A Note to FanPosters

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 7:03 PM EST Comment 52 comments

We're happy to have as large a community with as many posts as the system can handle. However, BE's FanPosts aren't a way for you to cheaply advertise your product or writing elsewhere.

A few simple rules for you to follow:

1. If you are just hawking an event or product, you may or may not get your FanPost removed. If you do it repeatedly, you are most definitely getting it removed. We'll let you slide with the free advertising for a little while, but we have our limit.

2. If you are hawking your writing, find another title than the one you're already using in the piece. You cannot shamelessly promote your work here because you aren't getting the pageviews where your work actually resides. We do encourage all readers to post their work if they've written somewhere else, but please provide original titles for BE FanPosts.

3. If you are putting the title of your site or blog in your FanPost to get it more attention, it's getting removed. BE is a place of ideas. Either stand on them or split. We aren't a free billboard service.

Thanks for the awesome contributions. Carry on.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

12 recs | Comment 52 comments

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As a fan of this site and the fanposts here I say…. Bravo!!
Good stuff luke. Carry on.

by beerdo on Dec 21, 2009 7:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I was wondering when this was gonna happen.

by thisredengine on Dec 21, 2009 7:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I gotta agree with this.

I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand

by vivero on Dec 21, 2009 7:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Understood

Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade

by Deo Wade on Dec 21, 2009 8:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree also, just wondering…it seems like Brent maybe told someone to shamelessly plug their site when they posted an article from it.

I can die happy now that I've been to a UFC event. 107 rocked

by slapjaw ackrite on Dec 21, 2009 8:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I told him that he should plug his site in his sig (which I still think he should) as well as when writing a fanpost about how he runs a site that he should specify the site. I personally stand by both of those things.

Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com

by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 21, 2009 8:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Right on. Like I said, just wondering. Keep up the good work.

I can die happy now that I've been to a UFC event. 107 rocked

by slapjaw ackrite on Dec 21, 2009 9:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t understand. Is it

A. “We do encourage all readers to post their work if they’ve written somewhere else”

B. " If you are putting the title of your site or blog in your FanPost to get it more attention, it’s getting removed."

Are people allowed to share articles they have written elsewhere? In part or in full? Can share, but with no link? Help us with understanding the intent here. Some fan posts are getting more discussion than the front page posts. Is this a bad thing?

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 21, 2009 8:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I mentioned this awhile ago to Luke, but haven’t spoken to him recently and didn’t know this decision was going to be made. I should also add that I am speaking personally and not as a representative of Bloody Elbow, SBN, etc. etc.

I’ve found the constant Heavy.com “FanPosts” to be transparent and shameless advertisements. It has bothered me to no end to see our site, in my eyes, prostituted to draw readers to another site without any sort of compensation in return (to my knowledge, anyway).

The FanPosts have been abused (and Heavy isn’t the only culprit, but I won’t point fingers) and our laisez-faire approach didn’t help matters. I think the FanPosts are a great tool, but they shouldn’t be used as free ad space, especially for the “competition”.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Dec 21, 2009 10:03 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

In other words, these are “Fan” posts, not Free Advertising for Professional Writers From Other Sites posts.

by ufc4 on Dec 21, 2009 10:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

MMA Mania was our SBNation advertising partner. No one thought of this as advertising. And if that is what it is, frankly, it isn’t good advertising.

It’s a fun place to talk to other fans. I thought we were creating plenty of good conversations…

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 21, 2009 10:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“It’s a fun place to talk to other fans. I thought we were creating plenty of good conversations…”

You are and so are lots of other great people. The request is merely that this space keep marketing very soft. This is our way of asking that.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 10:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

As for MMA Mania: they have their rules and customs. We have ours.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 10:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow

What complete Bull$hit. It is straight up advertising, nothing more, nothing less. If your site was getting half the traffic that Bloody elbow receives, you would “have fun talking to fans and making good conversation” at your own site. I am not saying you shouldn’t post your stuff here if Luke and Nate are nice enough to allow it, but lets call a spade a spade here. The flat out lying is insulting.

by Nick Travaglini on Dec 22, 2009 5:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Heavy.com had something like 6 million uniques the first month I was there. So….whatever.

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 22, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

As a dude who posts fanposts..

Posting on here doesn’t drive hits, honestly.

BE has its own community and brings its own sort of discussion.

I agree that some of the fanposts are a bit ridiculous.

Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend

by D.W. on Dec 22, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know why

But this made me laugh. Probably because our rules consist of me Emailing Mania and saying “Is this OK?”

It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.

by Jesse Holland on Dec 23, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I like the Heavy stuff, but some of the other ones where people are flat out hawking merch. or something else (like the guy posting about the Hammill movie a while back) or the ones that are like “I interviewed so-and-so, here’s the link, go read it!!!”, those are annoying.

by ufc4 on Dec 22, 2009 12:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Especially the exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba

by Blackout612 on Dec 22, 2009 12:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, you can’t share articles you have in full here regardless of title. We only accept snippets, be it the FanPosts or the front page.

As for your heavy stuff, all I’m asking is to keep doing what you’re doing with one change. Blockquote a portion of the text from the original in the FanPost, but give the FanPost a title different than the original piece. Do that and we’ll be fine.

This has nothing to do with FanPosts getting more or less discussion than the front page stuff. Believe me, we don’t look at like competition.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"Believe me, we don’t look at like competition."

Should read:

Believe me, we don’t look at IT like competition.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course not. They are all posts on your site,

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 21, 2009 10:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m glad to see a line being drawn on the “advertorial” style fanposts; some people seem to think this is just a platform to be exploited for their own site.

