Spam is a word that we’ve all grown to hate. Unfortunately, the word has, at least to some degree, almost become synonymous with the internet. Despite an abundance of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques available to be employed, chances are, anyone involved with search engine optimization (SEO) will encounter spam first hand at some point or another.
Although the growth of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques has had an effect social media marketing (SMM), it’s also come with the adverse consequence of evolved spam as well. This spam, at least in regards to social media, has more of an effect on the users you have built a relationship with rather than search engines. It goes without saying that websites would prefer to avoid spam altogether, although doing so is typically much easier said than done. So, as long as it’s likely to be around, it’s best to know exactly what sort of social media spam you’re dealing with.
Blog comment spam is among the more pervasive types of social media spam you’re liable to come across. This type of spam takes the form of a comment posted on a blog that has little to absolutely no relation to the post itself. As you could probably guess, its primary function is to advertise whatever it is that the spammer is attempting to push.
For all the annoyance caused by blog comment spam, however, it’s a relatively decrepit and inefficient means of spamming. Accordingly, this type of spam has begun to give way to more advanced spamming methods, as the line between it and legitimate contributions have becoming increasingly blurred.
Even Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, is no less susceptible to spam than other platforms. Because of Wikipedia’s feature of allowing anyone to add information about almost any subject, the site has come to be almost universally accepted as a premier source for garnering information about nearly anything. Unfortunately, the open nature of the encyclopedia and its exposure to an open social media community also serves as one of its weaker points.
Because Wikipedia is seen as an almost ubiquitous source of information, it’s natural for many companies to try to incorporate the site into their social media marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) plans. However, if not careful, changing your company’s page on the site to cater more towards your marketing techniques can easily cross the line over to spam territory. While the immediate consequences may be few, there’s the chance that a Wikipedia page with an abundance of marketing techniques can cause a loss business respect as a result of being seen as spam.
Ultimately though, don’t be deterred by the fear of being seen as spam. A combination of both Wikipedia and social media can be quite helpful. It’s all about providing quality information and investing time to be engaged in social media.
Written by Chris C.