I write this post to all my fellow bloggers. This week I was cyber bullied by one of my giveaway winners. After blogging for 5 years I was shocked that someone could treat a blogger as I have been treated. I will not mention the bullies name but I will tell you what happened and how you can protect yourself as a blogger.
I had a giveaway that ended June 26th, I had e-mailed the winner and told her she had won. I then forwarded her information to my sponsor who by the way had to go through a public relations company for the giveaway before the winner would get her prize. Then 2 weeks ago the winner instant messaged me on Facebook telling me she hasn’t received her giveaway at that point it was only 3 weeks that the giveaway had ended. So I asked her to give it another week. A week went by and she instant messaged me again at this point it was 4 weeks and I did not respond, I know myself giveaways take time to process but I figured she would receive the giveaway soon.
I woke up Tuesday morning to find that the winner was leaving me nasty comments on all my social media and e-mailing me. She left a comment underneath a new giveaway on my blog and on Facebook slamming me that I had time to post new giveaways but no time to take care of her giveaway. In her instant message on my Facebook she claimed she was waiting 6 weeks for her giveaway but if you do the math it was only 4 weeks. Then she told me it was like a slap in the face because I did not return her last IM and then she told me I wasn’t very Christian like. She goes on to say I am unprofessional and if I do not respond she will post it on her Facebook page.
After a nasty comments under a new giveaway on my blog, Facebook, several e-mails and tweeting that I do not get back with her and shame on me. I decided to get the sponsor involved. I e-mailed the sponsor who and they decided to e-mail her with an update. Normally I would never give my giveaway winner my sponsor’s information but in this case the sponsor e-mailed her which at this point I was happy they did.
I do take giveaways seriously. Bloggers can only do so much following the protocols, forwarding the information to the sponsor and yes if the ball was dropped somewhere in the process. In this case the ball was not dropped. I had an very impatient winner on my hands that was not going to leave me alone and took every measure to bad mouth me on not just my social media but her social media too.
After blogging for 5 years and working so hard to where I have gotten I refuse to allow someone to throw all that away and to tarnish my reputation. We have to protect our work, how?
Here are a few tips to protect yourself from cyber bullying:
1) Always monitor your blog comments.
2) Be careful who you approve on Facebook if you have the Friend Request option.
3) Respond to giveaway winners even if you have nothing new to tell them about the status of their prize.
4) On ALL giveaways note that turn around time is 6-8 weeks.
4) On ALL giveaways note that turn around time is 6-8 weeks.
5) If you find a post on your Facebook timeline you can hide it or even report it if it’s not appropriate by clicking the error in the upper right of the post.
6) Facebook has an option to block an user and disable the reader from seeing any of your posts. In my case this is what I did. (which my winner had much to say about that too)
7) As bloggers we need to look out for one another.
7) As bloggers we need to look out for one another.
8) Never act out of haste, give yourself a cooling down time and then respond to someone who is bullying, remember to always give them grace too!
Thank you for sharing this information with us all. They are very good tips. I am sorry that you were treated badly.
Oh no. I am so sorry you had to experience this … some people are just so filled with misplaced rage! I have not, as of now, taken part in giveaways but I will take this story with me, thank you.
You are definitely a lady! Madam I would be no lady if she pushed me that far. Oh I know I have to control my temper and I do try, but I shall learn this lesson from you. I’ve had similar situations, and to avoid confrontation I don’t answer and I contact the sponsor. So far I have not been bullied, but truly I am waiting. I would love to copy your Post here and put it on my blog and give you full credit of course, but if not it’s okay I understand. Please let me know if you could e-mail me. You definitely are a wise blogger. I have followed all your social networks my new friend. I like the way you think, and ~snicker~ you have GREAT give-aways… I promise I shall not bully. we should make the bullies do something as punishment like I will not bully 500 times. ~hehehe~ Yeah right, like that would happen. Have a great day my new friend. Thank you for sharing such good advice.