WA members and ambassadors do not always give you the best advice or example to follow up.
When it comes to following the leaders, you need to keep in mind that, the leaders also are human beings. And humans make mistakes.
Whether you get your knowledge from WA members, WA Top 200 leaders or from the internet. You always have to search for yourself if it's the truth and if it's allowed here.
Also top 200 members here at WA are placing not allowed links and wrong opinions.
Affiliate links
It is NOT allowed here to place ANY affiliate link into a blog, question or comment! When you do that, and I have warned quite a few people lately, (that's why I write this blog) you are playing with fire.
What is an affiliate link?
A link which started with a website and ends up with a couple of numbers or characters.
http://website.com/?=a9684733
I see them cloaked, but when I visite the link in the browser, it's a link with numbers, and that is NOT allowed.
Penalty
No promoting products, services, or outside communication to be sent through private messaging. This will lead to immediate removal of your ability to post anywhere within WA.
No promotions with comments or chat, if you are caught doing this, you will likely lose privileges
And you can disregard the rule but you pull the short rope and will lose your writer privileges.
Promoting ANY product whatsoever
However, I think this is quite clear. Many people are still adding affiliate links, an uncalled link to their website hoping for traffic and even asking for comments, or try to promote a service or program where they can gain money with.
Lesson 6
Here are the complete rules and regulation from WA, and especially for those who are placing links. Whether they are going to there website in welcomes messages, under comments and in blogs, read page 6.
Rules & Regulations
Addition:
Some people are confused through my blog here, about placing links.
This blog is about placing links on WA, under comments and in blogs. You are completely free to share any link you want on your own website. The website and the WA platform are 2 totally separated.
Recent Comments
98
Thanks for the reminder Loes ... definitely needed.
I've always assumed this occurs, because new members have never seen Wealthy Affiliate - The Open Education Project or if they have they didn't take the time to scroll to Page 6, or they did, but didn't understand what it was saying or how it applied to them personally.
I think this whole matter would be best served if key content of page 6 was appropriately referenced in both the Certification and Bootcamp training.
I joined in September 2016, but I don't recall seeing that post. Thanks for sharing that, Dennis.
Thank you Loes, I've been noticing a good bit of this type of advertising lately too! If I know of something that will help others I will share a link, but I never share any that I would be an affiliate of or get benefit from myself. I haven't gotten one of your pm's on this, so I guess I'm doing right, lol.
Blessings,
Debby
Good reminder Loes...
At times in discussions, names of tools or programs/helpful sites comes up...As I understand it we can add the name so people can go see for themselves...
Examples would be an Amazon help page or a Google help page, or maybe even a tool page (i.e. there is a tutorial of Mass Planner, a helpful guide for those wanting a tool for executing their social marketing strategy)...
As far as links go, we can add in them on our profile page for our internet links for websites, social accounts, etc. so no real need to do so within comments. posts, etc.
It all comes down to common sense, I think...It is nice having a relatively spam-free experience here, same as with other forums or a Facebook Group...
Some forums that do NOT have this are full of stuff that after a while is downright distracting...I tend to stay away from them after a short period...
Cheers!
Dave : )
Informational links are, of course, allowed. It's just that I see huge increasements of links to owned websites, and affiliate links to products. There are even people welcoming new members and place their website in the welcome and ask for a comment. That is really not done.
Thank you for clarifying this as I'm fairly new here and see a lot of this going on and I knew it was against the rules. Also I like helping people if they have a question I can answer, but that's not always the case. If I can't answer it I move on. One question I do have...Is it okay to post a link to an article that is selling nothing, but has pertinent information to the question? Thanks in advance and best wishes everyone!
Yes, it's ok to paste links to e.g Canva or Wikipedia or some kind of informational article, it's also ok to refer to any blog, question or training here at WA
So excellent that you posted this article, Loes. Just within the past few weeks, several new members here at WA have tried promoting their businesses to me personally in their not-so-subtle attempts to get $$. I chastised one individual in a response. She "claimed" that she had no idea what she attempted to do was against the rules.
It's why I've always believed that EVERY new premium member here at WA needs to not only be required to READ the company's list of rules and regulations, (and most don't). But, they also need to sign their signatures on some type of document stating that they are aware of WA's policies. If they then proceed to violate any of the policies, they need to realize that being removed as a member could take place - immediately!
Imo, lately this has been taking place much too often and needs to be stopped!
I would say, unless you agreed on the rules, you can not go further. That's in most cases so, when you want to join.
The likes of 1599 on the rules tell me enough.
