Livening up the Forums

[iainr]

An observation is that the forums aren't that busy - and it's always good to have popular forums.

Perhaps a more prominent link on the website would help drive a bit more traffic here - I didn't even notice the forums until I had actually started using my hosting.
The only link is in the "Support" section of the site - perhaps if it had its own link in the navigation bar, or with the "Home" "sitemap" and "Contact us" links at the top.

[hotdog]

Problem is a lot of the posts get deleted by the staff if they hint of negative feedback.
Constructive debate is healthy and shows they are only human but they do not see it this way.

Originally Posted by hotdog

Problem is a lot of the posts get deleted by the staff if they hint of negative feedback.
Constructive debate is healthy and shows they are only human but they do not see it this way.

Actually very little posts get deleted, most get moved to the appropriate forums since they are posted in the wrong place. You are in fact, one of maybe 3 people who have had there posts deleted. And the reason had nothing to do with negative feedback. It had to do with being uncooperative and pointlessly bashing/flaming us when we tried our best to help you.

If you have nothing else to do but start trouble on our forums in constructive posts I will have to ask you to please leave.

Originally Posted by iainr

Perhaps a more prominent link on the website would help drive a bit more traffic here - I didn't even notice the forums until I had actually started using my hosting.
The only link is in the "Support" section of the site - perhaps if it had its own link in the navigation bar, or with the "Home" "sitemap" and "Contact us" links at the top.

I agree there and it has been suggested to our webmaster to do something about that. I find it is hard to get to the forums, going through support, and then "Online community". Although the link is in the welcome emails and guides, and plastered all over, we know how much people read those.

[iainr]

Originally Posted by GatorJay

I agree there and it has been suggested to our webmaster to do something about that. I find it is hard to get to the forums, going through support, and then "Online community". Although the link is in the welcome emails and guides, and plastered all over, we know how much people read those.

The Welcome email points you to the getting started page, the only reference to the forums is

Another great place for help and discussion is the HostGator Reseller Hosting Forum.

This could perhaps put people who aren't a reseller (ie webhosting and dedicated) off going to the forums - they aren't referenced through any other name on that particular page.

I know i'm nit picking - but little things help

Originally Posted by iainr

The Welcome email points you to the getting started page, the only reference to the forums is
This could perhaps put people who aren't a reseller (ie webhosting and dedicated) off going to the forums - they aren't referenced through any other name on that particular page.

I know i'm nit picking - but little things help

I agree. And good points. I will make sure this is read.

[hotdog]

Originally Posted by GatorJay

Actually very little posts get deleted, most get moved to the appropriate forums since they are posted in the wrong place. You are in fact, one of maybe 3 people who have had there posts deleted. And the reason had nothing to do with negative feedback. It had to do with being uncooperative and pointlessly bashing/flaming us when we tried our best to help you.

If you have nothing else to do but start trouble on our forums in constructive posts I will have to ask you to please leave.

Take a look at my post count, now look at those posts where I have actually helped someone out on here, whats the ratio, 8:1 ? 9:1 maybe and you claim I am "being uncooperative and pointlessly bashing/flaming you" I have always followed all the rules, even on the posts that were deleted (which was reviews about HG which they ask about).

Fine, if you want me to stop helping people out on these forums, fine, you guys often dont answer stuff (the proof is in the posts), your staff has admitted they are not 'up on the play' so advice is limited from them, they could get help from us users that may have come across the problem before but no, we get silenced for being helpful. Whats wrong with honestly??

I just ask people to keep an eye on the experience thread, and watch the red dots disappear and notice how the green ones actually break the rules as they don't have support ticket id's and are often from newbies just signed on, friends maybe?

Originally Posted by hotdog

Take a look at my post count, now look at those posts where I have actually helped someone out on here, whats the ratio, 8:1 ? 9:1 maybe and you claim I am "being uncooperative and pointlessly bashing/flaming you" I have always followed all the rules, even on the posts that were deleted (which was reviews about HG which they ask about).

