MyBlogLog Spam, Danny’s New Fight, and A Lesson from Graywolf

MyBlogLog Spam

Over at Daggle, Danny Sullivan comments on the new wave of spam over at MyBlogLog that has hit Danny, a series of other prominent SEO bloggers, and me. The spamming comes in the form of co-author requests where a blog you’ve likely never heard of asks you to accept their co-authorship request.

Obviously, they don’t care about you. They just want their blog to appear on your highly trafficked MyBlogLog profile and get your readers to think you’re somehow affiliated with a blog you’ve never heard of. I’ve received a few of them lately, mostly from non-English blogs, and I deleted them and went on my way. However, in one case, Danny, myself, and several others were added as a co-author to an unfamiliar blog even though we had never confirmed it. It just appeared on our profile as if we authorized it.

Enter in a whole new form of MyBlogLog spam. The situation made me a little uncomfortable, if only because everything seems a little more personal and encroaching when your name and persona are taken and attached to something you have no affiliation with. The MyBlogLog blog (heh) commented that "the spam hole as been plugged" and that no more spammy co-author requests should go out. That’s good to hear. I’d hate to log into MBL tomorrow and find out I’m suddenly co-authoring three new blogs. Heck, I can barely keep up with this one!

If you too have been added as a co-author, fear not. Simply go into that blog’s settings and remove yourself. I did.

Danny Sullivan vs. Donna Bogatin in the Is Google Overrated debate

The open debate between Danny Sullivan and Donna Bogatin made for a great read this morning. Danny and Donna got into a lively discussion offering up opposing views on the statement "Google is overrated". Donna took the pro, while Danny took the con.

It’s great to have intelligent champions for both sides, because before you know it you find yourself siding with both of them simultaneously. Personally, I found it interesting that while I’m more apt to agree with Donna’s point of view, I often found myself agreeing with Danny. Who knows, maybe I’m just afraid to cross SEO’s great white light.

Michael Gray, SEOs Great Motivator

Michael Gray gave everyone a hearty kick in the pants this morning asking them to find their inner Jerry McGuire.

Michael writes in part:

"…if you’re going to do something do it with gusto. if you’re going to be a filthy rotten low down no good dirty spammer, then by gosh do it right! Crank up your auto-gen bots and churn and burn through domains like Sherman burned through Georgia. if you’re going to go the content route spend the time build it right, do the research, stomp all over the person who holds the spot ahead of you. They have one page you have three, they have ten pages you have thirty, don’t settle for second. Don’t whine and complain that nobody pays attention or links to you. You want links, you want attention, stand up and do something hard, do something exceptional, do something amazing, do something note worthy, do something impossible to ignore, do anything other than being a crybaby."

There’s nothing I can say that will capture the heart and fire produced by Michael, so I’d really encourage you just to go read his post. Michael’s really good at stirring up this industry in a way that makes us want to do better and work smarter. We all need people who challenge us, and Michael Gray is one of those people. Thanks, Michael.

Programming Note

Just a note that I’ll be turning over blogging duties to Susan through Friday while I attend Bruce Clay’s SEOToolSet training class. I wouldn’t want you to mistake my silence as a sign that I have been kidnapped by a bunch of Wikipedia-supporting crazies (Or that Susan locked me in her car trunk after I keyed it). See you on Friday for all the Recap goodness.

Lisa Barone is a writer, content marketer & VP of strategy at Overit Media. She's also a very active Twitterer, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

See Lisa's author page for links to connect on social media.