Every forum eventually learns the difference between two kinds of members - the ones who show up to participate, and the ones who show up to dump. The contrast is so sharp that many of you spot it instantly. While I sometimes give them a chance to prove me wrong, the spammers rarely do.
A spammer, or even just an overeager link-dropper, treats a forum like a billboard. They're not here to engage, respond, or think. They are here to post links. Their posts tend to follow a predictable pattern: a bare link, maybe a sentence of vague commentary, or something that was cut and pasted from the site they are linking to, and then silence. No follow-up (unless it's to post the link again), no conversation, no sense that they even remember what they had posted. It's the digital equivalent of someone walking into a room, tossing an advertising flyer on the table, and then walking out.
A genuine contributor behaves differently. They begin with their own words. They explain what they've been thinking about, what they've noticed, what they've learned, or what they're curious about. They might share a story, an opinion, or an insight. And if they include a link, it's not the centerpiece - it's a footnote. The link is there to support the conversation they've already started, not to replace it.
Plus, actual members are participants. They reply to posts by other forum members rather than merely looking for an excuse to post whatever link they've come here to share.
I shared in the first iteration of the Seniors Only Club that part of what I have done online in the not-so-distant past has included posting links to client websites on forums, so I might have a slightly more forgiving attitude toward human spammers than some of you. But this should not be mistaken as an invitation to spam our forum.
For one thing, the links that I posted were rarely, if ever, viewed as spam, and they weren't removed by the forum moderators or administrators. This is because I would first join the forum, introduce myself if encouraged, and then spend some time replying to posts, becoming an active member of the forum. Sometimes it meant having to learn something about the topics and pretending to have an interest in something I had no interest in.
I have had clients who wanted me to promote their law firm, real estate agency, a football forum, and a sign manufacturer. These were often clients for whom I had created websites or provided content, so in most cases, I had already bought the books and done my homework.
I might participate in the forum for a month or longer before posting the link, and then I would wait for a post for which that link would be perfectly on-topic. Once I posted the link, I wouldn't leave immediately, but I would continue to participate in the forum from time to time.
It can be hard to earn a living online, and this is honest work, and the fact that no one identified it as spam would suggest that these links weren't doing any harm. The person who does that is taking advantage of the forum to advance a client's interest, but at least he is contributing something in return. Nevertheless, if it is recognized as spam, then it is spam.
We're not anti-link. Far from it, if a member has something to say and believes a link will help others understand their point, add context, or explore the topic more deeply, then that link is okay. A well-chosen link can enrich a discussion, clarify a detail, or offer a source for those who might want to dig deeper.
But we do prefer discretion.
A link should be a supplement, not a substitute for your own words and thoughts. It should support what you have already expressed in their own words. It should never be the entire post, and it should not be used as a crutch for someone who doesn't want to articulate their own thoughts.
In short, if you have something to say, say it. If a link helps, fine.
A spammer, or even just an overeager link-dropper, treats a forum like a billboard. They're not here to engage, respond, or think. They are here to post links. Their posts tend to follow a predictable pattern: a bare link, maybe a sentence of vague commentary, or something that was cut and pasted from the site they are linking to, and then silence. No follow-up (unless it's to post the link again), no conversation, no sense that they even remember what they had posted. It's the digital equivalent of someone walking into a room, tossing an advertising flyer on the table, and then walking out.
A genuine contributor behaves differently. They begin with their own words. They explain what they've been thinking about, what they've noticed, what they've learned, or what they're curious about. They might share a story, an opinion, or an insight. And if they include a link, it's not the centerpiece - it's a footnote. The link is there to support the conversation they've already started, not to replace it.
Plus, actual members are participants. They reply to posts by other forum members rather than merely looking for an excuse to post whatever link they've come here to share.
I shared in the first iteration of the Seniors Only Club that part of what I have done online in the not-so-distant past has included posting links to client websites on forums, so I might have a slightly more forgiving attitude toward human spammers than some of you. But this should not be mistaken as an invitation to spam our forum.
For one thing, the links that I posted were rarely, if ever, viewed as spam, and they weren't removed by the forum moderators or administrators. This is because I would first join the forum, introduce myself if encouraged, and then spend some time replying to posts, becoming an active member of the forum. Sometimes it meant having to learn something about the topics and pretending to have an interest in something I had no interest in.
I have had clients who wanted me to promote their law firm, real estate agency, a football forum, and a sign manufacturer. These were often clients for whom I had created websites or provided content, so in most cases, I had already bought the books and done my homework.
I might participate in the forum for a month or longer before posting the link, and then I would wait for a post for which that link would be perfectly on-topic. Once I posted the link, I wouldn't leave immediately, but I would continue to participate in the forum from time to time.
It can be hard to earn a living online, and this is honest work, and the fact that no one identified it as spam would suggest that these links weren't doing any harm. The person who does that is taking advantage of the forum to advance a client's interest, but at least he is contributing something in return. Nevertheless, if it is recognized as spam, then it is spam.
We're not anti-link. Far from it, if a member has something to say and believes a link will help others understand their point, add context, or explore the topic more deeply, then that link is okay. A well-chosen link can enrich a discussion, clarify a detail, or offer a source for those who might want to dig deeper.
But we do prefer discretion.
A link should be a supplement, not a substitute for your own words and thoughts. It should support what you have already expressed in their own words. It should never be the entire post, and it should not be used as a crutch for someone who doesn't want to articulate their own thoughts.
In short, if you have something to say, say it. If a link helps, fine.
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