Originally Posted by $5 submissions

The difference between a spammer and a content publisher turns on how much they care about the reader. The content publisher produces useful content that the reader can use and bookmark/spread on social networks, the spammer just cranks out ads with very very little content value. The publisher seeks to establish an interactive dialogue between the content and the reader, the spammer is interested only in a one way conversation with only him talking. The publisher seeks to pace the communication in response to the reader, the spammer blasts out ads in a relentless fashion.

It's all about quality content and building relationships/trust based on that.