Affiliation Rules - Too Strict?

[VOSSITY]

The point is that newer sites have less of a chance of making it, plain and simple. The newer you are, the less original your idea GENERALLY is.

I'm sorry but I disagree with this.
Every site starts out new, there are no sites that start out active unless all the members already pre planned to join. There are old sites out there, that are yes, big and thriving perfectly fine, but that doesn't mean a new site won't have a chance. It really depends on the content, the layout, and other factors that make a site thrive.

You're basically saying that all new sites are not original. Yes, most things are not original anymore but if you pull the right chords with an unoriginal idea your site will hit it off.

New sites have the same chance as everyone else if they have a dedicated enough staff and appealing content for the members. I have a perfect example, my site. It's only been around for 2 weeks and we already have 25+ active members in the past 24 hours. I think we're doing just fine in the world of proboards competition and we're very new. No, my idea is not original but I have obviously pushed the right buttons.

I let smaller sites affiliate with me because I want them to have a chance. If they end up not making it in the end, I'll just remove the affiliate banner. It's not hard.

It really all depends on your preference as well, some people ( like you ) prefer to join large, active sites and others like smaller communities that they can grow with.

[CEM IN WONDERLAND ?!]

I never said sites don't start out new. Obviously, they do. However, if you noticed my sentence, there's a reason I said generally in caps. It's because of your response right there. SOME sites are original, and usually if those sites have other positive aspects, like good skins and active staff, then yes they will thrive.

I didn't say all new sites are doomed. That's obviously not true. You simply expanded on my post in saying that GENERALLY their ideas are not original.

Most new sites do not have original ideas, which is why they don't work. HOWEVER, if they have a good skin and active staff, and pursue their site (which you obviously missed that argument in my post because I said the other reason they don't work is because people make them then leave them), then yes, they can thrive.

And you have more than 25 ACTIVE MEMBERS? Or, do you mean accounts? I consider ACTIVE as on every other day.

And I never said I prefer to join large active sites. I actually prefer to join smaller sites to grow with them. So, don't say I prefer something when I never said that's what I prefer. I like joining smaller sites, but I won't join dead ones.

[``D.uecalione]

Okay, I'm going to say first off, that there is no need to argue. <3

I agree with both of y'all. Most sites are made, and then abandoned weeks after. And like Cem said, I'm also guilty of it. But and I agree with both of y'all on this, if it has a fantastic Admin, and a great skin and coding, good information, a great idea, then it'll grow and thrive.

Now, I'm going to direct this back to the subject at hand: Affiliation Rules - Too Strict?

I usually require that any other site that is affiliating with us just have a certain amount of members, a number that matches how much my site started off with (usually with staff). And then I require (obviously) that the affiliate banner be a certain size. I'd like that they put a link in their post (if I don't post that rule, then they won't do it. >.< I hate it when they don't do the obvious!!), and that they follow the dynamics, of where they put our affiliate according to where they want us to place theirs. Quite simple rules. There is of course that rule that says that the site has to be Pleasing to they eye. I've dealt with people in the past with a BLINDING blue and yellow skin, trying to affiliate with us. I rejected them (also because their banner was WAY too big), and they posted again, with an angry note. I rejected them once more. And again they posted that I had no right to reject them based on their skin. I told them that I did actually. If it hurts my eyes, then, do you think that other people who click on their affie will like their site? I also told them that I could because it was stated in my rules, and it wasn't against TOS protocol. Well, what do you know, they reply once more, basically saying what they said in their last post, but with a "But Still". So I posted on their site that if they don't leave it alone, I'd report them. Well they went all off on me. I replied that I had the right to reject them, and that I'm not going to talk to them anymore. I suppose the threat of being reported was enough.

Sadly, they deleted their site shortly after that. What I want to put out there is that just because a site rejects your site's affiliation because of your skin, don't delete your site, Improve it!! That is one of the unwanted consequences of certain affiliate rules, that are sadly, required.

[CEM IN WONDERLAND ?!]

Due, I agree with you on that point. There's nothing worse than someone who acts like your site is required to affiliate with them. (And, this goes for people who you ban simply because you have bad relations with them.) I think what people don't understand about ProBoards, sometimes, is that no one is required to allow you to do anything. They don't have to let anyone join, they don't have to allow your affiliate button on your site. There's no rules as far as administrative functions go, so in that aspect, I really hate to see people on others' sites demanding to be affiliated with and throwing a tantrum because you wouldn't allow it.

