personally I don’t approve every single comment on my blog. A lot of them do add value but the vast majority are other AJ members dropping by to say hello and gain experience of blogging.
That’s cool and is where we all need to be right now. But… it will grow way beyond this if we are all to individually succeed in business.
Have a great day!
Austin.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Hi Gary,
Happy Boxing Day to you.
What about a “Mad Max” avatar to fit in with your Aussie roots rather than a Terminator? (And for you ‘Yanks’ out that, Mel Gibson is and Aussie and not an American, though he might have you fooled otherwise!!)
Must admit that I’ve let my “eye slip off the ball” with this Black-hat stuff. I’ve noticed one or two newbies still accidently putting there PPPs in the URL, but these are generally easy to spot and I just edit them. Doesn’t really bother me too much that.
However, with the Black-Hatters that is a different thing. You are definitely not been too hard. These people are trying to take advantage of our hard efforts. Pure and simple. If they continue (certainly after been warned) what more can you do but ban them from the site? It’s a bit like a piece or real estate or property. Would you let squatters just take up residence and not pay the due rent without taking action? No, you’d try the softly-softly approach at first but then if that had no effect you’d use whatever course of action (legal!) was open to you.
These Black-Hatters are no more than parasites and if they want to continue to do this well they can find another body (website) to leech off. I prefer to have a ‘clean’ blog and so will decontaminate all such undesirables.
Back to the festive fun for me. I’ll have to respond to your last email when I get chance mate.
Garry Parkes
http://garryparkes.com/
December 26th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Hi Austin – I hear what you say my man. But the animosity over this sort of thing seems to be widespread now. I realise that we are just buzzing around like bees in a hive right at this moment but there have to be some rules of etiquette.
I like people to play fair. I play fair. You play fair. Most of us do.
Did you like the intrigue I used? I am currently writing a series of articles using the same premise.
I understand what Alex is doing. We have the internal core buzzing but we need to radiate out. That is what I am concentrating on now. I think I have spent long enough criss-crossing here, there and everywhere. I am now reaching out from behind these walls to Joe and Josephine Public. There is enough credibility here now for outsiders to lob and see it and say “WTF?”
Thanks for coming over. I knew you would.
Oh, I’m still having trouble pinning that extrusion outside my side bar. I did what you suggested and it made no difference (ie cut the default=20 down to 15). Plus I tried a bunch of other stuff. How about another hint bro’?
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Hi Garry – You must have slipped in while I was replying to Mark.
I guess I have done this for the newbs coz this black hat stuff won’t work on the experienced ones here any more. Most of us know about it. Traci Moore has addressed it in no uncertain fashion on her site too.
I just don’t see the need for it. It’s like stealing $50 out of your mum’s purse.
I wanted to create a definitive statement or “rules of engagement” that others could point to and say… “Hey dude! That is wrong. Go here (link) and read why it’s not appreciated. And don’t do it again! Thank you.”
I’m sure some people are doing it coz they are inexperienced and don’t know. But it does seem odd how widespread it has become. We’re all supposed to be working together on this project and this sort of stuff just causes unnecessary disharmony and mistrust. It’s just so unnecessary.
Thanks for stopping by Gazza.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Hi Gary,
This whole topic has certainly pulled in some comments, and my head is fair spinning from the comments coming in hot on the heels of mine.
My thoughts:
1. Rules of engagement would be great so that everyone knows in no uncertain terms what is acceptable, and what is not. A bit like the “I accept”
button that we are all familiar with. The choice is ours whether we accept or not.
2. If there are such “rules of engagement” they should be coming clearly from Alex Jeffreys and/or Garry Parkes. Otherwise, people who are doing naughty black hat bits could still claim ignorance.
3. People may say leave it, it’s only a small problem, whatever, but it is like a virus. If it is not stopped in its tracks it gets too big a problem to ever tackle. (And the black hatters love this as they can do so much damage while the white hatters wake up.)
4. In the interim, or perhaps even longer term if “rules of engagement” or the equivalent are not going to be directives to the Fortunate 500, good on you Gary to be the one-man-patrol checking who and what you can.
