Apparently this has been ongoing problem, and Houzz only allows pros to post links to their products/services from their member page -- not in a forum, if I'm understanding Emily's words in this thread. This is as I thought it had been, but was wondering if something had changed.

sigh..... We're not in Kansas anymore, Ida. What was once prohibited and enforced seems to be more of a suggestion with few if any real consequences. There is also a different mindset as to what constitutes spam between H & GW. What we take offense to because it's self promoting and 'compromised' information has been normal forum interaction here since before the groups were combined.

Not all the pros do it and I really appreciate those that don't. The ones who do are really annoying ... as annoying as a spam phone call. They may get a customer or two out of it, but they will turn off many more. Especially annoying are those with a giant signature that includes all their contact information. Can't people just click on your profile if they are interested in you?

Ida, we're annoyed by the same things, it seems.

The problem here (as I see it) is that there doesn't seem to be any action by moderators here (must be a great job to have, really)...like if I flag three spam posts by the same "artist"...then why are the mods not doing their jobs and deleting those accounts? I've made it pretty easy for them...

What I'm not seeing as much of these days (thank goodness) are threads started by One-Post-Wonders with the intent to spam. You know, "Where can I find a gilt-framed print of a giant panda wrestling an orange alligator?" -- and lo and behold, another O-P-W follows up with a link to just that thing. Ugh.

I was told that posts promoting goods/services are considered spam when they do not contribute to the discussion at hand. If they are just thrown in there to promote someone’s products, they should be flagged. I’m also put off by the pros who have giant signatures. Why don’t they just post an image of their business card?

ETA: does Houzz even HAVE fine print somewhere? I’ve never been able to find it.

never mind, just looked and it’s there.

"Why don’t they just post an image of their business card?"

Ugh, don't give them any ideas! :-)

I mark it as spam if it links their products or page, with exceptions if it's very relevant and helpful to the post. I flag the signatures too. I agree there are some regular offenders where it seems Houzz could easily just block them from ever posting.

Not OK with me: Hardware vendor linking their products in every post where someone asks about hardware. Artist linking products in every post asking about wall decor. New threads with just the Pro's work.

OK with me: Pro regularly gives advice and on an odd occasion links a pic which illustrate something very specific and relevant to the post. Otherwise no links.

You aren't getting any business by posting here, believe me. I've been a regular for four years and so far I got a $300.00 repair and a $1,700.00 sink job. And a Starbucks gift card for a thank you.

So, if a post begins with "You've done a great job, what about adding some of my fabulous art?", that's not considered spam?

Just how stupid do they think people are?

pennydesign:

It depends. If someone asks a question and I've done the same job that answers the question a month earlier, yeah, I'm going to say so. If that's spam, so be it.

That wouldn't be spam, Joseph.

And Joseph, you are not adding links to your informative (and welcome) posts. You aren't directing traffic to your website. You don't embed your web address in your posts. There is nothing wrong with your posts at all.

Joseph what you post (what I've seen anyway) is akin to me posting detailed explanation and pictures of how I customized curtains that were too short or repainted a piece of used furniture. Difference being you make your living at it and I don't but both posts are meant to show possibilities and maybe potential problems and are informative to the reader - isn't that part of the purpose here? As sushi said, you're not linking to your website or including contact info in your posts which is the spammy part we're referring to above.

Repeated shilling by thinly veiled accounts recommending products will eventually get those shill accounts removed if you keep flogging them every. single. time. Barcelona/Manhattan Design’s, and quite a few others, finally got that message. Yes, it’s a bit of work, because they are like a Medusa and cutting one snake just regrows another. If you Follow a shill or a Spammer, that makes a great wake up game over coffee. It’s all there in your feed to find and sink their battleships.

Houzz won’t delete their account though, because it plumps their statistics.

If a Pro has a link to their blog, or posts their blog in a post or a reply, and not a genuine response, that is most certainly SPAM. And worth tagging as such. The worst are the newbie Pros who just search for posts talking about teapot cozies and pull all of those up to post an enthusiast generic link to their custom teapot cozy site. Then disappear forever.

Pros who come into a discussion about teapot cozies, and explain how a custom one is measured and made, and explain design considerations of teapot cozies, then show pictures of how they create those teapot cozies, and some spectacular custom ones they have done, aren’t spamming. They aren’t spamming even if the discussion isn’t about custom teapot cozies, but off the shelf ones, and the poster is frustrated by the choices in off the shelf models.

Illustrating and educating a discussion point with your work is a great way to communicate a point. Barging in and suggesting that you have the solution to their problem if only they’d buy their product, or use their discount code to buy a product, or write them a review for being nice to them on the forum, that is soliciting, and unethical.

Rugknots Oriental Rugs consistently "contributes" to threads by so altruistically linking to their own products. They've been called out on it several times, and their posts have been flagged; yet it continues.

Sophie, Barcelona/Manharran as well as Monarch are still spamming with 'real' people names. I caught a couple within the past few days.

Another tip is to click the spammer's name to go to their page and see what else they have posted lately.

Houzz deleted the accounts that I followed to flog. Guess I’ll have to find the new snake heads to keep up the morning coffee game.

Calling them out in the Forum does nothing. They only read the forum to find opportunities to advertise.

Contact them directly to explain that they are spamming and should cease and desist. Newbies dometines are just clueless.

Then if they continue, you screen shot, flog, and contact Houzz with the images. Yes, you have to search for that stupid Contact Me form, but it’s worth it for the egregious ones. GW does not have to accept Houzz norms. Things CAN go the other direction where Houzz is influenced by GW. It just takes participation and Speaking Up.

https://help.houzz.com/s/article/How-can-I-contact-Customer-Support?language=en_US

Hi All,

To clarify my comment linked to above:

Houzz has a community of both homeowners and professionals. Both are able to participate fully. Professionals can talk about their work or include links to their profile if it is relevant and they are also engaging in the discussion, not just posting links - what we do not want to see are spam posts that do not address the original post and simply link off to their services. You can flag them if you are unsure and they will be reviewed by our team.

Most importantly, these discussions are free and open to all who want to participate. Please be welcoming and if there is a question about whether a post is okay, flag it and we are always happy to review it.

What about posts that are specifically and solely meant to provide a link to someone’s YouTube video or blog page? I guess they’re meant to be informative? Why not just post on a thread?

Mark those as spam.