Black-Hat Sploggers Leave a Bad Taste

Posted on Posted in Abundance and Prosperity, Business Ethics, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies

The other day, I got invited to help promote an Internet marketing report. Since I don’t endorse anything I haven’t seen (unless I make it very clear that it’s a favor to a friend, etc., and I haven’t personally evaluated), I asked for a copy–and boy, was I appalled.

The model these folks were pushing was to steal content, intersperse enough meaningless blather so Google doesn’t think it’s a duplicate page, and build traffic/ad revenues.

Eeeeeeew!

I let it simmer for a couple of days, until I could respond with enough politeness to get read, and until I could find a way to talk to the part of these people that wants to be better (with a tip of the hat to my friend Bob Burg, who taught me how to do that), and then responded this morning, thusly:

“Let me know what you think, good or bad. I appreciate your opinion.”

OK, you asked. I read it over the weekend.

I’m sure you have good intentions, but frankly, I find your business model unethical. It is one very small step above splogging; the only difference is you’re adding meaningless content around someone else’s words instead of just presenting someone else’s hard work.

It devalues the Internet as a useful information medium; I’d hate to see search results be as useless as e-mail, but if people follow your model, they contribute to poor search results.

And then there’s the matter of making a buck on other people’s hard-earned intellectual property without compensating them in any way, or even asking permission, and doing so in a way that most definitely violates the Fair Use provisions of the copyright law.

I think with the intelligence and understanding of the Internet that underlies your black hat approach, you could come up with a business model that would be just as profitable and a whole lot more palatable. Come talk to me when you’ve done so.

Postscript: I got a response, quickly, that basically said, “well, that’s fine, but I disagree.” Needless to say, I won’t become her affiliate any time soon.

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About

A lifelong activist, profitability and marketing specialist Shel Horowitz’s mission is to fix crises like hunger, poverty, racism, war, and catastrophic climate change—by showing the business world how fixing them can make a profit. An author, international speaker, and TEDx Talker, his award-winning 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, lays out a blueprint for creating and MARKETING those profitable change-making products and services. He is happy to help you craft your messaging and develop profit strategies. Learn more (and download excerpts from the book) at http://goingbeyondsustainability.com

104 Comments on “Black-Hat Sploggers Leave a Bad Taste”

  9. Some of the BH marketers can be very ruthless. I prefer to maintain a white hat mindset, but utilize black hat techniques in a mature, responsible way. The problem is that these guys don’t know how to practice self control. Quantity instead of quality, they want the easy way out.

  10. Some of the BH marketers can be very ruthless. I prefer to maintain a white hat mindset, but utilize black hat techniques in a mature, responsible way. The problem is that these guys don’t know how to practice self control. Quantity instead of quality, they want the easy way out.

  11. Some of the BH marketers can be very ruthless. I prefer to maintain a white hat mindset, but utilize black hat techniques in a mature, responsible way. The problem is that these guys don’t know how to practice self control. Quantity instead of quality, they want the easy way out.

  12. Some of the BH marketers can be very ruthless. I prefer to maintain a white hat mindset, but utilize black hat techniques in a mature, responsible way. The problem is that these guys don’t know how to practice self control. Quantity instead of quality, they want the easy way out.

  13. An honest man can have no superiors and idealism still thrives in pockets around the world.

  14. An honest man can have no superiors and idealism still thrives in pockets around the world.

  15. An honest man can have no superiors and idealism still thrives in pockets around the world.

  16. An honest man can have no superiors and idealism still thrives in pockets around the world.

  21. In a world full of deceit and scamsters, liars and dishonesty, its nice to know some people still wish to retain their principles.

  22. In a world full of deceit and scamsters, liars and dishonesty, its nice to know some people still wish to retain their principles.

  23. In a world full of deceit and scamsters, liars and dishonesty, its nice to know some people still wish to retain their principles.

  24. In a world full of deceit and scamsters, liars and dishonesty, its nice to know some people still wish to retain their principles.

  29. When the telephone was invented, the need to speak eloquently therein was considered an etiquette one could not do without. Now that the net is prevalent, lack of etiquette herein is also a form of uncivility.

  30. When the telephone was invented, the need to speak eloquently therein was considered an etiquette one could not do without. Now that the net is prevalent, lack of etiquette herein is also a form of uncivility.

  31. When the telephone was invented, the need to speak eloquently therein was considered an etiquette one could not do without. Now that the net is prevalent, lack of etiquette herein is also a form of uncivility.

  32. When the telephone was invented, the need to speak eloquently therein was considered an etiquette one could not do without. Now that the net is prevalent, lack of etiquette herein is also a form of uncivility.

  33. Mark Twain has said somewhere, Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed. Which is the same as saying that you cant teach principles to a hungry man.

  34. Mark Twain has said somewhere, Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed. Which is the same as saying that you cant teach principles to a hungry man.

  35. Mark Twain has said somewhere, Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed. Which is the same as saying that you cant teach principles to a hungry man.