5. Suggest when you find a black hatter you tell them in no uncertain terms it’s not on (you say you are doing that anyway). Then, how’s about something like 2 or 3 strikes and you’re out to protect the vulnerable and inexperienced, as this “good” community will soon destroy itself, or at least be less than what was intentioned if these people continue. Then we would also need a central “Name and Shame” sort of board somewhere (Alex Jeffreys and/or Garry Parkes?) because otherwise how will we know?
Apologies if some of my points have crossed over some items in others’ comments, but, as I said, my head was fair spinning and I’m now going to go and do something totally different for an hour or so before it explodes.
Valerie
http:www.daybydaymarketing.com
December 26th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Hi Valerie – all valid points you make above. Garry Parkes has indeed mentioned it on his blog and it is on one of his second tier pages (ie on one of the tabs across the top that you have to click to see). I believe Alex Jeffreys also mentioned it in one of his Webinars. In fact, I think it got a run in TWO of them.
But not everybody was on those calls – about 130 on the last one, from memory.
Valerie, that is why I have made such a definitive stand here. Somebody had to do it. And at the risk of being seen as a “sheriff” or a “pedant” or a “spoil sport” or a “grumpy bum” or a “moaner” or whatever – I don’t care. Black-hatting or “GUERILLA TACTICS” inside this 500 strong team is wrong. I don’t condone it.
I don’t care what people do outside this team. I don’t like the tactics at any time but if they want to do it AWAY from here then that is their business. But, if they get caught, then they will get pole-axed from the site owner, probably banned.
I have seen these tactics adopted at various forums and it always gets ugly.
Anyway, Valerie, I see you have taken the comments that I made over at your site and are running with them. Your site is getting bigger and you are giving value on other blogsites. This is exactly what Nikki Stephens (Nix) has done and in a very short period of time she has become a first-class blogger who is giving value all over the place. I can see you have the attitude to do the same.
Good on you.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Gary,
The answer to the question you asked about the theme is CognoBlue and you are observant it is the same that Mark has, however he knows how to spice it up a bit and i just have to run the “straight out of the box” model.
Garry is also right “Mad Max” would be a good choice. Mel is much easier to understand than Arnold and in this situation you want to be clearly understood!
Now with Christmas and Boxing Day behind you can move on to Australia Day!
Ken
http://www.kennethdouglas.com/blog
December 26th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Hi Gary
I have to take a look at those links again, and make sure that this is not going on at my blog.
I’ve had to deal with a different sort of black hattery and it really aggravated me.
My blog was used by a spammer as his own personal advertisement platform. Hundreds of comments were left on my blog while I was enjoying the Christmas Holidays.
I left a post at my blog telling what I did you prevent future attacks and what I thought of the whole situation in general. I was pretty mad, but I’m over it now, as I’ve been told that this comes with a certain level of popularity.
So if anyone has a problem with spammers or wants to prevent it from happening then pop over to my blog and have a look.
Anthony Arias
http://anthonyarias.net
December 26th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Hi Ken – I really like that style. Trust Mark Austin to “sex it up.” LOL! The ONLY thing that puts me off using it is the way it doesn’t default the paragraphs – they run together and it looks very squishy. Yeah, I’m mad as in angry, not mad as in crazy. But big Arnie is my fave actor and I can do a very credible impersonation of his voice – one of my party tricks!
Hi Anthony – I watch them as they come in – before I approve them, that is. I have also had massive spam attacks. I know that the akismet plug-in will stop some of it but many spammers (porno idiots and others) use a reference to my blog (ie quote some of the words I use) and then embed their dribble and rubbish from there. Yesterday I hit the spam and delete button over 20 times. These people are real idiots. They are like a bunch of cockroaches. I just wanna stomp on them. Why can’t they put their obvious talents towards something decent? I’m gonna come over and take a look at what you have done.
Regards
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Hi Anthony,
You have a problem over at your blog. I went to post a comment and was prevented by your “math question” which gave me an error. However, the math question is NOT displaying for anyone to leave a comment that can be pulished. I therefore copied and pasted my answer below.
