Spam or not spam?

[Nik]

I mean, yeah, there is a big issue about spamming and stuff. Some poor author sends someone info about his/her newly published book - it's the gravest sin possible, it seems. If the same author buys an ad, popping at your computer at every corner of google, goodreads, facebook or elsewhere - it's perfectly fine.
Facebook, for example, sends me mails claiming I have notifications, even when in fact I don't have any, and it's like a regular practice..
And all those endless commercials?
It looks like once you pay - you can annoy through bigger channels to bigger audience. It's the free stuff that's despicable.
What do you think? And what do you view as spam?

[Leonie]

I really detest the twitter person, who follows you, and you follow back because they look interesting, and then you immediately receive a PM with a 'buy my book' advertisement.

I usually unfollow them immediately.

I have no issues with paid ads.

[Ian]

I have no issue with occasional ads, but persistent ones annoy me greatly, from whatever source.

[Scout]

A little off topic, but those robocalls to my house during mealtimes - definitely phone spam. Now, I don't answer the phone if I don't know the number, but I still have to look. So annoying, and no way to stop them.

[Nik]

Leonie wrote: "I have no issues with paid ads..."

To me commercials are most irritating.
Can it be that indie author pimping his/her stuff for free are doing 'indie advertisement' (often categorized as spam), while paid ads are 'trad'? -:)

[Melanie]

Scout wrote: "A little off topic, but those robocalls to my house during mealtimes - definitely phone spam. Now, I don't answer the phone if I don't know the number, but I still have to look. So annoying, and no..."

They are maddening, especially the pre-recorded ones with no number to trace them and therefore filter them out. I wish it could become a criminal offence. In the meantime, there's no point in answering the phone. If it's someone we know, they'll leave a message.

[Leonie]

Nik wrote: "Leonie wrote: "I have no issues with paid ads..."

To me commercials are most irritating.
Can it be that indie author pimping his/her stuff for free are doing 'indie advertisement' (often categoriz..."

I meant paid ads on places like Goodreads and Facebook. Television commercials on the other hand....

[Holly]

Before I became self-employed my last job was as a sales exec in digital media advertising. Just out of curiosity, I have a few questions for the authors who have paid for advertising for their books:

What media outlet do you feel is more effective? Do you think Facebook is worth the price charged for the advertising? Is a targeted audience like GR a better place to advertise? Have you ever tried demographic marketing and how did it work for you?

[Nik]

Holly wrote: "Before I became self-employed my last job was as a sales exec in digital media advertising. Just out of curiosity, I have a few questions for the authors who have paid for advertising for their boo..."

Allowing for your specialization, you probably know the answers much better than anyone else feels -:)

[Nik]

I don't know - I find spam (or indie advertisement :)) equally annoying with bombastic and seriously paid for trad ads, however the former is a despicable spam, while the latter is an acceptable evil. Why is it and is it only me that feels the same towards both?

[Scout]

I don't have much of a problem getting spam, as my settings block most of it.

[Nik]

Wish I could find settings to block ads too

[Philip]

Nik wrote: "Wish I could find settings to block ads too"

I use Firefox browser with various ad-ons for blocking ads and tracking cookies and Duck Duck Go as search engine to block Google. I will also use VPN on regular occasions

But I'm paranoid despite wanting to sell my books

[Philip]

Philip wrote: "Nik wrote: "Wish I could find settings to block ads too"

I use Firefox browser with various ad-ons for blocking ads and tracking cookies and Duck Duck Go as search engine to block Google. I will a..."

forgot to add that with my browser set up certain web sites don't work at all (linked-in) and others including this one have reduced functions.

[Ian]

I use Firefox plus to block spam as well, but then I actually have to look at the spam because every now and again something I want turns up in the spam box. The good news is I can usually recognize that and I don'[t have to actually look at the spam - merely look at the list of who sent it.

[Nik]

Basing on your experiences, I guess I should try Firefox, as the ads pop-ups turn quite annoying..

[Ian]

Once you hit a link, it does not stop pop-up ads. There seems to be no good way of blocking them

[Scout]

Nik, I had a big problem at one time with popups that wouldn't go away. It was a virus. I called McAfee, which I subscribe to, and they helped me get rid of it.