Discussion Forums vs. Ad Space

[fathom]

WebProWorld has some interesting topical discussion forums, but notice that a major portion of posts are self promotion.

Each time I see them - don't see a title that reflects a "Advert" but a title that suggests something of interest to discuss, only to click and find someone has falsely advertised their post.

Is this going to be addressed, or is this the direction that WebProWorld intends.

The "www" is a direct link and available, and members can even add URLs and short tags line to sig - do we really a dozen forums full of self promotion adverts hiding as "help me posts" or "advice posts".

[carju1]

I agree with Fahom and I've noticed it a few times lately. The type of thing that is annoying is someone has posted a request for specific help with say table widths. Someone responded with some code examples but then the next person posts

css has many more uses than just that, my company name offer web design apprenticeships if anyones interested.

which a) doesn't answer the specific question and b) is basically just a self promo.

I don't mind when someone gives a full answers to a question if their work/site info is included in their sig. That's what its for in a "hey look I give good answers and you can find me here" sort of way. In freelance, introduction and profiles I don't care how much promotion people do, but in Question forums it shouldn't be a case of "You can find your answer here if you go to my site" and that's starting to happen as well.

Regards
Julian

BTW I have no idea how you can stop this :)

[carju1]

This one is even worse its a pure advert and its the first post of the topic not even an attempted reply

TJDesigns owns the advertising rights 2 of the sites that it has developed. We are running an introductory rate of a banner advert, 500 impressions just £3, that means that your adverts will be seen 500 times. Thats just 0.6p per impression!
Please email me if you are interested. tjdesigns2003@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic...814&highlight=

Regards
Julian

[Garrett]

I will investigate all reports of inappropriate, off-topic, and overly/solely self-promotional posts.

Please send your concerns directly to me: Garrett@WebProWorld.com, or as a private message.

Thanks,
Garrett

[fathom]

Originally Posted by Garrett

I will investigate all reports of inappropriate, off-topic, and overly/solely self-promotional posts.

Please send your concerns directly to me: Garrett@WebProWorld.com, or as a private message.

Thanks,
Garrett

Thanks Garrett!

BTW - Excellent re-deployment of wpw! ;)

[dkitkatt]

I have noticed what you're saying when scanning intros. Skinnarians would suggest we just not reply to them nor link to their sites from this venue. Our site is in our signature block. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with it before I post in the review forum. In any case, if us newbies, particularly us old newbies, have too many rules to read through, we'll get turned off fast.

[Linda Buquet]

Garrett,

Carju1 - the post you mentioned by TJDesigns is listed in the Freelance Forum - the the description for that forum it says: "Feel free to promote your services in this forum."

So if we are inviting people to "promote" I don't think we can say not to.

I think until we have some "rules" we can't enforce much. This could quickly develop into a SPAM fest. We should maybe have a "rules" sticky at the top of each subcategory that says self promotion is not allowed accept in sigs. If you want to promote your services feel free to do it HERE: then list the forums where promotion is encouraged. (i/e. freelance, introduct your self, etc.)

For instance in the affiliate marketing section I encourage merchants to announce their affiliate programs. After I get a few more - I will want to create a sub-category for all merchants to post to and only allow merchant announcements in that area.

I think many forums are too rigid. Allowing self promotion (a side benefit of participating in forums) will help us grow and attract more people.
I think we just need to have appropriate places for self promotion so discussion threads do not get clogged up.

Suggestion

Online Marketing category -
SPAM is not allowed. Sigs are fine. Feel free to announce any online marketing service here:
ADD: Services Offered and Service needed thread.

Hosting - Same thing
ADD: Hosting Offered and Hosting needed. etc.

Then Mods can move promotional posts to promo areas and allow members to self promote - but have it organized by section and also keep the discussion areas clean.

What do you think?

[carju1]

Linda,

Guilty, I didn't notice that was in freelance (they also posted about 5 more times in freelance ?).