When you fix the display I will copy and paste what I wrote below back over onto your blog. In the meantime I will send you an email so your will be alerted to this problem as other people will also not be able to leave their messages either.
A POX on these spammers. Look at all the trouble and wasted effort and time they cause everyone.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Hi Gary
Thanks for notifying me of the problem on my blog. I corrected the situation and have figured how out the correct way to install the simple math spam protector and it is now live.
It really is a shame that these jerks can’t figure out a better way to squeak out a living.
Thanks again,
Anthony Arias
http://anthonyarias.net
December 26th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Hey Gary
Totally agree with you mate. If people want help, advice and to learn, then they should have respect for everyone.
There is a large spectrum of experience within this thriving community and it’s like a kick in family jewels when someone does this intentionally.
So lets stop it now and everyone pull together. We all have something to learn and together we can move mountains – I really believe that or I wouldn’t be here.
Jason and I want to take our monthly income from four figures to five figures and then beyond and Alex will play a major part in this, but so will everyone else. So if anyone needs some help on article marketing, link building, affiliate marketing, rss feeds, blog syndication, let me know and i will do what I can.
We can do this.
JJ
December 26th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Good on you JJ – you said:
That is a very good analogy. I just don’t understand the thought process of some people. They just HAVE to take advantage of others. Maybe it’s the CHALLENGE of trying to get away with it or something. Then again I don’t understand those people who write viruses to mess up the computers of people they don’t even know either. Or grafitti vandals for that matter. There are so many destructive mind disorders these days.
As you say, JJ, there is indeed a VAST spectrum of experience in our community. I would venture to say that with the talent here we could do ANYTHING on the web.
Thanks for your kind offer too JJ.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Hi Anthony – mission accomplished. I just copied and pasted my comment into your site. The math Q is working perfectly now. I got 2 + 5 = ? It took me a while to work that one out. LOL!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Mad Max Gaz-Man,
Did you have a good Xmas? I’m sorry I’ve been out of action for the past couple of days, I’ve been holed up in bed with a stinking cold feeling most sorry for myself. Means I haven’t got my next blog post up yet, but I’m hoping this time tomorrow it’ll be written, up & running (if only I can stop sneezing long enough to write it and my eyes stop watering enough to look at the damn screen!).
The only black hat I’m wearing is my witches’ hat – ooh, I could have that as my avatar pic on here!! Better than our Spindly Twins over on Garry Parkes’ site!!
Oh, and I also wanted to say thank you for your kind compliment above – it’s much appreciated.
Thanks,
Sniffly Nix from the Nickelodeon
http://www.NikkiStephens.com
December 27th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Hi Nix – I have flicked across to the Nickelodeon half a dozen times to see what the sultry one is doing and… not much I see. LOL! Sorry to hear you have been ill. You are quite welcome regarding the comment above under Valerie’s post. I say it as I see it.
Gazz-Man
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Gaz-Man,
You may be pleased to know I have been reading one of my Christmas prezzies while in bed – I got Dita Von Teese’s book on burlesque and fetish – now that’s given me some ideas!!
Trying to write a semi-coherent blog post now, although I think I need more tea and will also need to return to my bed soon – it’s 12.30am as I type this!
Nix
http://www.NikkiStephens.com
December 27th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Gary
On this we agree – If we all put our heads, abilities and efforts every member can grab what they want.
To everyone success
JJ
December 27th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Gaz-Man,
New blog post up & running now – go have a look! I may possibly have mentioned your superb Action Planner in there…among other things!
Off to bed now – not sure ill people should be up at 1.23am even if it is because I’m blogging!
Catch you later…
Nix
http://www.NikkiStephens.com
December 27th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Nix – you poor little dear. I will scoot straight off to the Nickelodean and see what you have done.
Gazz-Man
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:54 am
To be honest, I suspect that those that are doing this are doing so out of ignorance and over-enthusiasm rather than to be sneaky or dishonest.
Like many have mentioned, Alex’s coaching students are a diverse bunch with regard to ability, which is great, it means that the group is richer, IMO.
However, there are other `etiquette’ problems that are being thrown up which I think it is important to mention, particular with regard to commenting on other peoples’ blogs, spamming and Twitter.
