Hosting Company considers my link requests as SPAM

and they are threatening to close my account

[sdani]

My link requests are very targetted. The person had posted his email address on his web page, I sent an email to that address to request a link. I also provided my postal address and an email address where they can request to be removed from my mailing list.

The receipent reported my email as spam and <my hosting provider> agrees with that and they are threatening me that they would close my account.

Is link request really spam?

Have you faced this problem with your hosts?

What do you do in those cases?

Thanks
SD

[edited by: martinibuster at 7:15 pm (utc) on June 29, 2004]
[edit reason] Removed specifics [/edit]

[richlowe]

Likewise, if I come across a website with a reciprocal links page

I would say that the presence of a reciprocal links page IS a clear indication that such is desired. In that case, an email asking for a link would NOT be spam.

[NeverHome]

Yes, Martinibuster, I agree with your point of view. However, these days it seems that even people who have "links pages" routinely reject emails with link requests.

I am trying to use new technologies, such as VoIP, to establish a more friendly personal relationship with prospective link partners. I feel the person-to-person voice contact helps to establish a base for more compatible links. <snip>

What do you think of this idea?

[edited by: martinibuster at 1:33 am (utc) on July 11, 2004]
[edit reason] Please, no self promotion, per the Forum Charter and TOS. Thanks. [/edit]

[percentages]

>If you have a links page, absent a clear statement saying you don't accept link requests, the assumption will always be that you are open to receiving link exchange emails.

>Anybody have any thoughts on that?

martinibuster, you may have missed out the word reciprocal in that first sentence......"If you have a links page,"?

If not, then I most definitely disagree. My link's page says something to the effect of:

"Links to sites and resources we believe you will find valuable and complementary to this site."

This is not an open invitation to everyone and his Uncle to spam us to death. It is not a solicitation for links, and it is certainly not a solicitation to competitors for links.

The fact is 99%+ of link exchange requests are from people who have never seen the websites. They are generated from scripts that use SE searches to find suitable highly linked potential partners for PageRank and whatever Y! is calling it today. If they can't find an email address embedded in the code their scripts do a domain registry lookup and try the domain admin email address!

Even if I expressly stated that no reciprocal link requests would be considered, it would not stop the primary problem of the script driven emails because those scripts would not see the automatic rejection message on the page!

The people that use automated scripting mechanisms are email spammers and are damaging the chances of the quality sites that do exist.

I am all for beating search engines, but, I do expect some effort to be applied by WebMasters when they request links/exchanges.

[nativenewyorker]

How many of you actually put up a link to a potential link partner before requesting a link back?

Personally, I would be much more receptive to getting an email that says they have already linked to my site and asking for a link back than one that just says we visited your site,...blah, blah, blah, do you want to swap links?

[troels nybo nielsen]

> How many of you actually put up a link to a potential link partner before requesting a link back?

I have done that every single time.

And then a few words about spamming: It might be fun to know how many members of Webmasterworld I have reported to spamcop! :)

[dirkz]

A link page, probably called 'Partners' or something, IS a strong indication for link exchanges. If you want to make sure, you can always check out a few partners for reciprocal links.

And yes, I think those automated messages are SPAM, not requests for link exchanges. I'm always open to it, but as soon I realize it's auto generated, or my site will appear on a mass (mess?) of numerated link pages I consider it SPAM.

If you take the effort and target your request, I'm always open to it.

[Leosghost]

It might be fun to know how many members of Webmasterworld I have reported to spamcop!

nahh we don't wanna go there ; )..take waaay too long !