Some friendly advice

Don't Panic said:

BHW is a great place to learn, build networks and develop your work in the world of IM, but we’ve achieved that by being pretty strict. So here are some pitfalls that newbies often fall into, how to avoid them and what to do if you do find yourself in a sticky situation.

“I’m new here, how does this SEO thing work?”
First things first, everyone is welcome here. However, you’ll get the most out of the threads and conversations if you have a basic understanding of IM and SEO. So, before you start posting, asking simple questions or making blanket requests for advice, have a look at the sticky threads in each section.

Sticky threads are the ones that have a pin icon and the text “Please read” in bright green text. These will cover the specific rules for each section and provide general advice that you should definitely read before you dive further into the threads. If you’re still getting stuck on things, post a question in these threads, where a conversation has already been established - you’re much more likely to get helpful answers, rather than sarcastic ones.

Not only does this help you make the right impression with other members and start to build up good favour with your fellow BHW users, you’re also less likely to get yourself unwanted warnings or infractions for post count inflation or duplicating threads. If you don’t know what that means, https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms.

There is a BHW tone, don’t take it personally
Speaking of sarcasm, after a little bit of reading around, you’ll notice there’s an unofficial tone on BHW. We have a particular sense of humour that has a tendency towards the sarcastic.

Don’t take this sarcasm to be a personal insult, it’s part of the reason this forum is so valuable. Around here, we talk straight and share some pretty exclusive stuff, so members aren't going to spoonfeed you. Invest in the forum, do the research, and find the threads that are already answering your questions - and if someone is a little sarcastic with you, rise above it. You get out of BHW what you put in, so if you ask interesting, insightful questions, you’ll get interesting, insightful answers.

Posting in the right sub-forum
BHW is massive and we have a lot of sub-forums. https://www.blackhatworld.com/forums/ and spend some time familiarising yourself with them. It can be a little confusing, trying to work out where exactly you should post your thread. The simplest way to think about it, is to consider where you are going to get the best answer. Often your question might fall into a couple of categories, so think about the specialists you are trying to engage with, and post in the sub-forum that's most relevant to them. Also, look through all of the levels of sub-forums and get as specific as you can - the more targeted your thread, the better the answers will be.

Double and triple posting
Don't do this. At worst, it's post count inflation, and at best, it's annoying. Think about what you want to say before you say it and read through what you've typed before you post your reply. If you do want to add something to your post, you've got 30 mins to make edits. Worst comes to worst, you can always ask a mod to merge double or triple posts for you, by reporting the additional posts.

Asking a question
If you have a question in the very early days, it’s best not to reply to your welcome message. As you can imagine, as the owner of BHW, Diamond Damien gets a lot of PMs and the likelihood is that he won’t see your question for a while. If in doubt, check the rules again, have a read around these threads here and start reading the stickies in the wider forum. Chances are, you’ll find out the answer to your question there much quicker than DD will be able to reply.

Mod surfing
When something seems amiss and you want advice or help, it might seem like a good idea to reach out to as many people as you can, all at once. While the admins and mods are here to keep the forum safe for all of our members, please do not contact multiple mods at once asking for help. If you send the same query to more than one person, this counts as mod surfing, and as you’ll see https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms that’s a no-no.

It seems innocent, but it’s a slippery slope to bad habits. One question, one mod.

If you need it, there is a process to https://blackhatworld.com/seo/ive-got-an-infraction-but-i-want-to-post-a-marketplace-thread-can-you-remove-it-for-me.1040795/.