1. It is not considered good form to comment on peoples blogs and leave your url after your name. Many bloggers (in the big wide world beyond the coaching group) will not accept your comments and consider them to be spammy if you do this.
There is no need to do this anyway, as you get the opportunity to leave your url in the form when commenting on a blog in most cases.
If someone is interested enough in your comment and you, they will simply click on your name and be taken to your blog.
2. It is considered bad form on Twitter to DM someone saying something like “hi, thanks for following me – check out my website at http://blahblah.com” – again, when a person chooses to follow you back, they can and usually do check your profile out which should contain your url.
Many Twitter members automatically unfollow people who do this as they consider this to be spam
3. I have had quite a few `spam’ emails through the 500 forum “check out my new blog post, please comment etc. etc.”
Again, on most forums it’s not considered good form to spam other members with emails to visit your website. It hasn’t bothered me too much at the moment as it’s only been a few, but if more and more people start doing it then it will get totally out of hand.
To encourage people to visit your website, you should provide relevant comments to blogs and not leave the impression that you’re only commenting so that you can add your url at the end of the comment.
On Twitter you should post links and information that you think might be helpful to those following you. Yes, it’s OK to tell people what you’re having for your breakfast, but the more chatty you are and the less you look like you’re trying to promote yourself, when you do post a Tweet like “new blog post: how to blah blah” people will be more inclined to click and visit.
Why not do some stumbling and find a few mad, bad, or whacky sites and post the url on Twitter – people enjoy clicking through and seeing stuff that you enjoyed and not just your own self-promotional stuff.
Remember, we are a group at the moment and hopefully the majority of us will form lasting friendships and online working relationships but there will eventually be a world for us all outside of Alex’s coaching, so we need to start as we mean to go on and make sure we don’t alienate non-Alex students and indeed begin now to start attracting other readers, followers and subscribers other than those we already know in the coaching program.
My goodness, Gary, I almost sound as strict as you, lol
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with their families and friends.
Paula
December 27th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Hi Gary,
I never knew such a thing existed until you and Garry brought in up in one of your blogs’ on Garry’s site.
Most of us are new to the blogging and social media aspect of internet marketing, and in spite of putting in long hours figuring things out and trying to visit each other’s blogs that it becomes disheartening to learn there are such RATS out there.
I really have been putting in the time learning and working hard. I have yet to make a single sale although my traffic is up. Now, I’m going to go back and review the few posts I have for what’ you’ve shown us to look for.
Thank you,
Angela
http://www.RealWealthParadigm.net/blog
December 27th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Oh pants – that means I’ve probably been annoying everyone as someone suggested putting our links after our names which I did without thinking…whoops! My bad!
Skulking away in shame…
Nix from the Nickelodeon
December 27th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Hi Paula,
Thanks for coming over and sharing some of your knowledge. I agree with just about all you said.
I think many of us (me included) are appending our website URL’s below our names because lots of newbies don’t even know that the name tag can be pressed to take them to the commentor’s website. I know this sounds VERY basic but, well, um, you should see some of the emails that I get at times.
I don’t have an issue at all with people leaving their URL after their name. In fact, I kinda like it. But if you personally don’t like it then I will try to remember not to do it over at Paula-Land. LOL! I see you have practiced what you preach here too.
I appreciate the time you have taken to write such a long and detailed post. And…
Scary Paula… scary – LOL!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Nix – you’s bad, I’s bad, who’s bad… Michael Jackson’s bad!
Gazz-Man
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Owwwwwwwwww!
*does Michael Jackson infamous dance move*
December 27th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Nix -” … because you’re bad, you’re bad, you’re bad!” Placing my hand in the nether region and doin’ tha moon walk.
Now, who’s bad?
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Oh Angela! – How did I miss you? All of a sudden up I look and there you are! How sweet of you to visit among all this mayhem going on here…
RATS? More like rats with wings – vampire bats – draining blood… (v v) LOL!
I’ll come and see you a little bit later – AFTER Nix does what she PROMISED to do and GO TO BED!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
Gary
December 27th, 2008 at 2:35 am
You’s bad!
