A Shy Blogger's Avatar and MySpamLog
A lot of people asked me about my avatar and whether the beautiful woman in the picture is really me. OK, actually not a lot of people. Just a few (five to be exact) including John Chow, who wrote about it in his blog. I left an honest comment there with my blog statistics. Note that there was negligible effect on the number of my RSS readers. I also said that "I don’t think people read blogs because the author is hot but because the content is worth reading."What is the story behind it? It all started a month ago when Redonka was fed up with his "The Thinker" avatar and decided to do an experiment with an image that was more pretty [link down?]. Immediately after, there was an increase in the number of his blog's community members (but the effect didn't last long). I thought "Hey it seems to work" and had a go at something similar. In my version of the experiment, I would only use a beautiful woman image but restricted my choices to one that doesn't reveal cleavage! Moreover, I limited the time I would undergo the experiment to just one month.
What is the reason for this experiment? First of all, when I joined MyBlogLog (MBL) three months ago, I fell in love with it. It was the first social network I found that was both easy to use and people were really friendly. I started joining the communities of the blogs that I read and let me tell you this, I read loads of blogs. The avatar I had before the one MBL members got used to, was the thinking alien fetus oil painting I made and currently use as my logo. The problem with that image was, no one knew the logo let alone be able to tell what it was. Perhaps, it also intimidated some people to an extent that I was ignored where ever the avatar showed up. And because I extensively used MBL, by being a part of so many communities and actively chatted with others, the avatar was displayed in a lot of places even for a brief period. Eventually, I got accused of being a spammer by my homeboy Emre!
What is Spam in MyBlogLog? Spammers are the scum of the earth. Everybody knows how much I hate spam and I even had a private conversation with Franciov about it. I didn't know him before that but thanks to MBL he is now a very good friend of mine. Besides, I didn't engage in any any activity of bad intentions such as the following, which I think is what constitutes as spam among MBL members:
- Message spam: leaving messages like "Hi love your blog visit mine thx"
- Link spam: leaving messages with links to blogs, sites or affiliates (nasty!),
- Widget spam: hogging recent readers widget like Tony Cai did to Techcrunch (for example),
- Community spam: creating fake MBL members to increase community as Blogging to Fame demonstrates,
- Link spam: tricking members into joining any community with a link as Digital Inspiration demonstrates,
- Co-Author spam: inviting members as a co-author of a particular community as recently announced in MBL Blog.
Nobody likes spammers and you will get banned for overdoing these things. You can also be banned for blogging about exploits of MBL like Shoemoney (lucky he got his account unbanned) without reporting it first to MBL administrators. Spam is a four letter word that nobody wants to be associated with (I'm still waiting an apology from Emre Sokullu). That is the reason why I did this experiment and started sending all my messages in private thereafter.
What are the results? Back to the topic of avatars. Well, luckily I was not hit by guys but people started to be much nicer to me. I didn't receive any rude private messages after that and even the girls were attracted. For example, Melissa said "Alright - you finally hooked me! I was wondering what had made you change your avatar, as I have noticed the green alien lurking at my site a few times. I love little interesting tidbits of info :-)" That was all folks! No massive increase in traffic, links or readers as people would imagine. I still get the same average daily traffic from MBL (varies between 50-150) and that is because I read/skim at least 50 different blogs every day.
To whom does the pretty face belong to? The moment you have all been waiting for. The beautiful woman in the thumbnail above is in fact the only celebrity I'm a fan of. I think I've seen all her pictures, watched all her videos, listened all her albums, and bought every poster I could find. Basically, I drained all the sources available to me. She is a popular Uruguayan singer and actress called Natalia Oreiro. Simply gorgeous! If you like her as much as I do, feel free to download some of her wallpapers from my profile. She even made me join my first fan club [Turkish]! I'm really curious about her personality as well. I wish I could meet her one day (can anyone arrange this? =)
What is going to happen next? If you are coming here from MBL, you probably already have noticed that I changed my avatar. However, I am not sure what to do with it now. I will not be putting my real face online for two reasons:
1. This blog has no personal content and nothing about my life (apart from my real name and surname),
2. I'm a shy person. Simple as that!
Therefore, I need your help to make a decision about my avatar. Here are the contestants:
.... 
.... 
.... 
.... 
By the way, I condemn all forms of terrorism, no matter how small the terrorist act!
So there is the truth about my blog. I don't do it for money. I don't do it to become famous. I do it because sharing information makes me feel good. It is a satisfaction that no other hobby can provide. Basically, I'm just a graphic designer who blogs.
43 thoughts:
I voted for the AHTF icon. ROFL! Gotta love those lines
Terrorist guy 1: "But what if people don't see it?"
