Edition #107 – 1/14/2007
***WARNING–THIS BLOG ENTRY CONTAINS TWO PICTURES OF SCANTILY-CLAD WOMEN (NO I’M NOT KIDDING). THERE IS A VERY GOOD REASON FOR THIS, AS YOU WILL SEE, BUT YOU MAY WISH TO AVOID IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED)***
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In case you hadn’t noticed, the MySpace craze is getting a little ridiculous. Even all the internet marketing gurus have MySpace pages these days.
I don’t want to be overly critical, because I also have plenty of friends and family on MySpace, but give me a break!
I see these big time marketers on there acting like it’s a high school popularity contest. Who can get the most friends? Oh, oh… can I puhleeze be on your top 8 list?
Blah!
First I’ll tell you what I keep telling my sisters-in-law… It’s not really YOUR space! It belongs to MySpace, Inc., and they can do anything they want with it.
They can even start charging you for it if they want. Their TOS states,
“Fees. You acknowledge that MySpace.com reserves the right to charge for the MySpace Services and to change its fees from time to time in its discretion.”
And of course, they can and will display sleazy dating ads to your friends and family who visit your profile. Don’t believe me? Here’s an ad they displayed to me just today. I went to login (I keep an account just so I can look around the site, but I don’t have a profile), and here’s what they showed me on the login page:
The next time I went to login, they showed me this:
The next time I went to login, they showed me an animated banner of a girl lifting up her dress, which I’m not gonna show here!!
I don’t mean to offend anyone by posting those ads, but I think it’s important for people to know how MySpace operates. And I also scaled it down so as not to overstate the obvious; bear in mind that the original ads were TWICE as big (4X as much screen area) as the screenshot above, and they display similarly themed banner ads at the top of each member’s profile pages.
Maybe they’re targeting me with those ads demographically, but even that’s sleazy because the ONLY information in my profile is that I’m a MARRIED male!
I’m not really trying to start a discussion about morality (those of us with morals can easily draw our own conclusions by now), but it’s more to point out that MySpace is really THEIR Space, and they can do anything THEY want with it.
As I’ve pointed out to friends and family, it’s better to set up your own website on your own domain, because then you have a piece of virtual real estate that you really do own.
Unfortunately, few have taken my advice, because the peer-pressure of MySpace is just too strong. After all, EVERYONE has a MySpace page!
I’ll admit, it has proven to be an ideal platform for true “social networking”. It’s a place where members can express themselves, connect with friends, and meet new people…all on the web. In fact, it’s become so popular that by some counts it’s getting twice as much web traffic as Google!
Okay, so with that ridiculously huge amount of traffic, there must be some way to monetize it and capture a piece of the MySpace pie…right?
Well, not exactly. At least not for those of us who try to play by the rules.
MySpace has set up their rules specifically so that you can’t get a piece of the pie. From their TOS…
Non-commercial Use by Members. The MySpace Services are for the personal use of Members only and may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavors except those that are specifically endorsed or approved by MySpace.com. …//… Commercial advertisements, affiliate links, and other forms of solicitation may be removed from Member profiles without notice and may result in termination of Membership privileges. Appropriate legal action will be taken for any illegal or unauthorized use of the MySpace Services.
In case you missed it, ANY advertisements or solicitation may result in termination of your account.
The terms of service also outlines a list of specific items that are specifically prohibited from MySpace. The TOS states that violators of these items will be terminated from MySpace. This list includes…
“Content that…provides any telephone numbers, street addresses, last names, URLs or email addresses”
Hello!?
No last names. Hmmm… I can think of a few marketing gurus violating that one. No URL’s! Hmmm… Well that kind of makes it hard to send any web traffic anywhere don’t you think?
Additionally, there is a list of activities deemed “illegal” and prohibited by MySpace. The TOS states they may take legal action and/or report to the authorities violators of these items which include…
“advertising to, or solicitation of, any Member to buy or sell any products or services through the MySpace Services.”
Okay, so now maybe you’re thinking… No problem; since I can’t sell anything directly on MySpace, I’ll just contact them and sell them something outside of MySpace.
Sorry, as MySpace TOS states…
“It is also a violation of these rules to use any information obtained from the MySpace Services in order to contact, advertise to, solicit, or sell to any Member without their prior explicit consent.”
