Promoting your Business on Myspace

The doubt of whether or not MySpace can be used to advertise a business is certainly controversial. MySpace is intended to be a non-commercial website by nature but there is a different between open commercialization and naming a product or service you propose and supplying a link as a valuable resource to visitors of your site. This article will take a look at the opportunities to advertise a business on MySpace by providing info on deciding whether or not your way of business promotion is allowed on MySpace and information on how to advertise your business without being charged of spamming MySpace.

Read the Terms of Service Carefully

The terms of service supplied by MySpace can offer the greatest insight into whether or not there are ways to advertise your business through MySpace. Members of MySpace are asked to go over the terms of service before becoming a member. Each member should carefully study this entire agreement to come to a better perceptive of which types of actions are permitted on MySpace as well as which types of actions are disallowed.

One of the conditions of the MySpace reads as follows, “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. Illegal and/or unauthorized use of the MySpace Services, including collecting usernames and/or email addresses of Members by electronic or other means for the purpose of sending unsolicited email or unauthorized framing of or linking to the MySpace Website is prohibited. 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.”

This part of the terms of service specifies that MySpace is created for non-commercial use unless Myspace.com has okayed the use of a member’s website for commercial intentions. Thus, attention should be taken when planning a MySpace website to guarantee the website will not be viewed as a commercial website by MySpace administrators.

Do Not Assume, Ask Questions

Those who are uncertain of whether or not their MySpace website, as they have planned it, will be conceived as a commercial website had better consult with MySpace administrators. This step is not essential unless the member is afraid their content will be perceived as being commercial. Reexamining the terms of use agreement can offer a great deal of information but some users may still be interested with the possibility that their website will be punished if the administrators view it to be commercial in nature.

Contacting MySpace is a fairly simple procedure. Members can use the, “Contact MySpace” link from the MySpace.com homepage. The contact page enables members to choose a subject and a subtopic and submit this information. Once this is done MySpace provides some preliminary info which may be applicable. If this information is not of value to the member they can email a detailed request to MySpace.

Spamming is a NO NO

If you find out there is an chance for you to advertise your business through MySpace, caution should be taken to ensure the promotion does not cross the line into spam. Spamming is taken very seriously by the MySpace administrators and it may result in links or content being erased or the privileges of membership may be annulled when a member is found to be at fault of spamming.

Links to your ecommerce website blended into your MySpace website isn’t considered spamming. Depending on how it is applied it may not even be regarded advertising, and therefore prohibited, by MySpace administrators. However, visiting other MySpace websites and posting a link to your ecommerce website on each site you visit would be conceived as spam. These individuals may or may not be interested in the website you provide but even if they are interested sending these links to many sites uninvited is often believed to be spam.