Responses for Community Relations

feel free to review and improve it

[goodroi]

note: I left the url brackets out from the Google forum charter link, in the hope that it would make it easier to just copy & paste from this thread and manually add those links at the end. Feel free to change, add or remove anything. Hopefully this will save us time so we can focus on more useful ventures.

== Don't post specific sites/keywords ==

Hello,

Thank you for contributing to WebmasterWorld. Unfortunately we're no longer publishing your recent post. The Google Forum Charter http ://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm explains:

1. Do not post links to a specific website (yours or any other) or suggest a search query, search words, or any search phrase. No hints. No clues. This means no links, domain names, screen shots, specific search terms, or drawing attention to your profile.

This is done to protect the WebmasterWorld community from possible spammers and also to protect website owners from possibly being exposed to an unwanted level of exposure. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members

My best,

---

== Use widgets, example.com ==

Hello,

Thank you for contributing to WebmasterWorld. I have published your post with a small edit, to replace information on your _____________ niche/keywords with widgets.

As per our url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google Forum Charter[/url , New Members should not post specifics until they reach Junior Member status.

You are are welcome to use generalized descriptions, such as "widgets", "highly competitive", "local niche market" and so on. Use example.com for a generalized domain name - it can never be owned.

When the language is made generic, your question has more value for a wider variety of readers. Someone in a different market may have just the insight you need and we wouldn't want to deter them from reading by thinking that the post is about just one market niche.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members.

My best,

---

== Linking Policy ==
Non Authoritative Links

Hello,

Thank you for contributing to WebmasterWorld. I edited your recent post to remove the link you posted. The url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google Forum Charter[/url explains:

...We are very selective about what type of links we will publish. Examples of links that will be approved:
-Educational material and standards documents - Microsoft, Apache, Google Guidelines, etc.
-Authoritative news stories - NY Times, Wall Street Journal, PC World, Wired, BBC, CNN, NBC, etc. ...

These types of links are much more helpful than linking to non-standard ideas, opinion, rumor and guesswork. Bad information lives on and is read for years, building up myths. For this reason, except for information from industry authorities that is not available in any other place, please do not link to other forums or blogs.

In addition, it is never appropriate to link to any website that you operate or that hosts your own content - no matter how authoritative that content may be. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members.

My best,

---

== No Google Tools ==

Hello ,

Thank you for contributing to WebmasterWorld. I did not publish your recent post because the url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm ]Google Forum Charter[/url prohibits the mention of specific tools.

At issue here is the fact that many of our members actually own and market these tools, and if we allow the names to be mentioned, we start a marketing war! There are so many SEO tools available these days, that makes an impossible situation.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members.


My best,

---

== No Sticky Mail Requests ==

The Google url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Forum Charter[/url explains:

..."Please Sticky Me" posts, "I sent you a PM" and so forth are not appropriate.
Those who want to converse privately with another member should initiate their private correspondence with that person, or have faith that those who want private contact will reach out to you...

This is done to help the online discussion. We want to avoid the discussion thread turning into fragmented private conversations with some members talking about one thing and other members talking about another item. This way we can all share in the discussion and better provide feedback to it.

My best,

---

== New to Web Posts ==
New to Web Questions
mods: brotherhood_of_lan,mack

Hello,

Thank you for contributing to WebmasterWorld. To better answer your question we have moved it to the url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/new_web_development/]New to Web Development forum[/url .

The New to Web development forum contains a good amount of information that you may find very helpful with your online marketing efforts. It is a good forum to post your more general questions about internet marketing. The Google SEO forum tends to focus on discussions about more advanced concepts that focus solely on Google organic search.

Thank you for your understanding about your post being moved and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members.

My best,

---

[edited by: goodroi at 9:41 pm (utc) on Oct 31, 2013]

[edited by: aakk9999 at 9:39 pm (utc) on Feb 26, 2015]
[edit reason] Updated "Use widgets, example.com" sticky template [/edit]

[Robert Charlton]

The above Charter urls don't work for me. This is the url I have, which should work....

http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm

Thought I'd post the suggestion here before making changes, just in case I'm missing something.

[goodroi]

Good catch, I fixed it.

[Robert Charlton]

== Rant with no substantial information ==

a) When Disaproving a Thread in Premod

I am sorry but we are unable to publish your post as it is currently written since you are editorializing too much and not focusing on the facts of your situation. I understand why you would be frustrated but this is not the most productive way of discussing your situation and exploring solutions.

