Why is SMC behind a login?

[Jack Humphrey]

I chose to test out the effectiveness of putting everything but the front page of this site behind a login for a simple reason: I wanted to see if it would generate more members if they had to create an account to read what looked like an interesting blog, forum post, or group from the title.

Guess what? It DID.

Everything here is spiderable by Google. Just not people who are not members.

This isn't your typical social site. The value doesn't come from having yet another remote blog site (ning has millions alone) to post content readable by the public.

The value comes from the information shared. Once I took away the appearance that this place only existed to provide marketers with yet another link to get google juice, the quality of the content improved. Or at least, the amount of spam went down drastically.

I'm not happy with the level of participation here at all. And a lot of that is my fault for being in 100 places at once. While the spammers started going away, the real members here for the most part haven't filled the void.

Now, instead of having 5-10 spammy posts a day to delete, there seems to be little action from real members asking questions and providing answers.

I am going to start putting up exclusive content here that isn't found on the blog or elsewhere to help generate that feeling of getting involved by members who are wondering what this place is all about and if they SHOULD even get involved.

I appreciate the efforts of people like Chris Lang and Walt Goshert to keep up the discussion.

I want this place to be, above all, one of the best FREE places to learn a lot about beginner to intermediate social marketing tactics.

That trumps it being a place just to build links. We have plenty of those and not nearly enough places to learn about social marketing in an environment that is conducive to learning.

So please, if you have a question, it is NOT dumb and newbies are encouraged to post them - that's why this place exists.

If we don't know what's on your mind, we cannot guess and just hope what we put up here answers all your questions.

Get involved and ask away. There are pros here just dying to help, really.

[Chris Lang]

Well said Jack,

You are the leader here and we need you. I came here to learn from you. I can call myself one of the most skilled social marketers there is, in reality I am just the most overactive. If you want to create bookmarking links, do so at the link I gave you in my forum post, I will even help you do so in my group. SMC is about straight up interaction and social marketing by being social.

We are here to learn form each other. I am not here to sell product, or.... Well we settled that one, didn't we?

I have learned so much in the last 6 months and I have shared allot of it. I am looking forward to what you have to say Jack and it is time you came back and fleshed out what you started.

Lets get Willie Crawford back posting here. Let's get Michael Fortin here. Let's get Jeff Walker that got me interested in social bookmarking here. Eban Pagan, are you listening? You have the clout Jack, I came here to make myself known to the big boys and you are one of them Jack. I have to remember why I started out with SMC and right now I am realizing how far I have come, personally and professionally in the last six months. SMC has allot to do with it. My next door neighbors, JohnT and Sexy Social Marketing to you, have had even more. Social networking at it's best.

I have thought many times about my own social marketing / bookmarking site, but that is not what I am about. Heck I could write the code myself. I sell info products, that is what I do for now. Why try to go be the top dog when all I really want is 10 acres of beach front in Mexico?

Let's go to work here Jack, I am with you.

Cheers = Chris Lang

[Jack Humphrey]

Why did you have to bring up beach front property? You totally threw off my train of thought. Now I have to get that out of my head and get back to work. Like when a song gets stuck in your head!

FYI - I've made everything public again.

Sorry for toying with everyone's emotions, but I am just testing the crap out of this system to see what works best and today my interest is getting a lot of this great content submitted and recognized by the social sites.

Hard to do when every link you submit is "you must be logged in" to see this.

I really am not this flip floppy most of the time.

So we're open for linking again.

Please submit any page here that you find interesting to all your favorite sites.

Maybe I'll use the ability to turn this site off to the public as a punishment for over zealous members when they get out of hand.

"I'll take your toys away!"

[Chris Lang]

No, NO, not my toys!

I will actually have to work instead of blathering on here.

[PotPieGirl]

Beach Front? Flip-Floppy? Yes, those are the buzz words in this thread that got me here.. haha! How can I get ANY work done with thoughts of beach and flip-flops on my brain?? =)

Granted I am VERY new here to Social Marketing Central and haven't had the time to get through all it has to offer, but I would like to offer my assistance if you'd like it. I am not a social marketing diva, but I know a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. I also remember how frustrating and over-whelming learning all this internet marketing stuff was, so any community that cuts that frustration factor for newbies is a winner in my book!

This seems to be a wonderful community. My hats off to you for creating it.

Jennifer

[Walt Goshert]

Beach- front, flip-flops... and golf=

Paradise

[Keith Thompson]

How did you find my favorite hole? Kapalua Plantation Course, right? I read your auto-responder series Walt. Some good stuff in there! More on this to you later, since you asked. Right now I gotta go make a new Digg account somewhere. They booted me. Beginning to wonder if they're worth all the effort!

Keith

[Walt Goshert]

Keith... you're the winner of today's golf give-away.

I owe you a sleeve of golf balls.

[PotPieGirl]

Golf? Who said golf? Geee, thanks a lot, Walt!

That's it - I'm clocking out for the day!

[Chris Lang]

Cantcha just feel the love here today? Golf, flip-flopin and beach front property talk, I feel the breath of new life here....