Are Board Signatures Good Or Bad For New Business?

[Lee]

I was wondering how you folks felt about people using signatures on the various industry message boards?

Do you think that message board sigs are good or bad for the companies using them as marketing tools?

I must admit, there are times when i will click on someones signature just to see what they have on offer, even though i have absolutely no intention of signing up with a program, content store, or hosting company.

There are also times when ill click on someones signature specifically to sign up to a program, content provider or host just because of the person that has the link in their signature.

What are your folks thoughts on this, are message board signatures being given more exposure than they actually need to be in terms of marketing? Do message board signatures work in terms of getting new 'eyes' on someones product or do you think they are over-hyped by many?

I know for a fact that one person on GFY who was paid thousands to have a companies button in their signature for a month only gained the company and additional 5 new affiliates.

Regards,

Lee

[gaystoryman]

Depends on the sig size, style etc. Some are tidy and thought out, others are just annoying. They flash, they twirl, they do everything but reduce the headache quotient.

I have clicked on some, passed on others. Does it hurt? Not really, unless they get out of hand, where they are always, without fail, larger than the entire posts made by the person.

my pennies thought for the morning :morning:

[Fister]

The signatures are worthwhile advertising, for sure. And, of course, it can be done effectively or poorly, like any advertising. I've started good business relationships from others' signature links myself.

Quote from Lee, "I know for a fact that one person on GFY who was paid thousands to have a companies button in their signature for a month only gained the company and additional 5 new affiliates." Yikes, that was a painful overpayment on advertising (unless one of those affiliates was a "gold mine" affiliate).

[DonMike]

I think that people click on them, especially in cases when they are looking for something and people respond with "click my sig". Or, lets say you are needing content in the near future and while posting in a different threat you get into a conversation with a charming and witty content rep, you might think, "Hey, I should click on his sig and see if he has what I'm gonna be needing."

Hypothetically, of course.

[Epoch Holly]

I remember on another board when one of the programs paid to have some one carry it in their sig, this person then made several homophobic remarks and the program had several gay sites. I think people who pay others to represent them on the boards need to be a little more careful you know!

[Lykos]

I remember on another board when one of the programs paid to have some one carry it in their sig, this person then made several homophobic remarks and the program had several gay sites. I think people who pay others to represent them on the boards need to be a little more careful you know!

I totally agree with u,but i think that period of "gold sig days" is over,dont know is anyone still paying for that?