Advertising on Forums

Last post 11-04-2010 8:25 AM by Julie. 16 replies.

• 27/01/2010 04:18 PM

  geoff51 Location: Totton, Hampshire Joined on: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 187

  Reply | Contact I don't know whether this is the correct area to post this but here goes I have increasingly noticed that professional companies are using these Forums to promote their names to us ordinary gardeners. I have reported this to admin who have made a new ruling which I feel has not gone far enough to prevent this abuse. I would be interested in the opinions of the majority of posters both regulars and occasionals as to the continued  allowance of this use of our friendly Forums Geoff51 Pond life!?!

• 27/01/2010 04:47 PM

  In reply to

  Arrem Location: Staffordshire. UK Joined on: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 243

  Reply | Contact  I'm not sure if I'm on the right track with this but my feelings are that; We should recommend professional services where we have personal experience of using them.  We should also report bad service.  Both actions can only be of benefit to everyone here occasional or regular. However, professionals should not be allowed to blatantly advertise and such posts should be deleted at the first opportunity. That's just my ten pennyworth of course. (EDIT) That said, I have just read a couple of posts from The Hedge People who's signature makes it plain they are a commercial venture.  The tone and nature of their answers have been helpful and contributory with no real attempt to sell. There is no such thing as useless - you can always be a bad example.

• 27/01/2010 05:31 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact I haven't seen the new rules, Geoff. Where did you find them?

• 27/01/2010 06:16 PM

  In reply to

  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,550

  Reply | Contact I have no problem with people mentioning goods or services (even their own) when replying to a question. Often we'll want to know which product, plant, tool etc is best in a particular situation and it's helpful to know other people's experience and situations. I also don't mind people putting their websites etc in a signature - it's good to know who we're chatting to. I don't like posts that are created just to advertise. They're annoying. If I want to read adverts, I can find more than enough in The Garden. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 27/01/2010 06:21 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,474	Reply | Contact My view is the same as Phot's post above.  It's those who sign up to advertise without giving any constructive advice that I find annoying (and some that are nothing to do with gardening either that spam other websites too).   sue1002

• 27/01/2010 08:16 PM	In reply to
  geoff51 Location: Totton, Hampshire Joined on: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 187	Reply | Contact I recieved them in a private message from Admin following reporting Ashridge trees/ The Hedge People for spamming the Forums. I will try to post them on the open Forum if I can Geoff51 Pond life!?!

• 28/01/2010 09:15 AM	In reply to
  admin Location: Joined on: 20 Nov 2003 Posts: 199	Reply | Contact We have added a clause (the one Geoff was mentioning) to the community guidelines about users with commercial interests. This is quite a tricky area as we realise many of our users have commercial interests, and there is a fine line between advice and advertising. Please take time to read the new addition to the guidelines http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/t/23617.aspx Admin

• 28/01/2010 10:34 AM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,474	Reply | Contact  Thanks for clearing up the issue Admin. It is good to see that professionals are using the forums and giving valuable advice sue1002

• 28/01/2010 01:22 PM

  In reply to

  The Hedge Folk Location: Somerset Joined on: 22 Jan 2010 Posts: 663

  Reply | Contact Dear Forum, Thank you all for taking an interest in this topic and thank you for your support - we are all here to make this forum a richer experience for everyone. As an ordinary gardener myself and the catalyst for this discussion, I hope that this comment is welcome. In agreement with the admin (thanks for your speedy help, btw), whose judgement we requested and have adhered to, we only use our web-address in the signature line. If we were to conceal our true identity on the forum, we would, in theory, be free to do something that would be a sinister abuse: by masquerading as a non-commercial entity, we could recommend and link to our nursery as though we were just a happy customer.  Geoff51, I really regret that you are feeling angry or frustrated by what you see as abuse of these forums. I hear your need for this excellent resource to be respected and supported by those who truly love to garden - I agree wholeheartedly. I hope very much that you will trust me when I say that we all work for a nursery because we love gardening and (almost!) everything to do with it.  Edward & The Team   www.ashridgetrees.co.uk

• 28/01/2010 04:12 PM

  In reply to

  geoff51 Location: Totton, Hampshire Joined on: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 187

  Reply | Contact Whilst I will abide by the ruling of the Admins, I still believe that there should be no company names used anywhere in this forum as it devalues the friendly gardener to gardener rapport that is the basis of its existance. I wonder why you felt the need to change and rejoin the forum under a different name. To liken yourself to Alan Tichmarsh is not a comparison that holds much water I leave it to the members of this forum to come to their own opinion and I will retain mine Geoff51 Pond life!?!

• 28/01/2010 04:45 PM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Reply | Contact I appreciate your points regarding abuse Geoff of blatant advertising. I disagree VERY strongly with you, inasmuch that no company names be used anywhere in this forum. At the end of the day, most of us are avid gardeners, keen to learn and pass on help where we can. We can only do that in certain areas of gardening by 'naming names' of items we have found to either be of much use, and again those of which we found useless - IN OUR OPINION! - Isn't that what this is all about? If we cannot offer our opinions on what we have found useful or otherwise, what is the damn point of having a "forum"?!?!

• 28/01/2010 06:00 PM	In reply to
  geoff51 Location: Totton, Hampshire Joined on: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 187	Reply | Contact I don't have a problem with using company names in the context of me recommennding a supplier to you of certain products or something akin to that. What I would liked stopped is company names in signatures which to me is advertising Geoff51 Pond life!?!

• 23/02/2010 01:10 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 5,230

  Reply | Contact Did you all read this bit in the new "guidelines" Respect others - this is a forum for discussing horticulture; mature discussion and debate are welcome, but personal criticism or the goading of other users is not. Please use the forum with maturity and consideration. Posts that are deliberately offensive will be removed. Replies may also be removed. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Geoff Hodge never used to mind when things got heated, I wonder what i will do now? I used to have such fun on this forum digger Sage of the fells

• 09/04/2010 11:38 PM

  In reply to

  dggardenservices Location: Preston, Lancs Joined on: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 3

  Reply | Contact I also joined this forum not long ago and recently after my first post Geoff51 sent me a private message basically telling me off for including a link to my website. Now firstly I would like to point out that the majority of our work comes from recommendations , and secondly the yellow pages (sorry Geoff51 mentioned a company name ) As I run a gardening company I have a passion for gardening and the reason for joining this forum was to increase my knowledge and maybe pass a little bit on to other people on the way. I did once have to learn things and I am still learning all the time. So I decided to reply to a turfing question as believe it or not we do quite a lot of turfing jobs, now being a new member with 0 posts would the average forum member trust my advice ? so adding a url to prove I run a gardening company I believed it would back my advice up a little bit . Geoff51 If you are the administrator for these forums then if I have done wrong by offering some advice , which people have the freedom of choice so they can take it or leave it.. Have my posts removed and ban me from the forums and then make this a strictly no professional , no weblinks , no mentioning of company names, etc etc etc.. Sorry for the rant folks but when I get emails for merely trying to help it does hit a nerve . I would welcome further debate on this subject . Best regards The man with no name, web url , or professional bodies etc.   Removed web url @ the request of a fellow member.

• 10/04/2010 11:44 AM

  In reply to

  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,766

  Reply | Contact I think we judge the advice not the person. As a professional myself I see no reason to add any supporting info - if my advice is good people will take note and if not, not. I have to say I am rather ashamed of some the advice offered by certain professionals on this forum and do my best to correct them as a service to the profession and to protect the public. However, as yet, you do not seem to be one of these miscreants. Indeed I am relieved to find, at last, a landscaper who does not want to lay turf in the heat of the summer - most unusual; although one suspects the clients are to blame in many cases. Boggy Beware the bat-eared bogweevil