Please do not post URL's publicly in the Marketplace -> Links forum

[Will.Spencer]

The question that strikes me is this - What if I posted a for sale thread or even a links for sale thread in every forum I know of and posted the url to the site..... But it isnt my own site it is one of my competitors?

While I am not disagreeing on the matter and I do agree that it is best not to post the url couldnt this technique easily be used to lower the PR of your competitors? That is assuming that this sort of thing does affect PR, SERPs or whatever.

Google seems completely unconcerned with collateral damage caused by their anti-spam measured.

what about in the site review area??

Anywhere else on NetBuilders is fine. We're not WebMasterWorld.

This guideline is only in place to help preserve the value of members sites.

[MeetHere]

yes, its a good practice to keep the url private..
But i don't think google watches each and every site.
They can easily find sites with links if they want to catch

[Will.Spencer]

But i don't think google watches each and every site.

We're soon going to big enough for Google to sit up and take notice of us.

[Shenron]

Some hack could be developed to avoid URL's in the marketplace area.
I know there are ways to avoid these, but it would help imho.

[Will.Spencer]

Some hack could be developed to avoid URL's in the marketplace area.
I know there are ways to avoid these, but it would help imho.

That's an interesting idea. I searched vbulletin.org and found a mod that prevents new members from posting URL's. It shouldn't be impossible to make that work for all members, but only some forums.

There is a per-forum vBulletin option to "Allow BB Code" and I think that if I turned that off, URL's would not work in the Links forum.

I think it would break smilies though.

[drescos]

Thanks for reminding Mr. Will

[Aquarezz]

That's an interesting idea. I searched vbulletin.org and found a mod that prevents new members from posting URL's. It shouldn't be impossible to make that work for all members, but only some forums.

There is a per-forum vBulletin option to "Allow BB Code" and I think that if I turned that off, URL's would not work in the Links forum.

I think it would break smilies though.

It's been a while since the last reply, have you chosen whether to add the mod or rather not? It would suck not to use emoticons anymore though

Isn't it possible to add a header message just above making a new topic in the link sales category displaying that it's better not post the URL? Some red frame like I see daily now when I use Twitter, that keeps telling me I need to upgrade firefox even after clicking it away 5,000 times already

[Will.Spencer]

It's been a while since the last reply, have you chosen whether to add the mod or rather not?

I haven't, because of the inability to apply it to only this forum.

I also realized today that it won't do a lot of good -- because people will just post URL's as text.

Isn't it possible to add a header message just above making a new topic in the link sales category displaying that it's better not post the URL?

That's an idea. That should be possible.

[forumer147]

I think the best way to do is not to post url so Google cant crawl it just put some space in between if there is indeed a need to post your site publicly

[Will.Spencer]

I think the best way to do is not to post url so Google cant crawl it just put some space in between if there is indeed a need to post your site publicly

I'd be less worried about an automated crawl and more worried about a manual visit from a member of Google's anti-webspam team.