New Article - 21 Tips for Better Online Credibility

[thejenn]

Authored by: Todd Malicoat

Full Text: http://www.searchengineguide.com/malicoat/006680.html

A Snippet:

One way to increase on the conversion question is to increase credibility. To me it makes sense that if it adds credibility for the user, it's eventually gonna be rolled into an algorithm somewhere as well.

[BKCB]

It is evident thatTodd Malicoat is using "O'HUG" Commuication (Open, Honest, Upfront, and Good = clear, conspicuous, comprehensive, and comprehendable).

My question, though, is about publishing e-mail addresses on web sites or blogs. Isn't there a chance that the e-mail address will be "scraped" or "data mined" somehow,and then the company or person that owns the web site or blog could be e-mail spammed?

If my question shows my ignorance somehow, please keep in mind that there is no shame in "ignorance" unless you don't make an effort to learn things that should be important to you which keep coming up in your life.

[Ralph]

Any ideas by any name that increase the conversion rate honestly is always welcome. The concepts are generally the same, the terms are usually different. If it clicks in your mind or office that is great.

Because of the business I am in, my email address is out there. I do not try to ever hide my address; I want people to find me. I get about 10-15 spam emails/day. Almost all are recognizable when first brought up and deleted. The subject matter is always the same, with an evolution in presentation on a monthly base. Kind of like the subject of this thread. I can delete the spam in about a minute/day. The other 50 emails I get a day are what keeps me in business. If life did not have any irritations, it would be boring.

[Maverick]

The SPAM problem is always an issue with me. Some days I get several hundred since I have around 30+ email accounts. I need many because of autoresponders, newsletters and etc. Can't seem to get around it. When I get spam to autoresponders, it triggers reports to me.

I've considered implementing the box requiring a person to type in a 6 or 7 digit code to verify the email is from a live person and not automated SPAM. But, I HATE having to constantly type those codes into emails I use frequently. I would rather be inconvenienced than have my clients irritated.

I'm currently on the road in a motorhome, filming a new documentary (intended for HBO - about country music recording artist) and use wireless satellite broadband, which is VERY slow in the peak evening hours, especially now, since it's raining HARD. I'm totally dependent on the Internet.

It can take up to an hour for me to download all the SPAM and delete it before I can do any Internet work, and another 15 minutes for REAL important email. I was in a rural area and couldn’t log on for 2 days and had around 1000 emails to review. This IS a BIG problem for me and many other business associates.

My personal solution

I own my own hosting service, so I can make unlimited emails. You may have the ability to make several or change your address at will. If so, consider my approach.

I create TEMP boxes and a few primary boxes. The temp boxes are generally for public display. When I start getting too much SPAM, I delete it and create a new one. I use Mailloop, a powerful email management program that saves the emails I want and builds my mailing list.

By changing my public email addresses frequently, I continue to eliminate the current spam. I make a special effort to only manage a few important email addresses I don't want to change by transferring ALL unwanted emails to a "Junk Email List." This REALLY helps. Occasionally, I have to unsubscribe to the tenacious ones that allow me to and constantly change THEIR email address to avert my spam filters.

I try to stay abreast with current technology, and appreciate any new ideas or software that can improve on my simple system.

SORRY jenn, didn't mean to get off topic here, but the SPAM issue raised my blood pressure 100 points and I needed a ladder to climb up that high to get on my soapbox. I'll restrain myself better next time;>)

Regards,

Maverick

[ryanj]

My question, though, is about publishing e-mail addresses on web sites or blogs. Isn't there a chance that the e-mail address will be "scraped" or "data mined" somehow,and then the company or person that owns the web site or blog could be e-mail spammed?

I often use a binary converter such as this one when posting my email address online: http://celerondude.com/script_antispam

It looks like regular text/html when viewing it, but it the source code isn't regular text which tricks the data miners.