Product Positioning - Forum Marketing
- Thread starter adiep
- Start date
martin clark
pinko bodger
If pepe didnt pick scabs things would heal quicker without scarring.
Best strategy on webforums is just to ignore what annoys you / refuse to play the game.
Best strategy on webforums is just to ignore what annoys you / refuse to play the game.
Tony L
Administrator
Agreed. One man's "shill thread" is another man's "informative discussion with the designer". Also bare in mind that both AVI and the MDAC designer JohnW help finance the site by taking out annual pfm Trade Accounts. A win win in my view, the threads are both hugely popular (you don't get figures into the 10s of thousands by bouncing your own thread!) and viable.
Tony L
Administrator
I do, and when suspicious I certainly use it. With the greatest respect as a newbie with 20 odd posts I'd not expect you to have figured out who is who in this community yet, but rest assured the overwhelming majority are perfectly legitimate.
Having administered a forum before where I could and did check IP adresses I have no doubt that Tony can and does in the case of suspicious activity (i.e. it is down to him and the moderators to decide what to do).
However, in the case of the AIV thread the main contributors are well known on here, i.e. no sock puppets! I haven't looked at the MDAC thread for a while now, but the situation was similar there as well.
The fact that both treads are so popular with regulars here suggests that they are adding to the site, which is very likely to be keeping Tony happy.
Tony beat me to it with his comments!
However, in the case of the AIV thread the main contributors are well known on here, i.e. no sock puppets! I haven't looked at the MDAC thread for a while now, but the situation was similar there as well.
The fact that both treads are so popular with regulars here suggests that they are adding to the site, which is very likely to be keeping Tony happy.
Tony beat me to it with his comments!
As Tony said talking with the designer is fine. Some may want to.
The sock puppets are lame though and detract from the discussion. You can spot them though, always the same product recommendation (often for years) and no real interest in anything else.
The OP has a point in that some of the obviously lame sock puppet stuff could be moved elsewhere.
The sock puppets are lame though and detract from the discussion. You can spot them though, always the same product recommendation (often for years) and no real interest in anything else.
The OP has a point in that some of the obviously lame sock puppet stuff could be moved elsewhere.
russel
./_dazed_and_confused
The two threads are a little bit different, JohnW does appear to listen to his customers and I have not seen any one wind him up. Ashley appears to think all he has to do is build his product and they will come and he cannot understand why they do not. He does come across as arrogant and that makes him a target for some real abuse, whether being the Michael O'leary of the Hi-Fi world gets him any more sales through the extra publicity is something only he can judge.
Dowser
Learning to bodge again..
As per Martin, if folks bite it perpetuates, which is precisely the (successful) strategy for the AIV threads.
I see the MDAC threads differently - if you check how much input and support has been provided by the designers (not marketers), then you'd view it in a different light - IMO we should have more designers on here.
Richard
I see the MDAC threads differently - if you check how much input and support has been provided by the designers (not marketers), then you'd view it in a different light - IMO we should have more designers on here.
Richard
Stunsworth
pfm Member
I'm an M-Dac owner and I have to say I've been very impressed with JohnW's commitment to the product and responses to questions asked. I think it would be our loss if he were ever prevented from posting.
As someone who's been posting to internet forums for well over a decade I've reached the conclusion that most threads die a natural death when no one has anything left to say on a particular subject, and that in my opinion is how it should be.
As someone who's been posting to internet forums for well over a decade I've reached the conclusion that most threads die a natural death when no one has anything left to say on a particular subject, and that in my opinion is how it should be.
The OP quite clearly is using a sock puppet, here, to support his point.
Mr Perceptive
Perceptive Member
There is a huge difference in the threads, JohnW actually answers direct questions, Ashley dodges them, then disappears for a bit, and when he thinks it's quiet again, starts posting more bluster and flannel.
But I think that both threads have their negative points for the products, as a significant number of MDACs seem to have issues, whether that is down to software twiddling or IAGs quality control it is difficult to say.
But both threads seem to keep interest in the products alive.
But I think that both threads have their negative points for the products, as a significant number of MDACs seem to have issues, whether that is down to software twiddling or IAGs quality control it is difficult to say.
But both threads seem to keep interest in the products alive.
I have just bought the new ACME power supply. My system is all ACME now. Here is a picture. So much more of everything etc. I could never imagine going back.
Tony I was posting here some 3 years back, not sure what name i used then, but i recognise regulars.
There is a lot to gain by having your product name in the main list of PFM for months on end. Its not rocket science to understand that, SEO and google results show there is an entire business in doing this.
Many of these posters have 20-70 posts... They are not what youd call regulars.
This kind of marketing has happened for a long time in the investment forums. Teams will pump a share, its the old pump and dump scam.
PFM is a victim of this now with these 2 threads.
There is a lot to gain by having your product name in the main list of PFM for months on end. Its not rocket science to understand that, SEO and google results show there is an entire business in doing this.
Many of these posters have 20-70 posts... They are not what youd call regulars.
This kind of marketing has happened for a long time in the investment forums. Teams will pump a share, its the old pump and dump scam.
PFM is a victim of this now with these 2 threads.
Stunsworth
pfm Member
So someone does a search on AVI and finds this forum. When they read the threads they find lots of posts taking the piss out of the company rep and rubbishing his products. Not sure that's a great marketing strategy for any company.
Stunsworth
pfm Member
I've just tried Googling 'AVI speakers'. The first reference to this forum was on page 5 of the results.
Tony L
Administrator
I don't see it as being a 'victim' at all, quite the reverse, the threads are an asset to the site. pfm has always featured trade and industry members since it's creation over a decade ago, and as long as they are not covert, pay for their pfm Trade Account, abide by the forum AUP etc I very actively welcome them here. The two threads you mention are currently two of the most popular here, they are about products that are clearly of great interest and nothing covert is occurring here. It is a non-issue.
positive_energy
pfm Member
As someone who visits here fairly frequently I must say I didn't even notice them! I guess it all depends what you are interested in..
