Did you know that there are software programs that view
web sites and steal email addresses? It's called
"harvesting" because they're harvesting your email address
from your site. This may be one of the reasons your web site
email address is receiving more s*p^a#m than wanted email.
When I first started teaching web design classes, I strongly
suggested that students place their email address on each
page - it makes your site a bit more "trustable." But it
turns out this is just leaving you wide open to harvesting.
So now, what I suggest are links on each page directed to a
single contact information page, where your email address is
encrypted. If the s*p^a#mmers end up figuring out the
encryption, it's still easier for you to change one page
worth of information vs. many pages of information.
Encrypting your email address makes the gathering process a
little more difficult while it provides that legitimate
email get through to you.
If you find that one encryption program has stopped working,
see if the provider updated the code you were using (many
provide regular updates) or change to another service.
Do you have PayPal payment or shopping cart links on your
site? Up until about a month ago, the old PayPal coding
included your email address. If you haven't upgraded
recently, update your PayPal links to include the encrypted
code they provide, too. Changing that code stopped quite a
bit of unwanted email from reaching me.
Here are some helpful encryption program resources:
http://automaticlabs.com/products/enkoderform/
http://www.robertgraham.com/tools/mailtoencoder.html
http://natata.hn3.net/antispam_encoder.htm
http://www.tucows.com/preview/266685.html
http://innerpeace.org/escrambler.shtml
http://www.wbwip.com/wbw/emailencoder.html
http://w2.syronex.com/jmr/safemailto/
Encryption programs - A VERY good thing to use on
your web site to reduce unwanted email.
? 2004 Maria Marsala, Business Builder and former Wall
Street Trader. "Powering-UP service busine$$es and
their owners". Providing articles, tips, classes, and
business resources in our ezine "SIMPLE Business Steps"
Learn more at http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com