Press release spam

I love press releases and I am a strong believer in their use for marketing and creating a buzz about a company/ product/ service. I also believe in the effectiveness of online press release distribution for search engine marketing purposes; so it is usually part of the online marketing strategy that we do for clients.

Yet, I feel press release spam is going to undermine the value of online press releases significantly. Just check out some of the press releases going out on the distribution sites and you know that things are not headed in the right direction. One can expect some degree of self-promotion ("praise releases")but the extent to which some folks take it is simply ridiculous. Hopefully, genuine marketers and PR personnel who want to use the channel within acceptable limits do not face the consequences of actions by 'ignorant' spammers.