Difficult to Understand

**Christine** · 03-09-2010, 09:42 PM

I joined this forum reasonably recently, and have been doing my best to post quality material that is helpful and supportive to fellow members.

I wrote a book some years ago that I give away as a freebie and which spells out in great detail how to quickly access streams of warm referrals even starting from scratch in a new town. It's available in return for an opt-in on announcements for training webinars.

Since referrals and listings seem to be the major challenges for real estate professionals, I gave the URL on the forum, in a post where it was highly relevant. It was censored out and of course now the post makes no sense at all.

Meantime I notice that every single time I or anyone else has made a decent, fact-filled post, a swarm of semi-literate paid posters have proceeded to graffiti their garbage "responses", filling the thread with pointless junk.

These posts remain in place, unedited.

So the policy seems to be "hit the guys who deliver quality, and leave the spammers alone".

**Lease_Abstract** · 03-10-2010, 01:08 AM

I understand your concerns but I guess it is the task of the RE Forum Admin to maintain the control in this community.

**maui** · 03-10-2010, 01:23 AM

Christine, do not be discouraged by what you perceive as lack of policing of these forums. As an open forum, members are allowed to voice their opinions regardless of how illiterate, how distasteful, or how misinformed (as long as it does not violate the TOS). Continue to contribute to this forum, as the input of experienced professionals such as yourself is really what drives this forward.

**Christine** · 03-10-2010, 04:48 PM

Thanks maui and Lease_Abstract. I do understand that it's up to admin to police the forums to achieve the standards they set.

What I'm beginning to realise is that it's possible admin (and some members) don't recognise paid posting "mash". These guys use both manual and automated methods to locate forums relating to keyword search terms for their own sites, and then insert meaningless drivel (100% content free) into forum threads. These days the whole process can be automated so that it is untouched by human hands, from identification to content insertion.

I estimate that some 70-85% of posts on this forum are from these spammers. They have no intention of contributing anything whatsoever. They swoop in like seagulls, cr** over the thread, and fly out again.

There are obviously some terrific people on this forum - newbies and experienced alike, but their high-value conversations are getting lost in a sea of guano.

If we can learn to recognise these posts for what they are, and have a reporting function, we can kick them out before they get to 15 posts and they'll lose interest because they won't be getting backlinks any more.

**Chief Tutor** · 03-10-2010, 05:21 PM

I appreciate you all taking the time to comment on the forum and the issue with spammers. I am the primary admin and moderator of the forum.

I am always open to adding moderators. Send me an email if you are interested. Currently the Forum gets between 100 to 150 posts per day. I use my best efforts to get rid of the most blatant spam posts but do not catch all of them.

If you don't want to moderate but still want to report spammy posts, there is a button at the bottom of each post which says report post and is sent to me.

Again, thanks again for taking the time to comment on the forum.

**andrewsmith** · 03-14-2010, 10:15 PM

You don't need to be panic, but still wait and watch and try again your best for the unique and prolific result my best wishes with you.

**bikecactus** · 03-16-2010, 07:00 AM

That probably wasn't the case. Maybe the forum already had a policy in place about not putting links in your posts. You could've added it to your signature and it would've been left alone. It seems that's what the spammers did because their posts are still up and not yours.

**Lease_Abstract** · 03-19-2010, 01:42 AM

Welcome... but for now Just focus on your aim on why you joined RE forum. Contribute information and experiences that can be beneficial to all the members here, your concerns...leave to the admin.