Evil Blog Promotion Ideas
Forget the traditional banner ad or doing link exchanges with other blogs. Let’s talk about some evil blog promotion techniques! The following are some blog promotion ideas that are not well known by many bloggers, could send you a lot traffic, may get you in trouble, and are evil enough that you would join the clan of evil for just attempting them. Evil scores are out of five stars.
Evil score: 4 stars - You RevewMe Me, I ReviewMe You
This one only works when ReviewMe has a 50% coupon code available. You agree to review another blog through ReviewMe (aff) if they will do the same for you. Let’s assume your blog cost $100 for a review and you find another blog that cost the same. Agree to review each other and sign up with for an advertiser’s account using your own ReviewMe affiliate code. You will pay $50 for the review with the 50% coupon, but that is canceled out by the $50 you’ll get for reviewing the other blog. At the end of the day, you’ll have a free review and make $25 for referring yourself. 
Evil score: 4 stars - The Text Link Ad Shuffle
Text Link Ads offers a $100 coupon for new advertisers using their Link Buying Starter Kit (aff). This is a great way to test out the service. TLA does requires you to buy $125 of links to take advantage of this offer, but it gives you $125 of links for just $25.00. And you can get a bonus $25 if you’re a TLA publisher and refer yourself for an advertiser account.
Evil score: 5 stars - The PPC Shell Game
Occasionally, Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and Microsoft AdCenter will issue $100 (or more) coupons for new customers. I normally don’t post about these because the coupons are always in short supply. The last one from MS AdCenter was for $200. For the truly evil among us, you can set up five accounts with one Credit Card number. Can you imagine how much traffic you can buy with $1,000 of free targeted contextual ads? Now imagine if you have two or more Credit Cards.
Evil score: 3 stars - The Tech Link Train
This one was sent to me by Jimi of JMH Techtronics. It’s a list of tech sites/blog that anyone can add to. You reproduce the original list and then add up to five other tech, science or CE blogs that you like. Then let those added blogs know and tell them to do the same thing. Soon, the list will a mile long, spread all over the blogshpere, and drive Technorati nuts.
***Start copy here***
1. Write a short paragraph at the beginning of your post and link back to the blog that put you on the list in the paragraph. This isn’t a suggestion. You need to break up the duplicate content string. Someone took the time to add you so the least you can do is give them an extra linkback.
2. Copy the list of originals below COMPLETELY and add it to your blog. If you would like a different keyword for your blog then change it when you do your post and it should pass to most blogs with that keyword.
3. Take the adds from the blog that added you and place them in the “Originals” list.
4. Add no more than 5 new TECH, SCIENCE, or CONSUMER ELECTRONICS blogs to the list in the “My Adds” section.
My Adds:
The TechZone
Mega TechNews
Tech Buzz
Techzi
Connected Internet
The Originals:
John Chow dot Com
Ted Leung on the Air
Geek is a chic.
you’ve been HACKED
IDIOT TOYS
JMH Techtronics
Web Services
UtterlyGeek
Tech It Like A Man!
Ugh!!’s Greymatter Honeypot
techboyardee
The Tech Inspector
***End Copying Here***
Evil score: 1 star - Sponsoring a Wordpress Theme
This one is not that evil but I included here because it’s pretty unique. Thousands of bloggers use popular Wordpress themes which are free to download. What you do is sponsor a Wordpress theme by buying a link in the footer text. Maki at Dosh Dosh wrote Link Building through Word Press Theme Sponsorship: A Good Idea? It’s worth checking out.
The main problem with sponsoring a Wordpress theme is the evil blogger who downloads it will remove the footer link.
- Posted in Make Money Online, The Net, Wordpress
- 121 comments what's your take?
Related posts from the blog
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I am intrigued my Microsoft Adcenter, Would you say they are worth getting like adwords?
Reply to this commentWith a $200 coupon, you bet!
Reply to this commentNice! You used my “Clan of Evil” phrase in this post!
Saman=Best +1
Reply to this commentHow often do they release coupons?
Reply to this commentSeems that ended January 15th, but yeah so much worth of clicks.. Even though less people use Live Search It wouldn’t have hurt to get 200$ free in ads
Reply to this commentheheh…I figured you’d give me more stars
I’m going to do a review of you this week somewhere. Just trying to figure out what way I want to go with it :wink:.
Reply to this commentHow about giving a shot of evil twist features in it? It will definitely be sure of a read.
