Please, if you're going to flood me with 'suggestions', make them REALLY special
By Boingboing
@boiboing (13153)
Northampton, England
October 19, 2015 11:51am CST
I don't like the way that the 'suggestions' function is used here. It's one of the few things at Bubblews that was better than at Mylot. I didn't mind people suggesting other people's posts that they thought were really good but I bristle at the (shh, whisper it carefully) arrogance of self-promotion.
If I want to read your posts, I'll find them via the Explore or the People buttons. Honest, I will - it's not like there are so many that good stuff doesn't stand out.
If you've written something REALLY amazing and you are absolutely confident that everyone is going to love it, then feel free to suggest. Knock yourself out, wow me and astonish me.
But if you look into your heart and ask yourself if we really need an alert and we'll really thank you for telling us that you hung out your washing or you took the kids to school and you 'suggest' to me several times a day, please don't be surprised if I stop following you.
My personal 'suggestion' is simple. Stop self-suggesting and focus instead on titles that will attract the attention and appeal to my interest.
Thanks - rant over.
25 people like this
23 responses
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
19 Oct 15
I only promote a small selection of other people's posts and never my own. I barely ever visit the suggested pages offered
6 people like this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
20 Oct 15
@boiboing I don't unfollow anyone for using suggestions. I just ignore the entire selections list.
2 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
20 Oct 15
@arthurchappell I think my problem is I like my page nice and tidy! And I don't unfollow for the odd suggestion - just for the 5-a-day types. The only 5 a day I follow is fruit and veg.
4 people like this
@1creekgirl (41447)
• United States
19 Oct 15
I stopped following a member because her posts were extremely long and her suggestions were even longer!
6 people like this
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
20 Oct 15
If you do not like to receive suggested posts by the user, whom you have been following, you could first inform him/her to stop sending those suggestions. If it does not work, you could unfollow the user and s/he won't be able to send you any suggestions regarding his/her or any other discussion.
One of the users (who I had been following) used to bombard me with suggestions, which I did not like. I have simply unfollowed him and am no longer receiving any notifications about his posts.
3 people like this
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
20 Oct 15
@boiboing - You could simply unfollow the user, who is suggesting you too many posts, you need not inform him. I agree with your view point.
Moreover, you have updated your profile to make your intentions clear.
I am not able to guess how many suggestions in a day you have been receiving and who could be such users who are sending you multiple suggestions?
3 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
20 Oct 15
That's pretty much my approach. But if people are suggesting their stuff to me and haven't bothered to read my post about suggesting, then I'm not going to go through contact them to tell them to stop. I'm just going to unfollow. I've never actually pushed the suggest button myself so I don't understand what control they have over who sees what.
3 people like this
@allknowing (136541)
• India
20 Oct 15
I was bombarded for having sent a message to someone here who only sent their posts to me but never responded to mine, That message was made public and they managed to get many sympathisers. I agree with you. Some only wait for suggested posts to interact here ignoring all other avenues.
We have countless methods to reach for posts that we like to respond and comment. Why force them down our throat and clutter our notification tab?
3 people like this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
19 Oct 15
Why not block suggestions on your profile or send a nice message to people who send them to you. I sort of like them myself because I can read a few things my followers post. Yes I agree some of the suggestions don't interest me and so I just delete them. Personally I like having this on and asked people to send them to me. If you don't like them please send the people a note and ask them to stop sending them to you. That would works great in your case then you won't get anymore.
5 people like this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
19 Oct 15
@boiboing That's a good question. I just searched here and can't find it. Can you try to send me a discussion to my account and I will see if there is a way you can block this person from sending them to you. I know there should be a way to do this. I had a person tell me that they turned off the notification or suggestions. Let me ask her how she did this one and get back to you on it.
But I do agree with you some of the posts are silly. Personally I try to give some interesting facts or information when I post on here. I like to talk about different health benefits of herbs and stuff like this. I also like to talk about some simple tricks or info for your OS. I also like to share some tips on cleaning to make your life simple without using chemicals. Now and then when I find something unfair I like to see what others feel about this.
I am new here and saw a lot of talk about food, good night, or what people were doing for the day. I noticed they had a lot of responses on this. So I tried one to see. Wow amazing that was one of the post that got the most responses. Some others were the ones I gave helpful hints on. Not sure but I love to read information and stuff to help me learn something new. Oh well just weed through them and pick and choose what's important and you enjoy reading. That's what I do now.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
19 Oct 15
*confused* Thinks: There's a people button? Where?
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
20 Oct 15
@boiboing Found it! Many thanks -I am always a day late and a dollar short!
@MoonHowler17 (101)
• Ballina, Australia
4 Nov 15
I love that you "suggested" this post to me and SO agree. Not being sarcastic - I do really appreciate you pointing me towards your post when I have limited internet and can't just browse - and I like your posts It IS annoying when people shamelessly self-promote since, as you said, if you "follow" them, you'll be able to easily look up their posts anyway.
1 person likes this
@MoonHowler17 (101)
• Ballina, Australia
4 Nov 15
@boiboing I am so sorry. My mistake. Another friend suggested it to me I actually thought I was reading HIS post.
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
5 Nov 15
@MoonHowler17 No problem at all - I'm glad he did and thanks for coming by to read it.
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
19 Oct 15
seem to be the trend today, to complain 'f such? i agree 'n 've no desire to be laden down with suggestions 'f mundane thingies. i've suggested a few to others, 't their request, when they've been new (friends from that other place) 'n tryin' to find folks they'd enjoy readin'. but, some use this feature excessively 'n its purty annoyin'.
3 people like this
@Missmwngi (12915)
• Nairobi, Kenya
19 Oct 15
Allow me to join you n your ranting. I don't hate it that i am getting the suggestions but men people are so misusing that part.
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
22 Oct 15
yes, all sorted now - be interesting to see how much it changes anything in the next few days and weeks
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
22 Oct 15
@arthurchappell and @KnehKnah - I posted this shortly before the 'official' post asking what people wanted. So it preceded the discussion but I am very happy with the outcome.
2 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
22 Oct 15
@arthurchappell Already I had a drastic cut in the number of suggestions so I'm really happy.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
27 Feb 16
That is a very good suggestion. I don't mind if people self-promote on one or two a week, but not every day and certainly not every post they write. I have not used the suggest feature yet. Probably should try it just to see if it works.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
20 Oct 15
I have actually had to unfollow a couple of people because they kept suggesting all of their discussions, and they started like 10 discussions a day! Since I've unfollowed them I haven't gotten any suggestions at all.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
20 Oct 15
I have never used the feature since it is not my style to ask for attention, or urge anyone to read my posts. But it is a feature here at Mylot and I supposed it is meant to be used, but we do have the choice of following up on the suggestion or not.
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
20 Oct 15
That's absolutely true. They're annoying but not as annoying as most of the adverts.
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
19 Oct 15
I couldn't agree with you more. Maybe I'm just irritable but even at the Bubbz I quickly tired of the re-posts. Like you, I like to choose what I'm going to read and I follow so few people I can go down the list and visit most of them in one swoop. Otherwise, like you, I really don't want to be swamped with suggestions. Something "special" (We have a new baby! I bought a new car! I've won the lottery! I met the Pope!) maybe then, yes. Otherwise, please don't go crazy with the suggestion button. Good post @boingboing !
1 person likes this