What is considered spamming to get referrals?

the_one · 23-09-05, 03:57 PM

Most of the free gifts sites I know about actually encourage people to email their friends and post their referral links on message boards so that others can join the free gift site. Well is that not spamming?

My question is what is considered spamming when we advertise our links on the internet? Can people really be put on hold for spamming? Suppose if I post my referral link on a message board and the admin has no problems with that but then other users of the message board report my link to the free gift website, would I get done for spamming?

Amanda · 23-09-05, 05:02 PM

I think it's considered spamming if it's intrusive or unwelcome. I've tried posting on music forums only to discover it's against their rules, so they removed it. You can email your friends but don't email people you don't know, e.g. those whose addresses you found online. Basically, don't do anything stupid!

SwedishTom · 23-09-05, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda

I think it's considered spamming if it's intrusive or unwelcome. I've tried posting on music forums only to discover it's against their rules, so they removed it. You can email your friends but don't email people you don't know, e.g. those whose addresses you found online. Basically, don't do anything stupid!

What about emailing your yellows? its people you don't know but on the other hand they have signed up through something that you have been advertising on the internet.. would it still count as spamming or does it all depends on how you write the e-mail? I have been thinking of emailing my yellows, but don't want to be done for spamming so I am unsure if I would do it or not.. anyone has any suggestions?

Cheers

kaibayashi · 23-09-05, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedishTom

What about emailing your yellows? its people you don't know but on the other hand they have signed up through something that you have been advertising on the internet.. would it still count as spamming or does it all depends on how you write the e-mail? I have been thinking of emailing my yellows, but don't want to be done for spamming so I am unsure if I would do it or not.. anyone has any suggestions?

Cheers

See this thread: http://www.exceem.co.uk/forums/lounge/1926-sending-emails-yellows.html

SwedishTom · 23-09-05, 05:21 PM

thanks kaibayashi! cleared it out a llittle bit more.. even if some said its spamming but quite a few had done it and got greens for it.. hmm may do it then.. anyway, thanks again mate!

Amanda · 23-09-05, 05:34 PM

I think it's all in the tone. Make sure you sound like a person not an automated system! If you can be bothered then you could even send each one individually, with their names used at the beginning. I've had a few replies, one said she'd do an offer but hasn't gone green yet!

Also, I made sure I said I was sorry if they considered the email a nuisance but that I wouldn't email again unless they asked a question. I think I even said if you don't want me to contact you please let me know and I'll make a note of it - I got 2 very polite no thank you emails so won't be bugging them again.

the_one · 23-09-05, 05:58 PM

I just looked up the definition of spamming from dictionary.com and thought it would be a good idea to post it here to have a better understanding of the term. The definition of spamming on dictionary.com is as follows:

'Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.'

Well according to the definition I guess if you send emails to people you don't know personally and asking them to sign up to sites then it is regarded as spam. An email is not the only way of getting spam but it can also be put on message boards and other places where it is not welcome such as eBay. I guess this makes us all a bit of spammers.

The net has been flooded with people posting their free gift links anywhere they can find and mainly because most sites encourage them to do so as a way of 'spreading the word.' Of course we all know that most the people who join the free gift schemes find out about these offers from reading our messages online instead of the word of mouth method, which may be regarded by some people as spam.

Amanda · 23-09-05, 06:16 PM

I think the key word there is "indiscrimitately". Emailing your yellows is not indiscriminate, they have been picked for a reason! I wouldn't regard that as spam, it's communication with those who have expressed an interest.

My dictionary has spam as "tinned meat made from ham. [Spiced Ham]"

the_one · 23-09-05, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedishTom

What about emailing your yellows? its people you don't know but on the other hand they have signed up through something that you have been advertising on the internet.. would it still count as spamming or does it all depends on how you write the e-mail? I have been thinking of emailing my yellows, but don't want to be done for spamming so I am unsure if I would do it or not.. anyone has any suggestions?

Cheers

You are right SwedishTom in some aspect. The people who sign up via your link become some form of friends don't they because they are helping you getting your gift by signing up via your link and completing an offer. You are also helping them by introducing them to the gift concept. I am still a bit baffled about this spamming topic by trying to understand what would be allowed and what is disallowed. By reading the terms of freeipods under the section 'V. HOLD' it states that you could be put on hold if you are:

'Posting your referral link in places where it is not welcome, or spamming your referral link online in any capacity is strictly prohibited. If we see or receive complaints about your referral methods that we deem risky, we may place your account or accounts on hold'.

So I guess at the end of the day the free gift sites are the masters in deciding what is allowable to promote your referral links and what is not.

23-09-05, 03:57 PM	#1
the_one iPod Nano 1GB Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 49	What is considered spamming to get referrals? Most of the free gifts sites I know about actually encourage people to email their friends and post their referral links on message boards so that others can join the free gift site. Well is that not spamming? My question is what is considered spamming when we advertise our links on the internet? Can people really be put on hold for spamming? Suppose if I post my referral link on a message board and the admin has no problems with that but then other users of the message board report my link to the free gift website, would I get done for spamming?

23-09-05, 06:16 PM	#8
Amanda Super Panda Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,503	I think the key word there is "indiscrimitately". Emailing your yellows is not indiscriminate, they have been picked for a reason! I wouldn't regard that as spam, it's communication with those who have expressed an interest. My dictionary has spam as "tinned meat made from ham. [Spiced Ham]" Last edited by Amanda; 23-09-05 at 06:26 PM..

23-09-05, 05:02 PM	#2
Amanda Super Panda Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,503	I think it's considered spamming if it's intrusive or unwelcome. I've tried posting on music forums only to discover it's against their rules, so they removed it. You can email your friends but don't email people you don't know, e.g. those whose addresses you found online. Basically, don't do anything stupid!

23-09-05, 05:21 PM	#5
SwedishTom FireFox Rules! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Nottingham. Posts: 5,510	thanks kaibayashi! cleared it out a llittle bit more.. even if some said its spamming but quite a few had done it and got greens for it.. hmm may do it then.. anyway, thanks again mate!

23-09-05, 05:34 PM	#6
Amanda Super Panda Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,503	I think it's all in the tone. Make sure you sound like a person not an automated system! If you can be bothered then you could even send each one individually, with their names used at the beginning. I've had a few replies, one said she'd do an offer but hasn't gone green yet! Also, I made sure I said I was sorry if they considered the email a nuisance but that I wouldn't email again unless they asked a question. I think I even said if you don't want me to contact you please let me know and I'll make a note of it - I got 2 very polite no thank you emails so won't be bugging them again.

23-09-05, 05:58 PM	#7
the_one iPod Nano 1GB Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 49	I just looked up the definition of spamming from dictionary.com and thought it would be a good idea to post it here to have a better understanding of the term. The definition of spamming on dictionary.com is as follows: 'Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.' Well according to the definition I guess if you send emails to people you don't know personally and asking them to sign up to sites then it is regarded as spam. An email is not the only way of getting spam but it can also be put on message boards and other places where it is not welcome such as eBay. I guess this makes us all a bit of spammers. The net has been flooded with people posting their free gift links anywhere they can find and mainly because most sites encourage them to do so as a way of 'spreading the word.' Of course we all know that most the people who join the free gift schemes find out about these offers from reading our messages online instead of the word of mouth method, which may be regarded by some people as spam.

What is considered spamming to get referrals?

What is considered spamming to get referrals?

emailing yellows