I ain’t gonna visit your blog . . .
Popularity: 7%
or profile, or site if you are disingenuous . That’s right. If I sense you are fake, forget it. Look, I am attracted to user generated content because of it’s authenticity and I don’t think I am the only one. We get manipulated every day by traditional media, with an agenda. There is nothing wrong with that, because we know the game. But, when I want something real, I want to be able to trust what I read. I don’t want to have to interpret motivations. The beauty is it’s your content. It is an extension of you. So don’t sell out. Keep it real, let your heart and your mind build momentum.
Authenticity is going to be even more important as 2007 rolls on. Pay per Post is growing. I have no problem with people getting paid to post, but if it is not clearly and loudly disclosed, I am pissed. Blogging, profiles, and the such imply a direct connect with the author and that is the appeal of user-generated content. Let’s not lose the appeal. So as Pay per Post grows, authenticity is going to be a differentiator. Make sure you use it to your advantage.
Now check it, there is another reason authenticity or being genuine needs to reign. It should be considered etiquette, and that is how you promote yourself on blogs, social sites and other places. Look, here is the deal, Mybloglog, folks take notice. Don’t leave a gratuitous hello, or comment on my profile or blog or site etc. just to get me to come visit your site. Nothing is more irritating than a fake comment, like "nice post" or "I agree, keep it up". Keep it real. I see right through you and so does everyone else. Show me some love, read my stuff and tell me what you really think or don’t say anything. Don’t do it because you want me or others to visit your site. The Antman has said this more than once, "you gotta give to get", but you gotta give authentically.
OK, I will visit your site, I will visit your blog, I will check out your profile IF . . . your keepin it real baby!!! Oh yeah!
Comments
I agree, keep it up 
Comment from Colin on January 4, 2007, 12:48 am
Nice Post
Seriously, though, you’re making an excellent point. I’m wondering if you’ve considered how your decision to blog under a pseudonym may work against your philosophy of “keepin it real”?
I just scanned through the ~200 feeds in my reader, and yours is the only one I can’t attach a real name to. And I can’t think of one A-List blogger who doesn’t write under their real name.
Frankly, I’m still a bit confused about the authorship of your blog. Your “I have been tagged” post a few days ago was written as if it was posted by someone other than “the Antman”. Are there two people blogging here? One person with a split personality? Is “the Antman” just a rhetorical device you use? Is it an inside joke that I’m just not getting?
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read enough of your posts that I don’t doubt your authenticity. But if you’re serious about keeping it real, why not put your name on this?
I enjoy your blog, and I’d be able to take it a lot more seriously if you made it clear WHO is posting. You’re dead-on about the increasing importance of authenticity, so why not come out from behind the curtain and drop this Antman business? It feels gimmicky, and your writing is strong enough that you don’t need gimmicks.
I hope I’m not being too critical here. Please delete this comment if it offends. My intention is simply to point out how your blog could feel more authentic to me.
Comment from Kevin Henney on January 4, 2007, 1:03 am
Great post James. After reading it, I realized that all of my posts on our blog were written by “Administrator”. Wow - talk about a cold, sterile title.
So, I went back and changed my title to “Webmaster”. That really strokes my fragile ego ;).
PS, just kidding - I changed it to Anthony :).
Comment from cctech on January 4, 2007, 7:57 am
I really have to disagree with your comment that “Blogging, profiles, and the such imply a direct connection with the author…”. I have a blog with books and profiles and with no connection with a single one. I believe I am sharing and educating by featuring things that I have benefited from. Antman, we are going to have to leave this one to the readers to decide. I am going to post a survey and get back to you with the results.
Kevin’s view on the authenticity is interesting and somewhat true but frankly, it really doesn’t matter to me who the antman is (or antmen are).
Keep the good stuff coming!
Comment from SoHo Cheerleader on January 4, 2007, 10:42 am
I totally agree with you! Seriously!! Often people come to my site, via MyBlogLog, and have listed me as a contact, joined my community, are one of my admirers. And I have to wonder, what makes this person, who is SO clearly different than I, interested? I believe that half of them don’t care one iota about what I have to say or what is going on in my life. It’s the same thing I see on really popular crafting sites - people will leave comments JUST TO LEAVE A COMMENT without offering much of anything else. How aggravating!