December 27th, 2008 at 2:36 am
I know. And you’s makin’ me badder!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Yeah baby!! (Moving into Austin Powers’ territory now!)
December 27th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Totally shag-a-delick babey… oh BE-have!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:40 am
Sh*gwell by name, sh*gVERYwell by nature…
(Oh dear, don’t encourage me!!)
December 27th, 2008 at 2:43 am
Are you FOOK-YOU or FOOK-ME? Coz I’m fooked if I know.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:43 am
Oh dear! I may have to censor what I just wrote!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:44 am
Depends which mood I’m in!!!
December 27th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Nix – you are making me laugh. I can’t believe that two “supposedly” MATURE people are writing this stuff. Then again, if you look at my header the subby does say “ANYTHING can happen here!” And it is.
You said you were going off to the land of Nod. So whassup? Aren’t you tired? It must be like 3.00am over there where you are!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Hey, I have never claimed maturity!!! And yes, it’s 2.50am here as I type this – the kettle is on for my hot water bottle, so I’m almost on my way to bed – in all fairness I’ve been asleep in bed for most of the day with this damn cold, so it’s not so bad that I’m still up at the mo!
Besides, isn’t laughter meant to be the best medicine??
Nix
December 27th, 2008 at 2:54 am
So Readers’ Digest recommends. This is turning into text-city here!
Hey, did you take a look at my RHS panel? I’ve been beefing it up. Whaddya think? You’re in it a couple of times too Nix. See over there on the right?
YOU are a GOLD MEMBER too! LOL!
Jeez, maybe I shouldn’t have started that line of thinking back up, huh?
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:00 am
Which particular line of thinking are you referring to? If you’re worried about offending me then please don’t, I have the sense of humour of a teenage boy so can be a lot worse than we’ve been so far! Besides, it’s all part of building a rapport.
Loving that I’m a GOLDMEMBER – can I quote Goldmember here and say “I love ggggoooollllddd!”
See, I knew I was special. I’ve put a long post over on Parkes’ blog, but he hasn’t moderated it yet so you won’t be able to see it
– I do occasionally talk sense as well as randomness!!
December 27th, 2008 at 3:08 am
Yeah I know Nix. I just bring out the worst in you. I can see how comical and clever you are.
BTW… while I have been sitting here, I have eaten half a packet of salt and vins. If I don’t stop then I will look more like Fat Bastard than my usual sveldt self (cough, cough – boo-sheet!).
I left quite a long post back at the Nickelodeon. You probably haven’t seen it yet coz you have been bantering back and forth here with me.
I gotta say I really like people with a rapier wit. But I am also keen to see what you wrote over at Parkesy’s. This wordpress stuff doesn’t have to be all serious ALL the time. In fact, often with me it isn’t.
Gee, you should see some of the stuff I have written at Coleen’s Classroom Capers and Harry’s Cafe de Wheels and elsewhere. Some people must think I am a real nit-wit. But I like to be under-estimated. LOL!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Have no fear Gaz-Man, I have seen your post over at the Nickelodeon, and it’s another good one from you (I mean really, as if I’d expect anything less)! I’m good at multitasking you see (which I know, isn’t always the most productive way of doing things!)
You will be pleased (or possibly disappointed) to know that I am now all ready for bed, so will shortly be turning the laptop off and leaving you in peace for what remains of the night (for me it’s 3.17am).
As always, it’s been fun!!
Nix
PS – If you see Parkesy tell him to hurry up & approve my post!!
December 27th, 2008 at 3:22 am
Nix – sweet dreams little ranunculus. It’s been a gas.
I do wonder what the heck others may think though!
Hope you feel better tomorrow.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:24 am
One of my favourite lessons in life is not to be bothered by other people’s opinions of me, unless I am genuinely interested in that person in the first place – I am who I am, and that includes a devious streak!!
BTW – ranunculus? What’s one of those?
Night night (from me anyway!).
Nix
December 27th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Ranunculus = buttercup.
Good night Buttercup.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Aww how sweet!
Thanks!
