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- Aug 31, 2013
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June 28, 2021 - The Updated Marketplace Rules Can Be Found Here: https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/the-black-hat-world-marketplace-rules.1295700/
As there's understandably a lot to read here, I've created a "too long, didn't read" version of this that summarises both the marketplace rules and content standards.
Before you submit your sales thread to the marketplace, it's important that you understand our marketplace content standards. Understanding these standards now will speed up the review process, meaning your thread will be approved faster.
Below, I've gone over all the marketplace content standards that you should know before you submit your marketplace thread. These marketplace content standards were in place long before I personally became a marketplace moderator, but I thought it was important for sellers to be able to view them, hence why they're not public.
Note that these content standards apply to the entirety of your thread, including your website address, contact details, sales copy, etc.
Include Your Pricing, Contact Details, Refund Policy, And Turn-Around-Time (If Applicable)
Pricing
Your pricing needs to be included in your thread, not just on your website. Your pricing should also be clearly shown in your thread and easy to find.
However, we understand that this isn't always feasible to simply list your prices with some services. A few common examples have been listed below:
Contact Details
Contact details such as a Skype ID or an email address need to be included in your thread. You may not only include a link to your contact page.
Refund Policy
You must include a refund policy in your thread (viewable in its entirety on your thread; not just a link to your website). Links to off-forum refund policies are not an acceptable alternative.
Please note that whilst a "no refunds" refund policy will be accepted in a BST, it cannot be upheld in the event of a shit list, therefore it's recommended to offer a refund under some kind of circumstance (e.g., if you do not deliver the article within the advertised TAT).
If you have a lengthy refund policy, then summarise it as much as you can before posting it in your thread.
The only section exempt from this rule is the affiliate programs section.
Turnaround-Time (TAT)
You must include the Turnaround-Time (TAT) of your service if it is applicable. If the TAT may vary, then you can include a range instead of a specific deadline, and even specify what may make the delivery take longer. If a listed TAT is considered unreasonable, such as 12 months for a PBN package, then your service may be rejected on this criteria. This is not required for services where a product is being delivered instantly (Proxies or Ebooks).
Thread Formatting
Make sure your sales thread is easy to follow and doesn't contain any redundant information. Below, I've included a common, yet simple layout based on some of the successful services that are currently in the marketplace
English
While your English needn't be perfect, your threads must be written in English well enough for it to be readable. You may not include any other languages in your sales thread.
Please note that if you plan on offering a content writing service, the community will judge your thread harshly by the English used in your thread. Additionally, if there are any contradictory claims made in your thread (e.g., Claiming you're a native English writer when your thread is written in broken English), we may either make you rewrite your thread or we may reject your thread.
Un-Quantifiable Claims
We refer to claims that are hyperbolic or cannot be proven as un-quantifiable claims.
"We Are Better Than Our Competitors" Claims
PageRank Metric – No Longer Accepted
As an educated bunch we expect all buyers of links and link packages already know that Pagerank is no longer an effective metric to use when making a purchase decision for backlink packages, as announced in 2016, Google PageRank will no longer be accepted as a metric on link building within marketplace threads. The metric has not been updated for some time now after that announcement, they clearly have no intention of updating it again.
There are a variety of other metrics to determine if a link or link package is acceptable to you when making a buying decision. All older threads which rely on PageRank sales have the option of being updated but BHW will no longer accept Google Pagerank as a metric. Old marketplace threads should consider updating their copy or submitting a new thread to stay relevant.
Do not buy based on Pagerank and expect anything spectacular to happen to your rankings and don't expect a shitlist thread to be approved based on the Pagerank metric not being accurate.
All good things come to an end and whilst we want everyone on BHW to have a positive experience when buying and selling in the Marketplace if you are buying or selling based on any outdated metrics, Pagerank included, there is a good chance that the experience will not be up to par for either party. Please take this into account when making your buying decisions.
Reviews
If you want to include reviews in your thread, they cannot be from other sites or forums.
If you wish to include reviews from a beta testing thread or an older sales thread, then the reviews need to either be included in your thread as a post quote or as a screenshot that links to the review's post URL. In other words, we need to be able to verify that the review exists.
TL;DR
Update: January 7, 2021.As there's understandably a lot to read here, I've created a "too long, didn't read" version of this that summarises both the marketplace rules and content standards.
- Include your current pricing in your thread
- Customers need to know how much you're charging.
- Include your refund policy
- Unhappy customers need to know how and if they can get a refund.
- Include off-forum contact details
- A Skype ID, email address, or similar modes of contact are acceptable.
- Do not just link to your website as this does not count.
- Include basic service information
- We need to know exactly what you're selling.
- Don't post anything that can't be verified or fraudulent claims.
- Claims need to be realistic and accurate; "best", "safe", "100%", "#1", etc cannot be verified. Purchased links and black hat services are not "white hat" or "organic/natural".
- Reviews need to be linked to their source.
- Approved by Google or Google friendly
- Claims that suggest or imply your service is an 'official BHW service' or holds a higher status than other sales threads. All sales threads are made equal.
- Do not reclaim accounts or services you provide us.
- We keep anything you send us as part of the review. If you reclaim anything after the review, your thread will be closed.
- Mention anything that's not pertinent to your service.
