MarketingVOX: Word-of-mouth marketing and media firm BzzAgent will expel up to 10,000 "pests," its term for BzzAgent community members who have violated the company's terms of service. It will also overhaul its rewards system. The intent of both actions will be to better match consumer volunteers with appropriate campaigns, the company said.

The company is strengthening a prior policy, according to which BzzAgents who register multiple accounts, file false reports or commit other infractions would be blocked from joining word-of-mouth campaigns but permitted to remain community members. Over the next few weeks, BzzAgent will end the "relationship with the deceptive minority," according to Michele Pearl, network general manager.

The second phase will be to revamp the BzzAgent rewards system to attract fewer pests. Under the current program, volunteer agents earn points for reporting their word-of-mouth activities, but reward redemption rates have dropped from 33 percent a year ago to 13 percent.

In a recent study, when asked to cite the best part of being a BzzAgent, respondents ranked "earning reward-redeemable points" next to last, while "experiencing new products" was rated highest.

Prior coverage:

- BzzAgent Expands into Canada

- BzzAgent Launches Word-of-Mouth Media Channel

- BzzAgent Raises $13.8 Million in Funding

- Marketers May Face 'Buzz Disclosure' Oxymoron

- BzzAgent Bows Hispanic WOM Channel