Make Buy, Sell or Trade forum members only

I would like the Buy, Sell or Trade forum and sub-forums to be members only, or at least restrict guest (or more specifically bots).

I do believe there are already a few restrictions on posting, but I'm asking that the same apply to even seeing these forums. The better majority of sales/transactions from this are from members anyway.

This idea is mainly based on this thread:
ATTEN: Might want to stop putting your URLS in the threads!!!

However, there have also been times where I'd simply not want to post certain account information (blog account, page URL, etc) for fear that it would make it to some random search engine where someone would see it that I didn't want *shrug*

I also believe that it would help to cut back on all the "thanks for posting" and "PM me" posts that seem to flood the forums there.

Just a suggestion,
Q

 

Guests tend to add people's MSN and such and try to make deals with them and while sometimes its a good thing to have, others could cause you to get scammed...

 

Restricting bots from being able to access the marketplace is a good idea. It can really fuck up search engine rankings sometimes.

 

I agree with that, only viewable by registered and logged users

 

Yup good idea. We could add links/keywords in sale threads without "fear" that the thread will outrank the actual website in SEs

A poll maybe?
Mihai

 

What makes you infer tat making the BST section members only, will cut down the number of 'thank you' and 'pm me' posts? Even now only members are allowed to post, right?

 

Many posts are made to increase post count which increases the visibility of one's sig links. If bots can not see the links, there would be no need to post (as often). It will also cut down on the importance of keeping one's thread bumped as the potential for revenue sharing is decreased by taking out the option for visitor impressions and clicks...leaving the forums open for the actual buying, selling, and trading.

Currently threads are buried on page two in 12 hours or less due to the number of "PM sent" type posts (which incidentally are against the TOS here). I feel that the above reasons are partially to blame for how fast that forum can move.

Though, personally, I don't really mind one way or the other on this aspect, but it was a factor, so I thought I'd bring it up.
Q

 

ok, I understand your point. But still, most of those who want to increase their post count are those who want to sell their sig links. To them, will it matter whether the sig links are indexable or not? Because most of the buyers are not going to look through the posts to see how many of his sig links are valid. Anyway I support your idea, because something is better than nothing

 

I think it's a good idea, it might actually encourage sellers to post their url's etc in the thread... always makes me nervous cuz "google is reading along" and they don't like link sales/buying and I have had a search for one of my sites show up a link sale thread.

On the other hand it will have to make sig link buyers more aware. If they're buying for index reasons and the sig owner only posts in those threads, it's pointless, but if you are buying for exposure to other dp members it's fine.

I still think putting a nofollow on those pages is a good idea - probably would lessen the strain on the servers with less to crawl.

Lisa

 

ya, i heard that google right now trying to test new algorithm to see paid link. so it would be best to limit to real human being only.

 

Restricting bots to access that forum is a good idea.

Keeping guests out of there is NOT!

 

Yeah I wouldn't want to keep guests out of the forums because there are lots of lurkers in there that might be interested in what you have to sell (or services)

 

Sadly, in vB bots are guests...

I am unaware of a hack/mod that separates the two, and from what I've seen on vB.com they see no need for the separation (even though I'd want it personally). The fact they are called by name in the online list shows that it should be possible on some level *shrug*

But yes, restricting bots is the main point of this suggestion.

 

Nop, lol i have that mod that shows bots as seperate there also is a list available of all bots and their registered ips

easy as pie to ban bots from here

 

Be sure to let vb.com know that.

However, what of the unlisted bots, not that they actually effect the reasoning behind this thread (or rather, the recent news with google).

 

Hehe they releases a mod themselves, and for other robots, we have robots.txt

 

Sounds like a very good idea to me with all the things that have been happening as of late.

 

I don't mind it crawling the pages. I mean, if you actually have a site where you sell stuff, and you post it on the BST threads, it get's indexed in google. What's wrong with that?

 

Read away...

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=298967

its all about google

 

You can't hide. If you don't want it seen don't post it in a forum. If Google want to find people who sell links based on this forum, they only need to sign up. A quick search will show them all the threads.

If you think that not posting your url in the thread will help, consider that all the "Spy" needs to do is add a "PM me the details" and they then have all the information they need.

When evey you do a post you are risking being seen, if you don't want it seen don't post.