Close examination of the TOS could possibly lead you to believe that they are leaving the door open for building an opt-in list, but that’s a very fine line and I think you would cross it the moment you intend to profit from any list you build.
For one thing, the TOS expressly prohibits collecting any personal information for commercial purposes, and secondly it prohibits collecting ANY personal information from anyone under the age of 18.
Oooooh. That’s a slippery slope my friends. Do you suppose there are any MySpace users under the age of 18? I think you need to realize that if you’re building a list on MySpace that you ARE going to be collecting information of underage people, and your use of such a youth-oriented website to conduct your campaign would make it pretty hard to claim to be ignorant of the matter.
People tend to freak out about the privacy of kids, and that’s just another reason I’d steer clear of MySpace for business purposes.
How about taking a more passive approach, like simply displaying some ads on your profile instead of trying to sell something or build a list? Once again, MySpace is clear on the issue:
displaying an advertisement on your profile, or accepting payment or anything of value from a third person in exchange for your performing any commercial activity on or through the MySpace Services on behalf of that person, such as placing commercial content on your profile, posting blogs or bulletins with a commercial purpose, selecting a profile with a commercial purpose as one of your “Top 8” friends, or sending private messages with a commercial purpose
As you can see, MySpace is so serious about it, that YOUR account could be deleted if one of your top 8 friends is using their account for commercial purposes.
Alright, so what about the MySpace free classified ads? Those are made for advertising, right?
Well yes and no. If you’ve got something to sell, then it could be a good place to place a free ad. But when it comes to advertising internet opportunities, MySpace has made it clear that it’s simply out of the question. The ad submission page states in bold red font:
If you post about internet money making opportunities (i.e. get paid to read email, win a Free iPod, etc.) your account WILL BE DELETED.
It’s unfortunate that people like me (who teach legitimate ways of making money online) would be lumped in with the scam/spams, but that’s the line that MySpace has drawn. It’s especially ironic since they display plenty of that cr@p (like banners disguised as Windows, and spamvertisements like “you’ve won a free laptop!”). But again, it’s all about THEIR space, not yours 😉
Lastly, many of the new breed of MySpace marketers will say, “who cares about all those rules?” After all, we can just keep creating new accounts, and doing it all over again.
Once again, MySpace doesn’t allow it. One of the biggest disqualifiers of the mass-account creators is this restriction from the TOS:
“By using the MySpace Services, you represent and warrant that (a) all registration information you submit is truthful and accurate”
And then there are those who will still say…”Ah, who cares. With this new software I can create accounts faster than they can delete them…”
Again the TOS clearly prohibits:
“any automated use of the system, such as using scripts to add friends or send comments or messages”
And that’s under the list of “illegal” activities, punishable by legal action. So just realize that if you’re playing that game, it could catch up to you eventually.
Okay, well that’s enough ranting for now. I just wanted to take a few moments to let you know how I feel about it, because I’ve seen an influx of MySpace-related products lately. It seems some people have big plans for making big money on MySpace.
In fact, hearing about all these people supposedly making money on MySpace is what caused me to research the issue more in-depth. My wife actually told me that she was interested in making some extra money on MySpace, and asked if I would show her how others are doing it.
Unfortunately, as I actually dug into HOW others are doing it, I discovered that it wasn’t something I would recommend to my wife. And if I wouldn’t recommend it to my wife, I wouldn’t recommend it to you either.
Now you know where I stand, and you understand why you probably won’t see any MySpace-related product reviews from me.
As always, you can leave your comments here in the blog.
Have a great day!
Thanks for the info Eric!
I have 2 free ebooks with myspace marketing tactics!
Myspace Profiles for Profit! See how its done!
Click Here!
Free Myspace Butterfly Viral PLR!
Click Here!
Thanks
April
Eric,
It’s about time someone takes a stand like yours. I applaud you. I have received at least 4 emails today about a new Myspace software program that makes you big bucks! Yeah right. I think I will pass on that one and keep making my living the honest way. Great post.
Hi Eric
Thank you thank you thank you!