Terrorist guy 2: "We make it BLIIIINNNNK!"
Is that the "real" you in the blue picture?
@Linda: Yes.. that is real me!
I do recall indirect links to pics of you from your blog....
On ATHF, yes, it's crazy how much of an overreaction that was. The worst it shuld have been was litering or putting up offensive material or without a permit. They were put up in almost every major city, only Boston noticed.
Though I do agree the advertizer was irrespinsble in their doing.
@Justin: I was amazed to see that only Boston made the international news whereas there were hundreds of other blinking LEDs all around the US.
For that reason, I will keep this voting poll open for a week not to terrify MyBlogLog users as well.
Unfortunately, you will postpone in the future what has happened now. People wonder .. what do you look like? the mystique grows and sometimes gets overpowering. Sometimes, it's just easier to put up your picture and that's the end of story.
That's what I would recommend. Curiosity for 10 minutes, then the world would get used to it! or, you can do what I do (PetLvr) .. I had a caricature of my face done at DisneyLand and am using that. And, surprisingly .. I look **exactly** like that in real life! :D
BTW .. I voted for the alien thinking logo, which seems to be your gravatar here and matches your current header of the site. That would be the second best choice i.m.o.!!
@Hart: The only way you will see my face if I become a celebrity or start appearing in TV talk shows and such.. until then, keep thinking! ;)
I recently got pulled into one of those co-author scams. I thought "oh hey someone really likes my content!" and decided to join. I left about an hour later after I started getting blasted with notices of new comments...the only comments I want are ones that pertain to my blog :S
I voted for Natalie Oretiro because she's sooo you. She's a lovely girl. I wish I could help out in making some arrangements for you to meet her err, well, you know...I'm like shy, too, can ya tell?
Having been born in Roswell, New Mexico, I'd love to have had enough of creativity in me to have created the thinking alien. It's one fine looking alien if I don't say so myself!
~:o)
*Hugs*
I think changing the image to that beautiful woman was ingenious!! I see the voters like it too.
Hello,
I have noticed this trend in MBL for the past weeks now, i have also read some discussions of bloggers who expressed their disgust about the issue. Frankly speaking i think its a cheap trick to employ such tactics, fooling other members by using avatar which shows clevage. We have to remember that our avatar should represent who we are, using a sexy and provocative avatar will not guarantee us a loyal readership, content is more important. Yes a user could pull traffic to his blog using a sexy avatar but the question is until when?
Don't get me wrong now my friend, im not saying that im against your move when you replaced your alien avatar to Natalie because i think its ingenious and i adore that pic =) i was captivated by her photo actually and you are more subtle compared to others since other members are using pics of half naked women. I guess your experiment works since i am one of those users who from time to time visited your profile to check for a new pic of Natalie LOL =). Im still your fan when it comes to blogger hacks, cheers =).
I'm not voting!
I refuse to, Ilker!
I'm glad you created this post though, cause now we all know who the beautiful woman was.
But you are beautiful too, inside and out with your thoughtful prose and excellent blog...
I won't be fully satisfied till you've shown the world what you've shown me.
They'll only love you more. Trust me...
"She is a popular Uruguayan singer and actress called Natalia Oreiro. Simply gorgeous!"
And what does your wife think about this, mya I ask?! ;-)
I voted for the blinkin' logo, by the way...
Hi I so agree with most of the facts You mentioned in Your post. I hate what spammers are doing to MyBlogLog. So as You I also have fallen in Love with MyBlogLog and I hate it when I get messages with only a link in it. I just ignore those and only join people that seem sincere. Great Post so True.
I voted the blinky one its so cool
I vote for the Blue Silhouette, I love silhouettes. Lovely blog by the way and you do seem to be everywhere on myblog log ;) .
Don't change your avatar! Let this remain!
OK, I will definately not vote for the blinking one, anytime i log into my profile , it continually distracts me. Please, Please, Please do not use the blink blink one.....
Ilker, I don't like the blinking one because (to me, mind you) it makes it look like you are an angry person. Certainly not true!
Maybe it's just me (please let it be JUST me!), but everytime I see the alien fetus, I see an alien picking his nose! Ever since I first saw it, that thought has distracted me...
I always like your actress friend, but think the avatar should at least reflect a bit of YOU, my friend.
So I vote for the silhouette, simply because you admitted to Linda that it was really you! Why not use it? It's simple, mysterious, and actually IS you!
Great vid. lol
As for the avatar - I think someone already has the blinking guy... or maybe it was you I saw on someone's blog roll ;)
I do like your current one. It's eye-catching, different and enticing.
