Questions From The WA Community - Answering vs Responding
Hi Folks
I haven't blogged for a while here in the Community and I've slipped out of the Top 100 and then the Top 200, but hay-ho - rank is not what I'm here for.
Which in a round about sort of way brings me to the point of this post.
One thing that might have slowed my slide in the rankings is that as I've gained a bit more knowledge and experience thanks to the excellent training here at Wealthy Affiliate, I feel a bit more confident in answering some of the questions that members ask.
Note, please, that I said 'ANSWERING' - or at least attempting to! I did not say 'RESPONDING'.
I've also asked a couple of questions myself when I've exhausted the various possibilities that our excellent search facility throws back at me, and it's when I get a response rather than an answer that I spit out my coffee (or my tea, as I'm English!) and scream at my computer 'Aaaargh......why do people do this?' Or words to that effect. It may be a little more colourful if the Wife and kids aren't in the house!
So, what am I getting at?
Well, if you haven't guessed (and if you're one of the guilty ones, you probably have guessed and might be feeling a little embarrassed!), it's things like this:
Answer vs Response
1. 'That's a great question.'
2. 'Sorry, Rich. I don't know.'
3. 'That's never happened to me, Rich. Can't help you there.'
4. 'Look, Rich - xxxxxxx has answered your question.'
If you're one of the above, can I ask you what does any of this achieve?
I would suggest that apart from Number 4 - if it helps whoever is asking the question find the answer in amongst all the non-answers cluttering up the thread - absolutely nothing apart from maybe moving you a little closer to the Top 200 / 100 / 50 or Ambassadorship for 'helping' one of your fellow Community Members!
I feel that sort of thing not only brings no value to the Community and the WA Platform, it actually de-values it.
An Ambassador, or someone heading that way, should more than anyone else actually be able to give the person asking the question a proper, relevant and HELPFUL answer. Unless of course they're simply gaming the rankings (whilst simultaneously flushing their credibility down the toilet!)
If someone asks a question and by good fortune it was something you also needed an answer to, then by all means give the person who answers it properly a 'Like' or a 'thank you' type comment, but please don't clutter up the thread with irrelevant and unhelpful comments.
The ranking system is open to abuse - if that's not too strong a way of putting it - in this way, but at the end of the day we all came on board with Wealthy Affiliate to earn money, not for some ranking score and anybody who posts up irrelevant and unhelpful responses to people's questions is not only wasting that person's time, but also their own.
Wouldn't it be more productive to watch a training video, or do some keyword research, or tweak your website a little? Something that might earn you the money you came here for, rather than get you a brief moment of attention - and not really the kind you'd want if it's a habit that you end up getting the wrong reputation for?
When someone asks the Community a question, they are seeking an answer to a problem. They only want to know what you know, not what you don't know.
Y'know...just like the people out there typing questions into Google because they're looking for something that we might be able to give them, and earn a bit of money for doing so?
If someone gives them the answer they need, they will find it thanks to the notification they get from within the WA e-mail system. They don't need you to tell them that so-and-so has answered their question for them. That just clutters up the thread and increases the possibility that they may actually miss the answer!
There is a huge difference between having something to say and just having to say something.
If you're one of the culprits, please consider how irritating you would probably find it being done to you, and please re-visit your reasons for joining Weatlhy Affiliate in the first place. Crack on with the stuff that's going to put money in your wallet. Once you've achieved that, you'll be able to give people proper answers to their questions rather than waste their time with irrelevant responses.
Sorry if this was a bit negative, guys and girls, but I felt it needed saying and I've got a gut feeling I'm not the only one who feels the same way.
Maybe next time someone does it to you, reply with the link to this blog post (your own affiliate link, of course...!) and perhaps embarrass them a little!
Have a great WA Day!
Cheers
Rich
Recent Comments
43
The system is a lot better than it used to be so improvements are continually being made. At one time a question could be knocked down when someone answered it rightly or wrongly, I remember at the time it was the source of great frustration.
I think in the likes of Facebook folks join in by saying " following ".
Probably the best way is to simply like the question or even like the answer that best serves the question, in doing that you let that person that answered that you appreciate the answer and by liking the question it keeps it in view and engaged.
Then of course if you know what the person is asking and you can add value fire away.
When it comes to doubling up, one of the things is that we are global and many engage, so you will see answers to some questions flood in they are from members around the world.
It is quite interesting for members in Australia and NZ they are a day ahead in some cases, but there is a time drag so an email arrives and nine out of ten it already has answers or responses.
We all observe what happens across WA, it is an open forum, some folks are just at a certain stage of their journeys, most phases pass with time.
I agree with what you say about giving the person who asked the question and the person who answered it a 'Like', Alex. If it's a question that I'd like the answer for, then I feel it's right to show my appreciation to both parties.
Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Cheers
Rich :-)
Good point, Alex, perhaps a time drag has an email come in with a repeated answer if it was actually sent prior to the same answer we already received. Then we see two of the same answer in a row.
I wasn't aware there is any time lag on the www. Can you, Alex, or anyone else, confirm this, so I can know for certain people aren't gaming the system to get higher WA rankings? I've seen so much of it happening, and perhaps there really is a legitimate reason why people do this.
Thanks!!
Sorry, Rich, I just don't know It has never happened to me. I think you might find you answer in one of the posts down below......
Now, that is out of the way. I appreciate what you are trying to say, and I agree with you.
However, some people want to belong to the community, and if they are attempting to tweak their rankings higher then that is their problem. If they cannot utilize the system effectively to make money, it is their loss.
