[Closed] How much Astroturfing is there on this forum?

So, one for the Mod's. Would this be considered advertising?

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-new-road-bike-lugged-steel-content

Apparently so - gone now...

I just want to make clear that I've always tried to be honest and up front about who I am and what I do - no hidden personae to promote my products. If people are looking for product recommendations and I feel one of my frames could suit, I say so. I also try to help out folks when they have technical queries I'm able to provide some constructive input on. My use of this forum (and others) is not purely to promote my products.

Regarding the road bike thread. My primary motivation was that it's my new bike, I'm excited about it, I thought other people might like it so I posted it up in much the same way other folks do when they get a new bike. Of course, it's also something which will be for sale in the future, so I thought I'd also say that as people were bound to ask. Judging from the response the thread had before it was deleted a lot of people were happy to see it. I realise it was on the border of the rules, but was hoping people would take it in the right way. Apologies if any offence was caused by what some may have perceived to be overt advertising.

Sam Alison

Owner and operator of Singular Cycles Ltd.

Sam - I'm sure with some 'first pics' blurb it'll get in the 'news' section of most bike websites - lovely lookign bike 🙂

I saw it as you did - 'bloke excited by new bike' rather than 'buy this'.

keep posting 🙂

I like to think I'm upfront about who and what i do, though i do appreciate i can get on some peoples nerves (you know who you are) 🙂

For me, i know this place would not be as rich a place for info if it was not for people like Brant, Cy, Sam etc.

Disappointed to see Sam's thread pulled.
I assume most of us are happy to see new products shown on the forums from owners and representatives, especially when those people's presence isn't restricted to just plugging product.
To be honest, when stuff goes on the front page/news which is the alternative at the mo, there's very little info given, other than 'we've got some of these, they cost xxx'. A lot of the time there's little or no ongoing feedback given from the staff here after that point- understandable to a degree with the amount of kit that seems to turn up each Friday.
I've noticed that when Sam/Cy/Brant/Si etc start or comment on a thread on here they normally monitor it to answer questions which is a great thing, and show (at least when sober) respect for each other, and the punter.

the great part of this forum is that the producers do interact with the punters. Nobody has mentioned james from Genesis yet.
i think the the moderators have got the balance just about right; although i think sam's new bike should go back up (lovely bike but colour scheme not my preference). hyjack - did it have internal brake cable routing?

I like Sam and his bikes but the truth is that the thread did break the 'rules' even though I'm sure it wasn't intentional so it's fair it was pulled.

It's pretty simple isn't it - fair is commenting on existing threads and making clear that you've got an interest. unfair is commenting or starting threads without making that clear. Starting a new thread isn't unfair as such but I guess really should be down as a news item if it warrants it.

All IMO 😉

i prefer grass to astroturf 🙂

Mark - Resident Grumpy
The rules are pretty clear for Trade.. Trade users cannot START threads about their business

You are having a giraffe right? This goes on all the time!

I like Kaesae too

He took the time to give me some great advice on fitting and removing bearings over the phone.
He has clearly devoted a great deal of his time and energy to testing and improving bike bearings and sometimes is just very enthusiastic about sharing that knowledge. That's not a bad thing in my book.

I missed the lugged steel frame thread, I want to see it now. 🙁

Trade users cannot START threads about their business

I'm sure it will appear on Sam's flickr page before long. (access through the singular website). It did look proper retro. 😀

EDIT: [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/singularcycles/5263015577/ ]Here it is.[/url]

I like Kaesae too

I saw the bike on FB quite a while before it appeared here so I'm sure it would have cropped up anyway under a different poster. Lovely looking bike BTW.

You are having a giraffe right? This goes on all the time!

Al, you may be on about a thread that i started? Well i had a mini ban for that as i over stepped the line, though i don't think it is as regular as you make out?

I think there is a significant difference between astroturfing and the groupthink that tends to go on here and on other niche forums. I don't think there is much guerilla marketing here as much as most of us like similar things so when someone asks 'what bike' we all end up listing out on-one/ragley/orange/cotic unprompted because most of us would quite like one/own one already.

Well, if lots of the forum are riding and recommending these so called niche brands then perhaps the manufacturers are rather more successful than we think with their covert advertising.

Question: Would it be preferred if all shop/industry folk had a reference to that in their userid?

Personally, I sort of assume that most regular posters know that I work for thebikechain in Edinburgh. Thing is, I was also a regular on STW long before working there. And, if we went down that path, should the same not be true of all users? I asked a question on here last night in reference to van insurance. I've no way of knowing whether or not some of the responses were from folk promoting their own companies.

druidh, i didn't know. i just know you been on here ages like me

farmer giles - Member

the great part of this forum is that the producers do interact with the punters. Nobody has mentioned james from Genesis yet.

Mike@Dialled Bikes, too. It's a good point though - there aren't many forums/fora where there'd be that rich a cross-section of involvement in the industry. I guess to some extent it reflects the tone of the magazine, too - rather than it trying to be an authoritative tome on what is and isn't right in the world of mountain biking, it's a bunch of 'real guys n girls' who are enthusiastic about biking and are open to discussion on such things.

As for the astroturfing, I guess we're pretty adept between us at spotting such things; on the other hand, it's always funny to see the brand fans* out in force, and then being shouted down by the anti-fans 🙂

*I reckon fanbois has too many connotations as a description for what goes on here, on the whole

I think upfront works.

But druidh, its a bike forum with a 'chat' page, not a van forum with a bike page.

But I can be julianwilson@inpatientchildandadolescentmentalhealth.nhs.uk if that helps. 🙂

If anyone wants to buy any gas, let me know 😉

Actually DJ; I could do with some if you've got any going cheap. My gas bill is ridiculous. 😯

and if anybody needs any on-site confidential shredding services then I'm your man. Ask Hora I do his workplace! 🙂