Are you less relevant if you have to spam?

One of my many projects is managing a blog that posts news and opinion for the copier, printer and document management industry at http://www.OfficeProductNews.net/.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a news story about Captaris and Microsoft. Today, Microsoft decided to spam my site a little. Well, I think it is a little spammy. "Fred" at Microsoft wanted to post a comment that blatantly points my readers to their Server 2008 launch site. Check out the comment:

 

microsoft-spam

I am curious to know what you think? To me, the sole purpose of this comment was self-serving. Not intended to create any dialog... not intended to create a discussion point.

Part of me wonders if Microsoft is admitting that Vista is irrelevant to most users and since Server 2008 is based on Vista technology that they need to be a little more "creative" in getting people to come to their event. What do you think? Am I being a little hard on them?




Corey Smith is the president of Tribute Media a web development firm providing high performing, industry specific websites. He is a businessman, writer, technology fanatic, graphic designer and web developer. His greatest passion is teaching, consulting and speaking.

You can find him on Twitter, FaceBook, FriendFeed, and LinkedIn.


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I feel sorry for Fred. Either he got the mandate from somebody above him to do this - or he did it on his own. Either way, it shows tremendous ignorance regarding social media. At a minimum, this is a lack of decorum. At a maximum ... well, you said it - it is spam!

I agree with Justin... I know a person would get flamed in a newsgroup for doing this. This type of advertising is distasteful and will discourage technologists and those savvy to social media moving through it. The only way this might work is if the uneducated masses are passing by and see it...

[...] couple of weeks again I wondered if companies were less relevant if they have to use spam. Microsoft had used some comment spam on another blog I [...]
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