I'd like to hear some opinions on whether or not to require confirmation email for directory submissions. Some directories do (like mine) while many don't. Does it help cut down spam, or just irritate legit submitters, or both? Why or why not?
Confirmation email for sure cut off 90% of spam and rightfully so irritates SEO idiots who are using submission bots. The only downside, legitimate users think, again rightfully so, that directory owner is trying to collect legit email addresses to spam them in a future only because in reality some of directory owners done that in a past and continue doing it now. Solution: read Privacy Policy. Real users who want to be listed in directory by any cost care less if they have to sign up as user because 2 minutes it takes to complete the form and 5 seconds to click on link is very small “price†to pay for FREE inclusion and those who are in hurry to submit and can’t wait when their crappy spam infested site get rejected, are not welcomed by directories owners in a first place, can go away irritated as hell as far owners should care. fastreplies
I submitted a few sites to your directory recently and was not put off by the confirmation. Pretty simple and straight forward.
Well, the reason we're not using confirmation process is because we are using very powerful filters which are blocking 90% of spam as is but we definitely would use it without present security measures. fastreplies
Confirmation email is a big helper in cutting down spam. Though, I have seen many directories that don't use their confirmation emails properly. The email MUST have a click to confirm link and it must also have a 'copy URL' for most effectiveness.
Privacy Policy! That's the ticket. I knew I forgot something. Just added it. So far the consensus is "to do" the email confirmation. There are so many directories that don't... where's the argument for that? (besides good security). @fastreplies - what are you using for elevated security? custom script or modded open source?
Guess I'm in the minority here. I do all my submitting by hand. Drives me crazy to have to prove to you that I'm a human. Yeah, I know that there are lots of spammers out there but I'd so much rather put up with trying to decipher a captcha than mess around with replying, clicking or doing whatever is requested in an email confirmation. If I am working on doing submissions for a number of my sites, it is a giant hassle to check each and every email. After all, many directory owners are expecting the domain on the email to match the domain being submitted.
You can screen submitted sites if you require email confirmation. Confirmed email means that people are serious to submit their site to get listed and not just like dropping their site and leave your site right away.
If I tell you what kind and how our spam filters work, I will have to kill you It may come to you as a surprise to you but submission bots don't care if you use CAPTCHA, no-follow tag, Java, etc. because they are going to script that controls submission process directly. The best way to make them (bots) sweat, is to put wall on their way and signing up as new user is doing exactly that Well, there is very good reasons why owners want people to use email associated with domain. 1. The main one is to make sure real people will come and visit their directories 2. Then because SEO spammers use throwaway email addresses, without confirmation directories owners don't have to deal with them tomorrow. 3. If you own domain, then you have email account and if site owner doesn't use it and in stead is using free for all address, then he/she is trying to hide something from general public, so in this case; why should directories owners play site owners games? But then again, we're talking about genuine directories and not fly be night garbage fastreplies
I don't require a user to register prior to submitting, nor do I use any type of email confirmation, captcha or require an email address associated with the domain submitted. I don't see any of the automated spam submissions; they're automatically deleted depending on the filters I set. Pretty nice custom mod.
Bro, if they can't click on a simple link in their email. Then their site doesn't deserve to be in your directory anyway.
I think the same way. But its amazing how many just don't bother either because they're bots, or because they use fake email, or they are just lazy.