Anyone use the various "train" promotions?

[jshaffstall]

You know the kind, where you see a post with a list of links, you copy the post and add your own links hoping that someone will copy your post and you'll get a backlink out of it?

I have to admit that I don't care much for these types of promotions, because they seem very off-topic to me for pretty much any blog. My readers come to my blog to get straight talk about Internet marketing and related content, not to read the latest train post.

My blog was linked recently in the starting post of a train, so I've had a chance to see it spread through backlinks in the Wordpress dashboard. They can work for getting backlinks, but typically those links aren't relevant so they won't do much for your search engine results positioning.

Do you use trains as a means of blog promotion? Do you consider them on-topic, a necessary evil, or spam?

Jay

[LennyP]

I am in agreement that they are often of very little use. Not only can they be off-topic you can find yourself linked to sites that you do not wish to be associated with. All link promotions should be highly controlled and not left to chance.

[Zhuli]

I don't mind doing a relevant meme once in a while (like "things about me" etc.) but I don't like these 'trains' much. As you said, there're 100% off-topic and it's almost like spam. I avoid them as much as I can.

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by Zhuli

I don't mind doing a relevant meme once in a while (like "things about me" etc.) but I don't like these 'trains' much. As you said, there're 100% off-topic and it's almost like spam. I avoid them as much as I can.

I did do the "8 interesting things about me" meme lately, but only because a good online friend tagged me in his post. I still considered it off-topic, but my readers seemed to enjoy it.

Jay

[chrissie]

I have never even heard of this train thing. So no to that question, and I don't really see myself jumping aboard on that one either. (sorry, couldn't resist )

What is a meme though? Never heard of it either. I am so ridiculously new to all of this....

[Zhuli]

A meme is a set of specific format questions : ie. "8 things about me", "ten things I hate" etc. One blogger starts it and tag other bloggers to do it (through a link).

Here is a better wikipedia definition !

Some memes can be fun and add spice to the blog. Since I have a personal blog, I didn't mind doing the "about me" meme. However, doing too much memes is just boring to the readers...

[jshaffstall]

The train someone put my blog into has continued to spread. I'm afraid I have to report some positive results.

My number of subscribers had been hovering at just below 50 for about a month, fluctuating like those numbers do, but never breaking 50. As the train has spread from blog to blog, the number of subscribers jumped to 60 in a day.

Keep in mind that this only happened because the originator of the train chose to put my blog in his original list to seed the train, and he has a large readership.

So the morale isn't necessarily to jump on all the promotional gimmicks that come through, but do what you can to get noticed by higher traffic blogs in your niche so they post about you.

Jay

[chrissie]

Very interesting "train" of thought...lol (sorry, I am such a cheeseball sometimes )

I like both of these ideas, it sort of gets the word out about you in the blogosphere. But with anything, you just have to be careful I guess. Choosing quality not quantity blogs to work with then is a great lesson, Jay. And congrats on your success from that!

[Bloggeries]

You aren't the only one... So basically you're saying trains can be beneficial just make sure you jump on the right train... (Don't laugh... I've physically done it before at a crowded station with poor signage... Was so determined to get the one seat with a laptop plugin I jumped on a 5 hour express train when I wanted a 1 hour one; made for a long night...)

The only train I ever tried was a myspace train a while ago when I was going to do some marketing through it. After a few "rides" the quality of my friends list was so random and ridiculous I abandoned the idea.

Maybe something like Jay's suggestion could be done here?

Originally Posted by chrissie

Very interesting "train" of thought...lol (sorry, I am such a cheeseball sometimes )

I like both of these ideas, it sort of gets the word out about you in the blogosphere. But with anything, you just have to be careful I guess. Choosing quality not quantity blogs to work with then is a great lesson, Jay. And congrats on your success from that!

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by Bloggeries

The only train I ever tried was a myspace train a while ago when I was going to do some marketing through it. After a few "rides" the quality of my friends list was so random and ridiculous I abandoned the idea.

Maybe something like Jay's suggestion could be done here?

Most trains end up like that, I think, with so many people jumping on to get free backlinks that there's absolutely no relevance in the links. The main reason I'm getting benefit from this one is that I was on the original post for the train.

I'm not sure how you'd do anything viral that maintained relevant links.

Jay