Yahoo Answers - Full of Evil Competitors?

Discussion in 'Yahoo' started by sultanofseo, Jan 17, 2010.

  1. #1
    I signed up with Yahoo answers some time ago and posted only one answer when I signed up. Just few days ago, being bored and thinking what to do, I decided to post a few answers on Yahoo Answers. I posted about 12 - 15 answers, every single answer was too the point providing helpful info. Out of only a few answers, 2 of the answers got selected as best answers the same day by the askers.

    Same day I posted the answers, I started getting one email after another from Yahoo saying my answer has been reported as to be in violation of Yahoo guidelines therefore was removed. If I felt that my answer was wrongfully reported, I could appeal. I got 6 such emails the same day. Being pissed off, I appealed 2 of those and didn’t bother with the rest saying what the hell.

    Yahoo reviewed my appeal and next day I got an email saying that Yahoo reviewed my appeal and found that my answer was not in violation of Yahoo answers guideline therefore was restored.

    Funny thing is that at the same day, I got another email from yahoo saying that my account was suspended. Now I’m even more pissed off. I filed another appeal against suspension claiming why I think I didn’t violate the community rule and explained how my answers were to the point. Just because I used my site URL as a source doesn’t mean the answers were in violation. I told them that every single answer I posted, my site and blog had relevant useful info related to the question.

    After 2 days I got an email from yahoo:

    Same day I got another 4 emails from yahoo:

    These are the ones that I didn’t bother appealing but looks like yahoo reviewed them anyways and restored them.

    Now the question is, if it is such a bit*h to participate, does it really worth the time to even bother?
    Is it the evil SEO competitors that are wrongfully reporting my answers to get me off? Anyone else have any such experience or is it just my niche that is filled with evil competitors?
     
    sultanofseo, Jan 17, 2010 IP
  2. thestrangefruit

    thestrangefruit Active Member

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    #2
    "Evil Competitors"... How old are you? Yes, yahoo answers is a ruthless marketing territory. What do you expect? It gives off a tremendous amount of traffic as well as some nice SEO juice. Stop complaining and learn to adapt.
     
    thestrangefruit, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  3. ajbarnes

    ajbarnes Well-Known Member

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    #3
    To keep yourself safe, do not link to your landing page, instead, link to an article you've written on an article directory... not your site. Once I started doing this, I stopped getting banned.
     
    ajbarnes, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  4. hem1234

    hem1234 Peon

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    #4
    Same problem with me. I reached to the level 3 and got banned. I linked to the helpful resources only but banned. Yes competitors can flag you as a spammer.
     
    hem1234, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  5. sultanofseo

    sultanofseo Notable Member

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    #5
    i'm trying to learn the culture of Y! Answers which is the whole intention of this thread

    good advise, looks like i'm not the only one. it is however good to see that yahoo reviews the answers that are reported and restores them if wrongfully reported which is somewhat ok. if they are gonna be reviewing the reported answers anyways, they should not remove them first, ban the user, and then restore them. they should complete their own review first and then take action.
     
    sultanofseo, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  6. believer1984

    believer1984 Peon

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    #6
    I have stopped using yahoo answers after facing same problems. really headache
     
    believer1984, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  7. ReformedSinner

    ReformedSinner Peon

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    #7
    It happens all the time and I am not surprised :rolleyes:

    Don't focus your effort on just one specific category & you'll have a better chance to have higher account level on Yahoo Answers.
     
    ReformedSinner, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  8. digitalpointseo1

    digitalpointseo1 Peon

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    #8
    Honestly, I wouldn't waste my time with Yahoo answers, at least not direct promotion. I haven't taken the time to check, but it might be a viable option to use your avatar as a means for promotion. Create one that showcases your website name and hope for the best, if you're going to use Yahoo Answers at all. Then, too, if you could include your link in your profile, it might be a smart idea as well.
     
    digitalpointseo1, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  9. xtazi35

    xtazi35 Member

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    #9
    always hide you answers and questions and never accept any contact or fan. These will help you as well. You can do it from "edit profile".
     
    xtazi35, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  10. ReformedSinner

    ReformedSinner Peon

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    #10
    Nice tips. I always do that. LOL :p
     
    ReformedSinner, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  11. earnincome

    earnincome Peon

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    #11
    Yes, you are right. Now a days, lots of competitors are getting traffic from yahoo answers. The Main reason, you have done wrong is "You have kept your url ". Yahoo think that you are advertising your website in their answers site. Thats why most people get banned.
     
    earnincome, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  12. Ryan6

    Ryan6 Peon

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    #12
    Yahoo Answers has been creamed. There are other Q&A sites that you can use with fewer competitors lurking on them and you can even receive a dofollow link on such sites so you could maybe give them a try. As far as the reporting goes, that is just sad, no one likes a grass.
     
    Ryan6, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  13. etc

    etc Well-Known Member

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    #13
    no. i guess you just didin't follow rules. everyone is posting links there bt of course they have to find it relevant.
     
    etc, Jan 18, 2010 IP
  14. sultanofseo

    sultanofseo Notable Member

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    #14
    i did follow rules! every single answer that has been reported was reposted by Yahoo and found to be within guideline. read the original post before you say i didnt follow rules. its not yahoo i have problem with, its the people who are wrongfully reporting the posts
     
    sultanofseo, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  15. etc

    etc Well-Known Member

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    #15
    dyou mean yahoo will just ban or delete your post because you were reported?
    i think they will of course read/check what you have posted whether it really is related to the question.

    if wrongfully reported then yahoo will grant request for you.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2010
    etc, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  16. simstar

    simstar Peon

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    #16
    go a bit easier on him.
     
    simstar, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  17. hydseo

    hydseo Peon

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    #17
    yes me too faced same problems.. your competitors may flag you as a spammer and now i got an idea how to escape from them..just post little every day

    Good luck :)
     
    hydseo, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  18. evelinawilliams007

    evelinawilliams007 Notable Member

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    #18
    There's too much spam going on in the Yahoo answers community and I totally agree with them.

    As of my experience it's too much of an investment to use Yahoo answers in your marketing/ tactics but it sure can help in one way or another.

    There's other answers sites around that are pretty much the same concept.

    Al.
     
    evelinawilliams007, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  19. alldaylinks

    alldaylinks Active Member

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    #19
    Dude, it sounded like you went over the top - went too far...

    If you are going to use you url - do it just once... not ten times!
     
    alldaylinks, Jan 19, 2010 IP
  20. Jim4767

    Jim4767 Prominent Member

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    #20
    I'm a bit puzzled by the reaction you are getting on Yahoo! Answers. I'm a level 5 user there, with over 2,300 posts, and have never been banned or had a post reported. Here are a couple of thoughts:

    • Make sure your answers are on topic and helpful.

    • Don't try to put a link on every answer.

    • When I do link, it's never to my home page, but always to whichever of my inner pages directly addresses the topic being discussed. If you continually link to your home page, you will very likely be considered to be "spamming".
     
    Jim4767, Jan 19, 2010 IP
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