"Spam" (unsolicited commercial email) threatens to paralyze and ultimately destroy email system as it currently exists on Internet.

Anyone with an email address can attest to fact that avalanche of Spam has only increased in last year and shows no sign of stopping.

However, current system many Internet Service Providers (ISP's) use to deal with Spam may just destroy Internet's email system long before spammers do.

Now, I won't deny that weight of Spam on any ISP's resources can rate very significant.

It's been estimated that between 30-60% of all email now sent is Spam!

This means that 30-60% an ISP's system resources (bandwidth, hardware, system maintenance) go towards delivering messages nobody wants to receive.

Out of self-defense, many ISP's turn to third party services like SpamCop, SPEWS (Spam Prevention Early Warning System), and SpamHaus to help them identify sources of spam and block messages before their email systems get clogged.

No Trial - No Defense - Guilty!

In theory, it's a great system.

In practice, it creates a situation resembling a witch hunt where accused gets burned at stake without a trial, let alone ability to face their accuser. Here's how system works.

Let's say a business habitually sends legitimate email to its customers or prospects who asked to receive email.

As long as nobody complains, life proceeds as normal.

Have you ever been contacted by online marketers who promise to deliver a "ton of traffic" to your website" ? I get these emails every day. Here's a quote from one I used to get 10 times a day (until I automatically filtered it to trash):

"Hi I visited www.metamend.com, and noticed that you're not listed on some search engines! I think we can offer you a service which can help you increase traffic and number of visitors to your website.

I would like to introduce you to thispromotioncompany.com. We offer a unique technology that will submit your website to over 300,000 search engines and directories every month.

You'll be surprised by low cost, and by how effective this website promotion method can be.

To find out more about thispromotioncompany and cost for submitting your website to over 300,000 search engines and directories, visit www.thispromotioncompany.com. (...)"

Have you ever received one, and wondered why they were contacting you? First off, how did they find your web site? What search engines are they referring to? If they really could deliver on their promise, then they would have so much repeat, and word of mouth business, that they wouldn't have time to be calling or emailing you. Lastly, how many people actually believe that there are 300,000 search engines?

While it's true you need traffic from search engines, you don't need to use spam techniques to get it. You need real results, and not false hope.

Increase Web Site Traffic,.. Naturally

It is true that best way to obtain lots of targeted traffic (customers) is to acquire it based on relevance, via search engines. Various studies show that anywhere from 83% to 92% of first time visitors to a web site find it through search engines. That's an incredible statistic. If you are not acquiring those customers as a result of a relevant query, then they will be disappointed. They may be disappointed with search result, but more likely, they will be disappointed with your web site.

In online world that's your first impression. We all know how important a first impression is. You can never get a bad one back, and a good one will carry you a long way. You have to make sure that search engines are sending you visitors that are looking for your products or services. If your web site matches their interests, they will remember it, and come back, even if they do not make a purchase on that visit. If they find it irrelevant, they may have subconsciously formed a negative opinion of your online business, through no fault of your own.

Search engines provide a continuous stream of targeted visitors to your website, and for most part, it's free of charge. Some engines do charge a listing fee, but most do not. The only thing search engine asks is that each web site operator makes an effort to provide relevant and good information to web surfers for a particular search phrase. If a web site does so, search engines will reward site with increased good quality traffic.