First and foremost, welcome to PromoForum! As a new member, We're sure you have a lot of questions. This guide is rather extensive and should be read by all members—new and old. From time to time we may update this guide but as we do, we'll send out a mass PM to all users notifying them of any changes. We ask that you read this guide prior to posting in the Feedback & Support board as we may have already answered your questions here. If you have read through this guide and still have a question, please post in the Feedback & Support forum.
Moderation Policy
As a member of this forum, you are required to follow a certain set of rules. Breaking those rules can result in the loss of priviledges and an account ban. Please review the following information regarding our moderation policy at PromoForum.
- First Offense
A first offense will result in a reminder Private Message (PM) sent to you by a member of the Mod Squad or an administrator. The PM will link you to the forum rules and specify the rule that you have broken. - Second Offense
If you break a second rule, regardless if it's the same rule or a new one, you will receive a reminder PM from a member of the Mod Squad or Administrator. The PM will link you to the forum rules and sepcify the rule that you have broken. Additionally, your Staff Notes will be edited listing the rule that you broke, the offense number, dated, and who took action against you. - Third Offense
If you break a third rule, regardless if it's the same rule(s) from before or a new one, you will receive a reminder PM from a member of the Mod Squad or an Administrator. The PM will link you to the forum rules and specify which rule you have broken. Your Staff Notes will be edited listing the rule that you broke, the offense number, dated, and who took action against you. It will also be noted that you are not eligible for any staff team on our forum. Additionally, you will receive a 50% official warning on your account. - Fourth Offense
If you break a fourth rule, everything above will apply to you. Additionally, you will receive a temporary ban of no more than 14 days on our forum. - Fifth Offense
If you break a fifth rule, your account will automatically be banned permanently.
In addition to the above Moderation Policy, the following offenses will result in an automatic permanent ban.
- Obvious Spamming
- Multiple rule breaking—more than once—of the ProBoards TOS
- Anything that falls under the illegal content restrictions
- Discrimination
- Threats agains the forum, staff, or members
Promo Cash Introduction
Our forum uses the currency Promo Cash (PC). The currency can be used to purchase any of our services: Posting Packages; Critiques & Reviews; Bidding on items for contests; Purchasing special things for your forum account, etc. Members can even exchange PC for services rendered to or by them via the PC Exchange area.
Optionally, members can send and receive PC donations. To send a donation, navigate to a user's profile and click the button that reads "Send Donation." If you receive a donation, you'll receive a notification and a message indicating who sent the donation and why. Users can use this option to pay for the PC Exchanges.
Earning Promo Cash
To earn PC, simply post around the forums. You earn PC by creating threads, replying to threads, creating polls, and using the quick reply box located at the bottom of each thread. The general earning amounts are as follows:
- New Thread: 3 PC
- New Poll: 2 PC
- New Full Reply: 1 PC
- New Quick Reply: .5 PC
In addition to the earning amounts above, you can earn PC by participating in specific contests and events, winning site battles, and more. Just be sure to look out for opportunities.
Site Directory
Our site directory is for our members to post links and description of their forums, websites, and blogs as a means of advertising. Only sites that follow our Forum-Wide Rules and the ProBoards TOS will be allowed to stay in the directory. There is no cap on how many sites you advertise. However, be sure to read the Advertising Rules outlined in the board prior to posting an advertisement.
As our Site Directory grows, sub-boards will be added as categories for the advertisements submitted. Your forum site will then be moved to the appropriate board. Additionally, any advertisement will be labeled by a member of the Mod Squad as a Forum, Website, or Blog so that members and visitors can easily know the type of site they are about to view.
Additionally, make sure you complete the entire posting template provided to you when creating a thread. Any advertisement that does not include the entire completed template will not be labeled. Also, when we implement a categorized directory, any advertisment that does not follow the template will not be added.
Package Requests
Package Requests can be made through the appropriate board. These requests will cost PC depending on the type of package that you seek. The point of packages is to gain new members to your forums and/or blogs, gain new content in the form of threads/topics and posts, and/or comments for your blog. We offer a variety of different packages. Before requesting a package, please make sure to read the board's specific guidelines regarding requests.
Additionally, make sure you complete the entire posting template provided to you when creating a thread. Any request that does not include the entire completed template will be rejected.