  36. Mark Twain has said somewhere, Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed. Which is the same as saying that you cant teach principles to a hungry man.

  41. The act of “making a buck on other people’s hard-earned intellectual property without compensating them in any way, or even asking permission”, is brazen shamelessness.

  42. The act of “making a buck on other people’s hard-earned intellectual property without compensating them in any way, or even asking permission”, is brazen shamelessness.

  43. The act of “making a buck on other people’s hard-earned intellectual property without compensating them in any way, or even asking permission”, is brazen shamelessness.

  44. The act of “making a buck on other people’s hard-earned intellectual property without compensating them in any way, or even asking permission”, is brazen shamelessness.

  45. I totally agree. I think that this techniques are appalling. Thanks for shedding light on the subject.

  46. I totally agree. I think that this techniques are appalling. Thanks for shedding light on the subject.

  47. I totally agree. I think that this techniques are appalling. Thanks for shedding light on the subject.

  48. I totally agree. I think that this techniques are appalling. Thanks for shedding light on the subject.

  49. Oh wow! The content of their website is purely unethical, but the way that dude responded to your email is unbelievable!
    Even if this is the internet world, we have a “netiquette” that we should follow.
    You just made the right decision!!

  50. Oh wow! The content of their website is purely unethical, but the way that dude responded to your email is unbelievable!
    Even if this is the internet world, we have a “netiquette” that we should follow.
    You just made the right decision!!

  51. Oh wow! The content of their website is purely unethical, but the way that dude responded to your email is unbelievable!
    Even if this is the internet world, we have a “netiquette” that we should follow.
    You just made the right decision!!

  52. Oh wow! The content of their website is purely unethical, but the way that dude responded to your email is unbelievable!
    Even if this is the internet world, we have a “netiquette” that we should follow.
    You just made the right decision!!

  57. Reminds me of Diogenes the Cynic who went around the sunlit streets of Athens, lantern in hand, looking for an honest man. This type of principled stand would have pleased him.

  58. Reminds me of Diogenes the Cynic who went around the sunlit streets of Athens, lantern in hand, looking for an honest man. This type of principled stand would have pleased him.

  59. Reminds me of Diogenes the Cynic who went around the sunlit streets of Athens, lantern in hand, looking for an honest man. This type of principled stand would have pleased him.

  60. Reminds me of Diogenes the Cynic who went around the sunlit streets of Athens, lantern in hand, looking for an honest man. This type of principled stand would have pleased him.

  89. I agree with your polite method and the content of your letter. Although they probably will not change their practices, it is frustrating that the internet is becoming harder and harder to find relevant data in the ocean of garbage!- Nate

  90. I agree with your polite method and the content of your letter. Although they probably will not change their practices, it is frustrating that the internet is becoming harder and harder to find relevant data in the ocean of garbage!- Nate

  91. I agree with your polite method and the content of your letter. Although they probably will not change their practices, it is frustrating that the internet is becoming harder and harder to find relevant data in the ocean of garbage!- Nate

  92. I agree with your polite method and the content of your letter. Although they probably will not change their practices, it is frustrating that the internet is becoming harder and harder to find relevant data in the ocean of garbage!- Nate

  93. Shel, Great post, sorry I’ve only gotten around to reading it 9 months after you posted (let’s just call it a gestational period). I too have had some dealing with so-called sploggers, though I don’t know if it’s the same company. Very similar story to yours though these folks were using other people’s content and business name to try and dominate the SERPs. I’m not sure why the Internet seems to attract so many people who want to crap in their own bathwater. Not to be pessimistic but maybe it’s just human nature (I hope not).

  94. Shel, Great post, sorry I’ve only gotten around to reading it 9 months after you posted (let’s just call it a gestational period). I too have had some dealing with so-called sploggers, though I don’t know if it’s the same company. Very similar story to yours though these folks were using other people’s content and business name to try and dominate the SERPs. I’m not sure why the Internet seems to attract so many people who want to crap in their own bathwater. Not to be pessimistic but maybe it’s just human nature (I hope not).

  95. Shel, Great post, sorry I’ve only gotten around to reading it 9 months after you posted (let’s just call it a gestational period). I too have had some dealing with so-called sploggers, though I don’t know if it’s the same company. Very similar story to yours though these folks were using other people’s content and business name to try and dominate the SERPs. I’m not sure why the Internet seems to attract so many people who want to crap in their own bathwater. Not to be pessimistic but maybe it’s just human nature (I hope not).

  96. Shel, Great post, sorry I’ve only gotten around to reading it 9 months after you posted (let’s just call it a gestational period). I too have had some dealing with so-called sploggers, though I don’t know if it’s the same company. Very similar story to yours though these folks were using other people’s content and business name to try and dominate the SERPs. I’m not sure why the Internet seems to attract so many people who want to crap in their own bathwater. Not to be pessimistic but maybe it’s just human nature (I hope not).