Dropping URL's

Is it just me that feel's a victim?

[peewhy]

There seems to be a growing number of seemingly innocent questions from new members.

We take the time to respond and help as much as we can.

All of a sudden, a URL or two is dropped, but in the fullness of time, they are snipped. I can't help feeling that I've been used to aide this member to advertise is/her website.

Am I paranoid or is it just me?

[edited by: Hawkgirl at 6:40 pm (utc) on May 31, 2005]
[edit reason] Even an example URL drop needs to go. ;-) [/edit]

[PatrickDeese]

In general, newer members haven't read the TOS of the forum, and since the no links rule is not "industry standard" - it's better to give people the benefit of the doubt.

The mods snip stuff pretty quickly, so the benefit to the link droppers is relatively short-lived.

[Marketing Guy]

I've noticed an increase in gimp attempts at subtle spamming on my own forums over the past few months. To be expected really - SEO is becoming more and more mainstream and more and more people are becoming giddy about IBL popularity and affiliate conversions, etc.

TBH I've grown pretty weary of it and tend to blitz anything that remotely sniffs of spam - to the extent I will remove sig and profile URLs if they lead to made-for-Adsense sites, etc.

MG

[peewhy]

I like your zero tolerance.

I suppose they hit so many forums, its just a numbers gain in building links.

They are nipped in the bud here too, thankfully.

[vincevincevince]

Jim: How can I upgrade my widget?
Member: Useful thought out advice...
Bob: Try http://www.example.com - it's X, Y, Z, and only $A

By the way, does anyone have a good solution for ridding my widget of spywidgets? I think my widget is infected! Help!

[edited by: Hawkgirl at 6:41 pm (utc) on May 31, 2005]
[edit reason] Changed example URL. [/edit]

[Dayo_UK]

I know there is a thread discussing this issues in supporters (which I have not read much of)

But I like the WebmasterWorld zero (or close to zero) tolerance policy :)

[vincevincevince]

Perhaps a quick solution would be not to make URLs live for members under e.g. 50 posts. Just keep them as text. Still play with snipping them etc, but, at least the SEO benefits wouldn't be there.

[mickeymart]

i always found it kinda funny that this is "webmasterworld", but theres no technical solution for urls and search...

[Marketing Guy]

I like linking on my forums and I wouldn't want to stop it (even if I knew how, which I don't!). Just some people take the p!ss.

[benevolent001]

Does dropping urls lead to PR leak?

[peewhy]

MickeyMart

i always found it kinda funny that this is "webmasterworld", but theres no technical solution for urls and search...

I started this thread based on dropping URL's. These are often members own domains, they devise a way of asking a question, creating a thread and dropping the URL to develop inbound links or promoting their website.

There are plenty of posts where a link has been posted to help. These are not promotional links.

Its about helping other webmasters not helping oneself by promoting one's own website.

[maccas]

Does dropping urls lead to PR leak

I don't think on this forum as URL's are run through a cgi script and Brett has disallowed access to his cgi-bin through robots. I have a similar thing set up on my phpbb.

[benevolent001]

I have a similar thing set up on my phpbb

sorry for taking bit off topic

how do you do it on phpbb forum?

i have cgi bin which thing need to do it

[peewhy]

Don't give him you URL! LOL

[maccas]

In includes/bbcode find
$ret = preg_replace("#(^¦[\n ])([\w]

mine is

$ret = preg_replace("#(^¦[\n ])([\w]+?://[^ \"\n\r\t<]*)#is", "\\1<a href=\"/cgi-bin/go.cgi?\\2\" target=\"_blank\">\\2</a>", $ret);

and find
$ret = preg_replace("#(^¦[\n ])((www

and mine is
$ret = preg_replace("#(^¦[\n ])((www¦ftp)\.[^ \"\t\n\r<]*)#is", "\\1<a href=\"/cgi-bin/go.cgi?http://\\2\" target=\"_blank\">\\2</a>", $ret);

remember webmasterworld breaks pipes so ¦ is actually a pipe

[encyclo]

For those who haven't seen it before, there is a good thread about the problem of professional forum spammers here:

[webmasterworld.com...]

[peewhy]

If those with forums can control links, its good.

Some forums don't need links. Webmasterworld at times needs to show links and is abused by spammers who join just to place a link.

They encourage decent individuals to develop a thread and drop their URL amongst it.