Nix
December 27th, 2008 at 3:49 am
That’s the Gazz-Man for ya! Good Gazz-Man, that is. The bad dude gets locked away and I don’t let him out unless someone rattles his cage too hard – LOL!
You get a good night’s sleep Nix…
LOL? Nix! What was that last noise you made?
Poor pet, she’s fast asleep. Ain’t she sweet?
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:16 am
[...] being created by Alex Jeffreys’ students he came back bemused. Some of them like that of Gary Simpson are packed with information and resources that have been given open-heatedly to help [...]
December 27th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Gary,
I’m unsure people are being deliberately ‘Black Hat’. You see if you put your blog in a secondary directory for example: http://yoursite.com/blog but have loaded your Profit Pulling Platform into the main directory, which I think was recommended at one stage although I had already set my blog in the main directory when I heard it, then unless you specify the blog directory when commenting the link will naturally point back to the PPP.
That’s my take anyway.
Thanks for mentioning me here, and also stopping by to comment.
Warly,
Stephen
http://www.stephenbray.com
December 27th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Hmmm,
I mean’t warmly ~ not warly
December 27th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Hi Stephen – Yeah, I see what you mean but I think, well… you already KNOW what I think. It’s all above. LOL!
I am happy to give CREDIT to those who are doing a great job and helping others or adding to the collective knowledge of the 500 team. I felt that you did that in the thread on your site so I wanted to alert people to it so they might be tempted to go and check it out.
Warly? Yeah, I KNEW what you meant. You can tell by the words what the tone of the commentry is – a slip of the old fingers!
I’m actually getting a bit tired of this topic to tell you the truth. I have made a stance and many people now are wiser for reading all this.
Then again, after reading me and the Nixster going at it, maybe they are wondering what planet we were on – LOL!
Regards
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Gaz-Man, I’m liking your plan over on my blog…what do you reckon, think we’d be allowed??!
As for random noises in my bed – were you in the room with me?!
Nix
December 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
PS – did you read my thoughts over on Garry Parkes’ blog? (think I’m no. 39) He’s approved my post now so it’s alive & kicking…
…still upset that you’re no longer my Spindly Twin though!
Nix from the Nickelodeon
December 27th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Oh… little Nix again, huh? Had a little sleep did we? Feel better now, do we? How’s the flu love? Getting over it?
You were is such a naughty mood last night. The noises? I just waited until you were sleeping peacefully then er… when I heard you do THAT… well, I left you snoring. LOL!
Nix, I did read your most fabuloso post over at Parkesy’s. Jeez! It took me half an hour to read everything. That is such a hive of activity. And I see Parkesy has caught my affliction. He is now downright verbose and rantish!
I swear, when he gets on his “high horse” now – his soapbox – there is no holdin’ the fellow back. Next thing you know he’ll be on the speaking circuit. I can see it coming – “Jay Leno interviews… Parkesy!”
Nix, I had to get rid of the dweeby, spindly avatar and power up to a GRAVATAR. I reckon you should do it too. Then you would be able to spread your sultriness far and wide. LOL
Bye for now.
Gazz-Man
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
PS1: I might change the title of this thread to the “Adventures of the Gazz-Man and Her Sultriness, Nix from the Nickelodeon.”
PS2: Yeah, let’s enter our silliness above into the Trueman show’s comp. Like I said over at the Nickelodeon… you can have the prize.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Hi Gary
“But if you personally don’t like it then I will try to remember not to do it over at Paula-Land.”
No, you misunderstood me, it doesn’t really annoy me – what I’m saying is that it could be a problem when Members to to comment on other blogs that aren’t members.
I do actually tend to edit the url out and leave the comment, just for tidyness sake really, but I have left them all in for comments made by “the 500″ as I didn’t want anyone to think I was being snooty about it and I’m very aware that many of the 500 are newbies — it’s totally something I used to do and I remember getting an email from one `big blogger’ rapping my knuckles for doing it, lol.
Px
December 27th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Hi Paula
Thanks for the clarification.
We know you aren’t “snooty.” Maybe cutey but definitely not snooty – LOL!
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 28th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Hi Gary!
