On what may very well bring the death of the Book Blogs Ning

[Maw Books]

SPAM! Lots and lots of spam.

[Linda]

Then why is there an ongoing forum post for reviews? I also post about other things and not just my reviews, but I find it rather insulting to think that people here think I am using the ning as an "advertising tool'. I enjoy reading about the reviews that are being posted by others and following those links to their blogs. Go figure - I guess I am alone.

[Maw Books]

If you are posting your reviews in a review link thread than that's totally fine! Not spam. Go for it. Especially if there is a conversation in place about the book. What I'm thinking is, "My newest book review is posted" and that's it.

But what I consider spam is linking to reviews from groups that have nothing to do with reviews. ie: Blogging Tips Group. (Sorry to keep bringing that group up but that's the one I moderate). And then not once, but also in the other 20 groups they are in. I think we are talking about two different things here.

[Grace]

Ok. Now I feel better. I have never done that. I don't think anyway. *gets out of Spammer Jail feeling free*. Still, I think I am going to just post the review and giveaway stuff on my profile, if I post it at all.

[Maw Books]

*phew*

[Deborah]

Posting in a forum specifically for reviews is fine. It's, like Mawbooks said below, the cross posting of multiple post in groups/discussions that have nothing to do with your review, that is considered spam.

[Amy]

If there is a group for that that's fine, but not the whole site is for that. So I was trying to clear up what I thought the purpose of the site was...since you asked.

If someone posts a link to their reviews in every group I'm forced to conclude they think the ning site is for getting traffic to their own blog.

[Harvee Lau]

I don;t have that many issues so I guess I won't be using this ning very much. Sharing about books is posting our reviews of books, isn't it? Now, I'm really confuzzled. Who wants to double review - both on our blogs and again on this ning?

[Maw Books]

I'd be curious to know how many people are visiting your specific book review url's from the ning? Not to the main page of your blog but rather to the direct url. Is this something that you'd be able to look up in your stats? I'm honestly curious . . .

[Harvee Lau]

Some, but not that many, really. Yep, it probably doesn't make much of a difference.

[Karoline]

I actually visit people's reviews on ning. (and I have visited yours, Harvee) It makes me aware of other books I have never heard of, or have considered reading and want to see their opinions of them.

I post review links to my blog on groups that have to do with reviewing books or having to do with the genre of book I'm reviewing but now with this whole spam thing going on people (myself included) are now going to be hesitant as to where we post.

I just hope it doesn't make the group die I know too much spam is awful I hate it too but now with being aware and being hesitant about posting that might make the group die too.

[Maw Books]

Okay. Check out this author: http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/MichaBErman Joined 22 groups and 9 discussions and spammed it with his book. Authors are very guilty of spamming this group as well, so it's not just bloggers.

As an example, I run a group here called "Blogging Tips." This group has nothing to do with linking to book reviews, giveaways, etc. But yet, every time people posted a new review/giveaway they would leave a comment. I never saw them actually contribute much to the discussions in the group or offer any tips.

I'm sure there are many groups and threads that are about book reviews, etc. By all means, link there. And if that's what you are doing. Then great. But spamming is when you are cross-posting multiple posts in groups that have nothing to do with book reviews/giveaways.

[Harvee Lau]

Tricia: you're awfully silent on this. I guess [posting reviews are out even if you don't email them. .