Support desk guide: https://support.blackhatworld.com/en/support/solutions/articles/48001231509-i-need-advice-on-bhw

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OutlawStar said:

Here are the most important things to take note of as a newbie;

DO NOT double or triple post. That's post inflation, you will get a warning. If you need to reply to multiple people, quote them in the same reply. If not, it's highly likely you will get a warning. I learned this the hard way!
DO NOT post empty messages to boost your message count. You will get a warning for sure. I did not do this, but I probably got about 30 of these on my welcome post where I asked some really good questions and it's a complete waste.
DO NOT solicit or offer services outside of the proper sub forums - Hire A Freelancer, Want to Buy, Marketplace. Even if there is a post outside of these sub forums. I did this by accident and I got a warning for that as well. In the legal jargon of the TOS, they do say it's not their responsibility to police all posts that break the TOS and if you get caught breaking the TOS the argument "but this other person broke the rules first" will not work. Speaking from personal experience.

The mods will have no sympathy for not realizing you are breaking the TOS. I have appealed both of the warnings I got and was shut down immediately. The ban hammer is firm! And I was referred back to the subtle legal nuances of the TOS every time I challenged it.

Honestly, if you just follow those 3 simple things you are going to save yourself a lot of trouble.

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Zwielicht said:

It's not about sympathy, it's just that warnings only get reversed through an appeal if they're issued incorrectly. If they're issued correctly (i.e., you violated the rule), then the support team and moderators are required to leave the warnings in place to act as a historical record of rule violations for both our future reference and because our tiered system requires it to function correctly. The warnings are there to steer you in the right direction, which is why members receive an automated direct message with each warning explaining what rule they broke and how to avoid violating that rule going forward.

The one you received today expires tomorrow and the post count warning expires in a couple of weeks. You're not close to being banned for violating 2 different rules, so don't worry about the ban hammer.

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OutlawStar said:

Fair enough, I'm just trying to help the next guy. It was not a good feeling getting those warnings, even if it was a legitimate warning and out of ignorance. Maybe instead of sympathy, I can say there is a certain immutable inflexibility if you are issued a warning for violating a rule.

Here in my country, most people avoid getting arrested because it goes on your record. Arrests on your record can affect a lot of things, especially jobs. And late payments on your credit can affect your ability to get financing, even if it's by mistake. So there's no "don't do that again" and it goes on your permanent record right away.

I didn't even realize there was a warning system or the consequences until I got one!

I just wanted to help the next guy by distilling the most relevant information for me as a newbie on here. I would have like to avoid any warnings on my account and kept my account squeaky clean and those bullet points would have saved me the trouble

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1. If you apply to be a moderator, you warning history will be reviewed. A warning history does not bar someone from becoming a moderator, it's just a factor.
2. The criterias for Jr. Executive VIP and Executive VIP both take a user's warning history into consideration. Again, not a deal breaker to have a few warnings.

OutlawStar said:

Fair enough, I'm just trying to help the next guy. It was not a good feeling getting those warnings, even if it was a legitimate warning and out of ignorance. Maybe instead of sympathy, I can say there is a certain immutable inflexibility if you are issued a warning for violating a rule.

Here in my country, most people avoid getting arrested because it goes on your record. Arrests on your record can affect a lot of things, especially jobs. And late payments on your credit can affect your ability to get financing, even if it's by mistake. So there's no "don't do that again" and it goes on your permanent record right away.

I didn't even realize there was a warning system or the consequences until I got one!

I just wanted to help the next guy by distilling the most relevant information for me as a newbie on here. I would have like to avoid any warnings on my account and kept my account squeaky clean and those bullet points would have saved me the trouble

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UnusualSubstance said:

Don't worry, man.

I'm pretty sure most of us here have at least one warning we've been issued in the past.

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Zwielicht said:

I think that's fair.

I know it doesn't feel good to get warnings. Believe it or not, back when I was a regular member, I was actually issued a warning here. I was polite with the moderator who issued it, but I did not agree with the warning and it did cause me to quit using BHW for about a month. So, I know from experience that it can make you feel like you're under a microscope.

The warnings here aren't as bad as how you described the laws in your country. An active only prevents you from submitting a marketplace thread. I will say that there are times that older warnings can cause issues, but they only come into play in two specific scenarios:

1. If you apply to be a moderator, you warning history will be reviewed. A warning history does not bar someone from becoming a moderator, it's just a factor.
2. The criterias for Jr. Executive VIP and Executive VIP both take a user's warning history into consideration. Again, not a deal breaker to have a few warnings.