But your other point you made was very good, too, about bad skins. If the site is active I usually allow an eck-skinned site to affiliate with mine. But, if the site is inactive and looks horrible, I won't. My thing with skins is that while I might not like it, if there are say 60 people on every day, then there has to be something good about the site in general so maybe people on my site, or those in passing, would like it too. But, as I said before, they still have to comply with the other rules I set in place.

Honestly, in regards to affiliation rules and their strictness, some throw caution to the wind and some have a secret password when it comes to affiliating. I'd like to say a spot in between the two is best for effective affiliating.

[KELSEY'S GOT A GUN]

In my opinion, the only rule should be "Our banner goes up before yours."

[The Hunger Games]

I feel like posting in this thread again. Last time I did this was a year ago and people started bashing me for being snooty or whatever.

Most definitely, affiliation rules depend on the site's activity and status. I think it's fine if there's a member count requirement or activity requirement as long as the site's not being hypocritical. I've seen sites with two people on them that listed a requirement as needing 20+ members in order to affiliate with their "most worthy" website.

Also, better safe than sorry. There are wayyy too many websites out there that decide that the best advertising strategy is to affiliate with EVERYBODY so that their affiliation section is huge when they only have four members registered. Always having a restriction or "admins can reject affiliation for whatever reason" rule = yes.

[Hatfield]

I allow advertising with open doors but affiliate buttons is different. My affiliate is base on the same generation. I will request to share or one of my player is trying advertise another site and follow the rules. I let it build slow on demand.

I have complete confidence my game do fine if goes slow. I always slow games out last a huge fast game.

I do all lot of work and entertain my players.

Sent from my LGL55C using proboards

[Crystal]

I was thinking the same thing, actually. It does seems like the rules are a little harsh when you direct a certain about of traffic being on daily, but some rules are good. It at least gives the one who is affiliating with others a backbone of "lists" to remember when affiliating, and it gives some a security net for deleting affiliates off. However, I dislike when an affiliate site tells you you've broken a rule and you have not.

Trust me, I had one reject my button for not being an exact size - when I made it to be that size from the get go. I checked it after them, it was that size. I had someone who thought it wasn't check it as I checked it at the same time - it was for both of us. I sent her the screencap and she was like "I know". And the site that rejected me used that as the sole reason for rejecting my affiliate request - when you CAN check these things. The image wasn't a bad image, but was kinda weird in appearance (although a normal rectangle with maybe circular corners button). =/

I have it that you need about least one post a month (or a week for static) on the site overall. It's what I shoot for. Even a brand new site shouldn't mind adhering to something that's not member-based, and it helps to ensure activity. I'm fine with that. I'm just a little discouraged with a strict member-count basis. =/ Also, my site's new now that I'm running, but it's still what I'm shooting for.

[Kay]

I personally find those rules strict and harsh. Yes when I affiliate I hope more people will know of and view my forum. However I also like that my forum does the same for other people. They way I see it every site was small at some point. I've helped to build and open many times, currently I am running a site alongside a friend. We just opened and getting the word out is difficult at times. I think the key is that sites I have helped with are now helping me. Proboards is used to build communities and share information, etc. Affiliating is a way we can help each other out! So although I understand why people put those rules up, I do not agree.

[Nefa]

The affiliation rules for our website are not extremely strict, nor are they very lenient. There are a few basics: rules like "affiliates should be related in some way to the premise of this site", but those are more for my members' sake-- I doubt they'd like to see a link to a race car forum while browsing a site about Origami folding. I own a roleplay site, and I will consider most other roleplay site for affiliation. It doesn't have to be about the same thing as my site is, but it does have to be relevant in this matter-- it just makes more sense for both forums.
I require that forums must be at least a week old and have five members logging on each day. So many forums are abandoned within a week of being created, and because I don't check to see our affiliates' activity level very frequently, I don't have much of an opportunity to make sure we are receiving as much traffic as we are giving them. I generally check to see where and when a forum's most recent posts are made: if they're week-old posts by guests in the Advertising board, I'm far less likely to agree to site sisterhood than if there are several posts a day in the site's main forums. My site is extremely small, with around 5-20 people coming on daily, yet those members we do have are dedicated and I appreciate that a forum can be a sound, friendly community without having hundreds of people online daily.