Thanks Eric,
A timely warning for those who “rush where angels fear to tread”
The annoying result is that as soon as someone produces a “course” every “guru” emails their list, praising the “course” and promising the thousands you can make from it, without doing as you did. “Investigating before Instigating”
I have developed the habit of ignoring “new wonders” until I can check it out. When I start to get dozens of emails about the same thing, I simply delete without reading. Internet Marketing is not what it’s meant to be and sadly, the genuine benefits it does offer are being eroded by those who are out to make their millions at any cost (as long as it’s someone elses cost)
Great post, Eric.
I dont’ find the ads offensive, but I do agree with your points. I’ve avoided signing up for MySpace because I’ve felt for awhile that this craze is going to backfire on folks.
Hi Eric,
Happy New Year to you and your family.
As I said, you are always a honest IM Marketer that i am always admire and salute.
You always give your great comments and review on anything that benefit all of us.
For MySpace i do have an account there but not really into such in-depth on that.
Thanks for your time effort that keep us inform on all the IM news.
cheers,
flwong
Eric
Thank you for posting this information! I can’t believe the levels some marketers will stoop to to make a sale.
This is just the type of information our members need. Playing by the rules is very important. We have our story posted on our page at http://www.themarketingeducator.com about a SEO company that didn’t play by the rules. Now we have so called respected marketers out there promoting ways to use MySpace as a marketing tool. What next?
The software for this new marketing tactic is already coming out of the woodwork. It’s supposed to help you make multiple MySpace accounts and get more friends. I think I the price tag was over $200.00 – ouch! Need to warn people about that one.
I guess the best defense is a great offense and for people new to marketing that means education!
Knowledge is the first step to success.
Keep posting this type of information – we need more people like you who “tell it like it is”!
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the tip. What you are saying is that Myspace’s TOS and actions are not very indicative of their friendliness to the people who populate it’s pages.
In spite of that, I would not be against using it for marketing, as I don’t believe that any of the “myspace codes” companies etc. are there for altruistic reasons, so if we act like nice little boys, we could still take advantage of it, until they wake up one day, and decide to use their rights.
Basically, there is no company involved with myspace services that comes clean, and myspace is just arbitrarily blocking companies services .
I think that if it is really worth marketers time to market on myspace semi ethically, even though it is blatantly against the TOS, go ahead and do it.
What I mean by semi ethically, is that if they can take the couple of extra seconds to make sure that they are not targeting those people absolutely uninterested in marketing online, and making sure that their profiles and data enhance the “overall atmosphere” of myspace.
Now to be honest, I don’t know what that line is, and I’m sure that myspace and me have very different definitions of that. I also am not convinced that myspace marketing is a go for internet marketers. It definitely is a go for bars, clubs, and artists etc. but I don’t if it would work for us internet marketers.
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the post! Nothing like the misinformation that others will try to profit from. I had just tonight decided to take a shot at using MySpace to drive some traffic to my link, a suggestion from a well known marketer. I have found out that a well known name does not guarantee you can trust them, once again.
When I sign up for any site, I usually read at least the TOS but I don’t know that I would have picked up and made all the connections like you did. Your help is deeply appreciated.
Thanks
Ken
Eric thanks again for such an indepth report on myspace and how people are totally ignoring the TOS, maybe next you can do the same with squidoo.
Hi Eric,
This is the 2nd Wise statement from you in as many weeks. I wouldn’t trade your newsletter for any of the top 10 gurus, for all the tea in China. LOL, I guess I’m dating myself!
Thanks for the Info.
Mike
Video Newsletters Online
Great Post Eric… thanks for your carefully thought out info. While we do find that posting videos to myspace is very helpful, we leave it alone otherwise just for the reasons you state. I shudder to think about my grandkids visiting that place in a few years as they get just a little bit older…. there’s a lot of TRASH there.
Hello Eric,
I was sent out to a sales letter and received several autoresponder emails about all of the white and shady methods Internet marketers can fly under the radar and use to buy myspace profiles, myspace friends, etc. In case others may not realize it myspace charges a hefty price for advertising and these folks are teaching others the ways to get around it. I was really appalled by the way they were going after the bucks of “friends” out there…so much so that I simply had to write to the perpetrators of these suggestions, as I envisioned people selling their friends down the river to make money off of them…very sleazy. I was told you don’t do it to your “real friends”, just other people’s friends. This may be why you see so many internet marketers with profiles on myspace and there is a myriad of marketers being trained how to create hundreds of profiles and make them look good with fancy templates as bait. I was told that it is not for everyone…I’ll say, as I opted out….tricky tricky.