About the titles though… I publish some fanposts that are my own original articles in their entirety. Do I have to come up with a distinct title for BE now? I’m kinda confused on that point.

by smoogy2 on Dec 21, 2009 9:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No

You have to start a website with lots of pop-up ads for HGH and gaudy t-shirts.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba

by Blackout612 on Dec 21, 2009 9:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

If the FanPost is original

You can make the title whatever you want, basically.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 21, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Amen.

I was getting really fucking sick of tapology and heavy using the fanposts as a billboard. It feels like everyone else has given up on fanposts, almost.

by inadvertentgroinstrike on Dec 21, 2009 10:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

the heavy stuff didn’t bother me because I like(d) reading those (fan)posts, but the other people/sites that are/were doing it bug me…

by Reaser16 on Dec 21, 2009 11:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This

"Well... You're damned if you do, and You're damned if you don't."- Bart Simpson

by poundnground on Dec 22, 2009 12:58 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Word.

Actual FanPosts are/were just getting pushed off the recommended list.

by twotone on Dec 23, 2009 3:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i wont pile on, but as a lurker i am pleased by these rules.

by sadface on Dec 21, 2009 10:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Personally, I’d rather keep the heavy.com / tapology posts and delete the ones that cannot even muster the discipline required to punctuate their shit correctly.

by Ahhhoki on Dec 21, 2009 11:46 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Heck

I’d go as far as to add the Fanpost’s for Dummies post from a while back, because with alot of the new posters, the average quality has kinda been watered down.

Of course, you could put kids Chris Hordecki’s age on fan post duty, and there would still be a gem at least every other day. Wait…he’s how old?…Nuh-uh!!!

"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate

by kyfm621 on Dec 21, 2009 11:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Don’t panic, guys. In practice, all this means is no matter what have a original title and leave the source name out of said title unless there is a journalistic reason to include it.

Very little of what you guys already do will be affected. And I suspect the quality won’t go down at all.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 22, 2009 12:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Shit I panicked.

Seriously though, please don’t delete the Heavy and Tapology fanposts. I look forward to seeing many of the Heavy articles posted here, and no way in hell am I going to go to a mess of a website which is Heavy,com.

by nottheface on Dec 22, 2009 3:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

New Heavy.com coming in the new year. It is a painful mess is it not?

heavy.com/sports

is easier to navigate than heavy.com

I really had no idea that this was an issue, no idea that our posts were bothering people, and frankly, had been explicitly told by BE people that posting our stuff was a great thing. Last thing I would like is to foster any ill will, which we were somehow doing by adding free content and interviews with MMA’s biggest stars.

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 22, 2009 9:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The only thing I have posted (outside of my genius and sometimes witty comments!) is an invitation for BE peeps to play our pick ’em contest.

Is that OK, or would you prefer it not happen?

Either way is cool. I enjoy BE and don’t want to incur the wrath!

www.ultimatefightsource.com
Come visit us!

by ultimatefightsource on Dec 22, 2009 10:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I also just dropped my signature.

I think the user contributions here are one of the things that make this site great and I would prefer to read original content, like how hot Jake Shields is, rather than a partial article linking to another website for the entire read.

by ultimatefightsource on Dec 22, 2009 10:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You should definitely feel free to promote your own website in your signature.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 22, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BE is a one site fits all.

I'm old school hating Lesnar, I've been hating Lesnar since '08

by MicahW on Dec 22, 2009 10:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Fanposts and Schilling

While it’s comforting to read several posts in favor of our content, it’s clear that the majority of those commenting in this post wish for the practice to either cease entirely or to change drastically.

I have sent an personal apology to Luke, and I’d like to apologize to those whose experience on this website I’ve adversely affected. Long time readers of this site will remember me as a “regular” fan post contributor and, to this day, a frequent commenter. I enjoy this site and the vast majority of its community. It has been a great treat for me to be able to share my work, covering the sport we all love, with the Bloody Elbow community.

It’s inarguable that I was schilling both my own work and the site for which I write. I was under the impression that this was an acceptable practice, at least in the manner in which I did so. For my part, I do feel that, with the exception of my choice of titles, my fanposts lived up the the guidelines that have been set for creating fanposts. I hope that is at least a bit of consolation to those who have found my schilling distasteful.

I really wish those who have a problem with what I and other have been doing for the past two months would have expressed their displeasure earlier. I am sympathetic to those who are displeased, and I would have liked the opportunity to address the issue before it came to a head like this.

I am sure that I will write some things in the future that I will want to share with this community, whose opinion I value. I encourage everyone to let me know if my fanposts offend you.

Twitter @brettcjones
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Dec 22, 2009 3:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Slow Down

Maybe 10 people on a site with a readership in the thousands complained about your posts. I don’t think, if an apology is due, it is from you to anyone.

by JonathanSnowden on Dec 22, 2009 3:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I appreciate the sincerity of your message, but you need not apologize. I don’t the staff feels taken advantage of. We’re just looking to incorporate some housekeeping rules. No one person or site is being targeted.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 22, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"I don’t the staff feels taken advantage of"

should read:

“I don’t think the staff feels taken advantage of”

by Luke Thomas on Dec 22, 2009 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This fan post has unofficially jumped the shark. A post basically about a formatting issue and some general fan post up keep has taken on a life of its own.

Rules are in place to keep BE organized and running smoothly. I’m sure all SB nation blogs have pretty much the same policy.

Oh and btw check out our site and twitter account…..“we got Christmas gifts to buy” and any extra traffic would help out a lot lol

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/ultmma

http://www.ultmma.com

by ultmma on Dec 22, 2009 4:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs