To block links to competing sites or not to block...that is the question

Indeed I have seen something to this effect a few times, AWS mentioned it so I decided to start the topic.

Do you think site admins should block links to competing sites or leave them alone?

I for one think links to sites should welcomed with open arms, the reason is that they can provide great link backs which would help in bringing the members.

Now in some cases I think links should be blocked, reason being is by linking to competing sites you take the chance to lose members which if you have ads up or you have a means to generate revenue to help pay for the site then losing those members is like losing money.

So honestly I'm torn between the two, I usually don't block links unless I see it becoming an over whelming problem when the link is becoming posted in just about every post.

What do others think?

I welcome them as I think it can help both sites flourish. I don't like blocking them because sometimes it can come across as childish - unless it gets out of hand with links spamming all over the place, I'm happy for them to stay.

Blocking links to competing sites hurts more than it helps. I welcome them with open arms. It has always struck me as foolish to do this. You wind up losing valued members from other like minded communities. You can tell if the competing members are only there to spam a link. In that case I ban the user and remove the links. I myself belong to many sites that I compete with. I also have reciprocal links with many of them. I gain traffic and they gain traffic. I have never lost a member to a competing site. People become regulars on a site because of what the community offers and going to a like minded community doesn't make them leave.

I for two think links to sites should welcomed with open arms, the reason is that they can provide great link backs which would help in bringing the members.

I'd never block. I encourage sharing within my little interweb community. It's good for business.

The only time I wouldn't allow it if I discovered the competing site were let's say badmouthing my site.

Yeah that's pretty much what I was gonna say.

Signatures and within context is fine. "Hey come and look at my new site." is not.

That's not to say I wouldn't' consider a link exchange if someone asked though, but I take exception to my bandwidth being used for free advertising without asking first.

Many may disagree and some may not like my response but oh well

I disagree with blocking competing sites unless they are abusing your community like trying to steal your members or PMing/emailing/IMing people on your forum to be on theirs, then its a different story.

But for communities to block them because they are competitive shows me thats all they care about...competition and not community. I am not in it to be the best, I am in it to build something and to make a lot of new friends

My weather forum for example, its pretty active but it could be MORE active if I advertised like most of the others do...mass IMing people... but I wont and I am happy with the way its going

I dont mind competing sites because I may find what im looking for on their site rather than my own...my 2 cents.

Now if you join my forum with a competing site in your sig, expect me to do the same on yours...its only fair

Mass IM'ing and PM'ing. Yes I was hit by that one time. It was an admin forum, can't remember which one or the username of the person. I could find it real quick if I wanted to because the thread I started on one my forums was ranked #1 if you did a search for the username. It's probably still in the top 30 or so even 3 years later.

I blocked the domain and my staff members decided the best way to deal with it was to turn the users loose on their site. At the time I had a very raunchy to the point of just below obscene community. I'm sure you've all seen the goatsie pic. That was light hearted compared to what these users posted. I am sure they wished they never spammed my staff with those PM's.

Fine by Jack, as long as it stays in the signature area, also, that users aren't spammed the link by PM, Email, or instant messenger.

Well what happens when one administrator sees all their members going to the competing forum and not returning to theirs?

Funny - I just posted about this the other day - I'll copy/paste if that's okay:

Posted that a few days ago and my opinion in the matter hasn't changed - I'm pretty stubborn lol

Also - for those of you who use vBulletin and concerned about new members coming along to only post links and/or flaunt their signature links... Well there's help for you! Cybernetec has shared a brilliant modification over at vB.org that may be of help to you ==> Cyb - Advanced Permissions Based on Post Count - Excellent modification which I make use of...

Just my 2 cents and a few extra dimes

Jacquii.

---------- Post added at 09:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:19 PM ----------

Then that is the clue for said Administrator to up their game and make their forum better than the competing one

As I noted above - It's all about content a lot of times and if you have the content - then there's really no need for your members to click out of your site. I think this is a good thing really - because making your forum the best place for your members and within your niche is what running a forum is all about. We all strive for success - so yeah - if you see your members hitting the www-interstate - it's time to better your forum.

Excellent question btw dude.

Jacquii.

Well, I thought it was all about helping each other out? If it's going to be competition, there should be alliances in the first place.

I think this is why TAZ was smart and blocked out all other competing site. Once members notice another site, and starts noticing activity, for example, they'll want to be there, rather than the home site. Because, they'll have the mentality that their support threads, or their questions will get answered faster. That's just my motive.

Hmmm - not necessarily true IMO - I mean - there's tons of room on the www for everyone to succeed. I think in a way that TAZ policy is a bit self-defeating in a sense. For one - you are kinda assuming that your members are not smart enough to realize a quick look on google will bring up many Admin Support Forums. The assumption is that members shouldn't know that other Admin sites exist... And 2 - the insinuation is that by disallowing mention of other Admin sites - that TAZ (as one of the biggest boys on the block) is afraid of competition.

Both of those assumptions make it seem as if TAZ might not have the best interest of it's members at heart - which is not a good thing. Obviously we know differently - but anyway....

Big boys on the block should be about the business of offering every support mechanism available to its members is my opinion. Limiting the mention of other support forums is really not helping anyone's cause really - Hope that makes some semblance of sense LOl - But it's my opinion and I'm sticking to it

Jacquii.

Well I guess it's okay to be afraid of competition. After being on the web for 6 years, being afraid is to be expected. Especially when you have some of the best content, and a knowledge base superior to all else. I wouldn't want to lose knowledgeable members of said topic. Maybe not knowledgeable, but dedicated too. After all, though, Obama said it - CHANGE IS GOOD! So if after 6 years someone wants to go on about their business, that's okay too.

And why mention other support forums if there's a big one right in front of you? Sure TAZ may be one or two in a Google search, but... I don't see the point in mentioning others if you're apart of one = or can easily search Google for others.

It all depends on insecurities and determination. If you're not afraid to lose members and content, then, so be it. But you should be.

However, it's blatant that every member on one administrator support forum is a member on another. The more, the merrier?

Don't be scared
Fear is not really something I'm familiar with any longer. I do suppose we each have our policies as we see fit for our own forums - so... Yea - I suppose in a sense you are correct in that we don't want to loose our members to other within the same niche... And yes - Obama may have said that change is good - But I think more and more people are becoming of the mindset that the change he's attempting to bring is not really the change they want - but that's a different subject matter entirely.

Jacquii.

I think we decided on our policy of not disallowing competing links because of this, I think as a staff team we are quite liberal (most of us), and believe that similar sites are their to help, support and complement each other - rather than compete so much.

Exactly! That's what I was trying to enunciate LOL - that as a support genre - sites can complement each other, as opposed to competing with each other. I know there's a variety of opinions on this though... So to each his/her own.

Jacquii.

I guess it would help if members from one support site could link to some answers on another support site. To each his own, I suppose.