Reply to this commentNow I know why did they say, John Chow is evil.
Thanks for the great tips. But my off days is gone. Couldn’t sitting all day long in front of the computer anymore starting tomorrow.
Reply to this commentNa.. John Chow is just a wanna be evil Blogger. I bet he will be one
Reply to this commentEvil Score: only about 1 star really
Leaving a relevant link as a signature in comments you make on popular websites. Bonus evil point if you’re the first to post.
bla.st/john-chow-network/
Reply to this commentThe comments here crack me up. I’m glad I started coming over here a bit more.
Reply to this commentWe are glad to ‘crack’ you up. Continue to come back for more crackers.
Reply to this commentActually if you look at the code in your link, it’s no follow - all links in comments are (unless you’ve changed your code):
http://bla.st/john-chow-network/” rel=”nofollow”
Reply to this commentim one of the link train starters, wouldnt believe how well that actually works, took about an hour or 2 to set everything up and walla, it becomes a beast
Reply to this commentOooh… you’re a great evil mentor
I have to try out some of these evil tricks 
But do you think ReviewMe and TLA is OK with people signing up under there own affiliate links?
OK… “the evil blogger who downloads it will remove the footer link.” - I was wondering about that one, why I didn’t see a “theme sponsored by…” like I see on other blogs that use the Misty theme. Are you allowed to do that - isn’t it against the terms? I know that some theme designers get really mad (and even threaten people) if people remove the linkback that they had included in the footer.
Reply to this commentI was wondering that myself.
Reply to this commentYes, surely somewhere in the huge blob of terms and conditions nobody reads when they sign up for these things, there’s rules against referring yourself… I can’t imagine why they’d let something like that slide. I really think you follow John’s ideas here at your own peril; if these companies find out you’re being evil, they could drop your account and ban you from future services.
Reply to this commentI thought so as well for programs that give out referral bonus. I do know that it is out of the rules for payment processors such as e-gold or paypal. You will get warned, or even warrant a ban for going against the agreement when you sign up.
That saying, what did the agreement stipulate?
Reply to this commentSome programs allow “self referral” while others don’t. But some programs just frown upon it but don’t forbid it specifically.
I don’t allow “self referral” in my own affiliate program - I don’t see a reason why I should allow it…
Reply to this commentI’ll let you know if TLA puts $25 into my account for referring myself. I don’t get it until the review is complete and Stephen is taking his sweet ass time.
Reply to this commentThis is a great list, but the problem I find is that my site still doesn’t rank high enough to sign up for most of these programs!
Reply to this commentIt will take time….no worries just conc on content and commenting now rest it will pay back when its the right time
Reply to this commentWe would love to hear from you. Hopefully, you will get paid. And we can learn from that too.
Reply to this commentWhat plugin are you using here to get the MyBlogLog pics to show up with comments if I may ask?
Reply to this commentHe uses MyAvatar: http://www.napolux.com/projects/myavatars/
Since Gravatar is back, I’m moving to Gravatar
Reply to this commentNevermind. Found it. Thought it had a weird name and didn’t want to try searching for it…lol
Reply to this commentso, what’s the name of the plugin?
Reply to this commentMyAvatars http://www.johnchow.com/myavatars-for-mybloglog/
Reply to this commentnice . . . just installed it and it’s working perfectly . . just missing a comment from you . . where’s John in my community?
Reply to this commentI’ll still stick around with my all time favorite Gravatar (http://gravatar.com)
Reply to this commentI am nout sure what i use…lol comes with the theme
Reply to this commentHmmm haven’t checked our textlinkads yet. This idea is extremely evil so I’ll have a play on the weekend with it
Reply to this commentThanks John, for the link!
Great to see the Z List spawning off into a Tech tangent. I’ve gotten around links from 200+ blogs since I restarted the Z List a month ago on Dosh Dosh.
If anyone is interested in trying out the Z List, see this post:
Need free blog traffic and links? Try the Z-List.
Reply to this commentI remember doing this Z-List earlier . . . do I have to do it again or is once ok? I’ve gotten a few links since posting it in January.
Reply to this commentThis is not a Z List, it’s a Tech List. If you have a tech based blog or site, then feel free to join it.
Reply to this commentahh . . ok . . my blog is kind of like yours where I cover lots of things, would this count as a tech blog?
Reply to this commentWouldn’t a tech blog have to be more specific-inclined? I affirm that’s what the tech geeks are doing.