- As an example, if you sell VCCs or VBAs, you must specify which websites these will work on.
- Optional: Use Grammarly to check the spelling and grammar of your content.
- We highly recommend that all sellers use Grammarly or a similar content checker to ensure that your sales copy can be easily read by your potential customers.
Introduction
Before you submit your sales thread to the marketplace, it's important that you understand our marketplace content standards. Understanding these standards now will speed up the review process, meaning your thread will be approved faster.
Below, I've gone over all the marketplace content standards that you should know before you submit your marketplace thread. These marketplace content standards were in place long before I personally became a marketplace moderator, but I thought it was important for sellers to be able to view them, hence why they're not public.
Note that these content standards apply to the entirety of your thread, including your website address, contact details, sales copy, etc.
Include Your Pricing, Contact Details, Refund Policy, And Turn-Around-Time (If Applicable)
Pricing
Your pricing needs to be included in your thread, not just on your website. Your pricing should also be clearly shown in your thread and easy to find.
However, we understand that this isn't always feasible to simply list your prices with some services. A few common examples have been listed below:
- If you're offering an indefinite number of bulk accounts, you may include a "starting at" price in your thread.
- If you're advertising your social media marketing panel in the marketplace, you may include a small selection of 10 or more of your services.
- If you're offering a service with variable pricing (e.g., reactive ORM services), include examples of your services and how much you would charge for them.
Contact Details
Contact details such as a Skype ID or an email address need to be included in your thread. You may not only include a link to your contact page.
Refund Policy
You must include a refund policy in your thread (viewable in its entirety on your thread; not just a link to your website). Links to off-forum refund policies are not an acceptable alternative.
Please note that whilst a "no refunds" refund policy will be accepted in a BST, it cannot be upheld in the event of a shit list, therefore it's recommended to offer a refund under some kind of circumstance (e.g., if you do not deliver the article within the advertised TAT).
If you have a lengthy refund policy, then summarise it as much as you can before posting it in your thread.
The only section exempt from this rule is the affiliate programs section.
Turnaround-Time (TAT)
You must include the Turnaround-Time (TAT) of your service if it is applicable. If the TAT may vary, then you can include a range instead of a specific deadline, and even specify what may make the delivery take longer. If a listed TAT is considered unreasonable, such as 12 months for a PBN package, then your service may be rejected on this criteria. This is not required for services where a product is being delivered instantly (Proxies or Ebooks).
Thread Formatting
Make sure your sales thread is easy to follow and doesn't contain any redundant information. Below, I've included a common, yet simple layout based on some of the successful services that are currently in the marketplace
Title
Introduction/Sales Pitch
Background Information
Services/Products/Packages & Pricing
Contact Details
Refund Policy
FAQ
Introduction/Sales Pitch
Background Information
Services/Products/Packages & Pricing
Contact Details
Refund Policy
FAQ
English
While your English needn't be perfect, your threads must be written in English well enough for it to be readable. You may not include any other languages in your sales thread.
Please note that if you plan on offering a content writing service, the community will judge your thread harshly by the English used in your thread. Additionally, if there are any contradictory claims made in your thread (e.g., Claiming you're a native English writer when your thread is written in broken English), we may either make you rewrite your thread or we may reject your thread.
Un-Quantifiable Claims
We refer to claims that are hyperbolic or cannot be proven as un-quantifiable claims.
"100%"
"#1"
"1st"
"Best/Most"
"Superlative Adjectives (i.e adjectives ending in 'est')"
We also don't allow any claims that are inaccurate, false or impossible to guarantee, such as the following:
"#1"
"1st"
"Best/Most"
"Superlative Adjectives (i.e adjectives ending in 'est')"
"No Risk/Safe"
"Safe From Panda/Penguin/Fred/Any Update"
"White-Hat"
"Organic/Natural"
Nonsensical Claims
"Safe From Panda/Penguin/Fred/Any Update"
"White-Hat"
"Organic/Natural"
Nonsensical Claims
"We Are Better Than Our Competitors" Claims
PageRank Metric – No Longer Accepted
As an educated bunch we expect all buyers of links and link packages already know that Pagerank is no longer an effective metric to use when making a purchase decision for backlink packages, as announced in 2016, Google PageRank will no longer be accepted as a metric on link building within marketplace threads. The metric has not been updated for some time now after that announcement, they clearly have no intention of updating it again.
There are a variety of other metrics to determine if a link or link package is acceptable to you when making a buying decision. All older threads which rely on PageRank sales have the option of being updated but BHW will no longer accept Google Pagerank as a metric. Old marketplace threads should consider updating their copy or submitting a new thread to stay relevant.
Do not buy based on Pagerank and expect anything spectacular to happen to your rankings and don't expect a shitlist thread to be approved based on the Pagerank metric not being accurate.
All good things come to an end and whilst we want everyone on BHW to have a positive experience when buying and selling in the Marketplace if you are buying or selling based on any outdated metrics, Pagerank included, there is a good chance that the experience will not be up to par for either party. Please take this into account when making your buying decisions.
Reviews
If you want to include reviews in your thread, they cannot be from other sites or forums.
If you wish to include reviews from a beta testing thread or an older sales thread, then the reviews need to either be included in your thread as a post quote or as a screenshot that links to the review's post URL. In other words, we need to be able to verify that the review exists.
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