UGNN_TM

Comments:
Sebastian writes with some questions about spam

Hello, Is that spam ?
... If I offer a free service for webmaster (banner exchange, for example) and anybody can only sign up for the free service if he/she agrees to receive one e-mail per week that contains ads while having the possibility to remove their address whenever they want, would that be spam ??

If they unsubscribe from the list they cannot use the free offer any longer. And before they signed up they agreed that they will receive e-mails which contain ads.
Every mail contains information about how to unsubscribe.

Is that spam ? Remember: Nobody forced them to use the free service and they knew that signing up means agreeing to receive e-mails. I would be very happy about an answer... thanks

A

Okay, you've actually asked TWO questions

Recently, there has been a raging, ongoing discussion between advertising professionals over on the "Online Advertising" list serv trying to flush out what the real meaning of spam is.

In the beginning the term SPAM referred to advertising messages, not relating to anything, posted to newsgroups on the UseNet.

Later people began to use the term SPAM for any bulk, unsolicited email sent to anyone and everyone the Spammer could find an email address for. This is the most popular use of the term.

In 1996 The WebDesign & Review department of the Design Center worked with the folks at the GUV Survey (a very popular survey of hundreds of thousands of web surfers) and did a little survey of our own to ask people what they hated most about the Web.

To our surprise a large percentage of that population referred to advertising on web sites as "Web Spam". They listed email Spam #1 and Web Spam #2.

So you ask if your plan is considered SPAM?

Yes and No.

It's SPAM when

1. The recipient did not ask for it
2. It is sent bulk as a "form" letter
3. It is not pretaining to anything the reader is interested inIt is not personalized, or a personal letter directly to the personIt is a sales pitch only

Meet one of those conditions and it's spam.

Okay, a little flexibility here?

So how does a new web site begin to make connections and alliances on the web?

First, you can do your homework and make sure you're approaching the right person, in a personal way, with information that the individual will see is related to their world. You'll include a benefit and not just ask to sell them something. Best policy, if you're serious and not just trying to drum up hits, is to pick up the phone and call ther person, or write a personal letter ... the old fashioned way, on paper.

As director of these web sites, I'm ever bombarded with SPAM. I'm also bombarded with what they've become to call "Press Releases." Right. We also subscribe to the top three editor's press information delivery services to get bonafied press releases.

These days however, press releases are looking more and more like spam. How do we differentiate?

The Press Release must offer value to our readers, not just a sales pitch

1. It MUST contain a live person's name, email address and telephone
2. It can NOT have only a web URL (dead giveaway), or robot email address like Sales@, Marketing@, Promotions@ or any of those. It must be a person.

Now the second part of your letter:

You are correct. "No body asked them to subscribe" ... that's right. What you're referring to here is an "Opt In" program where the reader is offered special perks or free stuff if they will subscribe to and agree to receive one advertising message a week.

We believe"Opt In" programs are okay. After all if the people ask for it, then they deserve it. There have been many, many successful web sites build on just this premise. Just look at HotMail.com, or AdVantage.com. These sites have turned SPAM into an art.

Your plan seems to follow along in these footsteps. We wish you well in your venture, even if you can't come up with anything better.

:-/

NOTE: This was first published in 1999 in the "Letters" section of the Design & Publishing Center

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