Episode 165 My Email from Zuckerberg & Alex Schultz

Why Is Meta Sending Spam to Promote Its Own Marketing Book?

When Meta’s CMO, Alex Schultz, released his book Click Here, business owners around the world received an email promoting it. The problem? Most recipients never asked for it. In this episode of Meredith’s Husband: SEO for People Who Don’t Like SEO, Meredith’s husband breaks down why the email’s approach undermines its credibility—and what small business owners can learn from it.

What Happened in Meta’s Marketing Email?

The email, sent from Meta’s official domain, featured a glowing endorsement from Mark Zuckerberg but gave little context about the author or the book itself. The title—Click Here—made the message even more confusing, blending call-to-action language with product promotion.

Even more concerning: recipients like Meredith never subscribed to such messages, meaning the email qualifies as spam—a fact that feels ironic coming from one of the largest digital marketing platforms in the world.

Why Does Spam Undermine Credibility?

Spam is often dismissed as harmless marketing “noise,” but it signals a deeper issue: a lack of consent. As Meredith’s husband explains, sending unsolicited messages damages brand trust—especially when they come from companies that claim to teach marketing best practices.

He points out that spam sits near the bottom of the ethical marketing scale: it’s cheap, impersonal, and self-serving. When the sender is a multibillion-dollar company, it highlights how even major brands often ignore the standards they expect from others.

What Can Small Businesses Learn from This?

For small business owners trying to grow online, this episode offers clear takeaways:

• Build permission-based lists. Always get explicit consent before adding someone to your marketing sequence.

• Write with transparency. Make your sender name and purpose clear in every email.

• Avoid manipulative subject lines. Clever doesn’t mean confusing.

• Be human. Audiences respond to authenticity, not automation.

• Respect attention. If you wouldn’t appreciate the message yourself, don’t send it.

By doing these things, small businesses can win trust—the one thing Meta’s campaign accidentally lost.

Is Social Media to Blame for Bad Marketing Habits?

Toward the end, the hosts broaden the discussion to social media’s role in eroding trust and focus. Meredith’s husband admits he avoids social platforms, not out of disinterest, but because he dislikes their manipulative design. Still, he recognizes that’s where audiences are—and plans to post short, helpful clips from his lessons rather than vanity content.

This highlights an important mindset shift: use social media intentionally, not habitually. Share knowledge, not noise.