getting rid of referral links = silly

[johnny6]

That's my opinion. I still fail to see the harm in a referral link in your signature. I think you're wasting your time going through everyone and telling them to erase them. What's the big deal? Who EXACTLY is a referral link hurting? Who objects to them? Shouldn't you be trying to help your members (people signing up through a referral link doesn't hurt anyone - rather it enormously aids people), rather than shooting them down with this inexplicable rule?
Two ENORMOUS thumbs down on this.

John

 

[Chris]

I agree with the Staff that affiliate links shouldn't be allowed in signatures because if everyone had an affiliate link in their sig then it'd become infested with spam and all kinds of junk that takes away from the sole purpose of the forum. There would be links here and there with ads to sign up and it'd look like trash instead of a professional domain forum.

That's just my 2 cents worth.

 

[johnny6]

There's no difference between a link to one page and a link to another page. A link is a link. If the link to Namecabin there in your sig was a referral link, who does that hurt? Would there be any difference?
Nope. Remember, you don't have to blindly agree with the staff all the time. In this case, they're not doing the right thing.

 

[matrics]

Namecabin would never be a referral link in his sig because he most probably OWNS it. And if everyone would have ref. links in their sig, some would then start spamming the forums with useless posts just to get their sigs displayed

 

[johnny6]

People already spam the forum with useless posts to get namebucks.
I dunno.

 

[Jeff]

Nope. Remember, you don't have to blindly agree with the staff all the time. In this case, they're not doing the right thing.

:gl:

Agree that you don't blindly have to agree with Staff™ all of the time -and- agree that permitting "Affiliate/Referral links" (anywhere on the site, not just in Signatures) would increase spam exponentially here on the site, and take away from the main purpose of the Forum, IMHO.

People already spam the forum with useless posts to get namebucks.
I dunno.

It happens, and we address it (each, specific case - often behind the scenes) as promptly as we can ... I guarantee you that no one at Staff™ likes spam / totally useless posts simply for NP$'s, and that we're aware it can (and has) occurred.

If "Referral / Affiliate" (non-owned) links were permitted, we would create MUCH much more work for ourselves (taking away from other more important things that we should be doing on a daily basis for the membership) as well as seeing potential offers in NP$'s for folks to visit these links ... and it would not be in keeping with the true essence for earning NP$'s on the site, in my view.
I posted in the related "Signature length" thread, as well ... I really do believe with all of my heart that we're pretty easy going and reasonable about things here on the Namepros site!
Thanks.
-Jeff

PS.

Nothing to see here.

Thanks!

 

[johnny6]

Well. My point is that referral links are good for a community. Person A says to Person B, "hey I'll sign up for that program under your referral link". And then they do and they make Person B a few bucks. The next time, the next program, Person B says "hey, i owe you one, i'll sign up for this new program under YOUR referral ID" and makes Person A a few bucks.
THAT is my point.

 

[Sharpy]

Spam does suck. I don't think eliminating refferal links is the answer. I think you could eliminate most of it if you discontinued $NP's for "The Break Room" posts and more importantly Appraisal thread posts.

Most of the appraisal replies are pure $NP farming. People appraise completely useless <reg fee names for XX and even XXX ammounts. These useless posts take up space on the boards, but worse they encourage inexperienced people to continue to hand reg useless names.

Just eliminate the $NP for appraisals, and people will stop waisting time and space. The owners of useless names will stop getting bad appraisals and therefor stop waisting money. The people who want to do business on the forum won't get there relevant posts bumped down. Everybody wins.

JMHO

 

[matrics]

Spam does suck. I don't think eliminating refferal links is the answer. I think you could eliminate most of it if you discontinued $NB's for "The Break Room" posts and more importantly Appraisal thread posts.

Most of the appraisal replies are pure NB farming. People appraise completely useless <reg fee names for XX and even XXX ammounts. These useless posts take up space on the boards, but worse they encourage people to continue to hand reg useless names.

