Sep
Website Review Forums - Don’t Waste Your Time
If you have recently built or redesigned your website, you might be tempted to post it in a forum for reviews by other members. It seems like a good idea, right? Can’t pass up free reviews…
But free comes at a price. And in this case, that price is the time it takes you to make the post and check the responses.
Now that isn’t a lot of time, but you get nothing in return. And by nothing, I mean nothing worthwhile. If you grab some free samples at the store, at least you’re getting something to eat! But in this case, nothing.
You will just get a lot of responses like “Good site” or “looks good” or even “i like your site sir now please check out this affiliate link.” There’s no way you can say that feedback is worthwhile and keep a straight face!
But what if you state in your first post that you only want quality reviews and criticism and don’t want any “looks good” feedback? It might seem like a Nobel prize winning idea, but let me just present this evidence:
Good day everyone,
I would be honoured if you could give your expert opinions on my new webmaster site, —–.com. I’m open to positive and negative feedback, please just write something other than “nice site.” Cheers!
Sounds good, right?
Well, this was the first response:
good site mate
I rest my case 
I mean, what do you expect? The only people that really hang out in those forums are new members with 3 posts so far. They’re just getting in a lot of quick posts so they hit the post count necessary to display their signature and get free advertising.
Also, there’s the fact that any advice is just plain terrible. I remember seeing an investment advice website up for review. I don’t know if it was a blog or an informational site trying to sell products, but it was about investing in the stock market and managing your money.
And it sucked. The site was plastered with links and banners for online poker and pharmacy sites. I thought common sense would tell you that no prospective investor would trust a site covered in casino ads, but apparently not.
However, the reviewers would have to point out such a glaring mistake, right?
Wrong again. All the reviews were “good site” or “nice colors.” I feel sorry for the person running that website.
But there is good news in all of this. And that is, now you know where not to get reviews…
If you want any real reviews, you’ll need to get in touch with smart people. Find some nice, quality websites (that aren’t direct competition) where you can contact the owner. Blogs work great for this. You’ll want to suck up to the owner and pitch the idea of giving you some advice, obviously giving them something in return.
It’s actually best if you already have some webmaster friends to talk to. Just so it’s someone with knowledge in the field. It helps if you trust them, too.
Just don’t bother with the forums.
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Thanks for the link! Agree with you, good points!
I agree with you 100%, which is why I have never even tried to get reviews from webmaster forums.
One idea which might work very well (I have not tried it, but it seems good), is to ask for reviews on a forum related to your niche (e.g. an investment forum for an investment site)… I think you will be more likely to get a helpful response, and it will be from people in your target market.
Thanks for stopping by Tony!
And Money, great idea on asking at topic-related forums. That would be good because those people would be the actual ones you want for usability testing. Good thinking!
Plus, it’s a good way to advertise without actually advertising
First, I`m not quite sure I agree with “in this case the price is the time”, in certain circumstances, of course different than one you pointed. Yet, time is and is not money. But syre time - as currency - investment may be or may be not proper used.
However, asking general reviews in random forums - usualy better ranked - is or may be a way to get some linkback - and some visits too.
Internet marketing gurus actualy promote this style - “go put lot of posts in forums” - as a way to get traffic .. the problem is not only the one you pointed, but also one deeper. Coming from people who claim they are in possesion of know-how of the “make money” on net. People spreading shallow info as “I can, so you can too” or whorst - “is no brainer, even a child can do it”.
Beside all, there is also a problem of taste. Majority judge a site - blog, forum, whatever - thru design and owner “name” rather than the owner`s intercommunication will or site content.
The trend which you pointed above remind me of at least 2 other trends :
- “buy now dot ws domains, while desired dot com domains are for sure unavailable ..”. Of course, lot of “big names” promoted this shit, sure, after they first were sure anything dot ws will be bought thru them affiliate links …
- “the future is agloco, surf the net and get paid” also promoted thru affiliate links …
All bad comes from deep shallow view of internet marketing as being one vertical. While internet and marketing was, is and will stay horizontal.
My 2 cents.
ps : Allmost forgot : “Hey, nice site, mate!”.
I hear ya Valentin!
And thanks for the compliment
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@karenmuller
You can’t just go and comment on any blog you find and ask for a review like that. Plus, you seem to have missed this line from the article: