Scot! Interesting question re: WBF usage...

[Nicholas Carey]

Last week, someone posted some commercial notices abovedecks in Building & Repair. I noticed them and asked that the poster remove them, seeing as how commercial notices (aak "spam") aren't welcome, which he graciously did (in quite short order, I'd like to note).

herbal V!@gr^ :D -- but I meander.]

Anyway, I just noticed a private message from this guy, wondering about how best to do this:


Is there any way to post information about [my products] so that everyone knows about them? I have had quiet [sic] a few people come into my store this year and ask why there is no information on Wooden Boat Forum about us. Anything advice you can give I appreciate.
This is probably a SCOT! issue, but about the only advice I can offer is this:


Try on-topic participation. If someone is asking a question pertinent to [that type of product for which you have domain knowledge], provide an on-topic (and useful) answer, even if that answer doesn't involve your own product line. And if you mention or recommend your own products or denigrate a competitor's products, it should be clear that you have a financial interest in your product and are not without bias.

And you should stop well shy of sounding like you're trying to sell something.
Anybody got anything to add -- Jeers? Howls of derisive laughter?

[Meerkat]

I think including a solicitation to buy clearly crosses the AUP divide, wich is intended to protect our host's bread and butter - something quite worthy.

[Phillip Allen]

suggest he buy ad space in Wooden Boat Mag

[John of Phoenix]

A link to the persons web site on the profile page would be ok (by me).

[Phillip Allen]

A link to the persons web site on the profile page would be ok (by me).

yep...makes sense

[Paul Scheuer]

Steer him to buy an ad, like Phillip says. Then tell him about the link on the WB Home page listing all advertisers.


.http://www.woodenboat.com/hadvindx.jpg

[Nicholas Carey]

I think it's more than that. If this place is inundated with hucksters just hustling their product du jour, aside from Our Host losing advertising revenue, the WBF itself becomes a less useful place.

I think there's a place for this to some extent: one way to make a reputation is by being a useful member of the community. Presumably somebody selling something has some domain knowledge about their technological niche, and that knowledge probably has some value in the forum. The trick is, I think, avoiding turning your posts into marketing -- I'm not quite sure where the line lies (and I think that, once found, it's probably fairly fine.)