I have not written very much about spam. It's a topic that makes webmasters foam at the mouth. The invective, the sheer passion in their collective responses against spam is impressive whenever the subject arises. Across the boards and in chats, everyone seems to have their own unique definition of spam.
"SPAM" (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=spam)
It's difficult to differentiate between spam and promotion on the message boards and in press releases. When email is discussed, just about every one of them is considered spam. There are products on the market, some free, some not, who will assassinate your spam with prejudice. Most mail programs come equipped with filters and rules. I know of a webmaster who has no less than six hundred rules. I have a very hard time with organisations like S.P.E.W.S. and Spam Cop, these self-appointed wreckers of my email accounts. They base their judgments on incorrect information and once my email address is on their list, it never comes off. I affectionately refer to them as the spam nazis.
I confess. I am a spam addict. While I won't allow it on the main message board of Cozy Campus, my rules are pretty lax when it comes to that thin line between promotion and spamming. I see no reason to disallow a new poster from talking about who they are and posting a link to what they are about. It gives new webmasters the opportunity to introduce themselves, along with whatever they're selling or whomever they are representing. I think it's important that we get to know the webmaster and learn what it is they do. After the first message, it is then I want everyone to make use of the signature tag, which are the most productive and creative methods of getting ones' name out there. It is priceless, as far as I'm concerned. It turns to spam when the poster is constantly referring others to where he/she wants them to go, in the guise of 'helping'. Most of the time, I judge each post by its merits and then I decide if the line is crossed. I will never understand why such a big deal is made on boards. The lynch mobs are out in full, like bloodhounds, sniffing each word, ready to pounce if there is a hint of spam odour in the post. If I, as the moderator of the board, think its spam, there's no reason to start a thread about it. I just move the damn thing to the spam board. That's usually enough to get the message across to the poster. If it continues, I private message them. If it continues after that, I use my handy dandy delete button. Simple and effective. And, it frees my board for discussion about things I consider far more relevant than who spammed and who didn't. I can always start a discussion about defining what a webmaster's perspective is about spam and I'm quite sure I will get lively responses, without having to point out a specific person's habits.
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When it comes to email, however, I have a different philosophy. First, the email is directed toward me. Unlike posts on a board, which can be read by hundreds daily, my email is mine. I'm the only one who sees it. I must receive thousands of emails a day. I've never quite 'gotten' the opt-in thing, because I know I don't have enough lifetimes to opt-in to every program or product that spams my mail box daily. I endure the bog-down of my email program because I consider spam to be a learning experience. As an aside, my delete finger is well exercised, possibly the strongest digit on my hand and I believe any exercise is beneficial in some way. I readily admit spam can be very annoying, especially when someone has run down the WHOIS on all four hundred of my domains and has seen fit to email 'webmaster@' on all of them with the same message. As I leisurely sip my first cup of morning coffee, I take the time to look, really look at some of the spam I receive. Here's how I look at it. It's just as important to learn how not to market as it is to learn how to market. I've seen colour combinations and marketing tools I would not have thought up in my own head.
Creativity comes in all forms. I watch television commercials and try to determine whether or not a product has been marketed effectively. The spam mail that is delivered to me from the post office is scrutinised and then is thrown out, only to be recycled, so more spam can be delivered to my door. Spam is everywhere. My credit card bill, while demanding money, is also trying to convince me to spend more. It's a source of research for me. In my business, research is ninety per cent of the battle. Knowing what the surfer wants is the goal of every webmaster, so we can convince him to buy. Spam is like a resource library, covering every niche and product and service out there. To ignore it is to throw away an opportunity to learn how to sell, how to market. Seeing a commercial on television, taking the time to read email spam, going through your snail mail, when viewed from an advertising/marketing perspective can give the webmaster an invaluable look into what the surfer wants and how others attempt to manipulate him into buying.