Why do so few members list their URL in their profile?

Just wondering....

[rubenski]

Hi all,

When someone explains about a certain marketing strategy or website layout I often like to see an example. Further, it is always interesting and helpful to see what other people have constructed.

So why then do so little people fill out their website URLs? (I went through about 25 interesting profiles and found only 4 web addresses filled out).

Do they want to save their ideas from being copied by others? Is it privacy? What made you decide not to fill out your web site address?

[bcolflesh]

So why then do so little people fill out their website URLs?

Could be a number of reasons - many of the folks are spammers, or run adult, gambling, pharm sites, etc and don't want to deal with other members prejudices.

I'm sure some folks don't want to be connected with their dayjob site, for fear of saying something here that could compromise their employment...

[Shak]

Could be a number of reasons - many of the folks are spammers, or run adult, gambling, pharm sites, etc and don't want to deal with other members prejudices.

very true

Shak

[cornwall]

>> don't want to deal with other members prejudices. <<

Prejudices here? There is a bit of it around, but mainly confined to <snip> forum (don't want to get into an arguement do we?)

Well maybe to avoid those nutters, but mainly privacy. Mind you if you want to be really private you turn off your sticky mail too, then "they" cannot get you at all

Me neurotic...never.

[Brett_Tabke]

and - to stop system spamming, member profile urls do not show until they make a few posts.

[chrisnrae]

Agree with bcol, but also think

"being copied by others"

is another big reason.

[rubenski]

Hm. I see. I was hoping to see more web sites of people that post here. I'll just set the example by showing my URL to others hoping the herd will follow :P. My web site is not so kinky and my idea not so original (although it works fine and I like it), so I guess I'll be safe.

[SlowMove]

Suppose someone is writing about cloaking, hiding text, or any number of other things that could get them in trouble with the search engines. It would be too easy for someone to go to G or any of the other search engines to fill out a complaint form.

[EliteWeb]

chrisnrae is right, i list my url because i love competition (or maybe i run too many hobby sites ) but some people don't like it. for a lot of people its more than a hobby its a living or source of income and having their urls be targetted isnt what they want.

I don't worry about what other people think about it, seems too many people think what other people think about them in the world of that nature.

ooOoo but listing your url in your profile is fun. I look at profiles to find new sites to visit. Often to see what other people do as far as SEO goes, ideas and whatnot. But I don't take peoples topic ideas I have too many of my own as it is :D

[rubenski]

It quite funny to think that a person you talk to and share ideas with over here might be the same one that took your no 1 position in Google last week. I don't think that happens very often, but I suppose it does happen and it can be a reason for people not to show their URL.

Anyway. I just like to tease myself with this kind of nutty question.

I'm of to the Adsense forum. Hee haaaw!

[mfishy]

One major reason is that many here run a lot of sites. BY listing one, others may tend to think that your posts are referring to that one site.

[Magnum_PI]

That's a silly question. You're in a room with hundreds of hard core webmasters and many are doing what you're doing so you tip your hat.

I could be wrong, but I think it's habit for many of us to start snooping a site if we're on it.

I know for a fact many of my main competitors are on this site. I know this because they posted their URL's.

[edit_g]

share ideas with over here might be the same one that took your no 1 position in Google last week. I don't think that happens very often,

I don't have any figures, but I'm willing to bet that this happens pretty much constantly here.

[Please Be Gentle]

Hi Rubenski
You asked "What made you decide not to fill out your web site address? ".
There are many reasons, even for people with hobby sites. For people whose sites make them money I can certainly understand why they would be coy. As SlowMove said,"Suppose someone is writing about cloaking, hiding text, or any number of other things that could get them in trouble with the search engines. It would be too easy for someone to go to G or any of the other search engines to fill out a complaint form." Remember that Google employees visit the forum too, so you wouldn't need a competitor to report you. Even if people aren't doing iffy things, sometimes you read posts along the lines of "I went from position 2334 to number 1". If GG reads that, investigates the url, you may even find that there is an algo tweak to correct strange results. Also, people are probably more forthright in their opinions when talking to GG, if they have noting to fear. Frankly if I were someone who did something like getting www.microsoft.com removed from Google, I wouldn't be inclined to advertize my url here. When people talk about copying, I am not sure whether they mean content, look and feel or technology, but I can see why people would be annoyed at their hard work being ripped off. I am not worried about being banned by Google as I just have a hobby site which is right now only designed to be used by a couple of family members and friends. It is password protected (and is the poster child for how not to do a pretty or seo-friendly site) as I have no way around this at the moment. It uses my api key (which has a limited ration) and saves different info for different users so I didn't think it was worthwhile putting the url up. I assure you that there is nothing "kinky" about it, but as sites go, it is ugly (I looked at yours Rubenski, although I don't speak Dutch, it looks very slick)!
Hope that helps
With Kindest Regards
PBG

[ronin]

I don't list my URL because I'm ashamed of the underdeveloped status of my website. I wouldn't recommend anyone to visit it. Friends keep asking me but I refuse to tell them. >;->

[anallawalla]

I list mine because I have been on the net long enough to use my real name everywhere and even if I didn't list it, I am easily findable in Google. I work for one company (most of the time) and don't have anything worth copying, so what the heck.

Now I could be a bigtime pharma spammer but you wouldn't know. :)

[Rugles]

I list my main e-commerce site because I can never resist an opportunity to advertise the business.
I have also noticed that when make a relavant post, I find refers from this site in the logs.

[GeorgeGG]

:)

GeorgeGG

[sidyadav]

You know what the rumors say about listing your site in your profile?

If you criticise a search engine, and one of the employees see it, they are gonna delete your site ;)
*cough cough*

lol. It's true - I've heard it.

I certainly don't beleive in this non-sense - its the most idiotic thing I've ever heard, and afterall, if a search engine does delete any one of my sites, it will just give me a good idea of which one has bad-faith and which one respects criticism.

Sid