Email Spam, Online Spam, and General Conduct

EMAIL
SPAM

            E-mail spam
is the most common form of internet spamming. It involves sending unsolicited
commercial messages to many recipients. Unlike legitimate commercial e-mail,
spam is generally sent without the explicit permission of the recipients, and
frequently contains various tricks to bypass e-mail filtering. The most
dedicated spammers are often those making a great deal of money, or engaged in
illegal or immoral activities, such as pornography, online casinos, and
internet scams.

            Due to the negative image caused by marketing with SPAM,
it is very important not to engage in the activities of Bulk Messaging and
other SPAM-like activities, like falsifying an internet identity to promote a
product or service. If you or your employees are advertising through email, be
sure that the clients you are sending e-mails to are valid leads that have
requested the information you are providing.

NEWSGROUP
AND FORUM SPAM

            Forums and Newsgroups are collaboration tools that have
been around for many years. Recently, they too have been victims of Spam
activity where bulk messages are posted in order to advertise a website or a
company. Using good will to spread the word about your company is different
from spamming. As long as you are offering people actual advice and resources,
and not hiding your identity, it’s the same as offering people free car washes
for one day when trying to promote your new car wash. In that case, you are not
spamming.

            However, the line between good-will promotion and
spamming is often blurred. Regardless of how you market, it is best to avoid
spamming at all costs. 

BASIC
WEBSITE CONSIDERATIONS

            Often,
individuals creating websites are unsure where to start. There are many
companies offering website creation services and internet marketing. Be wary of
tools that help you create your own websites. Some of these tools or programs
make it easy to create a website, but a business often suffers from not having
a custom-created website, costing the business owner time and money eventually.
But, regardless who creates the site, keep in mind that a successful website:

ü  Contains well-developed content that
is organized in a clear, cohesive manner

ü  Contains correct grammar and
spelling

ü  Contains correct syntax and code

ü  Offers users clear navigation

ü  Provides Site Maps

ü  Provides an About Us page with business information including the year founded,
industry, size of your business and location

ü  Provides a Contact Us page with your company's phone number, address, and
email address

ü  Isn’t too graphic intensive (which
can make it difficult and time-consuming to load)

ü  Employs proper use of Meta Tags (Keywords, Descriptions)

ü  Takes advantage of Paid Search
Engine Optimization services

ü  Often utilizes traffic-generation
services

Sincerely,

Ilya Bodner

Small Business Owner