Is it me? Or is the spam getting worse on professional social networking sites?

[RobertFisher]

Just curious and obviously not a highly technical or highly SEO question, but I keep getting inundated with people who do not know me, don't know anyone I know, etc. but on the largest professional networking site that you can Link to others on, I am ready to end my membership. The vast majority are staffing, recruiting, and outsourcing firms. The settings are such that when pointing out how you know someone you are wanting to connect to, there is one that does not require you to have worked with them, gone to school with them, or done business with them, and that is "Friend." On the others if you don't meet one of the requirements above you must put that party's email address, but on "Friend" if the person wanting to contact you says they are your friend, magically they are.

Do you think that for things like this, most people don't mind the spam and say "Ignore" the request, or just "accept" because having 500+ on their profile is so cool?

Also, when you look at the endorsements others have given, do you care? do you believe they add validity? Do you believe most people fail to look beyond and consider who is endorsing them and whether or not that person works in a field that has been endorsed?

I am really curious as to what Mozzers (the coolest group of people on the planet) think.

Best,

[TakeshiYoung]

I personally haven't noticed that much spam, although I have seen a lot of Linkedin spam in Google. The site has such a high domain authority that it ranks pretty highly for pretty much any query.

[Nobody1530189339743]

I don't believe anyone ... without a credible source. Everything is spammy these days. I joined the Internet marketing group on Google+. Now I get bombarded with the "5 Best Social Media Tips" "Top 10 Link Building Guidelines". There's like a million articles out there with the top 10 tips. lol

[EGOL]

Is it me? Or is the spam getting worse....?

Yes, I think that it is YOU....   Somebody discovered that YOU are an "influencer" or a "kickasser" or "well connected nice guy".... so they submitted your name and email address to one of those "people you need to know" lists.  Now, everybody in the planet is after you to do something for them.

Somebody seems to have submitted me as blogger in a couple of industries and now I am getting "reaching out to you" messages from a ton of idiots.

Honestly... I have seen stuff recommended on SEO and marketing sites and within a few days a bunch of idiots are hitting me with the same BS - almost always poorly done.

One thing that I like about gmail is the filters.  I can send messages from an unlimited number of idiots, strategies and even entire domains to my trash.  I have not seen a message from linkedin for a long time. They are going straight to trash.

How about Google giving any idiot on the planet who can find you on Google+ the ability to send email to you.  They want to use other people as a marketing point for their service.... but really... they are killing the best members.  They should do a study on who is leaving.  I bet who is leaving has a higher average rep score than the people who are stayin',

[RobertFisher]

Reza,

Funny you mention that. Our head of Local is a very bright lady, is on a lot of the top Local forums, has learned from people who are top Google contributors, etc. Last week she was on G+ and a lady who is not involved in SEO or Local asked a question around local. Amber, being helpful, gave her some input and recommended a couple of blogs like Blumenthal and Linda Buquet and David Mihm etc. trying to help her out. Amber's G+ obviously has her company on it but she in no way attempted to get the lady to contact her or  to tell the lady about our firm.

The person who moderates the site is an "expert" at SEO and shortly after Amber had the back and forth with the lady, he "barred her" from the site and stated his reason as: people should not be using the site to get business or to tout themselves or their companies (again she had done none of that). I laughed my A__ off.

He should have said, you are not allowed to direct anyone to any resource that does not have his name and picture on it. 
Total crack up.

Best,

Robert

[RobertFisher]

My friend, Egol,

As always, well put. 
Thanks

[Nobody1530189339743]

G+ Communities = Spam .. except the Google Partners community.

[Travis_Bailey]

I get a few requests from people I never met/don't know. It's not too terrible right now, as I'm relatively unknown. As far as connections/circles, I tend to keep it small.

Recently I seemingly instantly connected with a few industry vets, but I don't recall ever sending a request. Nor do I recall receiving one. I'm not complaining though.

The groups bother me, it's difficult to find a good group that isn't spammed/will be spammed. Some of the obscure unrelated industry groups help in random instances, but I really do wonder why I pay.

[vmialik]

"They should do a study on who is leaving.  I bet who is leaving has a higher average rep score than the people who are stayin',"

Sadly for the investors at times its the quantity that matters vs quality of people on the network...