I agree with your comments about suggestive images being offensive…not to mention that it is insulting to men to use pictures of scantily clad women as a marketing ploy to get their money…sadly most guys will fall for it. The pictures you showed are part and parcel of the way women dress and are viewed in our society today as superficial sex objects for usery and eye candy voyeurism. Oddly, the women walking around have buckled under the pressure of the competition of all the other women who are exposing themselves to garner the mens’ attention instead of them if they dress with any class or decency at all. C’mon ladies, show some self worth. In regards to a married people looking at these images some seriously believe there is no difference between that and adultery, regardless of how many people are doing it. I find it worse that these images and videos are also readily available to children on sites like youtube.
I washed my hands of the whole myspace thingy and will not even create a profile out there. I am really turned off at the thought of being my friend’s lead or selling my friend’s name ( this brings a whole new meaning to friendship) and the Internet marketers that are preying upon this social network like shooting fish in a barrel are reprehensible.
Sincerely,
Rachel Rounsifer, Ph.D.
Hi, Eric,
Guess you need to be a sixty year old woman not to have those awful nudies on your home page when you sign in. You got me to thinking, and so I went there to see, and there was nothing offensive on the page (at least today). I fully expect them to delete me if they monitor closely, as I just today added a plea to my profile to sign up at bigdaddyfriends.com/Donna and it’s sort of an up-and-coming competition website but I don’t think the owners at BDF will ever allow the nudity that myspc does. (IF they do, I’ll be deleting my profile and stop recommending them.)
Thanks for the eye-opening report, as most of us don’t take the time to read every long, drawn-out diatribe of a TOS such as they have on their site. People really should read them and submission guidelines and such, though, and the reason is that I just got an email tonight from a distraught article author because someone had scraped their article from their jewelry site and slapped it in my article directory with their own name and website in the bio box. It makes for a lot of extra work tracking it all down, BTW…. I’m still not sure why I ever started that durn thing, it’s tons of work and nets me about $5/month in adsense – honestly! What a freaking joke! But the worst part is the pain and suffering the originator of the article suffers… PLUS they lose their link popularity too.
Have a great week, Eric!
Donna
I’ve been critical of you in the past when it comes to the incestuous way you guru’s all promote each others crap, however I agree with you on this one Eric.
I’ve resisted the temptation to open a myspace site/page, however I’m not averse to spamming CraigsList… heheheee. Man there’s some serious free traffic coming from there.
Hi Eric,
I always make sure to read your blog posts because I like the no B.S. attitude you take.
In regards, to the whole Myspace topic…
I remember the first email I got that said that I could make tons of money on the internet, but only if I just had this one product. All the promises of getting the same result if I followed these exact steps.
Total and utter bull @#%%!
In reality, it really boils down to the person. Everyone is different, that is what makes us individuals. What worked for you may not work for me. The drive and motivation that you have I may not have. So on and so forth!
Ultimately everyone’s path is going to be different. Using this new technique and that new tool is what is holding alot of people back from the success that they were promised when they originally started this whole internet marketing endeavor.
As Tellman says, they have IM ADD. You get caught up in the next biggest fad and neglect the real way to success. HARD WORK!
I am not going to write a huge long 6 page comment but here is a quick story…
When I was in college, my calculus instructor forbade the use of calculators. Why?
Because he had this thought that if we as students understood how to find the answers to the mathematical equations the long way then we would appreciate the quick (read: calculators) way!
I really think this same thing holds true on the internet. I feel that if people can understand and use the basics of marketing on the internet, more people would appreciate and experience the answer (success)!
Stop falling for the quick way and concentrate on the right way! And do your homework!
Did I ramble? Just a little miffed at all the empty promises!
Hi Eric
Thanks for your info. I also have hit by numerous emails about Myspace and setup an account but also didn’t get to update profile, pic’s, find friends etc. – no time!
