Rules on threads based on blog posts

[ScubaWithTurk]

As someone who just started a new scuba site, which at this time is basically a blog, I was wondering what the rules were as it relates to me sharing the pieces I have written.

I would rather ask than to post and find out I broke a rule and I could not find a sticky on this subject but thought I had see rules relating to this somewhere.

 

[The Chairman]

There are no formal rules, however, you might be interested in some guidelines that will help you attract users here and on your blog...

• Start a dedicated thread for your blog in an appropriate area
  • Give it a fun title
  • Put the thread link or your URL in your signature. (You've done the latter already: Good Job!)
  • Keep posting... keep posting.
• Your first post should be the entire blog entry
  • Users hate to follow a link they just don't trust.
  • Your content will be more easily found here anyway
• Subsequent posts can be excerpts and if you've won them over with the first post, you'll do fine. If not, you'll do better just posting the entire contents here with a link to the original
  • Users hate to follow a link they don't trust
  • Your content will be more easily found here anyway
• You can share the content you post here directly onto Facebook, Twitter etc
  • We have SEO and they don't
  • Google is King when searching for content. It's GTS (Google that Sh*t) and not FTS
• Be sure to set your keywords for every post
• Be gentle with users and their questions
  • Never get defensive or fight back
  • Use the report post feature if they are derailing your thread or being obnoxious
• Always, always, always keep it fun, fun, fun
  • Controversy attracts eyes, but don't troll
  • Outrageousness attracts eyes, but don't offend
  • Youtube embeds attract eyes
  • Great pics attract eyes
• Stay on topic

 

[The Chairman]

Caveat: If you don't have a storefront, ScubaBoard.com might be a better venue for your blog for several reasons

• SEO, SEO, SEO
  • When people GTS, we come up more often than any other Scuba entity.
  • Your chances of being 'found' are obviously greater here than on your own URL.
• Everything is already set up for you here
  • We are the CMS easy button
• We already know how to defeat the fidiot bots, scammers, and trolls.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

There are no formal rules, however, you might be interested in some guidelines that will help you attract users here and on your blog...

• Start a dedicated thread for your blog in an appropriate area
  • Give it a fun title
  • Put the thread link or your URL in your signature. (You've done the latter already: Good Job!)
• Your first post should be the entire blog entry
  • Users hate to follow a link they just don't trust.
  • Your content will be more easily found here anyway
• Subsequent posts can be excerpts and if you've won them over with the first post, you'll do fine. If not, you'll do better just posting the entire contents here with a link to the original
  • Users hate to follow a link they don't trust
  • Your content will be more easily found here anyway
• You can share the content you post here directly onto Facebook, Twitter etc
  • We have SEO and they don't
  • Google is King when searching for content. It's GTS (Google that Sh*t) and not FTS
• Be sure to set your keywords for every post
• Be gentle with users and their questions
  • Never get defensive or fight back
  • Use the report post feature if they are derailing your thread or being obnoxious
• Always, always, always keep it fun, fun, fun
  • Controversy attracts eyes, but don't troll
  • Outrageousness attracts eyes, but don't offend
  • Youtube embeds attract eyes
  • Great pics attract eyes
• Stay on topic

Thank you for the great suggestions. I think the hard part will be to find the “appropriate area” as none seem to be quite right. I will give it some more thought before I decide on an area.

 

[The Chairman]

Thank you for the great suggestions. I think the hard part will be to find the “appropriate area” as none seem to be quite right. I will give it some more thought before I decide on an area.

Ask your friendly neighborhood mod. They were chosen because they want to help others: not to be the SB police.

BTW, since you read it, I added one line to the first bullet point: Keep posting, keep posting. The more you post, the more you'll get noticed. Don't be afraid to mention your thread if the discussion merits it. I have several that I've started, some I've been faithful to (I finally bought a house in Cave Country! W00T!!!) and some I need to rekindle as my quest continues (My Cave Diving blog... On my way to the Abe Davis Award.)

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Ask your friendly neighborhood mod. They were chosen because they want to help others: not to be the SB police.

BTW, since you read it, I added one line to the first bullet point: Keep posting, keep posting. The more you post, the more you'll get noticed. Don't be afraid to mention your thread if the discussion merits it. I have several that I've started, some I've been faithful to (I finally bought a house in Cave Country! W00T!!!) and some I need to rekindle as my quest continues (My Cave Diving blog... On my way to the Abe Davis Award.)

I will do just that but said mod has been flying a lot so his arms are tired.

I should have been posting more but took a sabbatical when SB was blocked at work and then was unable to dive for a few months. It was hard to come here and read about diving when I couldn’t get in the water. But I have been lurking and will post more!

For now I think I may post a piece in the SB article area and then work to find the right area for a single thread for all my blog posts.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Ask your friendly neighborhood mod. They were chosen because they want to help others: not to be the SB police.

Oh I never think of mods as SB police. I have good experiences and I know if I happen to get out of line I will be gently prodded back into place. To date everyone associated with SB has been nothing but kind and helpful.