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UnusualSubstance said:

Don't worry, man.

I'm pretty sure most of us here have at least one warning we've been issued in the past.

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BassTrackerBoats said:

I should have been banned... let alone just warned,

Warnings are here to help us all keep in our lanes and understand the rules and are not punitive nor are they a permanent mark on a profile.

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Jenly Agency said:

first time on BHW platform anyone can tell me why i cant create my own signature even though i upgraded my account

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Jenly Agency said:

first time on BHW platform anyone can tell me why i cant create my own
signature even though i upgraded my account

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BHW-Help said:

BHW is a great place to learn, build networks and develop your work in the world of IM, but we’ve achieved that by being pretty strict. So here are some pitfalls that newbies often fall into, how to avoid them and what to do if you do find yourself in a sticky situation.

“I’m new here, how does this SEO thing work?”
First things first, everyone is welcome here. However, you’ll get the most out of the threads and conversations if you have a basic understanding of IM and SEO. So, before you start posting, asking simple questions or making blanket requests for advice, have a look at the sticky threads in each section.

Sticky threads are the ones that have a pin icon and the text “Please read” in bright green text. These will cover the specific rules for each section and provide general advice that you should definitely read before you dive further into the threads. If you’re still getting stuck on things, post a question in these threads, where a conversation has already been established - you’re much more likely to get helpful answers, rather than sarcastic ones.

Not only does this help you make the right impression with other members and start to build up good favour with your fellow BHW users, you’re also less likely to get yourself unwanted warnings for post count inflation or duplicating threads. If you don’t know what that means, https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms.

There is a BHW tone, don’t take it personally
Speaking of sarcasm, after a little bit of reading around, you’ll notice there’s an unofficial tone on BHW. We have a particular sense of humour that has a tendency towards the sarcastic.

Don’t take this sarcasm to be a personal insult, it’s part of the reason this forum is so valuable. Around here, we talk straight and share some pretty exclusive stuff, so members aren't going to spoonfeed you. Invest in the forum, do the research, and find the threads that are already answering your questions - and if someone is a little sarcastic with you, rise above it. You get out of BHW what you put in, so if you ask interesting, insightful questions, you’ll get interesting, insightful answers.

Posting in the right sub-forum
BHW is massive and we have a lot of sub-forums. https://www.blackhatworld.com/forums/ and spend some time familiarising yourself with them. It can be a little confusing, trying to work out where exactly you should post your thread. The simplest way to think about it, is to consider where you are going to get the best answer. Often your question might fall into a couple of categories, so think about the specialists you are trying to engage with, and post in the sub-forum that's most relevant to them. Also, look through all of the levels of sub-forums and get as specific as you can - the more targeted your thread, the better the answers will be.

Double and triple posting
Don't do this. At worst, it's post count inflation, and at best, it's annoying. Think about what you want to say before you say it and read through what you've typed before you post your reply. If you do want to add something to your post, you've got 30 mins to make edits. Worst comes to worst, you can always ask a mod to merge double or triple posts for you, by reporting the additional posts.

Asking a question
If you have a question in the very early days, it’s best not to reply to your welcome message. As you can imagine, as the owner of BHW, Diamond Damien gets a lot of PMs and the likelihood is that he won’t see your question for a while. If in doubt, check the rules again, have a read around these threads here and start reading the stickies in the wider forum. Chances are, you’ll find out the answer to your question there much quicker than DD will be able to reply.

Mod surfing
When something seems amiss and you want advice or help, it might seem like a good idea to reach out to as many people as you can, all at once. While the admins and mods are here to keep the forum safe for all of our members, please do not contact multiple mods at once asking for help. If you send the same query to more than one person, this counts as mod surfing, and as you’ll see https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms that’s a no-no.

It seems innocent, but it’s a slippery slope to bad habits. One question, one mod.

