Does what CebuDivecentre does constitute spamming?

[Hammerhead]

Guys,

I'm being honest here, I'm not 100% sure of my ground.

Until we started exchanging views in another thread, cebudivecentre (Carl) had posted 19 times.

All but one of these were plugs for his own business, and I've listed them all here: -

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ph...2915-cebudivecentre-stop-spamming-please.html

Many are just cut-and-paste jobs, and as such, he has not even had the decency to type an individual reply to the OPs.

I consider it spamming and as such against the TOS.

What do you think?

 

[Hammerhead]

As you can probably guess, my decision is pretty straightforward...

 

[CODMAN]

Well Larry, wether it's spam or not, I don't really know... But what I do know is it's garbage!

There is nothing of interest, or helpfull, or even funny in his posts. Only his own financial interest! And that's what I don't like. At least if he was offering suggestions, or advice openly, instead of trying to bag a client, it would have lessened it to my eyes... But it's just advertising! :mooner:And normally, businesses pay for that priviledge on Scubaboard. As you said, there are other people here with businesses and they aren't trying to bag clients... A website or ad in a signature is fine by me. But this is just garbage...

Sorry Carl, it's nothing personal! But I think you should be looking for free advertising elsewhere!

Just my 0.02$

 

[Damselfish]

I don't know if it's technically spam, kind of borders on it, but it's at the very least lame and clueless. It's possible they have no idea what they're doing is certainly really poor forum manners and is much more likely to lose them business than win them any.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I personally do not think that the posts can be classified as SPAM however I do agree with others that they do not seem to add much in the way of value. Having said that, the posts that you have provided do not really give enough information about the threads that Carl was posting in to say if the posts were in any way relevant. If the OP's for each thread were looking for dive shop advice in the Phillipines then maybe their posts were a little acceptable even if unoriginal. But if the OP's for each thread were looking for engineering schematics for the Sputnik satellite then I would classify it unacceptable and bordering on SPAM.

Since my answer does not really fit into the straight YES or NO, I will not vote in the Poll and leave it at this.

 

[CebuDivecentre]

Folks,

The point has been made and addressed in the other thread regarding this topic. The correct route would have been to address this matter would have been via the Administrator.

I agree that some people may regard this as spamming and I have accepted that and I will amend my ways. My name does not need to be dragged through the mud to prove that though.

We are a respected business here in the dive community in the Philippines and I wish that to remain that way to which has been positively reflected by members of this forum who have visited our establishment in the past.

Enough said and good night.

 

[El Orans]

But I think you should be looking for free advertising elsewhere!

We are a respected business here in the dive community in the Philippines and I wish that to remain that way to which has been positively reflected by members of this forum who have visited our establishment in the past.

Well, there's some free advertising to be had here but you have to play the game right.

1. Pimp your user profile. Make sure you have a business related avatar, profile picture, biography, homepage etc..
2. Put your web site in your signature. Make it easy for prospective guests to visit your site.
3. Sign up for an Instructor badge (if you are one). It will be displayed on your profile page, giving you more credibility.
4. Make sure you can be found in the BuddyMatrix (SB's Buddy Finder). It also serves as a shop/instructor finder.
5. Post your pictures in your SB Gallery.
6. Ask the dive professionals on your staff to sign up as well and request an Instructor/DM badge. Their profile/signature can also link to your web site ensuring a better visibility for your operation.
7. Ask the dive professionals on your staff to post site descriptions (including pictures) on SB. Again, more publicity for your operation and more promotion for your area.
8. Do not shove your company down a member's throat when replying to a post. Instead, give quality information. If you have pimped your profile, our members will know what you are and know that you are here to promote yourself. They won't mind as they will also see that your posts contain excellent information.
9. Ask your guests (past, present and future) to post their stories on SB. Not just the hallelujah stories but a good and thorough review of their dives with you.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Actually it looks like the Signatures all use the nofollow link so the search engines will pass right by those liks....But the users will see it! (maybe it's my profile sig )

Sean

 

[El Orans]

Actually it looks like the Signatures all use the nofollow link so the search engines will pass right by those links....But the users will see it! (maybe it's my profile sig )

Nope.

All links have a nofollow tag.

 

[eagerbeaver]

Any publicity is good publicity? Larry, maybe you are doing Carl a favour and getting him a ton of hits on the board...doesn't that kind of defeat your objective?