Nice post 
PS - I will be linking to you from my blog. I just need to figure out how to categorize you (and a dozen others) that’s don’t currently fit under what I already have.
Comment from Melissa R. Garrett on January 4, 2007, 12:13 pm
I ain’t gonna visit your blog . . .
If you want readers you need to be authentic. Don’t be disingenuous. Add to the conversation, give a little to get a little.
Trackback from Anonymous on January 6, 2007, 6:38 pm
“Your recommendations are assumed ‘authentic’ and therefore worthy of exploration.”
This goes back to the idea of word of mouth advertising being the most effective. Of course WOM can be disengenuos, but I think most people can see through that.
One has to wonder if spam comments really hurt the spammer in the long run. I know that when I encounter spam comments or fall victim to them, the last thing I want to do is read their blog or visit their profile/website/whatever.
Comment from Marcus on January 12, 2007, 5:31 pm
Antman,
I think this was a fabulous post. Here’s the thing. Sometimes it may take us a while to visit a particular person’s blog. But we see something that we like. Once there there’s inspiration.
I don’t know how many people would ask me to visit their blog. Don’t ask me to visit your blog until you’ve visit mine. Do you even know who I am? Do you know what I”m about? Do you know what I care about? Do you know what my issues are? If you don’t, then don’t ask me to visit you. It’s called quid pro quo. It’s so freaking simple. And it really pisses me off when people don’t do it.
Now I have to tell you rule one of good business is not faking it. Because sooner or later that catches up with you. People are attracted to authenticity. People know when you are sincere. I believe 100% of my success in life has been related to my sincerity and work ethic. I refuse to compromise my integrity and refuse to fake it. I refuse to work with people I do not respect and clients I do not admire. It took me millions of mistakes to figure out that I was in a lose lose every time I worked with people that I didn’t trust.
The more authentic and genuine you are in everything you do, the more successful you will be in life period. And corporate America is fails in recognizing they destroy innovation and excellence when the squash authenticity.
Comment from Ev Nucci on May 3, 2007, 7:50 am
LMFAO Antman!
hell ya! thats keepin it real with a REAL posty like above, no wait, you are the real deal I feel you on your post real deep like Im not kidding we learn everyday yes?
oh BTW ANTMAN WHATS up WITH YOUR BLOGGER AWARD?
i DONOT SEE THAT YOU HAVE POSTED ABOUT IT?
YES PEOPLE ANTMAN IS THE CATS PJ’S Let him tell it Im tailights and look forward to hearnin from you when you have time of course
Im taillights!
Harleyblues Christina
Comment from harleyblues on July 17, 2007, 6:31 pm
I loved this posty so much I had to read it and comment twice, double time
christina harleyblues
Comment from harleyblues on July 17, 2007, 6:41 pm
actually, i agree with only 99%. the 99%? wholeheartedly.
the point i disagree with is the ‘nice post’ bit. i’ve made some blog friends using cre8buzz, and i want them to know i’ve come over to see what they’ve written. that i’ve cared. i *don’t* post if i’m not genuinely interested in *something* about them, be it their blog or their cre8buzz profile. and sometimes? i’m a bit brain dead, and once-in-a-while, i say ‘nice post’. i don’t love that i was brain dead, but i do want them to know they had me as a reader that day.
now, i *do* agree that there are a couple individuals who are just blatantly (yes, even here now!) leaving ‘hi!’ on any and every profile on this site, in order to catapult them to the top position. i think this is going to bite them in the butt, however, when content wins out over their shallowness.
but, to say ALL ‘nice post’ comments are crap? c’mon. some of us would kill for an extra ‘nice post’ comment here and there.
having said that, i get stuff wrong a lot. maybe i should work harder on making my brain less dead. but i’m trying to blog, work full time and i have two kids. sometimes, i have to sleep. should i just give up because my comments aren’t up to snuff?
OTHERWISE,
yup. yup. yup.
Comment from holly on December 13, 2007, 1:37 pm
Wow great site! Some really helpful information there.
I’m sorry for little off-topic, but I want to ask you about design of this site.
Did you make this template yourself or got from any templates website?
Looks pretty cool for me. Wonderful well this reading.
Comment from John Svid on February 25, 2008, 7:10 am
Write a comment