Reply to this comment“Tech” is a pretty broad category these days, especially with everyone using the internet. Lyndon, I know what you mean though, but hopefully I can get by. In any case, I just started another, more narcissistic list to make myself feel better =)
Reply to this commentIt juts depends what you are giving to your readers….tech has a lot of category and you can find 2-3 out of it for you…just one thing dont give just news there are already sites there
Reply to this commentI just checked out the TLA link and it says this:
Get $100 in free Text Link Ads by entering “starter kit” in the coupon field at checkout. The minimum order total to take advantage of this offer is $125.00.
Reply to this commentthanks for the tricks, i’ll try this out!
Reply to this commentThanks for the link
Reply to this commentHow about an accidental ‘evil blog’ tip. Along the lines of the WordPress one you gave…
a) Someone creates a theme for Word Press. It’s an ‘SEO and adsense optimized theme’…already has adsense ad placed and working. Key point.
b) A newbie (like me) downloads it, finally gets it up and running over, say, about a three month period (day job and the family is priority 1, so the other web work happens elsewhere).
c) All that time, while I am getting the blog really humming, getting my Adsense account set-up, etc….the owner of that blog theme obviously included their own adsense publisher number in there. So, until I finally go in and add my adsense registration # (in whatever .php file has it) , he or she is reaping clicks. And dollars from Adsense.
The theme I downloaded works great, and I am happy the individual was able to glean what they could until I added my adsense info in. But think about it.
Wonder if it will encourage a flurry of adsense optimzied themes!
Hope that helps…and if you want to know what the name of the theme is…you’ll have to just visit my site.
Reply to this commentWell, that is a little evil if they don’t disclose that it’s their AdSense code! They need to have ads showing so you can see it working, but they should let you know to ad your own code!
Reply to this commentThere are in fact many plain adsense optimized themes, with the majority belonging to netizens in the domain-parking arena.
Reply to this commentGreat post John
I feel slightly evil just for having read it
My blog isn’t monetised but hey, those tips may work out in the end
I blog about my actual business and I feel that’s the best way to make money out of it, if people actually head off to my business and buy my product.
Reply to this commentIt doesn’t have to be monetized to give it a try. What you can do in the meantime is to really build up links and connections. The rest remains to be told in the future.
Reply to this commentIts just about getting links one way or the other but then be careful whom u link.Deep linking is a big concept but the train idea can work for any blog
Reply to this commentThese are very very evil!!
I’m gonna try them!! Thanks!!
Reply to this commentgreat post john! this is the kind of posts, that will have “thousands of thousands” of readers. Keep the show on the road, i’ll say it again GREAT POST
Reply to this commentSome of these points are REALLY evil!
Reply to this commentPorting free CSS themes over to Wordpress: 1/2 star
Reply to this commentThis is truly evil. Will you be my Su Fu?
Reply to this commentThat really EVIL
Reply to this commentI’m gonna try that all!
I’m gonna start looking for coupons like crazy!
Reply to this commentI’ve already given thoughts to the first one about the cross-reviewing of each others blog.
Sounds interesting haha!
Reply to this commentYea, and the true fact is that it is a win-win situation for all parties!
Reply to this commentI have a question about the The Tech Link Train: Do you have to wait to be put on the list before making the post?
Reply to this commentIf you were truly evil, you wouldn’t have to ask that question.
Reply to this commentLol I guess he has that aspect ( no offenses) he just keeps on adding some evil plus minus on things but its cool
Reply to this commentA lot of this applies to this incestuous pile trying to be a pyramid of ad and tech blogs. How long can it continue before someone figures out it’s smoke and mirrors unless there’s real info about something other than making money from ads?
I don’t come here to learn how to optimize ad income, but to see what’s being said about the real basics of blogging: titling, content and commenting. I have to dig, but it’s there.
How would it serve me to have my blog reviewed by a tech and ad blogger? Say two hundred extra folks wander into a blog about food, ecology and fashion, how many would stick? In my estimation, none. Linking with you makes my numbers look better, but doesn’t affect my traffic. I’m still a fan because I would like to see the destructive spammers find a better outlet for their efforts.
Reply to this commentRegarding sponsoring wordpress themes, free web templates have been doing this for ages too. One author claims to have up to 200k downloads of their templates, and has 2000 backlinks listed in google.
Reply to this commentI agree. But that is if the user of the sponsored templates do keep their promise of keeping your links on them
Reply to this commentEviill concepts John. Real viable to implement.