Now, with this info, I don’t think I’ll even bother. I think it’s just another thing to get your mind off the Big Picture, I’d rather concentrate on building what I have honestly.
Thank you
Shabbir
Yet again you prove why yours is one of the remaining newsletters I continue to subscribe to!!
Excellent points! Ethics and honesty are the only ways to maintain true success.
Thanks Eric – you’re the “cat’s ass” 🙂
M
Eric,
I’m a bit surprised this was necessary, but I see by the replies that it was. After reading the TOS at MySpace, nothing you’ve said has been a surprise … I looked at that almost two years ago, when my adopted daughter got involved with the site … she asked me if she could do a mini-auction there in her space. After reading the TOS, my answer was an emphatic, “No!”
Mr. Jaeger might be a bit confused, though. He apparently endorses, advocates, & encourages violation of the TOS.
Mr. Jaeger, there is no such thing as ‘semi-ethical’. Ethics is like pregnancy … it either is or is not – it is on or off … there is _no_ middle ground.
Looks like I will not be buying that $200+ software.
Read your P.S. from the email. Last week my niece got married. My wife became the hairstylist for both bride and groom. My daughter served food and drinks from 11am to 10pm! Parties tend to last for many hours out here…sometimes, days. My son was incharge of music; that meant, brass gongs (for cultural music….very ancient sounds) and rock band (I paid for this one). I was not with the merrymakers that day though; I had earlier been dispatched to Seam Reap, Cambodia to buy diamonds……which would have costed 10 times more where I come from (Angkor Wat at Seam Reap is really an incredible sight).
Sorry for digressing.
And thanks for the tip.
Hi Eric,
I have never left anything on a blog before, but I thought this was worth it. I too have a MySpace acount (Just so we can check up on what are kids and Nephew is doing). The only thing on my profile is that I am a married Female. I recieve numerous emails from MySpace asking me to join in a conversation and if you click on the line there is a almost naked female. What? Can they not read? I am a Female and very happly married. I do not whant my kids to see this stuff either. If they where going to have questionable stuff like that then they should make it just for adults, (and they should also get there gender correct).
As you said I too have seen the numerus adds for there datting, even on my teenagers site. I am just happy that he as well wishes that they where not they, (He has more respect for women than that). He has even gone as far as to say that they are promoting prostitution, (in his opinon). Thank you for letting me vent as well. I do enjoy your Blog (when I get a chance to read it). Also thank you for not pulling any punches on this subject.
Hi Eric,
I’ve never been to myspace, or youtube either, but after what I’ve been reading in the newspaper I have to wonder why anyone would use them. The latest is people being fired, kids getting in hot water with teachers and/or parents, friends losing friends, etc. – all because they posted their personal information, unflattering opinions, private thoughts, and silly escapades one of these sites.
The funny part is, these same people are outraged that their privacy has been invaded because other people read what they wrote.
Now how dumb is that?
Hi Eric,
I am glad…very glad that there is at least one marketer who is able to call a spade a spade. I have had held off exploiting MYSpace as a venue for internet marketing in a way that does not follow rules, and where deception is the order of the day where internet marketers uses false profiles, and software that churn out hundreds of profiles within hours of non-existent persons.
It’s kinda hard to have this stand, or to not jump on the bandwagon, but it is important to know that there must be some semblance of rule and order, and to keep out of the mess where greed and exploitation is rearing their ugly heads.
If there is one last ethical marketer, it will have to be the one who says he will not condone or practise deception in his marketing, and actually *REALLY* doesn’t join in.
Thanks for showing us, not without evidence, but with reference to the TOS and rules. Well done, and well said.
Peter
Eric,
While I neither condone or dissaprove of using myspace as a marketing tool (due to not investigating deeply enough into the matter) I will point you in the direction of a very large company that is doing so…
Fox for example…
http://creative.myspace.com/VOD/prison_break/index.html
Oh and their not the only one. In fact hundreds of LARGE corporations are using MySpace as a marketing tool and doing so very boldly.
Just something more to ponder.
