Content Creation Do you allow visitors to post on your forum without registering?

[Kennysplash]

The posts they make can be termed as guest posts, and their profile would just have ‘guest’.
Some people might come across your forum and want to make posts without having to register.
Few forum and blog owners argue that it discourages people from signing up.
What do you think?

 

[Arantor]

I’ve certainly done it as part of site-to-site marketing (it’s still very common in roleplay boards) but I don’t think it’s what it used to be.

Time was when you’d let guests post as a gateway into becoming a member, but spam killed that.

 

[Jason]

I don't allow it on my forum. If you want to say something, then just sign up. Anyway, it causes anonymous people to say things and you don't know who they are.

 

[DigNap15]

No
I like to control who posts - they may be spammers, or those not yet familiar with our rules

If they can't be bothered to register I don't want them.

Its also a well known fact that a very high percentage of people that register for a forum never post!

 

[prophet]

I've been on RP forums that allow it, but personally on any of the boards I've ran, no. There used to be guest sections where they could post on a few various boards I've staffed but none of mine.

 

[zoldos]

I don't allow any guests to even see my forum. It's completely private and member's only.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I've tried this on only one of my forums in the past. No one ever really seemed to post in the guest area, so I eventually just got rid of it. I have seen this on a Wiccan forum hosted on Proboards though and they seem to get some activity in their guest lounge. A few guests even joined not too long after posting in the lounge.

 

[Empire]

Yes and no, Blogs and articles I do allow it however it's spam mostly, not legit posts. Ended up removing them or never getting approved. All spam and fake people. I end up disabling that option as I soo no point

 

[Darth Cognus]

There's a forum on I think proboards about witchy stuff that allows it for a single thread and it's interesting to peruse, but unless you have people willing to dedicate to maintaining even that much and have good anti-spam filters for guests, it's not really worth it. I would be concerned with a forum that allowed this across the board. Even moderated it sounds like a handful.

 

[Jane]

Nope. Never have..never will. You wanna post..join

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

Currently testing it out on www.CarnivoreTalk.com - I have a section called Visitors, Newbies, & Interested Ones where there is one forum where ONLY guests can start a topic, and another forum where Guests can Reply to our sites articles and resources. They get occasional guest posts. Guest posts have to be approved before being displayed to all.

 

[Cory]

The only reason I would allow guest posting on my forum is to allow boards that I advertise on to link back to their board through guest posting, that is how many Jcink RPG/resource boards accept advertisements. Otherwise, I see no use for guest posting, or at least the troublesome users that could come about by hiding their identity by being a guest. I feel it would allow for spam, trolling, and flaming more easily if I did enable it.

 

[Jason]

I don't allow any guests to even see my forum. It's completely private and member's only.

I let guests see mine but I just don't let them post. If guests can't see anything then it makes it discourages them from joining.

 

[Empire]

Currently testing it out on www.CarnivoreTalk.com - I have a section called Visitors, Newbies, & Interested Ones where there is one forum where ONLY guests can start a topic, and another forum where Guests can Reply to our sites articles and resources. They get occasional guest posts. Guest posts have to be approved before being displayed to all.

And how's the results going so far?

 

[Paul]

re the 'witchy forum' people have mentioned, they have closed it now (most likely only temporary) as they were reported for slander towards my forum. They deleted all the offensive posts before putting it on Maintenance Mode, The admin of that forum wanted to return to mine but wouldn't play by our rules. Abused me and then deleted her account and then all her members (not even any guests on that guest thread) attacked me, my forum and some members. It was all rather childish.

Back to this question, I was going to have a guest area but due to that forum mentioned above, too risky. I have one board where you can post as a guest and that's in the affiliates area, not going to make people join to affiliate with us.

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

And how's the results going so far?

So far so good. Not a lot of guest activity in the guest-only forum. Most people register so they can particpate in the members forums. There were 3 posts in September, 1 in October, and 5 in November.

Only once was there an attempt at spam (cam ladies are waiting for you, lol) but since Guest posts are held for approval, it never saw the light of day on my board.

 

[Spartan]

I don’t, I had a section once for it but it didn’t get used properly so I just got rid of it.

 

[Bluezone777]

I think people have been conditioned to expect that the ability to post only comes with registering an account which is why people haven't seen such a section where guests could post get used much by actual guests. I imagine that if you made your entire board be able to be posted in by a guest that you wouldn't get anyone to actually do it that wasn't just a spammer because no one would even think to try it outside of spammers.

 

[Spartan]

I think people have been conditioned to expect that the ability to post only comes with registering an account which is why people haven't seen such a section where guests could post get used much by actual guests. I imagine that if you made your entire board be able to be posted in by a guest that you wouldn't get anyone to actually do it that wasn't just a spammer because no one would even think to try it outside of spammers.

Yeah you’re right. I think most people who are gonna make a post are also just gonna sign up. Guest post might be good for some kinda of support or advice forum

 

[Arantor]

Mostly spam killed it; used to be a lot more common back in the day to allow guest posting as a gateway to registration. Some older forums still have the functionality, newer ones existed after that was ever a thing and don’t support it.