Competing Sites

I think it's more of a "two can play this game" thing than anything. They had us filtered in every form possible before we even "officially" launched and advertised the forum.

AF - AdminFusion - it isn't all of our competition that we have filtered.

 

Wow. You typically don't see the 'big player' acting like that. It's usually the other way around.

 

Because they're not the big player. "Wow" is right. :p

Honestly, it's low and cheap. The only reason we do it is because they do.

 

When I first started my forum I had a strict policy on posting links to competing sites. If I found a link, it would probably be removed and the user warned.

But now, its no big deal. People are posting links to my forum instead of the other way around.

 

I think once you get to a certain point it won't even matter. And when you get to a certain point beyond that (you're much larger), you may want to disallow it again as all the hard work you've done for your own site will be providing the new competing site with a lot of unique visitors.

 

I'm not sure at what point it becomes a bad thing, then. Yes, Elliquiy has spinoffs, but I've only ever had issues with one. Most people are good people and I actually will work to help new communities out : )

 

So far this issue has only come up once for me; a member linked to the closest thing I have to a direct competitor. I didn't want to delete their post and have anyone cry "censorship!", so I let it stand. I don't think it was really anything to worry about, as my site is way better than theirs. (Plus some of the less desirable members of my forum went and created accounts over there.)

 

^^^

Reason to allow competing site links #498

 

lol I figure, as a worst case scenario, I could always create a fake account, PM the annoying members and say "This site sucks, let's go to Competing Site"

 

My take is there are 2 types of forums:

1. For profit - If it appears that the forum is intended to make $
2. Not for profit - hobby sites

There are 2 types of members of a forum:

• People affiliated - owners, admin, mods
• People not affiliated - normal members

On my forums people in the 1a category are not allowed to draw attention to their forum in any way, everyone else can so what ever they want. The reasoning is to allow people to be as helpful as possible in a relaxed atmosphere with the smallest group of people (1a) having to worry about what they are typing. If someone finds information of interest on another forum they should go read that information, they will come back if they are treated well on my forum.

But I don't allow hot signatures links specifically because I do not want sites to know traffic is coming from my site because that would encourage even more links being put on my forum.

 

I don't permit competitor links generally.

This stems from the fact that my site sprung up in 2002 as a "protest site" from a bigger ISP-based community, and took off from there. Many were (and still are) envious that we took the initiative and a lot of sniping STILL goes on on other, smaller boards on the fringes.