websites and blogs

Started by Jadedone4 • 4 replies • 1069 views

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Jadedone4 (Virginia)
Posts: 495

Posted:

Quick question - we have a board member who has set-up a website, without board approval - complete with advertisers and links to the advertisers sites. Unsure if any compensation was exchanged in the formation of the site, as the board member asserts that the site would be "free" of charge to the association.

Has anyone here had experience with this? My concerns are with the content, the preception that the association has "endorsed" these companies, etc. Not to mention the linking of the association's name to the site, etc.

MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491

Posted:

It depends on the vendor.

We use a free website, complete with discussion area, and it contains advertising on it.

HOATalk is free to us, but it has sponsors.

I don't know of many free websites/forums/blogs that done have some form of advertising and I think most people savvy enough to be using forums on the internet is aware that a forum is often "free" by virtue of the advertising/sponsors and I know very few that presume that the site is advocating the sponsors necessarily.

Sometimes, depending on the advertising content, it's possible to block certain ads that your group may not appreciate or find relevant, but most don't really have that ability or option.

hoatalk (California)
Posts: 603

Posted:

The vast majority of our community website customers don't have advertising, although a few do. If you choose to have ads on your community website, you are right to be very careful with it. You can put disclaimers on for the non-endorsement problem.

However, a bigger issue is community image. If not handled very well (right sponsors, nice design, etc), the ads can cheapen the look of the site and the community itself. A potential buyer and even the owners may question why the community can't afford a few hundred dollars/year for a professional site with no ads.

HOATalk.com, A free service of Community123.com
Provider of Upscale Community Websites
CLICK HERE to get a FREE trial community website
*See legal notice below (end of page)

DanB1 (Indiana)
Posts: 1

Posted:

I am looking for a site that is interactive, allows voting questions, and is FREE. Is there such a site anyone can suggest??

MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491

Posted:

Other than going to a Free Forum service that millions of people set up (google and you'll get a plethora) I don't know of any.

But those types of sites are not HOA-specific. Also not sure of their security measures/issues.

The fact of the matter is, you get what you pay for.

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