Greg... the above from one of your recent stickies is so well-stated and covers such a variety of situations that I thought I'd just preserve it here. Please edit, enhance, change title, etc as you see fit.

b) When Egging a Post from an Existing Approved Thread

Unfortunately I had to remove your latest post in the thread about ______________ because it was too much of editorializing. Please read the forum charter which asks all members to avoid:

Generic editorializing, whether pro or con, may be removed. We're not here just to vent, we're here to help each other understand. The noise level that editorializing creates makes it difficult to filter through threads for information of real value

Another good sticky template from Greg, that is better to use when removing post from an existing developed thread

[edited by: aakk9999 at 10:47 pm (utc) on Sep 8, 2013]

[goodroi]

Screen Name Decoder List (for nicer & more personalized stickies)

TMS (TheMadScientist), TOI, JD_Toims, jd01 = Justin (reinvents himself a lot)
Planet13 = Mark
taberstruths = Pastor Duke (or better, just Duke)
Whitey = Alistair
member22 = Stupid aka Annoying :)
diberry - Jenn
realmaverick - Paul
bubba1986 - Frankie
Collieman - Colin
UpOnOne - Chris
Catalyst - Linda
wockawocka - Chris
dkap - Dan
kellyman - Paul
vatoad - Vaivhav
chms - Carlos
ohno - Dave
ColourOfSpring - Andrew
shaunm - Amjath
Wilburforce - Tony
kelowna - Pete
Lame_Wolf - Paul
Oimachi2 - Bruno
LuckyLiz - Janet
Shepherd - Shawn
bumpski - Bob
samwest (was backdraft7) - Steve


RC note: For now, I've just corrected some spellings and expanded list of Justin-usernames. I'll add more members as time permits. In that regard...

- should we include mods in this list? Those are the ones we're expected to know. ;)

- some of the others come by way of self-introduction... ie, the member sends a note and signs it... but I realize that Sandra needs to know who we're talking about when we send a note with an unfamiliar name in the greeting.

----

Related: a helpful url to bring up a member profile if you know the username...
http://www.webmasterworld.com/profilev4.cgi?action=view&member=MEMBERNAME

----

Also related: our "new" Advanced site search, which is semi-private, has an author-name Check button... but be aware that the name needs to be entered all in lowercase for that function to work...

http://www.webmasterworld.com/search.cgi [webmasterworld.com]

For searching the site, it's got its quirks... and is much more literal than Google... but helps to pinpoint posts by specific users, time ranges, or forums, and it does search private forums. I sometimes use both Google and this Advanced search. Am thinking I should post this in our Mods thread as well.
.

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 5:43 am (utc) on Aug 20, 2013]

[edited by: aakk9999 at 1:09 am (utc) on Nov 24, 2015]

[Robert Charlton]

Removed reference to Sticky Mail
.

Hi _________________,

I've edited your post to remove the personal reference to a sticky message that you sent to ___________. As the Google Forum Charter [webmasterworld.com] explains our guidelines, comments like "I sent you a PM" and so forth are not appropriate.

Don't worry about the edit... this is no big thing... but please understand the point behind it. We are here to have public discussions. Threads that are about private messages have no value for our members, especially future members who may come upon the thread by search.

PMs can also create a situation where the discussion veers off from what's in the thread to what members are discussing privately, and that creates a situation where the public thread loses its value and where many members feel left out.

I'm sending this to both you and ____________ to head that off. We don't want a public discussion of a private site review.

Best,

[aakk9999]

=== Removing a post as a result of previous post(s) being edited/removed ===

Sticky subject: Removed Your Response Due to Original Post Being [***Edited / Removed***]

Thank you for posting about [***member name***] comment in the thread on [_________________________]. I have [***edited / removed***] [***member name***] post which has made your comment no longer make sense. I have gone ahead and removed it. If you have any questions please let me know. Thanks for all of your contributions.

