Advertising disguised as Forum Posts or Blogs!! ***Re-Opened***

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

***I have re-opened this discussion******
Please feel free to comment as again there are blog posts that are blurring the line between advertising and legit blogs.

With all due respect to our member breeders.

 

As I read Forum Posts and Blogs I am finding more and more discussions started by "breeders" that are really just touting their breeding program or showcasing their newest litters.  Many of these people's only contributions to this forum are these postings.

 

There are places on this forum for this, please use them.

 

There are many wonderful breeders that are regular contributors, this is not meant to discourage them from continueing to add their valuable insite.

I have closed this discussion - as Clark's thread appropriately follows up on the points raised here.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Please see Clark's discussion about community guidelines:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/dk-community-guidelines-ho...

[ClarkP]

Yes, according to our current DK Community Guidelines, that is a legitimate use of the blog.  It is a doodle owner posting a blog about her doodle puppies.  There was no promotion of a litter.  No links to a website.  What was left was a blog about a litter of puppies with some creative commentary about their abilities.  Aren't all blogs posted here some variation of info and commentary on our dogs?

Now, we are happy to improve our DK Community Guidelines to eliminate posting that we wish to keep off DK.  Please give us your suggestions here:  http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/dk-community-guidelines-ho...

What about this blog would you eliminate?  How would you write guidelines to keep the type of post you find distasteful off of DK?

We seriously value the feedback we get in this area and update our DK Community Guidelines to fit what we want to see for this amazing community.

Thx!

/Clark

[F, Calla & Luca]

Clark, we agree. Wonders never cease : ) Salud!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

As a blogger (non- monetized) I can smell these blog posts a mile off.  They are littered with links to products which is a sure sign they are here to advertise and the people who write them do not participate anywhere else or engage in any meaningful way.  What really annoys me is that they also (I believe) deny that they are advertising when challenged.

[ClarkP]

We don't like those posts either Nicky!  But the blog post this thread was re-opened to discuss has none of those characteristics. (Link to blog post under discussion)  If there is something definable about that post that you would like to see eliminated, please suggest it.

Thx!

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Clark -

My objection to this type of blog is that it really is just a breeder announcing a new litter.  I think they should be confined to the either a group designed for these announcements or one of the "for sale" groups.

[ClarkP]

It's a tough thing to define.  But our position is if we can't define it, we won't prohibit it.  Doing so would make us arbitrary dictators and no one would know any reason for things happening here other than "Adina didn't like it".  (That happens around our house enough!  ;-)

How would you define a posters motive or intent without anything in the blog that breaks our rules?  I know, we can both "feel" something is wrong sometimes.  We suspect we know exactly what they are doing - and quite possibly we are right.  But we don't make our guidelines based on feelings.  So there has to be some definable thing that makes a blog post an ad.  Talking about doodles we own, even if they are a litter of puppies, is still on topic for this site... and I mean, who doesn't want to see pictures of litters of doodles?  That is all that was in the post in question.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

You are right,  am actually commenting about something else here.  I don't think the blog in question broke any rules per say though I do agree that it should go somewhere else but that would be difficult to police in reality.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

When I see someone has 5 blog posts,  4 of them are directly related to new litters, and has only contributed to 2 other discussions, I question their motives in posting the blog.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

 

The amount of activity does not make anyone a better or worse member, just a more involved member.  But, for a person that has been a member for over 2 years and have that minimal activity does indicate that they are utilizing DK as a marketting tool. 

 

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

I think you may be getting to the crux of what can actually be objective and quantifiable. I think it is not the overall number of posts, but the type of activity--if someone does only blog posts but never comments on others' blogs or participates in any discussions in the forums or doesn't belong to any groups, that would raise a red flag for me.

However, having said that, I don't really object to breeders' posting blogs about new litters. Like everyone else on DK, I think, I need a puppy fix every now and then, and it's fun to see the photos. But that's just me.

My hot button is people who don't seem to participate in any other way but seem to be using their blogs to simply push promotional info out there--and not necessarily about commercial products. The things that make me nervous are the posts that seem to be about promoting or exploiting the dog and/or capitalizing on the current fad for doodles.

But I also agree with Clark--the previous paragraph is about my perception ( a lot of "seems"); I have no way of knowing what the person's real intent might be. And I am certainly in favor of more room for creativity and expression on DK rather than less, so I just don't read those posts. And I agree with Andrea's concern about censorship.

But maybe some of your criteria can be used to encourage/require people to participate in discussions and groups before they launch a blog? Maybe a blog becomes something you earn through participation?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Normally if there is a blog or discussion that makes me suspicious it makes me go to that individuals page to sort of check it out.  This one did not do that when I originally read it.  Once I saw your post I did go to their page, and while I will say that I enjoy seeing posts like these from a member that I feel I know (like Ginny), who is involved in a lot of our other discussions, I guess I really didn't see a problem with this post.  And, I have to say that I love their doodle Coco ... may be the most gorgeous doodle I've seen as a puppy.