Infinite Path

A new study conducted by the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) has uncovered a shocking statistic that has thrown new light upon a blog post published earlier this week.

The study revealed that approximately half of those who took part in the research had clicked on or responded in some way to a spam e-mail and, worryingly, 12% stated that they were genuinely interested in the service or specific product being advertised.

When you think about the content which seems to make up the large majority of spam emails, the figures from the MAAWG really are surprising. To think that there is a market out there for pills which can make you magically lose three stone in two weeks or a new lotion from the depths of the Amazon which can add fifty years to your lifespan is astounding and, ultimately, rather depressing from a marketer’s point of view.

Earlier this week, Seth Godin discussed the importance of honesty in all forms of marketing. He debated a fundamental point with regards to digital marketing using the example of mixing bowls advertised on Amazon as a case in point. These bowls were photographed to appear substantial in size but one user pointed out that the smallest in the range was actually too tiny to hold an egg.

By intentionally altering the perceptions of their target market, the company or individual behind these bowls may have made a few quick sales – just like the companies behind the spam emails. However, as Godin states: “There are lots of things you can do to make the sale. They often are precisely the opposite of what you should do to generate word of mouth”.

Dishonesty may result in one sale via online marketing. However, in the long-term, these sales figures will run dry. If you remain open and honest, you may lose a sale or two in the short-term but even the customers who don’t find that their requirements suit your product or service closely enough to secure a transaction will be more likely to spread positive brand awareness, thus securing you a steady flow of targeted sales in the long-term.

Although Godin’s post wasn’t specifically about online marketing, there does sadly seem to be a more blatant layer of deception with certain types of online activity which purport to be marketing attempts. For instance, the vast majority of those questioned by the MAAWG refused to believe they were at risk of being targeted by automated spambots.

This makes marketers’ jobs difficult since it’s tempting for those who have been victims of spammers to tar all marketers with the same brush. It is only through transparency that this reputation can hopefully be reversed.