Template from the sticky Greg sent me back in 2011, I think it is a good template to re-use if needed when removing subsequent posts

[phranque]

aakk9999 - sandra
anallawalla - ash
Andy_Langton - andy
bakedjake - jake
bill - bill
Brett_Tabke - brett
brotherhood_of_LAN - richard
buckworks - elisabeth
coopster - todd
DrDoc - rainer
eelixduppy - scott
eljefe3 - jeff
engine - neil
ergophobe - tom
eWhisper - brad
goodroi - greg
HawkGirl - erika
httpwebwitch - ian
IanTurner - ian
inbound - gary
IncrediBill - bill
jatar_k - adam
jimsthoughts - jim
lawman - mike
LifeinAsia - dave
limbo - liam
lorax - gregg
mack - alistair
mademetop - barry
martinibuster - roger
ocean10000 - owen
phranque - frank
physics - bryan
Receptional - dixon
Robert_Charlton - bob
rogerd - roger
Rumbas - rasmus
skibum - adam
travelin_cat - marc
Webwork - jeff
werty - george
whoisgregg - gregg

[Robert Charlton]

== Post not published - needs more details ==

This, from a sticky sent by Sandra, too good to throw away....

Unfortunately we cannot publish your post as it stands right now as it does not have enough details to be a worthwhile thread.

I am wondering if you can rewrite your post to add more details to it, specifically:

- when did you drop
- where were you before
- was the drop a slow slide or an immediate drop to page 2
- how many pages are we talking about and how many long tail keywords did you lose
- what did you do on your page and site before the drop
- what did you do to try to get the page back
- if you did try, when did you do these changes
- anything else that would help members help you diagnose your problem

Be as detailed and as chronological as possible, the better the data is presented, the more chance there is that someone could perhaps help you.

I would also like to thank you for following the WebmasterWorld Terms of Service and not mentioning exact keywords nor domain in your post.

I am copying your original post further below so that you can add relevant details and repost it.

Best,

---

In the above, I've also added the first sentence from the following "softening" message to head off the posting of specifics (which a request for more detail might cause a new poster to do).

---

PS: The following also from a sticky by Sandra... which she added to the end of a message to a new member whose post she spliced to an existing thread....

==As a way of "softening" sticky templates...==

I would also like to thank you on following the WebmasterWorld Terms of Service and not mentioning exact keywords nor domain in your post. I hope you will become an active member of WebmasterWorld.
.

[aakk9999]

==== Pointing a new member to mandatory reading ===

All new members are invited to familiarise themselves with our forum guidelines, so here are some links that you may find useful. Please accept my apology if you have already read these.

url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]WebmasterWorld Terms of Service[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google SEO News and Discussion Forum Charter[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=postguidelines]Posting Rules[/url

---

This can be cut/paste as an additional text in a sticky to be sent to a new member for whatever reason. I have left out URL brackets to avoid autolinking of Charter, ToS and Google Forum Focus

[edited by: aakk9999 at 9:06 am (utc) on Oct 2, 2014]

[aakk9999]

== Removing FLUFF posts, not productive posts, one liners ==

Hi __________________

Unfortunately I had to remove your post in _________________ thread as the post is [pick one: not productive/too short/repeated/any other reason we tell member on why the post has been deleted].

We do try to encourage members to post higher quality posts to help online discussions and reduce the "noise". In that way threads are more productive and posts more useful to future readers who may have the same or similar problem the thread discusses.

There are number of other posts you posted that have been quite good and thoughtful, such as your post in this thread _______________ and I would encourage that level of posting.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us volunteer moderators make WebmasterWorld a more useful helpful forum for all members.

Best,


== Editing post to replace image hosting with imgur ==

Hi __________________



I have edited your post to replace _______ image hosting site with imgur where I moved the images you posted in ________________________ thread.

The reason for edit and the image move is that the image hosting site you used shows ads around hosted image even when you link directly to the image as you did (it redirects the user from the direct image URL to a page that embeds the image, unless the user has a cookie to indicate the ads were viewed already).

You can see this when you paste image URL to a different browser where you have not accessed your current image hosting site from.

For the time being we prefer imgur.com as this site will show only the image when linked directly.

Do not worry about this edit - it is understandable that you did not know this, but if you will post more images, please use imgur.com instead.

Thank you on understanding,

Best,


== Steering post iBill posted on one of threads, parts of it may be good to re-use in stickies ==

Please keep it all civil as trying to deride, denigrate or call others names or disparage their opinions will not be tolerated.

See TOS #4:

Always be respectful of other users, the system, and the moderators.

Name calling and other subsequent attempts to incite an emotional response in others with derogatory terms have no place in a professional SEO discussion on WebmasterWorld.