Not many here have read and confirmed the rules
Hi Loes
Thank you for this post.
I have come here to admit my guilt of doing this today (sharing a affiliate link). I was under the impression when helping and engaging we were allowed to share opportunities through blogs. I have seen many other members do this and thought is was okay for me to do it as well... I was wrong.
I'm just wondering now if I should go back through ALL my posts and make sure there are no affiliate or website or promotional type of links?
I never realized it would become such an obligation to set an example for the rest of the WA community here when becoming top 200 so I appreciate a good WHACK on the hand when needed, to keep me in line and in shape! Thank you Loes ^^,
I apologize to you and the whole WA community.
Regards,
Kamil
Hi Kamil, I know, I have made quite a few mistakes myself in my early, and even my advanced days. I had a guardian angel watching my back (thank you Boomerg08P:) The links I knew by memory, I removed. There are still links out there, though.
And I hope people will have the courtesy to warn me first, so I can change the content :)
Btw: No need to apologize for something you were unaware of:)
The rules that do not allow advertising or promoting products make WA a pleasant environment where we can learn and interact with like minded entreprenuers.
I recently visited a major online store provider's blog rolls. People asked some great questions, but it was a miserable experience trying sort all of the replies with spammy ads and offers of how "my company" can help you.
Thanks for sharing the not quiet so gentle reminder here.
I've been seeing more of this, too. I try to tell the person responsible in a polite manner about the rules and usually they adjust, but not always.
I'm glad that people are watching out for this.
That said, I have made plenty of dumb mistake simply because I didn't know better at the time. I appreciate people informing me kindly, rather than jumping to attack.
That's the right attitude, I always warn people about the consequences and ask them to change or remove the link
I'm supporting you in this Loes.
It's such a shame that we need to keep reminding people that there are rules here and there are penalties for breaking the rules.
Just because someone has a relatively high rank at WA or is an ambassador that doesn't mean they know more than others or even that they know what they are talking about.
Please, folks, do your own due diligence and question everything that you read, regardless of who wrote it (including me).
I detected in the past years, that some ambassadors not even were aware of the existence the Open Education Project rules.
Perhaps the conditions for becoming a WA Ambassador should be revised. I've always felt that part of an Ambassador's responsibility was to "lead by example".
I'd also like to see some criteria that controls the quality of tutorials being posted.
The title of Ambassador implies knowledge, which it has not. If you know what I mean. There are members with way more knowledge than established ambassadors.
I would like also for training
Absolutely, Dennis. The current criteria for ambassador is just activity not knowledge or experience. Or even ethics.
And I totally agree about the quality of tutorials. Some of them are misleading crap.
Thank you for responding Marion. I have been concerned for some time that the quality level of tutorials just isn't what it used to be. I believe the trend is affecting the overall value of this incredible training platform.
It's hard to believe that K&C&J are not aware of this. Hopefully it is on the 2017 Improvement Plan actively being worked by Carson's techies. Would a simple ranking algorithm change address this matter?
Possibly. Some of the low quality trainings are done to improve WA rank not because people want to share their knowledge. If the ranking algorithm was changed then perhaps low quality contributions would not count.
But then quality is subjective. The way it is now it's up to the community to vote for good training by "liking" it, commenting on it and linking to it when answering questions. Which is not really a bad thing. The better the training the more likes, comments and links it gets.
That's right, it's up to the community whether they give likes or not, that make if someone gets paid for a training or becomes an ambassador. When I don't like a contribution, I don't hit the like button.
I have a thought. K&C could set up another level different than ambassador. Call it something like Certified Trainers and have Jay be in charge of approving aspiring members to this position.
That way they could align the two programs to folks who enjoy the social interaction in the community and those who enjoy the teaching aspect of community involvement. Along with posting new, relevant training they could help keep the existing training updated and relevant.
My apologies if this is sounding like a Rant.
I know exactly what you mean, but what's relevant to you, can be totally worthless to others and vice verse. I do agree there should be some kind of approvement by K&C, and not only based on 12 member likes.
See more comments
Loes, it is a shame that you have to even write this post. WA is a great place to engage and learn.
Generating an income is why we are building websites, that is the reason I came here.
Thank you for the reminder, hopefully the message will sink into a few more heads.
I've just left a post which was pure spam, it was an advert for their business (or an affiliate link didn't spend long enough to see which). No article, nothing just the add. :(
I know forums which are floated with links and no real content anymore, we don't want that here
Agree, I reported it as spam. Will be interested to see what happens.