For the You RevewMe Me, I ReviewMe You, it is pretty common for blogs (both parties) to exchange a free one with each other as well. It ends up with ‘free’ cost for both as well.
Reply to this commentI can agree with you, It depends how popular your blog is.If JC is writing it might be a hit lol but if i write you wont get much traffic.
Reply to this commentYea, but deep-linking inter-blogs are definitely important in the long run as well. Not that you cannot be a ‘hit’ in the near future.
Reply to this commentI guess, its not about traffic. The whole idea is to make Technorati go nuts and there is nothing you can do
Reply to this commentThanks for the add, I will follow the train this evening
Reply to this commentThe first related post shows link to ‘Proof That Girls Are Evil’. I wonder how that topic is related to this post apart from the word evil????
Reply to this commentLol don’t go the topic its the algorithm that matched evil on both the post slug….I don’t want to comment on that post lol
Reply to this commentJust because the word ‘evil’ pop up afew times more than intended, it may have caused it to indirectly be ‘related’. Now that’s ‘evil’…
Reply to this commentI have put your link on my list
Reply to this commentReview me and link chain is a good idea.I want to try it but with a different idea.Lets see if i can work on that this weekend.
Reply to this commentI agree with you. These two are the most common methods used by bloggers, and site owners. Beneficial for both parties.
Reply to this commentDamn, good ideas John…very evil indeed!
Reply to this commentAshish: I have put you on my list
Reply to this commentThanks Thilak, There is one thing missing on the list though , like one thing can be addeds is a small description or maybe the blog underline.That will be more effective…What do you thing JC
Reply to this commentHe aint not getting evil but he is upto something for sure.Devincing an evil idea is a good concept but how many of them are successful is what will matter.
1.Review me thing will not work for small bloggers.
2.Train chain: either you add them to technorati or on your blogroll.Both are not easy after some period of time.
3.Tla is good but then again small bloggers are still stuck..
rest i am not sure if i got it so clear.
There can be some idea if could be deviced for everybody…any ideas?
Reply to this commentThanks for adding me to the tech blog link love thingy-ma-bob.
You need to teach us all how to get favourited on Technorati infinite times now…
Reply to this commentYeah John.. this is what we expect from you
Any hints, tricks or ideas anyone ?
Reply to this commentSo who submitted that list to Digg?
http://digg.com/tech_deals/The_Tech_List_get_blog_links_easily
Thanks to whoever did. I’m getting so much traffic from here, Digg, and TechCrunch right now.
Reply to this commentlol went to digg to haha.Guess we have the way to find out submitter there
Reply to this commentomg techcrunch too didnt get the pint submitting there …negetive 2 for that
Reply to this commentThats another evil way to get traffic but pufff i dont like the idea if its not corelated….dont use them for traffic make the ppl come back for your site again…
Reply to this commentThat’s why the idea about deep linking John posted last week is so great. People come in to read your site and you keep them there bouncing around to all the articles you write for a while. Post things with some value and they will come back. You gotta start somewhere.
Reply to this commentDeep linking is a better idea than this….ppl will surely stay but ppl coming from those site if they see they are being just spammed with links…i dont think so
Reply to this commentDepends. I submit stuff to Digg a lot, but only if it is an original article of some use. I didn’t submit the Tech list because it really doesn’t ahve a use for the overall Digg community. IF I see something on a site that is useful I will submit it, or if I have some news that is very new I will. It gets traffic, but your site also has to have good content on it too.
Deep linking helps a lot for those sites that like to jack your content. They post the whole article sometimes, but people will clikc ont he links in it and get directed to your blog.
Reply to this commentYup you got my point.!!!
Reply to this commentReview me and link chain is a good idea.I want to try it but with a different idea.Lets see if i can work on that this weekend.
Reply to this commentLook for my aboutpage. Well, why don’t you tell what you can and what you can’t do to your reader. They will know you better. Heh…
Reply to this commentInteresting read, but is it really evil enough? If Evil were Coke, I think these ideas would be Diet Cherry-flavoured Pepsi Max.
Reply to this commentOhhhh… Now I see. I kept always overlooking your evilness John. I have been busy so I have not been able to really read up on all of your evil techniques. But now with this post it really helps me see your true colors.
I think I will try to play by the rules when there are rules, but maybe I can use at least some of what you mentioned. >:P
Reply to this commentClever - evil - but clever.
Reply to this comment