I’m glad you brought this to out attention. I haven’t really been checking everyones URL that is hidden under their names. But I found 2 different link under someones name and I have addressed this person to get some answers.
This is so not how we want to work and it gives us a lot more work if we need to click through all of our comments just to see if someone is cheating with some black hat tricks.
Crazy stuff.. Talk to you soon!
Thomas Skavhellen
http://www.widlas.com
December 28th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Hi Thomas – this is so weird. I was just posting over at Tommy-ville and you were over here. How’s that for an exchange?
Yep. It seems that some people have sussed out that some of the high-traffic blogs can be bled for personal advantage. Now I KNOW that some people have made mistakes through inexperience but my EXPERIENCE can see who has done it deliberately and who has just been naive.
It is very disappointing, to say the least. But at least now everyone can just tell whoever that person is to come here and read WHY it is so dastardly. I wouldn’t expect any of the true black-hatters to comment here but if people were making HONEST mistakes then they would be welcome to come and explain their misunderstanding.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 28th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Hey Gary!
Happy Holidays! You’re written a good post here.
Hey why not publish the names if its a repeat offender? And make sure its the administrator who will announce it?
I don’t want to spend the time to police people while I can just concentrate on trying to bring traffic to my site. It’s all about the focus, isn’t it?
If you focus on a clean site, you’ll get it. If you focus on traffic, you’ll get a not so clean site but in turn get a ton of traffic.
All the best!
Regards,
Erwin Chua
Winning To Win With Erwin Chua! – Internet Marketing Advice
http://winning2win.com
Follow Me On Twitter!
http://www.twitter.com/waywalker0101
December 28th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Ahhh, the culprit himself – Erwin – it was YOU, Erwin, that started me off on my RANT over your tongue-in-cheek comment about “Grey Hatting” over at Braysie’s blog. All of a sudden I had all these words flooding into my head and I just had to get them in order first and then out onto the screen.
LOOK at what you did man!
Seriously, welcome to Gary-Land. It IS about focus Erwin. And traffic is definitely on the agenda now.
Thanks for teleporting in from Malaysia Erwin. Hope to see you back here real soon.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 28th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Well, well, well….the mice will play when the cat is away Gary Simpson.
So, Nixxie is your girl now is she? Seems to me she’s not learning to much about Black Hat, Grey Hat and White hat…!!!
Thanks for the lesson on how to check links, however I’m with Austin. There are just to many to check and it is about being discerning and that we should be offering valuable content for ANYONE that visits our sites and not just focusing whole soul on our Fellow Students.
I think that what happend to Anthony is also disgusting and that we can all learn a lesson over at his place (blog) as well.
It’s good to be back. Rosie Girl is out of intensive care, back on her feet (just), and currently isolated at home from the rest of her brood for the next 2 – 3 weeks. She lays quietly under my bed, not moving much, although each day she appears to be more aware which is terrific. The consensus is that Rosie Girl was bitten by a snake. I still wonder, considering I live in the suburbs, but hey, anything is possible I guess.
I see that you are as outspoken as ever, outlandish as they come and totally over the top Gary……good to know that nothing’s changed since I’ve been away!!!
See Ya
Coleen
December 28th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Yikes… it’s Colz (the old girlf) – Hi Colz!
[whispering to my mates - "looks like I've been sprung boys. Double dating again. Let's see if I can talk my way out of this. Turn on the old Gazza-lingo charm."].
Er, Colz… (gulp!)… darls, me an’ Nix… er, we was just messin’ around last night. Truly. She’s just a “friend.”
[whispering to my mates again - "Whew! That Nix is a good sort - a REAL tigress. Hunka-hunka."]
Um Colz… about Nix, I mean, Miss Stephens. She is a really nice young lady and she has such a bad ‘flu. I was only helping her get over it by taking her mind off it. And she doesn’t WEAR a hat. In fact she doesn’t wear… well let’s not go there. She is a really nice girl. Far too young for me – if you were thinking THAT! Not that you would be, of course.
[Boys... I reckon she fell for it - heh...heh...]
