Auto Like Bots and False Traffic Reports

I a going to start this post with a link, however, I am sorely tempted to request you don’t click it. Not for any malicious reasons, but rather because it is a big fake. Anyway, here is the link.

I checked my emails a few minutes ago, and saw that I had three new post likes from a new visitor. Or rather, one I didn’t recognize has ever having liked or commented in the past. Imagine my excitement.  As I often do, especially for new ‘friends’ I check out their blog in return. It is the least I could do. (Hence the link above.)

I was shocked to read that the site was a fraud. The woman was blatantly advertising the fact that we are visiting her blog in response to a Like she left on a post, and that it was all thanks to a bot that is designed to increase site traffic.

Now, I am all for increasing stats. My own are a source of constant interest and often frustration to me. Especially as I see the blogs around me growing larger and larger. However, the idea of using a bot that randomly likes posts, and according to this young lady, you can set it to like as many posts as you want, you are deceiving people, and that is just not something that I want to do. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I want people to like and (fingers crossed) talk about my blog because it is good, they like it, and look forward to the posts etc, not because of trickery.

I have never heard of this sort of bot before, and while it may just be my own naivety, I hope that is it not something that we are all going to have to come to terms with in the future. Why would people be so desperate for hits that they have to stoop so low. I mean, reading a blog post takes but a few second, if you skim it, at least you have put in some effort. I read every single post I like or comment on, and would like to think others do too.

Using tags and certain key words in your posts is one thing, and that I am fine with, as at least the people visiting your site(s) as a result will be real, but to get ahead this way… is well… cheating. Or maybe I am just old-fashioned and having moral values in this cyber age is but a weakness.