WebmasterWorld tries to maintain an unbiased discussion forum where the open and free exchange of ideas. However, making fun of the companies, those that like them, and their opinions is not a discussion, it's an attempt to ridicule which has no place on WebmasterWorld.

Please keep to the topic and leave those colorful taunts off WebmasterWorld.

[edited by: aakk9999 at 10:15 am (utc) on Dec 27, 2014]

[aakk9999]

====== Member name same as domain name or product name =======

Hi ______________ and welcome to WebmasterWorld!

If you intend to continue to post here at WebmasterWorld, please sign up with a different membername. We do not permit membernames which are promotional or could lead people to your website, this is out of unfair self promotion. Everyone is in the same boat so you're not being singled out.

You'll find that in the WebmasterWorld url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]Terms Of Service [/url under the point 18.

You'll find help about choosing suitable member name url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?doc=memberids.htm]here[/url.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best,


A copy of the sticky that Neil posted in reported where member name = domain name

[Robert Charlton]

The problem with routinely sending the above "Member name same as domain name or product name" message is that it is unevenly enforced. There are many obvious exceptions on the forum.

It's been discussed a bunch in mods. I don't believe we've ever come to a resolution. I generally post the question in mods before having someone change, except in the case where someone is using someone else's brand name in their username.

I think it's often an admin or consensus type of decision.

[aakk9999]

Good point, Bob.

I have just made a note of the wording for sticky, should we need it.

[aakk9999]

===== New thread, first time poster, extra short post ====

Hello,

Unfortunately we are unable to publish your thread in Google SEO about _____________ for a few reasons. There are already many threads on WebmasterWorld that talk about ______________ so your thread is not discussing anything new. Actually your thread really is not discussing anything since it is only 80 characters long. Unlike Twitter we strongly encourage our members to use more than 140 characters when communicating on the forum.

Very short messages like the one you posted are often deleted without notice but since you are new member I thought it would be nice for me to take the extra time to let you know why it is not published. In the future please only post threads of significant length on topics that have not already been covered.

If you have any questions about what to post or not to post please let me know and I will be happy to help answer your questions.

Best,

I was clearing my inbox and came across this sticky from Greg which made me laugh! So here it is for these *special occasions* Just replace 80 with the number of characters to reflect the poster's OP

[Robert Charlton]

== Link to 2013 Tools Thread (so we can find it) ==


2013 Favorite SEO Tools
http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4616594.htm [webmasterworld.com]

[aakk9999]

===== Google Premod Dodge and duplicate posting in another forum =====

Hello ___________ and welcome to WebmasterWorld!

We have approved your new thread _________________ which you have posted in Google SEO News and Discussion forum and at the same time we have removed the identical post you posted in ________________ forum.

I guess that prior to posting you have not realised that Google SEO News and Discussion forum is a pre-moderated and that this is a reason for the post duplication. Every new thread in pre-moderated forums needs to be approved by a moderator, which can take a little bit of time as moderators are all volunteers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to familiarise yourself with our forum guidelines, so here are some links that you may find useful. Please accept my apology if you have already read these.

url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]WebmasterWorld Terms of Service[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google SEO News and Discussion Forum Charter[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=postguidelines]Posting Rules[/url


I hope you will become an active member of WebmasterWorld.

Best,

---

This can only be sent after the duplicate post in the other thread is removed. This means we may need to wait for mod from another forum to delete that other post before sending a sticky.

I have left out URL brackets to avoid autolinking of Charter, ToS and Google Forum Focus

[edited by: aakk9999 at 6:16 pm (utc) on Oct 20, 2014]

[aakk9999]

===== Posting a question with a link to another forum discussion ====

Sorry for [** not publishing / removing / editing **] your post, but it refers to a discussion in another forum, something our forum charter asks members not to do.

When asking members to start to follow the chain of links from our thread to the other forum threads (and so on to perhaps several other discussions) just to see what you are asking, the gist of your question can easily get lost. And our own thread then loses the value as your question/concerns are not explicitly worded in your post.

We very much like our discussions to be self-contained....

---

From Bob's excellent sticky to a member who asked members for comments on a specific post in Moz forum thread he linked to. Native English Speakers, feel free to correct my grammar/polish my sentences - Bob will probably feel I butchered that paragraph from his sticky!
.

