Linking to other sites

[optrex]

I'm afraid that's the difference between running a free forum and running one that is purchased, requires license renewals, a database back-end, backups, updates, hosting.........

Having a business outlook to promoting your forum doesn't necessarily mean it makes money (or even profit). These things are paid for by either donations or more often than not, out of the owners own pocket and are usually run for the love.

There is a huge difference between covering costs and making money from people and it should be noted that OW does not request money or even have a donation facility.

Likewise offering a link back to any website is a matter of choice for the owner and they shouldn't have to justify that decision.

[optrex]

.....You have a lot to learn.

[Madhatter]

less than you then. Please explain why I would post my pictures on this site? if you know something I don't explain what it is I need to learn.

[optrex]

Promoting yourself and your forums or website is not just about "click this link and visit me".

You have to sell yourself. This can be indirect as well as through direct methods. Be helpful, offer advice, give good quality input. Do a good review and supply pics. Not only will it help WO but more importantly it will promote a good image for yourself.

Only then will people think "I wonder what this guy is about" - a quick Google for "Madhatter Atherstone"....and oh, look what pops up as the number 1 link!

[Madhatter]

The other forum in Atherstone is hosted, doesn't have adverts and is run on a voluntary basis for the town, it has no donate button, and doesn't link to his business.

Blackpoolweb a vbulletin site on a server with no adverts only a donate button. No business interest whatsover

Burnley web same set up with adverts instead of donate

accringtonweb same set up as above

My forum free board free hosting, but lots of my time, a donate button towards getting a server and the other projects I do including providing part of the town with christmas lights at my own expense which has cost thousands.

rawtenstall web as above
coleshill forum as above
nuneaton web as above
tamworth web as above

Several paid for and several free forums all run the same, there is no difference, all allow linking to each other.

Having a business outlook to promoting your forum doesn't necessarily mean it makes money (or even profit). These things are paid for by either donations or more often than not, out of the owners own pocket and are usually run for the love.

Having a business outlook to proming a forum would be to allow links.
people are like google, there is no difference both need links to find a site. The more links in AND out better the ranking.

[Will]

Originally Posted by Madhatter

Double standards. It's ok if they link to you but you won't link back.

I don't believe I ever asked you to link to me Madhatter, feel free to remove your link to this site though.

Which means that 'any Warwickshire related site can have a link on Warwickshire online ' is a lie.

It would be a lie if I'd ever said that, which I haven't.

You make out you're doing this for the bennefit of the community and in reality you're only in it to make money.
I stand by my opinion that this site

Actually, I'm doing this for the benefit of the community, as well as earn a little extra income and I'm not ashamed of that. My main motive is to give people in Warwickshire a collective voice, as well as a resource for local information.

No but I'm not in this to make money.

So if you agree it's not good business practise for me to advertise sites which closely resemble mine. Then why are you kicking up such a fuss about it?

My site doesn't offer what this site does. The only place Atherstone was mentioned on this site was when I put it on here, I doubt most of you even know it exists, Not quite as bad with Nuneaton but nearly, you only have to look at the comments about Nuneaton, and the ones that have appeared about Atherstone recently to realise non of you have ever been there.

Irrelivant either way, as sooner or later there will be.

So I'm still of the same opinion that this site is not offering anything that either the Atherstone or nuneaton sites do. The only thing I'd gain is a higher google rating, I wouldn't gain members,why would people from Stratford visit a Nuneaton forum, Nuneaton people are very unlikely to search for Warwickshire before Nuneaton so would be on a Nuneaton site first.This site on the other hand would gain, because once on a local site they are a lot more likely to click on a link to a Warwickshire site. All this is backed up by the fact that everyone on here thinks Warwickshire ends at Nuneaton. Remember a little town called coleshill? Thats Warwickshire too. Also Backd up by the fact that Atherstone has 2 forums and I'm the only one on here. People will seek a home town forum first and then if they find a link will look at Warwickshire.

There are a lot of towns within Warwickshire, I have chosen to dedicate forums to some of the main ones to start with. New forums for other towns will appear when I think they are in need. I disagree with your analysis that I have much to gain and nothing to lose by linking to your site. I also disagree with your claim that only people from Stratford use this site, when it is abundently clear that this is not the case.

What would I gain apart from a higher google rating? a better more ballanced conversation on here, thats all.

You would gain traffic from my site. I have devoted a lot of time to building up recipatorial links, gaining support of local councils and communities, as well as spending a lot of money on advertsing this site. You would be getting all of that backing for free by advertsing your site on mine, and as I've already said, I see no reason to give that to a site that has a conflict of interest with mine.

This is the last I have to say on the subject, and this is the last I want to hear about it from you.

[optrex]

Originally Posted by Madhatter

The more links in AND out better the ranking.

Thats not quite true, the quality of the site being linked to, can have a major impact on page rank.

Like I said before, offering a link back to any website is a matter of choice for the owner and they shouldn't have to justify that decision.

This concludes my input into this particular discussion

[Madhatter]

So I'm supposed to help this site with content, so that non Atherstone people will google madhatter Atherstone will come to my site join, look at the pics and leave. You're assuming that they'll stay, which I doubt they will, as I've said why would they, I'm the only one froom Atherstone on here. I've posted this to promote the event to non Atherstone people. If I had pics to post before the event to promote it then yes I would.
Posting pics here will only help this site not mine. The only help this site can give my site is a higher ranking via a link. The only thing it can do for me personally is promote the events.
I could give far more to this site than it cold ever give to me, but why would I.
What I will do is think about posting a couple of each to perhaps promote them for next year. which is a bit unlikely.

googling madhatter atherstone brings up the other foum first, it's been running years so gets a higher ranking. we are third.

[Will]

Google rank is not calculated by how many years a site has ben running. If you're that desperate to make your site a success MH, I suggest you devote all your energies into filling up your own site with content, rather then trying to argue for something you're never going to get.

[Madhatter]

It is true but other factors are taken into account. Linking to a lower quality site will not put a site lower, a good quality site will make it higher.

They should justify that decision when they've claimed that they will allow links from any warwickshire related site. clearly not true.