Fine, if you want me to stop helping people out on these forums, fine, you guys often dont answer stuff (the proof is in the posts), your staff has admitted they are not 'up on the play' so advice is limited from them, they could get help from us users that may have come across the problem before but no, we get silenced for being helpful. Whats wrong with honestly??

I just ask people to keep an eye on the experience thread, and watch the red dots disappear and notice how the green ones actually break the rules as they don't have support ticket id's and are often from newbies just signed on, friends maybe?

You have been very helpful to others, I never said you haven't. But what you are doing is considered "trolling" the forum. You were looking to make an argument or make a point in a constructive post, which you succeeded in.

Maybe you have more insight into how things are done around here, but the title in my browser reads, "HostGator Peer Support Forums". These forums are you and other customers of HostGator to help eachother. The staff members of HostGator take there own time out of the day, and manytimes use there own time to answer questions here, but this is not the place to get instant answers and problems solved. That is why we have 24/7 livechat, phone, and email support.

Positive or Negative reviews on our review forum do not require a ticket ID. When a negative review is made, one of our staff will usually ask for the ticket so we can try and solve whatever the problem was. I will not go into your conspiracy theory about positive and negative posts, because that is all it is. Once again, if you are looking to start trouble, do not do it here because it will not be tolerated.

[oldmill]

lol. anyway...back on topic...

Perhaps the members here and plan holders could be encouraged with a wee present to lilnk back to Gator from their site as I have done here.


http://gatheronline.net/index.php?page=shopping

A good link for my members should they be looking for hosting.

[hotdog]

Gatorjay, I'm not looking to start anything, but please correct me if I am wrong (and I can be wrong), at least one of the reasons given why my post was deleted out of the experience thread was because it did not contain a ticket number? I believe I have the copy of the thread if needed. Also, again please correct me if wrong again, all 3 posts were truthful, detailed, with ticket numbers and followed all the rules, were they not?

I'll try not to bring this up again. If you can give me these answers, it would be most appreciated. You may call it trolling, but the reasons you gave (when threads were deleted) I took as right over wrong (I was wrong). I am looking to learn the rules but it seems the goal posts keep moving. We (the members) know you delete threads from that section, we aren't stupid, you censor us on here so we chat behind the scenes, remember the old school days ...? same thing, by blocking us you send us underground, dont block us we stay above board and allow you to give your 2c worth which would always be in your benifit, one to show your only human and two to show you may try to do something about a problem. Instead we learn you have a 'to hard basket' which more than a few of us have fallen into and the threads get removed.

Back to topic, how about RSS feed, if you can't bring them in, why not send it out. With the feed it could be like highlights or latest topics or updates of certain sections to make people curious enough to come see more ...

[iainr]

Originally Posted by hotdog

how about RSS feed, if you can't bring them in, why not send it out. With the feed it could be like highlights or latest topics or updates of certain sections to make people curious enough to come see more ...

I like that idea, there is probably a plugin for vbulletin available. Let people have an rss feed on their site/blog se visitors can see what i going on

Originally Posted by oldmill

Perhaps the members here and plan holders could be encouraged with a wee present to lilnk back to Gator from their site as I have done here.

If you sign up to the affiliates scheme you can get a little present hehe

Originally Posted by hotdog

Back to topic, how about RSS feed, if you can't bring them in, why not send it out. With the feed it could be like highlights or latest topics or updates of certain sections to make people curious enough to come see more ...

I am not going to continue to argue about your conspiracy theories, and why you think your thread was deleted, this is the last I will say about it. The issue had nothing to do with a ticket number, it was because you posted a billing problem in the review section, not a review. Brent, owner of hostgator, tried his best to assist you with that problem but you would not take his answer and continued on a war path with us. Please do not post anything more about this, if you wish to argue it then private message me to do so. I will answer to your idea though, since this is what the thread is meant to be about.

A RSS feed is very possible, although at the current time we are not doing any modifications to the board as the new version of vbulletin (3.5) should be out in the upcoming weeks/months. It will have a ton of new features and pretty much render anything we do now useless. Once that version is out we will be adding a ton of new features and optimizations to the forum.

As for the affiliate program, that is the best idea for when you are linking to us. www.hostgator.com/affiliates.shtml has all of the information for that.