[Robert Charlton]

== FOR CASES OF GOOGLE-BASHING IN THE MONTHLY THREAD ==


I'm sorry to remove your post (copied below) from the Google Updates and SERP Changes thread, but it's off topic for that thread... and in fact for the forum.

We try to keep the Updates thread primarily about ranking changes. By comparing changes, we can sometimes see patterns with Google that are not otherwise clear. Your post had nothing to do with ranking changes.

The post is really more of an editorial about why you're unhappy with Google. The focus of the Google SEO forum is for providing useful information about organic search. It is not for venting frustrations, even when there is a valid reason to be upset with Google. Such posts generally don't turn into fruitful discussions.

Here are some links regarding posting on the forum that you may find useful. Please accept my apology if you have already read these.

url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]WebmasterWorld Terms of Service[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google SEO News and Discussion Forum Charter[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4407521.htm]IMPORTANT - The Focus of This Forum[/url

Thanks for your understanding.

---

Following Sandra's lead, I've left out URL brackets to avoid autolinking of Charter, ToS and Google Forum Focus.

There is an omission in the above sticky, btw, as it's hard to get everything into one simple note... and that is that we generally do allow more venting in the Updates thread than elsewhere. I can see how this may mislead some members. OTH, we don't want to send complainers to this thread because they can get away with complaining there.

[aakk9999]

== FIRST POST A PROMO POST WITH LINK DROP - WHERE WE DECIDE NOT TO DO POSTING OFF STRAIGHT AWAY ==

Hello _____ and welcome to WebmasterWorld!

I am really sorry but we are unable to publish your post as we do not allow promotional posts on WebmasterWorld site.

OR THIS INSTEAD OF THE ABOVE SENTENCE, IF POST NOT DELETED AND JUST EDITED:
I am really sorry but I had to edit your post to remove link as we do not allow promotional posts on WebmasterWorld site.

You probably did not know, but WebmasterWorld is unlike other forums and we have very strict rules on not allowing promotional posts. I presume you haven't had a chance to read our url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]Terms of Service[/url, which state the following.

13. Please do not drop promotional urls, signature files, nor specifics that would lead people to your site. Signing your name is fine, however commercialized posts or resume signatures will be edited. We tend to err on the side of caution to protect the integrity of the system. Affiliate based URLs are not allowed anywhere on the system.

All new members are invited to familiarise themselves with our forum guidelines, so here are some links that you may find useful. Please accept my apology if you have already read these.

url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]WebmasterWorld Terms of Service[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google SEO News and Discussion Forum Charter[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=postguidelines]Posting Rules[/url

I hope you will become an active member of WebmasterWorld.

Best,

---

==== New Member, post edited for link drop, alternative sticky ======================================
Hi ____________ and welcome to WebmasterWorld!

I am really sorry but I had to edit your post to remove URL of ____________________ website.

The url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google Forum Charter[/url explains:

"New members ("New User" status) should not post specifics or links until they reach Junior Member status. This is done to cut down on the spam."

In addition, as you are a new member, let me take this opportunity to invite you to familiarise yourself with our forum guidelines, so here are some links that you may find useful. Please accept my apology if you have already read these.

url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=tos]WebmasterWorld Terms of Service[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/charter.htm]Google SEO News and Discussion Forum Charter[/url
url=http://www.webmasterworld.com/help.cgi?cat=postguidelines]Posting Rules[/url

Thank you on your understanding and I hope you will become an active member of WebmasterWorld.

Best,

---

== POSSIBLE APPROACH WHEN A NEW MEMBER REPEATEDLY DROPS A LINK TO HIS SITE ==
.... when we are not sure if they are a profile builder or not as questions are just about plauseible

---

1. First case we just edit and send sticky
2. Second case we edit and either just note 'No links please' in Edit reason (or send sticky as well)
3. At third or so case we would deny the thread and send a warning to the member that they need to fix several issues or they might lose posting:

- No dropping links by new members
- If no participation other than posting questions, we tell we aren't a free consulting service, they need to participate in discussions and not just post questions
- When they submit threads they need to be more detailed and informative to allow the community to discuss the issue

Give a nice soft warning that if they do not improve we may have to suspend posting privileges. If the member does not improve I would then give a final warning about losing posting privileges.

If the member ignores the 1st & 2nd warning and continues to not follow rules then ask admin to turn off posting.

---

This is Greg's personal preference to handle it and I think it is a good script for new members we are unsure whether they are just not getting it or are purposely ignoring the warning.