Critiques & Reviews
Members can submit their forums, websites, and blogs for critique and official reviews. Critiques will come from staff and members who are not part of the Crit Platoon. Official reviews will be given by Crit Platoon staff based on a template determined by the type of review you are requesting. Crits and reviews will cost PC. Specific guidelines are posted in the board. Make sure to read them before posting.
Additionally, make sure you complete the entire posting template provided to you when creating a thread. Any request that does not include the entire completed template will be rejected.
Post & Promo Cash Exchanges
Post & Promo Cash Exchanges refers to the Peer to Peer (P2P) section of the forum. In the Member Exchange area, members can set up an exchange thread outlining the types of exchanges they are willing to do. You can do posts for posts, threads for threads, affiliate exchanges, etc. It's all up to the person who creates the thread. With the Promo Cash Exchanges, members can set up a "shop" thread detailing what they are willing to do for PC$. Whether you will make a certain number of posts or threads for a specified amount of PC or pay people to do things for you like make posts, comments, like a Facebook page, join a forum, and/or follow you on Twitter.
Before making any exchange thread on the forums, please read the specific guides.
Contests
Periodically we'll be holding contests around the forum. Some contests may include a PayPal cash prize. However, the majority of our contests will result in free account awards and/or PC$ prizes. Some contests may include referrals, posting, and participation.
At half year marks a special contest will be held to determine the best of, likely to, etc. for forums, websites and blogs. An official "PromoForum Awards" thing where users will nominate websites based on specifications via PM to the Administrator. Another thread will be created for users to submit their votes in. The winners of the awards will receive an actual award icon for their winning category, PC$, and a free service voucher code.
Every two weeks a bidding war will begin to become an advertisement in the tabbed table at the top of the forum page. Members will bid and the two highest bidders by the deadline will have their site featured in the two site tabs in the table.
Monthly, each staff member will pick one forum, website, and blog that they think should be "featured." Upon choosing those sites, threads will be made with polls for members to vote on. The site with the most votes by the deadline will be chosen to be featured on the "Home" page for a period of one month.
Site battles are a great way to be featured as well. By starting and/or participating against other members in site battles, you are fighting for a spot at landing a front page advertisement. The person who wins the most battles over the course of each month, will have their site posted on the main page. In the event of a tie, a poll will be added and members will vote on the two sites to determine which one we will feature. Additionally, battlers who win their competitions will receive rewards for specific amounts of won battles as well as some PC$.
Events
During certain times of the year and special occasions we will play host to specific events. Scavenger hunts, Christmas Card Exchanges, and Secret Santa are among some of the events we'll play host to. The Christmas Card Exchange and Secret Santa events will require that you provide your physical address if you wish to partake. However, this will not be public knowledge or posted directly on the forum for all to see. More details will be provided when the time comes for those events starting in December.
Participating in any event can be rewarding. Sometimes, PC money and awards will be given out to those that participate and/or place in an event. Other times, PayPal cash prizes may be awarded depending on the event. So, be sure to watch out for these events and participate when you can and want to.
Advertising Banners
If you haven't noticed, there is an advertising banner at the top left of the site in the header. Members can opt to have a 300 X 50 ad banner placed in our header for $10.00 USD fee. At any given time there will be one - five advertisements scrolling in this advertising spot. It is displayed on every single page of the website. It will remain there for a period of one month.
Keep in mind that we only allow five advertisements at a time. So, if you request to have an advertisement put up, you will have to wait in line until it is time for your banner to be displayed. All payments will be made through PayPal and are non-refundable. Any money paid to us for your adspot will go towards the site for purchasing a domain, cash prizes for contests, etc. Money will not be used for personal reasons.
The advertising spot is available on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested in purchasing this advertising spot, please send a PM to Zimm and include the following information:
- Site Name
- Site URL
- 300px by 50px Image URL
Additionally, be sure to make the "Subject" of the PM: Banner Advertisement. Upon receipt you will be given the PayPal email address for which you should make your payment to. Once confirmed, your advertisement banner will be added to the site and you will be notified. If there are already five listed, you will be required to wait. While you are welcome to pay immediately, you are allowed to wait until it's time for your ad banner to be placed in our header. You will be notified one week before your ad is scheduled to go up.