If you need it, there is a process to https://blackhatworld.com/seo/ive-got-an-infraction-but-i-want-to-post-a-marketplace-thread-can-you-remove-it-for-me.1040795/.

Support desk guide: https://support.blackhatworld.com/en/support/solutions/articles/48001231509-i-need-advice-on-bhw

Click to expand...

BHW-Help said:

BHW is a great place to learn, build networks and develop your work in the world of IM, but we’ve achieved that by being pretty strict. So here are some pitfalls that newbies often fall into, how to avoid them and what to do if you do find yourself in a sticky situation.

“I’m new here, how does this SEO thing work?”
First things first, everyone is welcome here. However, you’ll get the most out of the threads and conversations if you have a basic understanding of IM and SEO. So, before you start posting, asking simple questions or making blanket requests for advice, have a look at the sticky threads in each section.

Sticky threads are the ones that have a pin icon and the text “Please read” in bright green text. These will cover the specific rules for each section and provide general advice that you should definitely read before you dive further into the threads. If you’re still getting stuck on things, post a question in these threads, where a conversation has already been established - you’re much more likely to get helpful answers, rather than sarcastic ones.

Not only does this help you make the right impression with other members and start to build up good favour with your fellow BHW users, you’re also less likely to get yourself unwanted warnings for post count inflation or duplicating threads. If you don’t know what that means, https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms.

There is a BHW tone, don’t take it personally
Speaking of sarcasm, after a little bit of reading around, you’ll notice there’s an unofficial tone on BHW. We have a particular sense of humour that has a tendency towards the sarcastic.

Don’t take this sarcasm to be a personal insult, it’s part of the reason this forum is so valuable. Around here, we talk straight and share some pretty exclusive stuff, so members aren't going to spoonfeed you. Invest in the forum, do the research, and find the threads that are already answering your questions - and if someone is a little sarcastic with you, rise above it. You get out of BHW what you put in, so if you ask interesting, insightful questions, you’ll get interesting, insightful answers.

Posting in the right sub-forum
BHW is massive and we have a lot of sub-forums. https://www.blackhatworld.com/forums/ and spend some time familiarising yourself with them. It can be a little confusing, trying to work out where exactly you should post your thread. The simplest way to think about it, is to consider where you are going to get the best answer. Often your question might fall into a couple of categories, so think about the specialists you are trying to engage with, and post in the sub-forum that's most relevant to them. Also, look through all of the levels of sub-forums and get as specific as you can - the more targeted your thread, the better the answers will be.

Double and triple posting
Don't do this. At worst, it's post count inflation, and at best, it's annoying. Think about what you want to say before you say it and read through what you've typed before you post your reply. If you do want to add something to your post, you've got 30 mins to make edits. Worst comes to worst, you can always ask a mod to merge double or triple posts for you, by reporting the additional posts.

Asking a question
If you have a question in the very early days, it’s best not to reply to your welcome message. As you can imagine, as the owner of BHW, Diamond Damien gets a lot of PMs and the likelihood is that he won’t see your question for a while. If in doubt, check the rules again, have a read around these threads here and start reading the stickies in the wider forum. Chances are, you’ll find out the answer to your question there much quicker than DD will be able to reply.

Mod surfing
When something seems amiss and you want advice or help, it might seem like a good idea to reach out to as many people as you can, all at once. While the admins and mods are here to keep the forum safe for all of our members, please do not contact multiple mods at once asking for help. If you send the same query to more than one person, this counts as mod surfing, and as you’ll see https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms that’s a no-no.

It seems innocent, but it’s a slippery slope to bad habits. One question, one mod.

If you need it, there is a process to https://blackhatworld.com/seo/ive-got-an-infraction-but-i-want-to-post-a-marketplace-thread-can-you-remove-it-for-me.1040795/.

Support desk guide: https://support.blackhatworld.com/en/support/solutions/articles/48001231509-i-need-advice-on-bhw

Click to expand...

