Running a Guest Post test

Have suggestions to improve this community?
This topic has expert replies

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

Running a Guest Post test

by beatthegmat » Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:30 pm
Just wanted to give people a heads up that I'll be running a week-long test to allow guest posting on the 'GMAT Strategy', 'GMAT Math', 'GMAT Verbal' and 'I just Beat The GMAT' forum areas.

Only members will be allowed to participate in other forum areas as well as download files. Thanks!
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:05 pm
One more note: as always, feedback is welcome. :)
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2469
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: BtG Underground
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:14 members

by aim-wsc » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:59 pm
Is becoming a member is that difficult for guests :?

I know, usually on every site there are more than double the number of guests than registered members at any given time.

So it's a nice move. it'll encourage guests to register. :)

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:39 pm
I may be extending the test to one month--we'll see...
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2469
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: BtG Underground
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:14 members

by aim-wsc » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:06 am
beatthegmat wrote:I may be extending the test to one month--we'll see...

Why guests have posting access to announcement and lounge sections?

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:19 am
What are your thoughts on this--does it make sense to allow guests access to this area?

I allowed it because I thought guests might want to have input in the Lounge and Suggestions areas, but maybe I'm wrong...
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2469
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: BtG Underground
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:14 members

by aim-wsc » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:22 am
we are quitta much liberal. aren't we :mrgreen:
let them have their say in suggestion section. :)

but announcement is site's official area.
and lounge has great scope. it can grow in direction.

I believe lounge is more personal space. we may sometimes do leg pulling of other members and i dont think we should allow strangers to interfere there.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:40 am
I'm cool with that. :)
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2469
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: BtG Underground
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:14 members

by aim-wsc » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:57 pm
beatthegmat wrote:I may be extending the test to one month--we'll see...
high time we should have an assessment about it.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:00 am
The test shall continue indefinitely. So far I've been pleased with the results, in that it's helped to draw in some more of our silent readers...
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:35 am
Thanked: 3 times

by beny » Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:49 pm
I'm against guest postings.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 6773
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 1249 times
Followed by:994 members

by beatthegmat » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:36 pm
beny wrote:I'm against guest postings.
I know you've had some negative experiences with the guest posts, but I strongly believe that opening up the community has helped to draw in more of our otherwise silent readership--it takes away the barrier of registration.

It may be frustrating to some that guest posts are anonymous--but registered member posts are anonymous as well. The character of this GMAT & MBA community has not really changed at all by opening up the funnel of participants.

Testing continues for now...
Beat The GMAT | The MBA Social Network
Community Management Team

Research Top GMAT Prep Courses:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/gmat-prep-courses

Research The World's Top MBA Programs:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/school

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:35 am
Thanked: 3 times

by beny » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:32 pm
Registered posts are not anonymous in that registered users garner a reputation. Posts will be held accountable to the specific users, and other users can esteem post quality and reliability based on the reputation of the poster.

I know that I personally refrain from answering or assisting with anything posted by guest members -- what are they contributing to the forum? They only post when they have a specific problem. These posters are leeching, at very best, and not actually providing quality posts -- so what does it matter that you are drawing in more posters, if the majority of the posts are of shabby quality?

In other forums that I frequent, it becomes quickly apparent which posters are strict leechers and which are contributers. The leechers ONLY ask for help, and never post for any other reason. This too becomes part of a user's reputation. These members on other forums rarely get any help.

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2469
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: BtG Underground
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:14 members

by aim-wsc » Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:20 am
As long as we obey some general forum rules and etiquettes (this applies to all forums on www) of posting on boards; we dont/wont find any trouble.

Forums usually meant for sharing ones ^personal^ experiences and opinions.
For general info you always have google/ answer.com etc but it's 'YOUR-specific-query-answered' that makes foorums in vouge.

It's absolutely normal AND acceptable to have so called leachers on the boards. Such posts actually give me(?) opportunity to post a reply on the forums. & they are certainly adding something to the forums...

I've seen many guests who have helped on btG. They're on other side as well ;)

If I dont see ^leechers^ queries answered, I'd call that: a bad forum.

Being biased towards certain members and personal attacks are regarded as 'bad forum manners'.

-you have a queery
-you post it
-somebody answers it
-other members put their opinions and add other perspectives.
-visitors get benefited from the thread(?).
-if you disagree with some info/or others opinions: you put yours (... but you just can't say something like 'take my advice & ignore his' )

THIS IS how forum works...

As long as guest users are concerned I dont see the overall quality of forums degrading. & I dont expect it to be superior either. :)

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:41 pm
Thanked: 24 times

by Prasanna » Sat Aug 25, 2007 2:48 pm
I agree with aim-wsc. There are advs and disadvs. We can continue with the test for now. If the rules are breached regularly we can tighten the control.