Toad
03-26-2006, 11:48 AM
OPINION AND THOUGHTS – FORUM ADVERTISING
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Links in signatures to a business, be it a sporting business or any other type of business should not be allowed. This is, and should be considered free advertising.
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As a forum grows in membership so does the amount of work involved. When a forum grows to the point to where it has a significant number of members that is when businesses would and should consider advertising. For a nominal cost they can contact the forum and find out what the rates are, and make a determination if those rates are reasonable considering the number of people they can communicate their business to.
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The only time a link to a business should be in a signature or post is when the business or poster is already advertising on the forum site. Why would a business pay to advertise when they can get it for free? Large forums depend on advertising revenues to better the software, offer more to their members, and make the work involved worthwhile.
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Once the door is opened to certain members being allowed to post a link to their business, then it should be open to all members! If it is done for one, it should be done for all. By letting some folks advertise and not others just will hurt the forum in the long run by creating hard feelings.
Smoke
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p>
Links in signatures to a business, be it a sporting business or any other type of business should not be allowed. This is, and should be considered free advertising.
<o:p> </o:p>
As a forum grows in membership so does the amount of work involved. When a forum grows to the point to where it has a significant number of members that is when businesses would and should consider advertising. For a nominal cost they can contact the forum and find out what the rates are, and make a determination if those rates are reasonable considering the number of people they can communicate their business to.
<o:p> </o:p>
The only time a link to a business should be in a signature or post is when the business or poster is already advertising on the forum site. Why would a business pay to advertise when they can get it for free? Large forums depend on advertising revenues to better the software, offer more to their members, and make the work involved worthwhile.
<o:p> </o:p>
Once the door is opened to certain members being allowed to post a link to their business, then it should be open to all members! If it is done for one, it should be done for all. By letting some folks advertise and not others just will hurt the forum in the long run by creating hard feelings.
Smoke