Spam

"Email spam, also known as junk email, is a subset of spam that involves nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email," reads Wikipedia.

The world is a spammy place. I can't even mention the usual products spruiked this way because it would result in this week's email being sucked straight into the junk mail filter.

By and large the filters can handle this unsolicited marketing well. But they can't handle the bulk of the new wave of social spam coming from people who previously were legitimate marketers of brands and their agencies.

Among a certain breed of marketer/agency to merely have a presence on a social media site is an invitation to send "nearly identical messages to numerous recipients by email".

It shows that many of these so-called digital marketers and PRs aren't immersed in the social space and don't really know the unwritten rules and etiquette. They want a quick fix social result.

Often a person unknown to the blogger will send an unsolicited email inviting them to an event, promote a YouTube video or to send them a product sample. I've seen it done for ANZ, McDonald's, many charities and exhibitions.

The thing is media is earned media, not bought media. What that means is that you have to invest time and effort in building your social reputation and following.

And this can't be done with mass emails to people who haven't opted in.

It's done by attracting followers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and whatever social sites you are targeting.

Once you have a large band of fans or followers you can then use these tools to communicate. For instance, the old way to invite people to events is with a mass email. If the people to whom you send that mass email haven't opted in, technically, as I've already said, this is spam.

The new way would be to invite your Facebook fans via your page to an event. They've chosen to follow you. They like you and they are prepared to have a conversation with you. It's quite simple. Duh!

This issue goes far deeper with bloggers also becoming disgruntled at being treated as a second-class subgroup to journalists by the publicity hungry.

Of course, you don't have to believe me. Check out this link and read Laurel Papworth, the foremost thinker in Australia on these issues.

A way forward? As a starting point I'm proposing an opt-out "No PR" register and perhaps an opt-in register to help hold back at least some of this social spam.

EdCharles@yaffa.com.au