Sig files, affiliate links, and link spamming

Okay. This has gotten waaay out of hand. Folks, you need to read the rules if you're going to have links in your signature files.

I am turning off sig files for everyone I see that's posting a lot of very short posts and has SEO-styled links in their sig files. Don't kid yourself. We know what you're doing.

If it's not your site, or a recognized charity, or an ad posted by you in this forum, leave out the link.

Also, if you think posting a link to your domain with a templated affiliate site is a way around the "no affiliate links" rule, you'd better read those again. That is specifically forbidden. I've seen dozens of sites linked from sig files that have the exact same page, with one exception. It's signed (adjusted to avoid naming names):

"Chas Farnsworth and [affiliate name]," and has Chas's picture along with the picture of the affiliate.

Just don't. That is creating exactly the kind of nonsense the rule was put in place to prevent. People posting large numbers of short, content-free posts, or posting to "strategically" expose their sig links.

It doesn't matter whose program the link is for. It doesn't matter how good the program may or may not be. We don't care that the program operator may have told you this is a good strategy. It may be elsewhere, but it's not allowed here. Follow their advice at your own risk.

While we're at it, posting ads in someone else's WSO or classified thread, or posting a lot of one-liners in paid ad threads to get sig file exposure, is an excellent way to find yourself with some extra free time this summer.

And I think I speak for the majority of the members when I say... If you're only here for the exposure or link juice you get for your sig file, go somewhere else.


Paul