Forum Signatures No Longer Viewable To Non-Logged In Users

**ShayneTilley** · Jun 9, 2009, 18:36

In November last year we changed our approach to forum signatures so that members with less than 100 posts had their signature links tagged with the 'no follow' attribute.

The main reason for this was an attempt to curb the volume of people posting meaningless crap on the forum, with the sole purpose of generating back links to their own sites.

Unfortunately this softer approach did not work, so we've been forced to take another step.

As of now, forum signatures are no longer visible to non-logged in users. Including all search engine spiders.

We treasure the quality of this forum and whilst it's an unfortunate step we needed to take, we felt it more important to create a fluff free environment where everyone is here to be a part of the community, rather than acting in their own self interest, than the small amount of link love we could give to members.

Will it mean the end of fluff posting? Probably not -- we are at the top of most lists of "forums to go to and link spam" around the web, so we're sure to still get the odd uninformed practitioner. But our fine team of moderators will be all over it.

I know this will disappoint some, but I hope you can look beyond the Google juice and help bring SitePoint back to a fluff free environment.

**r937** · Jun 9, 2009, 18:47

thank you

thank you, thank you, thank you

**Edward.H** · Jun 9, 2009, 20:28

Oh no ,it is really good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Mittineague** · Jun 9, 2009, 20:31

[sigh of relief]Whew[/sigh of relief]
What r937 said.

**logic_earth** · Jun 9, 2009, 21:57

Originally Posted by Edward.H

Oh no ,it is really bad news

It is awesome news you mean!
Maybe when you are part of the community you will understand.

**Green Moon** · Jun 9, 2009, 22:14

I think it is a good thing, but I am curious to see what it does to the volume of new posts. Will it send more than the fluff away? I suspect that at least some percentage of people who made good posts chose to participate in this forum rather than another forum because of the perceived value of the signature links.

I guess time will tell.

**AutisticCuckoo** · Jun 9, 2009, 22:35

Originally Posted by r937

thank you

thank you, thank you, thank you

Ditto!

**Kailash Badu** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:34

Originally Posted by r937

thank you

thank you, thank you, thank you

Agreed.

**Asset Finance** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:38

I dont understand, does this mean that all signatures are now non follow?

**Stomme poes** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:42

I'm confuzled, right now I'm posting this, and Mittineague is offline. So, he is not logged in right now. But I see his sig? And can click his links?

So, what happened?

Don't forget, you can always simply remove signatures entirely if this doesn't work. We don't come here for the sigs, lawlz.

**AutisticCuckoo** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:42

Originally Posted by Asset Finance

I dont understand, does this mean that all signatures are now non follow?

It means your signature won't even be seen by non-logged in users, search engine spiders, etc.

In other words, there's no point in posting fluff just to gain exposure for your signature, even if you've accumulated more than 100 posts.

**AutisticCuckoo** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:44

Originally Posted by Stomme poes

I'm confuzled, right now I'm posting this, and Mittineague is offline. So, he is not logged in right now. But I see his sig? And can click his links?

That's because you are logged in. It doesn't matter if the person who posted is logged in; it's whether the person or spider who reads the post is logged in.

Search engine spiders are never logged in, so they will never see the ~~spam~~ signature links.

**Asset Finance** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:45

so we now post on here for the love of helping others with there questions?

**ShayneTilley** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:46

If you log out of the forum, then look at this thread, you'll see no one has any forum signatures.

This means that all signatures will not be viewable to search engines as they index the threads as a non logged in user.

**ShayneTilley** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:47

Originally Posted by Asset Finance

so we now post on here for the love of helping others with there questions?

I always have

**Asset Finance** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:54

Shayne

This is a blod move for your forum to take. In my view, I have no interest in assiting people with questions out of love. I have cancelled my subscrription to Ecadmey for this reason. There is no benefit and no USP for this froum as from here in.

I was happy to post and assit people in questions they had as long as I was getting some kind of benefit. (taking the time out of my day from actually working).

I see no benefit now to this forum?

**AutisticCuckoo** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:54

Originally Posted by Asset Finance

so we now post on here for the love of helping others with there questions?

That is the whole idea, yeah.

**Dan Schulz** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:54

Originally Posted by Asset Finance

so we now post on here for the love of helping others with there questions?

And to ask questions of your own, interact with the community, and have a good time. SitePoint has never been a link factory, and anyone who truly believes that forum signature links have an appreciable SEO value really need to learn the truth - it doesn't.

Take r937 for instance. He has over 20,000 posts to his credit. (I also have over 15,000, but that's beside the point.) Now that the search engines can't see his signature links, are his rankings for the keywords in his signature going to change significantly? Nope - and if they do because of this (and it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt), I'll buy the entire SitePoint staff - that's the company, not the volunteers such as myself who help run the forums - dinner. When I fly down to Australia. On my own dime.

And you can take that cheque all the way to the bank.

**Asset Finance** · Jun 9, 2009, 23:57

well unfortunatly I have work to do.

**felgall** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:04

Originally Posted by Dan Schulz

are his rankings for the keywords in his signature going to change significantly? Nope

I don't think there's any likelihood of that being wrong. You get a far greater benefit from real people following the signature links at the bottom of useful posts where the links are relevant than any benefit you'd get from the search engines seeing them.

**Asset Finance** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:13

thats completley wrong felgal! 100% error!!

**Edward.H** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:15

Originally Posted by logic_earth

It is awesome news you mean!
Maybe when you are part of the community you will understand.

Yes haha,I am new

**Asset Finance** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:21

If things are done for the love on Sitepoint then why take sponsors. I assume they pay Sitepoint??????

**Dan Schulz** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:23

Originally Posted by Asset Finance

thats completley wrong felgal! 100% error!!

Prove it then. Because as it is right now, I have thousands of dollars on the line, since SPHQ will get to pick where I buy them dinner. And I'm sure they won't make it cheap.

**Asset Finance** · Jun 10, 2009, 00:30

"Prove it?" ha! Good luck to you, I hope you dont loose the lot!

Mark my words! all of you will suffer from this bold move!

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