Affiliating With PromoForum
We allow our active members to affiliate with PromoForum. This means that if you're an active member of the community and you request an affiliate exchange we'll add your 88 X 31 affiliate banner to the Affiliates section at the bottom of our main page. This is the first page that everyone sees when they visit our site.
Sharing your affiliate image on our site means you will have to share ours on yours. If you do not wish to share our site banner on yours, you can opt to pay a $3 USD fee via PayPal. Your affiliate banner will remain on our site so long as you are an active member of our forum. Should you go inactive (more than 30 days without actively posting and participating), your banner will be removed.
If you wish to affiliate with us, please send a PM to Zimm and include the following:
- Site Name
- URL to Site
- URL to 88 X 31 Affiliate Banner
- Is our Ad Banner placed on your site or will you opt to pay the $3 fee through PayPal?
Be sure to make the "Subject" of your PM: Affiliate Request. Your banner will be added as soon as we receive the request and verify that our banner is on your site. If you choose to opt for the $3 USD fee option, once we receive confirmation of payment, we'll add your banner. All proceeds will be used for the site and contest cash prizes.
Below, is our affiliate banner and our affiliate code:
Applying Labels
Certain boards allow members to apply labels to the thread to keep things organized in a visual sense for our forum staff and the community. The Member Exchange, PC Exchange, Classifieds, The Arena, and ProBoards Resources allow members to apply labels. To apply a label you can do the following:
- While in the Create a Thread full text editor, select the icon located in the top right of the editor next to the "Add Attachment" button. Select the "Labels" option. Then, proceed to select the appropriate label for your thread.
- If you are inside a thread, but forgot to add a label, simply click on the "Actions" drop down menu, select "Labels" and assign the appropriate label to your thread.
- From the thread list, within the board, hover over YOUR thread title, and a checkbox should appear to the left of your thread's title. Click the box to check it and then proceed to the "Actions" drop down menu. Proceed to "Labels" and apply the appropriate label to your thread.
Posting Templates
Throughout the forum, in specific boards, when you create a new topic you will be prompted with a posting template. These templates will appear when creating a thread, not when replying to one. You are required to fill out the template leaving only the obviously optional elements blank. Boards that require templates include:
- Feedback & Support
- Site Directory
- Package Requests
- Critique & Reviews
- The Arena
Posting templates are provided so that staff and members have all the information they need when viewing a thread. If a board requires you follow a template, we suggest that you do so. Not completing the template could result in your thread being closed, removed; your request being rejected, etc.
Quoting Multiple Posts
Our forum allows for the option to quote multiple posts at one time. This is especially helpful at times. To quote multiple posts within a thread select the icon next to the posts you want to quote. Click the option "Select Post." Do this for each post you want to quote. Then, click the "Reply" button located at the top of the thread or the bottom of the thread in the "Quick Reply" area. It will open the full text editor with your selected posts inside.
Where to Advertise
So that there isn't any confusion on where members are allowed to "Advertise" their sites, we had to include this in the guide. Members can advertise in the Site Directory, their user profile, and their signature. Optionally, they can choose to have their 300px by 50px banner placed in our header as discussed earlier in this guide. Please keep in mind that all sites advertised here must adhere to our Forum-Wide Rules and the ProBoards TOS.
Adding Attachments
Attachments are wonderful. They allow for users to post large images without stretching the forums width. To add an attachment to a thread or post, simply click on the "Add Attachment" button at the top right of your text editor. It will allow you to upload images so long as they meet the size requirements specified.
Reporting Posts
As stated in the Forum-Wide Rules, our forum doesn't allow backseat, or mini-modding from our members. If you see a post that is spam, inappropriate, or breaks the rules or TOS, you should report it so that a moderator, team leader, or admin can review it. To report a post, simply select the icon. From the drop down menu select the option to "Report Post." You will be prompted to provide a reason for the reported post. Try to be as detailed as you can. An admin, moderator, or team leader will review the post and close the report when a resolution or decision has been made. Additionally, you will be notified when that time comes.
Enabling Drafts
Are you the type of person who types out super long posts and then accidentally closes the window or hits the back button? If so, then you'll love this feature. ProBoards offers the option to "Enable Drafts" while posting on the forum. Simply go to your user profile, select the "Edit Profile" button, and navigate over to the "Settings" tab. Just below the "Forum Theme" drop down area, you should see an option called "Enable Drafts." Click the circle next to "Yes" to turn this feature on and then save your profile.