Keith
P.S. And while those pics you saw may be offensive to someone, I don’t think even my grandma would be offended…if you watch tv at all you’ll notice plenty of healthy looking woman on there everyday in all their glory 🙂 Nothing to be ashamed of…the body is a beautiful thing….marketing those ads to married men…that may be questionable but heck thousands of married couples in our society are happy swingers 🙂
I’ve been making a full time living on the internet for 5 years now. Without Myspace. And without spamming anybody! (My most trafficked website gets, on average, about 10 unique visitors a day!) (O.K…..Quit laughing!…Could YOU make a full time living with a site that gets 10 visitors a day? I thought not! Of course, there is more to it than that, but, not here….)
Of course I’ve heard all about it, (who hasn’t?), but truthfully, I have never even visited Myspace. It just doesn’t appeal to me personally. The whole idea of Myspace seems very superficial, plastic even, in the first place…..
And “friends”?……I usually have to get know someone fairly well before I even think of them as “friend”, so Myspace really doesn’t work for me. As well, my thought is that the Myspace phenomenon has really cheapened that word. That bothers me. Probably more than anything mentioned in the posts above.
Regards,
Michael Rytter
Hi Eric:
Very good article today.
I find it refreshing to read your “Eric’s Tips” newsletter and blog.
I think you did a great job explaining the ins and outs of the MySpace TOS. And like most people with a conscience I would have a hard time promoting MySpace–to my friends, family, or business associates–as a place to earn big money.
I am new to the IM game and still in the process of determining which direction to travel down the information highway. I got my feet wet the middle of last November when I subscribed to Mark Hendrick’s 12 Days of Christmas.
It didn’t take long to figure out that a person must shop around to find good quality help. Of the 40+ newsletters, websites, and other things I have signed up for yours is hands down the best. I started getting “Eric’s Tips” on December 26th and it is the only thing that I read every word of.
The only thing I know for sure at this time is “Eric’s Tips” will be the only one I don’t unsubscribe from.
Thank you for the “valuable content” without the constant sales pitch.
Sincerely,
Kevin Ervin
Well , well …
Hm, let`s start with the start line ..
Happy New Year, Eric, to Yopu and Your family.
Happy New Year to all others who read Your letters and/or this blog.
Second : I appologies for my wretched english, all I learned was by myself and odds are I was not a good teacher nor a eminent student 😛
Now, the … MySpace.
I have a life sentence : Do not bo with a big size bag to get apples from the most famous apple tree.
(totally inacurate translation, but I hope is enough to the MEANING of this proverb)
Most of the people I know they use regulate the web, they joined MySpace, after they previously “killed” me with yahoo, google and several other “virtual personal space”.
There for, Eric, I have read this article with satisfaction of one who see is not the only “blue” in a “all is red” world.
But more : this today 15 jan 2007 I had the chance to be twice in position of “Jeee, there are more blueface outthere, not just me …”. I wont say it here what is, while that may end as an “commercial” for ones …
Anyway, THANK YOU, Eric for GREAT LETTERS.
ps : nice You did not forget to let us know about sis wedding .. You, DJ ? hmmm … need a job ? :-))))
Great tip Eric!
I wish I had gotten Eric’s advice sooner! After buying a MySpace marketing program, I realized what they were doing was deceptive and never was able to use the program.
I appreciate Eric’s truthfulness and morality.. Keep up the great work!
Hi There
Didnt The Arctic Monkeys’ career take off due to their publicity through their Myspace page? I guess they didnt want to earn any money from their music and were doing it as a hobby? I mean – I dont suppose it could have occurred to them they might have people wanting to buy their albums after hearing them on Myspace.
I wonder if Myspace.com got round to prosecuting them?
Btw – thanks for reminding me of some of the Myspace rules – I was wondering if I could share my website URL with friends on there – it leads to various sites I trade on – you have probably saved me hours of reading the terms and conditions again + spared me a whole lot of hassle too.
I could spend a full day discussing the ethics of using MySpace for marketing. It has been one of my dilemma’s for the past year. But after going into the trenches and “moving into” MySpace during this same period of time, I have become quite comfortable with it. Early on I had the same concerns that you mentioned, including the smut issues, but I really have not been bothered with it much. In fact when I see a comment or bulletin that I find offensive I simply click the button to report it and usually that profile disappears within 24 hours. I believe they do a great job of policing such a massive community. Honestly, the ads that I see are not any worse than what I see on billboards, magazines, newspapers, etc. I certainly get more offended by spam pornographic emails that slip past my filters daily than I do anything on MySpace, but I haven’t decided yet to get rid of email either.
