[admagic]

The testimonials thread needs a careful rethink.

I THINK..it should become a "no reply" place...ie it is accepted that a personal view is expressed , right or wrong by the OP which is not actively or passively endorsed by the forum.

So an OP statement like

"really worked butt off...great seo done"

Does not result as has happened several times recently into a discussion of whether or not the "gerat seo" was done which is inevitable if the question "great seo done" is begged by the OP

Right now the forum accepts any positive agreement...eg any reply like
"yes it was great seo - best guy in europe" is accepted

Where a statement like "yes, but theti tle tags still say HOM£, and the links all say "click here" - so unless you want to rank for either "home" or "click here" the seo is actually crap!!

Such a statement is deemed "off topic and disrespectful to the OP"

But such a statement also helps others with informed buying decisions..

The fact is people use these threads for buying decisions, and in many OTHER places (A1 is "more honest" than most) I have seen complete codswallop thanked by people who know no better - resulting in a propagation of what is the bane of the internet industry - SEO and ADWORDS particularly - complete idiots getting work.

By only accepting positive affirimations of a testimonials "yes great SEO"...and deleting all "no there is a problem here" - forums (or suggesting that negative statements are by PM!!) they are unwittingly contributing to WHAT I THINK IS one of the WORST problems in internet marketing.....

I think moderators would have an easier life, and it would be far clearer to the posters that these were personal opinoins expressions of thanks if NO replies were allowed to testimonials.

And the OPS would be a lot happier that the threads were not seemingly hijacked!!

Everyone wins so why not?

DISCUSS

[Jeewhizz]

I happen to agree with you on this one...!

[Alvin]

It may be a better idea to not have a testimonials thread .

very easy for a newbie to say such and such SEO did a brilliant job.

But maybe getting them from page 100 to page 3 which is of very little value to most.

or more importantly there efforts resulted in there profits increasing X amount of times.

Maybe if people were speciffic about what they were thanking for.?

likewise for all other services ,surely its money in the till that determines most services.?

Alvin

[Indizine]

"...it would be far clearer to the posters that these were personal opinoins expressions of thanks if NO replies were allowed to testimonials."

Isn't it obvious if a member is adding a testimonial that it is their own personal expression of thanks

It goes for any thread in any forum, that members should not purposefully go off topic in order to be detrimental to the OP's point.

[admagic]

Originally Posted by Indizine

"...it would be far clearer to the posters that these were personal opinoins expressions of thanks if NO replies were allowed to testimonials."

Isn't it obvious if a member is adding a testimonial that it is their own personal expression of thanks

It goes for any thread in any forum, that members should not purposefully go off topic in order to be detrimental to the OP's point.

But that is the problem indi.

You seem to think that any subsequent posters affirmation is OK..."yes thats a great website, great bloke" is on topic
where any dissent "well actually there is a problem" is not ok and not on topic

Clearly that is a logically and philosophically indefensible position.

And one that could land moderators in trouble!!


Let us take a black and white myhthical case...
(a) Comes on the forum, ands says "thanks investmenguru who has just given this great advice on buying lehmann brothers shares.."
(b) five more people come on the forum say...yes this guys brilliant we bought them too
(c) five others come on at random and say "hey they are overgeared, be careful"
All posts (c) are deleted as off topic so only (b) remain

Investor (d) comes on , buys as a result of overwhelming social proof ( read "influence" by cialdini!!)and loses his money....and then discovers all the warnings had been deleted.

Sues the moderators and forum

And you know, He has a case in law.

For as long as the forum is JUST A PLACE WHICH ALLOWS VIEWS to be expressed in the states at least, endless case law proves th forum cannot be held to blame

The moment it expresses or favours an opinion it is giving advice, either actively or passively! and could be held responsible for advice it gives either actively or passively

Deleting all posts (c) is CLEARLY SUPPORTING favouring advice

So the only way to remain impartial is either
(a) Dont allow opinion - my thought for the testimonial thread or
(b) Allow ALL opinion which the moderators and OPs do not seem to want

And even if the legal case is not proven , the ethical case i s a no brainer.
Forums MUST NOT favour one side of a case in order to avoid giving misleading advice

[Cracking Media]

I didn't see any of the thread(s) Admagic referred to that included negative feedback, but I agree, either the Testimonials forum has to be open for positive or negative or is a no reply forum.

I think the fact is that with the Testimonials forum, a post on there is an acknowledgement that the person receiving the product or service was pleased with what they received. Whilst it may be questioned by others that in their opinion the quality of the service as they see it is actually less than good, that is not the point. The person posting is giving a testimonial and no more. In the context of that forum I don't think it is something that needs replying to.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Cracking Media

I didn't see any of the thread(s) Admagic referred to that included negative feedback, but I agree, either the Testimonials forum has to be open for positive or negative or is a no reply forum.

I think the fact is that with the Testimonials forum, a post on there is an acknowledgement that the person receiving the product or service was pleased with what they received. Whilst it may be questioned by others that in their opinion the quality of the service as they see it is actually less than good, that is not the point. The person posting is giving a testimonial and no more. In the context of that forum I don't think it is something that needs replying to.

So you don't mind paying for a load of crap that you are not qualified to identify,because one person says in there inexperienced opinion its good.?

So Joe next door says Rovers are great cars ,you would buy one on his say so.?

Alvin

[Cracking Media]

Originally Posted by Alvin

So you don't mind paying for a load of crap that you are not qualified to identify,because one person says in there inexperienced opinion its good.?

So Joe next door says Rovers are great cars ,you would buy one on his say so.?

Alvin

No I am not saying that Alvin. What I am saying is that the Testimonials forum is just that - a place where people are giving a testimony as to their satisfaction with the product or service provided.

I agree, what is provided may well be rubbish, but the point as I understood it from Admagic in starting this thread was that negative posts were being removed.

If the Testimonials forum is intended to be an open forum to which people can reply to threads (and by definition a forum suggests an open discussion of views), then I think both positive and negative responses should be allowed.

If negative responses are not allowed, then the forum needs to be marked as not allowing responses and it probably needs some sort of disclaimer saying that the testimonies given are the views of the poster as well as marking as something like "Testimonial messages" rather than as a forum.

Oh, and if Joe next door says Rovers are great cars, no I wouldn't buy one on his say so - but I might do if he said Nissan!

[Indizine]

Actually, the OP requested his thread be removed and that is what I did in the end.

[Alvin]

Afraid the whole area of testimonials is fraught with pit holes.

Things where a physical product are supplied are probably quite clear cut.

But in the case where advice ,PPC or SEO are supplied it can be very murky water.

Getting a No1 spot for "taxidermist in Knotty Ash" is a million miles from getting a No 1
spot for " mortgage brokers" .Although the animal stuffer in Knotty Ash would probably be highly delighted with his results.

And would post on the forum that XYZ SEO company was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Fact remains that many business's seeing his posting may well be influenced by his posting into retaining XYZ's services,which may mean that they would be stuffed especially if they did not live in Knotty Ash.

Don't know what the answer is ,unless there was a rule whereby people had to be specific about what service they were posting a testimonial about.?

P.S Joe reckons Honda's are pretty good.

Alvin