I like the pretty lady. She grabs my attention. It must be her eyes or something.
Natalia's avatar is the best one, in my opinion. She's very pretty, and I think it would get more visitors and people won't forget her face and your site
Ha. Very interesting. I wondered, too, if that was you. But then you know what? It's the internet. People can pretty much put forth whoever they want to be, take it or leave it. :)
What a wonderful post! You really got to the heart of what spamming is. I recently got a "Want to join my community?" post on MBL, and I was so incredibly irritated. Thank you for sharing with your community. Although you say you don't share personal information, you reveal much about yourself - you have integrity. And I like your new theme!
ilker,
I have only been on MBL for a few weeks, and just associate the picture of Natalia with you and your blog, so please don't change.
I have to agree with you about spamming. I always think 'If I want to check your blog out I only have to click on your avatar'.
I admire your patience with those who cannot read your messages in your community messages before posting their own.
Ian
Here is the worst case scenario of sexy female avatar abuse: extreme cleavage! Sad indeed.
Please Don't change ... :(
We like to read what you like and as far as avatar is needed why not it should have your real pic. Thats how your thoughts are, original and straight forward. So should be your avatar.
gasp!
I voted for the mooninite :) Goooo!
why not your own pic?
Yay!, my website Tony Cai was used as an example, so excited!
and to think I skipped your avatar because I thought that such a pretty face must be hiding behind some insane log that would try to sell me viagra or worse, get my weenie enlarged.(im not in the market for either)
I'm glad I checked you out now though.
I admit. When I realised you were using someone elses face I was surprised and did have a think on it. Especially as the only people on MyBlogLog who seemed to be doing the same from the smut side of the tracks (the ones I avoid).
But this is why your blog is so well named.
I now expect to be surprised here. And I am.
My choice? None. Just go for it. Pick the one you feel like on that day. Or not. No matter. But we will be watching. And wondering. :-)
cat
I think the avatars one thing and Natalie definitely was an improvement over the "alien" but I think you also have great content and many of those that joined your community will come back. I know I will.
I love yer Natalie Icon!
In fact when I saw that point someone made about the Use of Pretty Female Icons - I immediately thought of U!!
or Natalie i guess!!
She is truly Beautiful & a Joy to see on MyBlogLog each & every day!!
It's funny cuz i belong to a Few Communities on MBL & yet everytime i'm at my Home Page someone has joined yer Community!
i don't have any Scientific Polling Data or Metrics as U SEO folks call it but i'm sure a lot of Horny Single Men (myself included) would love to meet the Girl of their Wet Dreams on the Internet!!
;))
Once they've Read yer excellent, informative Blog they will return!
Sure $ex $ell$!! & U've accomplished that in a Tasteful & Eye Pleasing Manner with Natalie!
Rock On!!
Cheers ilker!! Billy ;))
Peace*
She is lovely to look at and you know, it's easier for women to relate to you when they see a woman's picture, since they don't have to worry about being hit on. This image of Natalia especially, her expression is very calm and serene.
Ilker, I never meant to hurt you. The repeated patterns in your messages pushed me to think that your account was just a placeholder for spamming people and making some AdSense money. But now I see, your great blog proves that I was wrong, sorry about that, keep up the good work!
Hmmm, a graphic designer who blogs ey??? Then why didn't you enter my banner contest!!! :) jk
I would stick with Natalia because it's a lot better to look at than the other avatars. But when you hit it big, there may be some liability there.
@Wayne Smallman: How did I miss your remark "what does your wife think about this"
The answer to that question: I'm single! =)
The beautiful woman is by far the BEST AVATAR EVER!!!
@Emre: Thank you. It was kind of you to come here and leave a comment.
@Jane: Well because you never told me about the contest! Next time, email me as well ;)
ilker~looks like you finally got that apology after all! Congrats ~ I do believe I have said this before, but it bears repeating, I like your blog and the content.
I do believe you should pick whatever avatar makes you feel comfortable. As you can tell I myself do not use my own pic as my avatar either. I also do not post pics of myself or full frontals of my husband on my blogs. {privacy and shyness issues}
Understanding and loyalty will follow you no matter which route you decide to take. Loyal readers are a whole lot better than fly by clickers anyways.
JennyB
We're still talking about Natalia ilker!!
It was Nice to reread this article*
Cheers! Billy ;))
I think i will do a Similar little Test on Flickr with Natalia's amazingly Gorgeous stunning Natural Beauty*
a true Treat for the Eyes everytime i see her on MyBlogLog!!
i think your anwser is here
www.shyandseduction.com
What do you think? Post your thoughts..