Here is what I have seen to be true with MySpace. It is no longer a teenager and pervert hangout. Its demographics are starting to mirror society’s much better although the main age group is still 16-34. You have to appreciate the massive number of people who visit it daily if you are a marketer. Certainly you can decide not to use it, but I believe that anyone can find their own comfort zone on MySpace that is effective as far as their marketing is concerned. As far as what is legal and what isn’t, again you have to figure out your comfort zone. We all use autoresponders and have found various comfort zones (single vs. double opt-in, etc). If we look closely at most of the Web 2.0 sites out there their TOS look very similar, with the exception of a few more progressive sites that encourage marketing.
Most of the traffic I get from MySpace is through genuine relationships that I have developed over time. But the viral effect from these “prospects” has been jaw-dropping. I get the best word-of-mouth referrals from my friends on MySpace and it doesn’t require that I violate the TOS or succumb to porn temptations.
Finally, I would just like to mention another side benefit that I never expected. I have had much more meaningful communication with the online marketing gurus through MySpace than through any members forum, offline seminars, etc. I get genuine tips and recommendations that you cannot find in an ebook, plus I have created some great friendships there that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Sorry for the lengthy response, but since I have put a lot of time into studying this topic (and someone needs to play devil’s advocate) I wanted to share the positive side to MySpace. As I said, we all have to find our comfort zones in our online marketing. I personally have found MySpace to be comfortable.
Hi Eric,
Every day I’m reminded in some way to never take things for granted. ( I never seem to learn the message so I guess that’s why I keep being reminded.)
Some time last week I was sent an email about joining MySpace and what wonders awaited me there. I didnt have time to do it right then and got caught up in the work I was doing and forgot about it. Yesterday, when I was nowhere near a computer I remembered myspace again and planned to go there and get my newest site advertised and have heaps of traffic coming to it (sure!) Now I feel another bubble has burst.
Thank you for your warning, because a little bubble burst today is a lot better than the hours of work I probably would have done to get into myspace and it would have been in vain.
Veronica
http://www.all-about-tattoos.com
Eric,
Thanks for the info. I did plan to buy or join MySpace before, but to tell you the truth, after reading several sales letter promoting MySpace, I’m still not quite sure how does it work. Luckily, you bring this matter up.
Keep reviewing other product Eric.
I also would like to suggest to you to do a review on Craiglist if you have the time.
Hey Eric,
As always, you are right on target.
Remember, true guru’s teach, and lead by example. They don’t use shady methods, don’t break any laws (or TOS), and they will not teach you “how to do it too”.
Oh well, I guess it all depend on who you call a guru.
Sincerly,
Stephan Nijhof
Eric,
Thanks for the information. Sadly, there are many new marketers out there listening to some of the seasoned “gurus” who are using myspace as a viable business option. Thanks to you I won’t risk losing my business or reputation because I listened to them. Bless you and good prosperity to you.
Becky
totall Agree With U Well i dont join Myspace Beacuse Of same reason last week i join up and seee these ads and i forget my space Nice info 🙂
For some time I was also wanting to try the Myspace market but I lost the will to do it and went doing other things I love most, not following the hype. Most marketers there are seen like spammers, and so, even if I have everything I need to be successful there, I never tried it.
Hi Eric
Thanks for the heads up. It was great to read that someone is questioning the identity of the ‘My’ in ‘MySpace.’
Thought about advertising my limousine service on myspace, will think again now. Thanks Eric, very informative.
That was a good article. Then you have people like April, posting spam on your blog…..
Guess she isn’t makin money on Myspace, so, try make money selling Myspace promotion on your blog.
Can anyone say SPAM!!?
Anyway, great article. Can’t helpbut wonder what your partner, Joel has to say about it.
Have a great one.
Hi Eric,
I am so glad that there is someone like you around the IM community. It is very rare to find a marketer who has as much integrity as you.
You would not believe if I told you the number of offers I have received in the past couple of months for products to learn how to Market on My Space. Even worse, the number of “big” name Internet Marketers who have sent emails to ask if I wanted to be “their friend” on My Space.
