Selling outside the marketplace and signature rules

Hello and thanks for your time ...

I just read a dozen forum threads about "selling outside the marketplace" and confused myself completely.

I'm truly sorry if these questions have been adequately explained in the past, but I have a few scenarios to run by you.

Some of these questions are nested - in the sense, that the answer to one question, may clarify a different question.

Thanks again for your time and effort - I appreciate it, and I will stick to the rules. Ok here goes ...


1) I just upgraded to Jr. VIP so I can deploy 3 forum signature links. Can I directly link to offsite products and/or services?
In other words, my signature link would be used to advertise a product/service outside the BHW marketplace, to an external website that I own.
(OR would I need to link my forum signature to internal BHW marketplace posts of mine - essentially selling a product/service inside BHW instead)


2. If I provide a helpful answer in a forum thread, and genuinely believe a service in my signature link can help a member solve their issue - can I explicitly say something like "Check out my signature link to solve your problem"?
(If this is allowed, then the type of internal/external signature links I would explicitly call out in a forum answer, would also depend on the answer to Q1 above)


3. If someone sends me a question via private message about a link in my signature, or information I provided in a forum thread - can I answer and "sell" my externally linked service, outside of the marketplace - or do I need to refer them instead, to my existing internal BHW marketplace offer?
(I have already received a lot of PM interest, in my area of expertise, so I need to understand what I can say, and "not say" in my private message replies)


4. Can I get in trouble for being "too helpful" in specific forum threads?
I plan on contributing a lot of value to specific BHW categories ... and my goal is to establish credibility. As a result, I may end up answering dozens of questions every week with detailed content based on my extensive experience. Some of those answers may entice (but not encourage, assuming Q2 answer above) people to click my forum signature link to learn more about the topic of discussion. If I answer too many questions in a helpful way, could I be breaking a rule, as my "not so subtle tactic" to getting people to notice my signature links, would be to answer people with high quality content and possible entice them to consider me an expert.


Please note ... the above questions might imply I'm about to engage in a giant spam fest, to hard-promote my products and services.

This is not the case ... I don't plan on running around at every opporunity to pimp my stuff.

I just want to clarify the boundaries concerning "selling outside the marketplace" so I don't get into any more trouble.

Thanks for your time - and once again, I apologize if these questions have been answered previously.

I hope that future forum members will see this thread, and get direct answers to these questions.

wolfman1 said:

1) I just upgraded to Jr. VIP so I can deploy 3 forum signature links. Can I directly link to offsite products and/or services?
In other words, my signature link would be used to advertise a product/service outside the BHW marketplace, to an external website that I own.
(OR would I need to link my forum signature to internal BHW marketplace posts of mine - essentially selling a product/service inside BHW instead)

Click to expand...

Yes, you can advertise products and services external to bhw in your signature. Just make sure you follow the signature rules outlined in the terms (section 5) - https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms/
Also, not me that you cannot direct people to your signature within your post content.

wolfman1 said:

2. If I provide a helpful answer in a forum thread, and genuinely believe a service in my signature link can help a member solve their issue - can I explicitly say something like "Check out my signature link to solve your problem"?
(If this is allowed, then the type of internal/external signature links I would explicitly call out in a forum answer, would also depend on the answer to Q1 above)

Click to expand...

As above, no as this would be classed as advertising outside of the marketplace.

wolfman1 said:

3. If someone sends me a question via private message about a link in my signature, or information I provided in a forum thread - can I answer and "sell" my externally linked service, outside of the marketplace - or do I need to refer them instead, to my existing internal BHW marketplace offer?
(I have already received a lot of PM interest, in my area of expertise, so I need to understand what I can say, and "not say" in my private message replies)

Click to expand...

You cannot sell via pm in any way shape or form, unless it’s in relation to a response you’ve made in a hire a freelancer or want to buy thread (or if you had a listing in the marketplace and the pm related to that listing).

wolfman1 said:

4. Can I get in trouble for being "too helpful" in specific forum threads?
I plan on contributing a lot of value to specific BHW categories ... and my goal is to establish credibility. As a result, I may end up answering dozens of questions every week with detailed content based on my extensive experience. Some of those answers may entice (but not encourage, assuming Q2 answer above) people to click my forum signature link to learn more about the topic of discussion. If I answer too many questions in a helpful way, could I be breaking a rule, as my "not so subtle tactic" to getting people to notice my signature links, would be to answer people with high quality content and possible entice them to consider me an expert.

Click to expand...

Be as helpful and active as you like, as long as you are adding value and following the rules. As per above, no directing members to your signature in any way shape or form.

Asked, answered, closed.