BHW-Help said:

BHW is a great place to learn, build networks and develop your work in the world of IM, but we’ve achieved that by being pretty strict. So here are some pitfalls that newbies often fall into, how to avoid them and what to do if you do find yourself in a sticky situation.

“I’m new here, how does this SEO thing work?”
First things first, everyone is welcome here. However, you’ll get the most out of the threads and conversations if you have a basic understanding of IM and SEO. So, before you start posting, asking simple questions or making blanket requests for advice, have a look at the sticky threads in each section.

Sticky threads are the ones that have a pin icon and the text “Please read” in bright green text. These will cover the specific rules for each section and provide general advice that you should definitely read before you dive further into the threads. If you’re still getting stuck on things, post a question in these threads, where a conversation has already been established - you’re much more likely to get helpful answers, rather than sarcastic ones.

Not only does this help you make the right impression with other members and start to build up good favour with your fellow BHW users, you’re also less likely to get yourself unwanted warnings for post count inflation or duplicating threads. If you don’t know what that means, give those rules another read.

There is a BHW tone, don’t take it personally
Speaking of sarcasm, after a little bit of reading around, you’ll notice there’s an unofficial tone on BHW. We have a particular sense of humour that has a tendency towards the sarcastic.

Don’t take this sarcasm to be a personal insult, it’s part of the reason this forum is so valuable. Around here, we talk straight and share some pretty exclusive stuff, so members aren't going to spoonfeed you. Invest in the forum, do the research, and find the threads that are already answering your questions - and if someone is a little sarcastic with you, rise above it. You get out of BHW what you put in, so if you ask interesting, insightful questions, you’ll get interesting, insightful answers.

Posting in the right sub-forum
BHW is massive and we have a lot of sub-forums. Take a look at just how many forums we have and spend some time familiarising yourself with them. It can be a little confusing, trying to work out where exactly you should post your thread. The simplest way to think about it, is to consider where you are going to get the best answer. Often your question might fall into a couple of categories, so think about the specialists you are trying to engage with, and post in the sub-forum that's most relevant to them. Also, look through all of the levels of sub-forums and get as specific as you can - the more targeted your thread, the better the answers will be.

Double and triple posting
Don't do this. At worst, it's post count inflation, and at best, it's annoying. Think about what you want to say before you say it and read through what you've typed before you post your reply. If you do want to add something to your post, you've got 30 mins to make edits. Worst comes to worst, you can always ask a mod to merge double or triple posts for you, by reporting the additional posts.

Asking a question
If you have a question in the very early days, it’s best not to reply to your welcome message. As you can imagine, as the owner of BHW, Diamond Damien gets a lot of PMs and the likelihood is that he won’t see your question for a while. If in doubt, check the rules again, have a read around these threads here and start reading the stickies in the wider forum. Chances are, you’ll find out the answer to your question there much quicker than DD will be able to reply.

Mod surfing
When something seems amiss and you want advice or help, it might seem like a good idea to reach out to as many people as you can, all at once. While the admins and mods are here to keep the forum safe for all of our members, please do not contact multiple mods at once asking for help. If you send the same query to more than one person, this counts as mod surfing, and as you’ll see in the rules that’s a no-no.

It seems innocent, but it’s a slippery slope to bad habits. One question, one mod.

If you need it, there is a process to escalate an appeal on a mod decision.

Support desk guide: https://support.blackhatworld.com/en/support/solutions/articles/48001231509-i-need-advice-on-bhw

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fortunec9 said:

Appreciate it to write it down so transparently , anyone post reading this can avoid trouble.

1. keep interactions civil to avoid escalation.
2. follow the chain (mod first, then admin) to stay within rules.
3. accept the mod’s decision if no appeal is granted, don’t push unnecessarily.

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thecooldude69 said:

been here for mostly knowledge now properly getting to know rules before i start getting more active here and interacting with people

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carelseor said:

I will try to follow these rules, but if i have mistakenly break any rule will i get banned?

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