Just eliminate the $NB for appraisals, and people will stop waisting time and space. The owners of useless names will stop getting bad appraisals and therefor stop waisting money. The people who want to do business on the forum won't get there relevant posts bumped down. Everybody wins.

JMHO

Right... only one thing... I was just thinking that my domains are simply going unappraised by ANYONE... I don't know about this, I'd like someone to *spam* my appraisal thread(s)... even a "reg fee" would be encouraging

 

[Jeff]

Right... only one thing... I was just thinking that my domains are simply going unappraised by ANYONE... I don't know about this, I'd like someone to *spam* my appraisal thread(s)... even a "reg fee" would be encouraging

Righto, that IS the flip side (of course, there is never any ONE easy, magical answer ) ... but we're working on some things to -both- prevent spam in the "Appraisals Forum" as well as keeping it active and responsive (not to mention, responsible)! :talk:
Hang tight, friends!
Thanks for all input.
-Jeff

 

[RJ]

Current rule is
"Affiliate Advertising: The Marketplace is intended for advertising products and services owned or operated by forum members. Affiliate or referral "links" are not appropriate anywhere on the forum."

As a prefance, limiting affiliate links is not unique to this forum. I can name at least a dozen other forums comparable in size to or larger than NamePros that have similar rules (sitepoint, webhostingtalk)

I'll break it down into three main areas,

1. Marketplace forums Our marketplace forums are intended for advertising products or services you own or operate and not for affiliate links. The logic behind this one is the most simple. Everyone is or can be a member of an affiliate program (or even dozens of affiliate programs). If these areas were filled with threads advertising affiliate links, it would not take long for the entire area to be overrun by them. And imagine if we had dozens of threads even promoting the same program by different members. Not a good idea there.

2. Posts/Replys - Permitting affiliate links here may lead to recommendation of services solely because the member has an affilaite link they want to promote. If someone asks for hosting services, are they going to get honest recommendations or a bunch of replies from affliiates of the highest paying hosting programs. Additionally, it wouldn't take much for an affiliate to search all threads on our site and find dozens of threads where they can interject their affiliate link into the discussion.

3. Signatures - This is less obvious, but the opportunity for abuse is similar to the last, where an affilaite may take the opportunity to get involved in discussions only to promote their affilaite link. For instance a domainhop affilaite participating in discussions about domain parking to discuss domainhop for the sake of getting their affilaite link in the thread. Now consider if that affilaite program was so lucritive that many domainhop affilaites started doing exactly that. What effect would that have on the discussions? Would better programs without affiliate programs receive less attention?

Like mentioned previously, its also to curtail spamming. I've seen many affiliate programs and tip articles encourage the practice of joining forums for the sole purpose of promoting your affiiliate links in posts and signatures.

That being said, I don't feel affilaite marketing in signatures is inherently wrong. It is a perfectly fine marketing method when its not abused. Obviously we can't allow affiliate links in threads and posts. The signature rule has never been openly discussed, so I am willing consider all sides of that discussion.

 

[Jokez Guy]

People already spam the forum with useless posts to get namebucks.
I dunno.

I agree people do spam the forum already!

Why dont you allow in your signature allow them to put referral but not in the forum. Who really clicks the signatures i rarly do, just let them have one referral. BUt not in any post just signatures. My 2 cents

 

[anthonyjdoe]

Referral links are no different than any other link other than the fact you get paid for those who go through it. SPAM is unwanted emails, messages and other things sent to a user, links are clicked on by choice of the user. I think Ref links should be allowed in the sig but if you abuse the system then you get suspended or banned simple as that..getting rid of it completly hurts the people who are out to make a honest buck. If I am interested in a service/product and anyone on NP has a Ref link than I am more than happy to use it so they get paid otherwise nobody get's paid and I would only be helping myself and the company I bought the service from and that's not why I joined this forum I joined to help and to get help...as long as it's legal it should be ok :imho:

 

[RJ]

Thanks for the feedback, Jokez and Anthony. I do tend to agree with most of your points about affiliate links. When I sign up for a new program, I always try to signup under the affiliate that turned me onto it so they receive credit for the referral. As a whole I support affilaite marketing programs and encourage people to participate in them.