But the system here in WA is fairly benign and I like it this way. People are invariably kind and spam, troll posts, and outright nastiness is not allowed. Yes, we sometimes have to troll through a few helpful "I don't know and or I am not sure. But, I think it is a small price to pay for such a friendly helpful community.
I do understand your pain and less is always more when it comes to imparting knowledge.
Einstein said it far better than I can :
" If you cannot explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough".
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Alex - your first paragraph brought a wry smirk to my face!
I think we all want to belong to the Community, and that means having something useful to contribute over time and with experience, as well as being the beneficiaries of the help of others.
It's not 'pain' so much as irritation and, as the gist of your answer says, our system - excellent though it is - is never going to be perfect as we're all human.
Cheers
Rich :-)
Thanks, Rich,
I suspected from your original post that you might get a kick out of the first paragraph.
I have to admit that the community is most of what I have been getting out of WA since I joined. I have learned a lot, but I have not really applied it to websites and earning money. It is something I really want to do.
My previous career did not prepare me for monitoring my own work and I am sorely lacking in that department. I am following the old adage to the letter.
"Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."
I need a system and some focus....working on that, but meanwhile enjoying the space here.
Alex
You and me both, Alex.
I got into the Top 200 here at WA within my first month having done absolutely no training whatsoever, it was all through my interactions in the Community and posting on my WA blog.
The algorythms were a little 'different' then, so I don't think it would happen now. I'm very focused in my 'day job' but being accountable to myself is something I've found very challenging as well. You're not alone, buddy - good to hear that I'm not alone either!
Cheers
Rich :-)
Totally agree Rich. I'm a newbie and I noticed people saying, 'don't know the answer to that question ' and thought so why did you bother commenting at all?
Now I know why. That's selfish.
I often don't know the answer but appreciate the question, so I like the post and move on.
Pause for thought.
Lily 😊
Hi Lily
It's always good to give a 'Like' to a question we'd like to know the answer to ourselves, and to show appreciation to the person who provides a relevant answer.
Otherwise, as you say, scroll past and continue with the training.
Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Cheers
Rich :-)
You have brought up some good points and I agree with them. I am not sure how long it takes for some people to realize that the rankings here do not help them with their real reason for being here (building a business)...
There is some virtue in being an active part of the community and helping others is not a bad thing. But simply making comments to rig the algorithm to get a higher ranking here is meaningless in a couple of ways...
First, if you are not adding value to the conversation (that is a subjective decision as to what "adding value" might be), it does not help others.
Secondly, while you may get a higher ranking, it really does nothing for your online business. If that higher ranking comes from really helping people great. Just remember that the real point of being here is to build a business.
One reason I would not take the time to reply with a link to this post when I see a comment that I think has little value is that it is subjective as to what is "value" and doing this takes away from the time I can be working on my business...
A minor irritant at times perhaps, but nothing that I am going to waste my time with...I realize that everyone has their own take on the subject...
Cheers!
Dave : )
You're absolutely right about adding value and remembering why we're here in the first place, Dave. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Cheers
Rich :-)
Right on, Right on! I've thought of that very thing, many times, and wondered, "Do these people have nothing better to do?".
THANK YOU for bringing it up!
Hi Josette
I wonder that as well, and in realty they have plenty of better things to do, such as completing the trainings or working on their sites, but it's all about knowing what the priorities should be!
Thanks for your comment and I promise I'll get that info to you that you asked me for. I've got a lot going on 'stuff of life' wise at the moment and it's proving a bit of a nightmare. Thanks for your patience, I haven't forgotten!
Cheers
Rich :-)
Hi Rich, I have to plead guilty to a certain extent where I may say something like.. xxx seems to have answered your question, and I see no point in adding to it as it may cause confusion. If you are still having problems please PM me. I will then give xxx a like for his contribution.
Maybe I should refrain myself from this practice.
Michael
Always good to know that people are happy to let you PM them with an issue, Michael. That's the Pay It Forward spirit that's so wonderful about Wealthy Affiliate. Thanks for your comment.
Cheers
Rich :-)
Good afternoon Rich,
I have been here since January 2017. As I am slow especially with the technical details I hardly could say anything, I did not dare.
Nowadays I know a bit more but in general steer clear of technical questions.
I try to remember if I have sinned in the past by giving a useless answer, I hope not but if I have I am so sorry.
You were irritated, I hope the air has cleared again?
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
I think a sincere error and a sin are 2 different things, Taetske. We're only human after all. If I can't answer a question but would like to know the answer, I'll bookmark it until someone more knowledgeable than me provides it. Then I'll give them a 'Like' and maybe a thank you, along with the person who asked the question to start with. When I try to answer to a question, I always do my best to make sure what I'm saying is accurate, but if have any doubts I refrain like you.
Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers
Rich :-)
See more comments
Hi - excellent post, and a subject I have been considering writing about. There are a variety of comments that are annoying and pointless. Firstly, "that's a great question", "you got some great answers", "I see you got your answer".
Next, "I don't know, I am waiting to see the answer". Now, to be fair, that could be true, and they genuinely want to know. If so, why not mark it as a favourite and look at it later? There is also the problem that if they are the first to comment, it shows as being answered and people might skip past it.
And then, there are some who wait for others to answer and then just add "yes, you can" or "no, you cant" depending on what others have said.
Thanks for raising this important point.
Thanks, Diane - much appreciated.
You're additional comments are bang on the money.
Have a great weekend!
Cheers
Rich :-)