is there too many 'pimp your referral link' threads?

[cidepix]

I sooo hate it! So much that I would ban all the referral maniacs! But unfortunately it is not an option so just put them somewhere we won't see.

This site belongs to leaf! IF anyone is going to be referring contributors it should only be the site owner. Anybody else who want to refer people are free to start their own websites.

[dbvirago]

I read the threads I'm interested in and ignore the rest.

[Brandon Seidel]

I find that Leaf lets us get away with a lot here when it comes to linking and referrals.  I myself have taken advantage of that a few times and posted a link here and there.

With that said, most forums will not even let you post them in your signature.  I like that this site lets you post personal links, but we need to also give props to Leaf.  I usually have a link to signup under, but if not I use Leaf's.

I also think threads that just post referral links should be marked spam.  I have cast my vote.

[gostwyck]

This site belongs to leaf! IF anyone is going to be referring contributors it should only be the site owner. Anybody else who want to refer people are free to start their own websites.

Absolutely. As much as I dislike the referral links generally, primarily from their painful overuse, I do understand that they have their uses. It was actually a referral link on a photography forum that made me aware of microstock in the first place __ and whoever placed it must have made about $3K from my endeavours since.

As far as I'm concerned the only referral links that should be allowed on here are those of Mr Leaf himself. Leaf has provided us all with an invaluable service and community and IMHO is more than entitled to be compensated for his time and effort in doing so.

I do find all the 'me too' and "here's my referral link" characters painfully embarrassing though. They just remind me of the street beggars you see in any city harassing passers-by, waving their empty soft-drink containers and requesting 'loose change', from those who are actually doing the work that generates the revenue. I wish they had more self-respect than to beg on forums like this.

In summary, I wish all referral links to be banned forthwith and as quickly as possible with the exception those of Mr Leaf.

[Vonkara]

I do found there have been a lot of not interesting threads lately. But I thought it was only my personal opinion. I didn't even realized some was that much pimping threads (referrals). Now that I realize it, it's worst. Thanks for opening my eyes.

[Danicek]

I read the threads I'm interested in and ignore the rest.

The same here. In case the referring fests are limited to specific threads, it is fine with me. I never pick the one I sign up under among those spamming in those threads.

[leaf]

Sorry for example of whitespace spam:

the white space spam problem is fixed (at the end of a post anyhow)

[FD]

I think you missed the nudge nudge wink wink in his post  

Well I got a bit scared of Warren. He sounds so stern. 

[cidepix]

I agree! It is so pathetic. No self respect whatsoever! Someone who relies on referral links that much, should not be in microstock business at all... Well, actually they can do whatever they want as long as they start their own website and don't turn this forum into a mess.

If this was my site, I would ban every pimp indefinitely   

This site belongs to leaf! IF anyone is going to be referring contributors it should only be the site owner. Anybody else who want to refer people are free to start their own websites.

Absolutely. As much as I dislike the referral links generally, primarily from their painful overuse, I do understand that they have their uses. It was actually a referral link on a photography forum that made me aware of microstock in the first place __ and whoever placed it must have made about $3K from my endeavours since.

As far as I'm concerned the only referral links that should be allowed on here are those of Mr Leaf himself. Leaf has provided us all with an invaluable service and community and IMHO is more than entitled to be compensated for his time and effort in doing so.

I do find all the 'me too' and "here's my referral link" characters painfully embarrassing though. They just remind me of the street beggars you see in any city harassing passers-by, waving their empty soft-drink containers and requesting 'loose change', from those who are actually doing the work that generates the revenue. I wish they had more self-respect than to beg on forums like this.

In summary, I wish all referral links to be banned forthwith and as quickly as possible with the exception those of Mr Leaf.

[WarrenPrice]

I think you missed the nudge nudge wink wink in his post  

Well I got a bit scared of Warren. He sounds so stern. 

LOL...thanks FD.  More people should show respect for us old folks. 

[RT]

If this was my site, I would ban every pimp indefinitely 

I agree, and not just the one's that post referral links but also those that just come here to tell us how wonderful they are, or to sell their latest enterprise.

[FD]

LOL...thanks FD.  More people should show respect for us old folks.

As the great master Groucho Marx once said: A man’s only as old as the woman he feels.  

[ap]

I think you missed the nudge nudge wink wink in his post  

Well I got a bit scared of Warren. He sounds so stern. 

LOL, you, FD who fears no one, is scared of Warren, one of the nicest people on the forum? ha ha!

[Adeptris]

"Stop move away from the affiliate link!"

"Really move away now!"

"Don't press it!"

"To late!"

"I tried to warn you, so lets ban them!"

"Hmmm, or we could just ignore any that we are not interested in, as many of us only visit selected forums, one being this forum because other forums have become over moderated, so lets just keep things friendly, and if someone posts an affiliate link then just make a polite request that it states that the post or link is about a site they are affiliated with.

I have one affiliate link im my signature and it is clear as it says affiliate, I promoted the site with my affiliate link a few months ago and some have already had a return, and it is still early days.

David 

[microstockinsider]

Completely agree with that Adeptris about the "over moderation" lets not ruin something because of a few affiliate links

A while back I was using ThePhotoForum, was I in for a shock!!! on about my 3rd post I chimed in on thread titled "what do you think of [a site similar to smugmug] for selling your own photos" it llooked like someone looking for advice on setting up shop

I added a few comments about how I thought that clustershot and a few others were also quite good alternatives if you didn't want a subscription fee... (not affiliate links either)

I was banned permanently from posting, when I asked why I was sent policy info and details on how I could pay to make 'advertorial' posts.

It turns out I had trodden on the feet of the owners of [a site similar to smugmug] who had paid for and were monitoring that thread!

In an instant I realised how horribly biased some (all?) of the thread on that site must be if the conversation on there was so tightly managed. from the outside it all looked like free speech

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