It seems that my words are always the same as I close– Thanks again for the great info.
But you really do give great advice on any subject and although you are many years younger than me, you are very wise for your age.
Wisdom and integrity will take you very far in life Eric and you my friend have so much of both.
Best,
Tammy
I didn’t like My Space from the start.
Thanks
Hi Eric,
You’re right on the money again, mate.
I think the whole thing is an absolute pile of cow dung. I have yet to see anything of value professionally or commercially for anyone with a myspace account. Every time I’ve gone onto someone’s myspace site, all I got was a headache! It’s an absolute dog’s breakfast (mess) and seems so amateurish!
To me, the only people it could appeal to are pre-pubescent teenagers and maybe highly evolved pre-schoolers. Seriously, would any credible business person rely on myspace?
I know, I wouldn’t and I refuse to have one.
Regards,
Joe
The whole My Space thing is crazy. For the users it is great, they have a way to interact online with their friends and meet new people. It’s sad to see Marketers trying to cheat the system. And everyone seems like it’s no big deal. Even My Space must know what is going on, but they don’t care, they are enjoying the traffic.
People adding 100s of accounts is just pumping up the user count, which helped pump up the price when they sold out to Google.
Steve Renner
Hi Eric, I’ve only been in this marketing business for approx 9 months now, I took a peak at My Space a few months ago and well, mmm I ran with my tail between my legs. A bit out there for the naive but don’t worry I’m learning! Thanks for your Newsletter and it’s been nice getting to know you and your family.
Hey Eric,
Thanks for showing this :).
Well that makes me a bit curious what are your products about? I haven’t been on your list for too long and only saw you promoting ather people’s stuff, but I’m actually interested in your products that you would recommend right now ;). Products that work right now in internet marketing. Well, that may sound a bit foolish, but I’m really not on your list for that long.
Thanks again Eric,
Rens
Eric,
Thank you for the FYI. Unfortunately, some folk feel that “It does not apply to them”, including a couple of people who have left comments about this post. Used to be people worked on a “handshake deal”, and it was easy to see the scammers from afar. Today, they come wearing sheep’s clothing, and apparently will do anything for a buck. I have learned very quickly to “believe nothing of what you hear (read) and half of what you see on the Internet.” We are heading towards the day when “Guru” will become synonymous with “Crook”, and everyone will lose as a result. I hope that the offenders will clean up their acts before it is too late, but I think pigs will fly first.
What a shame that marketers do not utilize myspace for profit.
Let’s all be serious here… If you’re gonna play by the rules you
will not make any REAL money. let’s face it, we’re all here to
make LOTS of money otherwise why waste your time?
MySpace cannot police their entire membership.
IT IS TOO BIG! We’re talking millions of people.
For all you that are complaining about people trying
to make money by not playing by the rules just remember
that playing by the rules will NOT or EVER make you rich.
I’m NOT saying to do anything ILLEGAL But…
C’mon… Are you a marketer trying to make money or
are here to waste your time? Make up your mind.
MySpace is just another service on the web.
Again, we are here to make money or we are not.
Myspace breaks their own TOS. Myspace cannot
prove you’re using any bot or software that adds
friends. They are just a networking website for
GOD’S SAKE, they aren’t GOD!
Take advantage of Myspace. If you don’t…
Don’t complain about medicore sales because you’re
not making any money. Get a clue.
Eric,
I truly look forward to receiving Eric’s Tips. I like your honest assessment of all the good, bad and downright ugly opportunities in the area internet marketing.
I found this post very enlightening. One question that comes to mind after reading this post is; How does this effect you assessment of the Traffic Geiser Program you reviewed and tested recently?
I am so weary of the whole Myspace bombardment of my email account every day. Thank you Eric for showing us the truth.
Thanks for the Info Eric. I must confess to using myspace for marketing and even worse using an alias. After what you have said about possible legal repercussions I am about to delete my account.
Although your pictures of the ads are not offensive to myself, I would imagine that they will be to lots of others and anyway, what are they (myspace) trying to promote themselves as?
There are more social bookmarking sites available to us marketers for business use, one of which I recently signed up with.
http://bizpreneur.com/webproglobal
Have a better weekend, Ken