[Teg]

Typically my only rules for affiliating are: must be a member of my forum, site cannot break PB Tos , and our banner must remain on their site. It would be nice if their sure was active, sure. It would also be awesome jf they were an active member of my site. But, that being said, I want to help people and get help so why make rules super constrictive?

[Former Member]

May 29, 2015 9:48:40 GMT -8 Teg said:

Typically my only rules for affiliating are: must be a member of my forum, site cannot break PB Tos , and our banner must remain on their site. It would be nice if their sure was active, sure. It would also be awesome jf they were an active member of my site. But, that being said, I want to help people and get help so why make rules super constrictive?

Normally I do not maintain strict rules.

Some forums maintain affiliating conditions or rules. 

It would be nice if there were active members on my sites.

[Himms]

I'm not strict either. As long as the sites placing ads/wanting Affiliation are PG-13. It doesn't matter what genre the site is. If the site is not PG-13, they get deleted.

[femaleuser]

Personally, my site has three sections:

Elite, Marquee, and Static.

Marquee and Static are, for those who are not aware, a scrolling affiliate (marquee), or one that has a set, non-moving spot (static). These are perfectly good, and are open to everyone, even if you are your only member.

The elite is where I get strict. I allow six elites, but they have the best spot. Their affiliation is automatically at the top of the list, plain to see. No scrolling, no waiting on marquees. I decided to use this for two reasons:
1. First come, first serve is a little unfair.
2. The best spots will also be used for the personal interests of my site.

Although it may seem unfair at first, to have the best spot on my affiliate list, you need a certain amount of members. That way its guaranteed all my members will see your site, and its guaranteed that at least a certain number of people will see my site. I think that, at least in my opinion, is fair. It's not just free advertisement and its affiliation, meaning I'm hoping it will generate traffic for both of us.

However statics and marquees are below those first six, and I'm glad to add any budding new site to that list.

[Midnight]

I didn't read all five pages,but I can understand how you feel. With me it is I find affiliate easier...and I can organize it better then I can through ads. Not everyone wants to go through 200 or 300 pages of ads to find what they're looking for. So I usually find affiliating so much easier.

But then the rules drive me insane....I mean I used to get snapped at by people because "we got lives"so not many people would be on at once....some sites that says 30 plus is probably those that have one account per each character thing...to make it look like they have more members than what they really have.


Then the rules....30 plus active a day.....with an added standing on one leg and rubbing your belly kinda stuff....which I find so annoying...or the ..."you must re apply every month" I so don't have time for that...I don't have time to go through the whole big list to see if I am still on there or not. I rather my button stay up unless my site is dead or I delete my site...the reapplying thing is the most annoying because it is like"oh yeah I got 6 pages of ads to go through and then I have to go reapply to six adds because of their stupid rules" I just want to pull my hair out because it's like I can't find enough time in the day to make just I reapplied to sites I already applied for....if that wasn't annoying the whole ad contests where people don't see if a member didn't already advertise on your site...so you might get ads from the same site 50 times a day that you have to just go delete.


and then people are like"why just post again on there site"and it's like"oh yeah against their rules..there just delete my add" lol....


Mostly I think people just want there site out there and then screw anyone else out of trying to get members.

I also hate sites where they post their ad on your site..,but then you go to link back..and guess what...they don't have a ad section cuz they don't want ads on their site....oh really..,but you just posted one on my site.....how is that far.


Had three sites block me for bring it up....because I think it is common respect to have a section where people can link back not be like"oh we don't like ads..."and then make an excuse that..."I posted our ad on your site by mistake"crap....seriously people.....you can't have your cake and eat it too.....selfish people. I swear.


Anyways....end rant..because I so know how ya feel.It gets old fast. Plus I don't have a fancy dancy 2015 computer with super duper speed....and then some sites have like a million gifs at once..and it is like instant crash....so trying to stay on long enough to link back or post an ad or affiliate is like"omgggggg...nooooooo blue screen of death"


But the other thing is....I want members and you want members so we should work together on it..and not make it so annoying or hard or aggravating....it should be friendly..with the whole. Post your ad or application and it will be accepted...go dead or delete me..and I will delete you. Now that is simple enough for me. Love sites like that..that had that general rule because I love it...no hassle and no heartache.