Being serious now – I hear what you are saying Coleen and I agree with all that Austin said. (It’s hard discerning between Mark Austin and Austin Delaney sometimes – esp late at night). But if you are aware of HOW some people are doing this then you can take a look in the dashboard panel as the comments come through. It only takes a couple of seconds.
With respect to Anthony Arias‘s blog I have had the spammers going nuts with mine too. So has Garry Parkes. I got so annoyed the other day with this one particular moron who sent wave after wave of crap to me (mostly pedophile and under-age lolita stuff, that UTTERLY disgusts me) that I did a “Who is?” on him and complained to his ISP. I reckon he will get a nice little surprise for New Year. Bye, bye D H – first word rhymes with WICK, last one with SHED.
Good to hear that your cat is on the mend after her CATastrophic event (sorry, I know I did that to death over at Snitch-Ville). Have you considered a spider bite? I think you would have seen the puncture marks from a snake.
My puppalitos are always poking their noses in dark corners. Over here in Perth we have the very dangerous and highly venomous red-back spider – Lactrodectus Mactans Hasselti in Latin – amazing how I remember junk like that. Wanna come to a quiz night with me? Huh?
Anyway, that is good news. I know how close you are to your moggies. Just like me and the puppalitos. They are at my feet in the office right now. They are my little buddies.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 28th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Great rant Gary and good to stamo on bad practices as soon as they arise.
If only the rest of the internet community had the chance to do this. Pity Google can’t stop black hatters getting high ranking on their pages, at least not immediately coz like viruses the perpetrators ae always one step ahead of the law abiding majority!!
keep ranting
Kath
December 29th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Hi Kath! – I reckon if you make a stance early on and everyone gets to know about it then nobody has any excuse to keep doing this stuff. It’s just lecherous – IF it is intended. I can handle anyone making a mistake. Hell, I’ve made enough. Now let me see… thinking… thinking… oh yeah… I made one back on the 7th January 1974. LOL!
Kath, Google is only interested in ONE thing – Google. If they did what is morally and ethically right then they would ban porno, pedophile and scam sites. That would reduce the size of the internet by 75%.
I don’t MEAN to rant. It’s just that sometimes the occasion overtakes me. Thanks for stopping by.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:47 am
Hey Gary,
I came over for a different reason and will post a differnet comment on the more appropriate post but couldn’t help myself and thanking you for bringing that to my attention.
I most certainly fall into the newbie, naive category and had no idea about such thing.
Tks mate,
PS.: I love your posts by-the-way
Sandra
In Joy With My Self
http://www.motherlymarketing.com
December 30th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Gaz-Man,
This has been going on long enough. There have been several threads on this and it’s time the offenders are named and shamed! Then people will know who they are and if they get a comment from them they can elect to check it or reject it.
We’ve got enough to do without having to play site cop all the time.
I agree with Paula and after doing a course on Twitter yesterday, I will be adopting the practice of only leaving my name at the end of posts.
Cheers,
Dean Hohn
January 4th, 2009 at 3:31 am
Hey Gary,
You’ve done a good job of setting the record straight regarding the appropriate etiquette of blogging and leaving signatures.
If someone is cloaking/masking their url, they know what they’re doing and can’t be excused as a newbie.
Looking forward to more of your rants,
Theresa
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January 4th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Hello Sandra and Dean and Theresa – Thank you for replying here. You can always rely on me for an occasional sermon or rant.
I am pleased to say that since this post went up I haven’t seen any further or current complaints. I know that this post (and all its comments) was viewed 381 times in the last five days of December alone. My stats in the c-panel tell me that. I haven’t checked the January 2009 stats yet. I don’t think there have been too many coz this is like an OLD post now – gee, like 10 WHOLE days. But that is the speed of things in Blog-Land.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Gary
says – Click on Alex Jeffreys to see how YOU too can build a successful and profitable Internet Marketing Business.
February 16th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
[...] Black Hat, Grey Hat and White Hat Blogging – Blog Rules for Gazza Well, Christmas 2008 is over and we are heading inexorably into 2009. I hope you had a FANtastic time. I certainly did. I have been doing a few “catch-ups” on sites that I have really wanted to visit. [...]