I agree people can post ads in freelance but also they shouldn't post any sort of ad in body text in main forum groups, the sig can be as self promoting as they want. Its the "my way is better contact me at XYZ" post we really need to avoid.

People will use a company because they provide good answers and show they are knowledgeable not because they post a lot of short not very useful answers.


Regards
Julian

[dkitkatt]

I got a marketing e-mail to my "review my site" post for the participant mentioned above. It would seem more appropriate if a review had been posted and a suggestion made that I might want to explore the reviewer's services, or see their posting in the freelance forum, if I want further help in executing changes. I may just go check out that forum any way.

[SyrenSong]

I've also seen a bit of shameless self-promotion. Particularly in the Site and Logo Review areas.

In some cases, the folks don't bother to provide any review at all. There's just a message saying something like "fill out the form at my website and I'll help you".

Maybe a few "Interim Moderators" would be a good idea to help you folks out until things settle down a bit and you've got time to figure out what's what and how things should be handled....?

Growing pains are no fun at all!

Just my 2-cents.
Syren

[SyrenSong]

Carju1 - You probably meant to post this thread: Website questions answered

It's pretty darned blatant and there's really no excuse for it.

Syren

[carju1]

Syren said :

Carju1 - You probably meant to post this thread: Website questions answered

Now that's what I call a MVP post, she bails you out when you have made a mess. Yes of course that was the one I meant :)

Thanks
Julian

[SyrenSong]

Anytime, Julian. ;)

Syren

[Black Knight]

This is definitely a problem. I've just signed up and trying to read around the forums, getting a feel for the content and style, the interests and levels, I'm finding that self-promotional posts are the majority of content.

Having been involved in a few other forums over the years, the only answer that works is to set firm, fair rules, and enforce them.

These forums are huge, and have the potential to be so much, yet fully 70% of the content is advertising - no, worse - bad advertising. I came in search of this discussion because I already felt so sick of the self promotion that I was about to leave, only minutes into my involvement.

Reading around the forums is like reading through spam emails right now - and that's no fun.

If you need a system to deal with it, place a button next to all posts by members with less than 100 posts that allows any other user to 'report' it as unsuitable content.

Automate this, so that people who make only good reports, are recognized by the system and the posts they report are automatically removed to a private 'spam filter' area for double-checking. With reports from less 'proven' reporters, just add an icon or colour to the post (in the lists) that warns people that it may be spam...

Simple and effective.

Its also (sadly) needed.

[Brittany]

I just wanted to let everyone know that the WebProWorld staff are aware of this problem, and we are in the process of compiling a list of Forum Rules, so please be patient with us. Also, we are in the process of getting forum moderators to help keep an eye out for such posts.

Black Knight, thanks for the suggestion about allowing members to report each other to moderators. We might have to take that into consideration, as sad as that may be.

Please continue to be on the lookout for anyone whom you consider to be "spamming" our forum.

Thanks!

Brittany

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by fathom

WebProWorld has some interesting topical discussion forums, but notice that a major portion of posts are self promotion.

Is this going to be addressed, or is this the direction that WebProWorld intends.

Greetings - Fathom!

I think that at this current date WPW admin & our wonderful moderators are very adept at determining the difference between spam & a genuine post requesting assistance.

If someone continues to spam the forums with ads, I'm sure they will eventually be banned if they do not comply to WPW admin or moderator warnings to cease activity contrary to WPW Forum Rules of Conduct. However, I believe banning someone is a last result though.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!
Max

[pedstersplanet]

You been going back in the past Max?...... Wow, year 2003...

Oh how I miss Brittany :(

[Maximilian]

Originally Posted by pedstersplanet

Oh how I miss Brittany :(

Greetings - Pedster!

I've been hearing so many nice things said about her (Brittany) from the long-time regular members here, like you. I miss her and never even met her on the board.

Cheers!
Max

[mike]

Ripping long dead threads out of the grave is called necro posting and is generally frowned upon in this and most other forums.

This issue was addressed about a year ago to the satisfaction of most who voiced concern. If there is some exigence here that I am unaware of, start a new thread.