These differences I see between referral links and links to services the client owns are 1) User might not fully endorse or even use the product/service they are promoting. I've seen people promote the heck out of an affilaite link for the product to turn out to be a scam.

2) Many users could be affliliates of the same program, giving that company a spam like presence on the forum. (ie: 100 users, average 5 posts a day on the forum all with domainhop ads, you're seeing the same ad 500 times a day)

Thoughts, feedback?

 

[anthonyjdoe]

I have an idea, why not only let certain Np members be able to have Ref links in there sigs. Ones that the staff feels they can trust not to promote spam and to actually use the product/service that their links are to. Making it a privilage not a right..this way you control it 100% and only trusted members can use it..those who have alot of posts and post often and those who help each other and those who have been here for some time :gl:

 

[PolurNET]

I have an idea, why not only let certain Np members be able to have Ref links in there sigs. Ones that the staff feels they can trust not to promote spam and to actually use the product/service that their links are to. Making it a privilage not a right..this way you control it 100% and only trusted members can use it..those who have alot of posts and post often and those who help each other and those who have been here for some time :gl:

Well that's a thought, but then comes along members complaining about not being allowed, or having a small quarrel with the staff, and then they'll feel controlled and unfairly judged. It's subjective, which isn't really ideal. I say, we can mention in the sig that "use affiliate ID #xxxxx" so that users may input manually if possible. If it's a direct link affiliate program only, then there should be a limit of one (1) per sig (not all 4 lines should be allowed to have aff id's.)

My 2c's

 

[anthonyjdoe]

You can't complain about a privilage.....I dont complain cause I dont have enough NP$ to buy stuff in the store...same difference...if you want a Ref link in your sigs you have to earn trust..it weeds out most of those people who like to SPAM. Taking it away is not the answer...punishing everyone for a few peoples acts is never the right thing to do...just not fair to us honest people :blink:

 

[johnny6]

Hmm. So can we vote or something on having affiliate links in one's signature?

 

[OnlyPhp.Com]

Although I haven't read the whole thread I just wanted to say what I think :
Let's say I'm an affililiate of a company and I can't link to that directly. I have tons of domains that I'm not using at the moment. I'd just put a text like "Enter Site" or an image pointing to the affiliated site with the "Aff. link" then , finished.
What we understand from here is: If someone wants to promote his aff link he doesn't have to bother talking about it here. Direct or indirect - You can still promote it IMO.

Add : Also I believe ppl should do something to prevent those hundreds of spam I receive everyday . They shouldn't fight with the links in the sigs and call 'em spam.

That's the best quote in my life :

You can't complain about a privilage.....I dont complain cause I dont have enough NP$ to buy stuff in the store.

- That's a nice idea actually... At least it would help namepros make more money by letting members buy 'em :P
"You can't complain about a privilage.....I dont complain cause I dont have enough NP$ to buy stuff in the store"
(I'm talking generally about aff links in the sigs. on any forum. Not just NamePros)

 

[equity78]

I think I can be completely objective here, New here to NP, Like the admins and don't have any affiliate links and will not have any.

First, the people on this Board the top ones are the best in the industry I odn't know Johnny6 personally but did buy two domains from him and he was fair on price and customer service excellent. SO members like him should be able to earn that make it cost Np's, or make it a time period thing once your here for six months no warnings a contributor, you can have an affiliate link.
newbies cannot complain, have to earn it. Plenty of institutions give more leeway as you spend more time.


Second, One Link pick your best.

Third, Good luck to everyone and I have done more in a month here got great names and knowledge than everywhere else combined. Thank you