SmokyHosts Support Forums - Webhosting and Webdesigning Support!

Posted: **Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:40 am**

I've been a member of Smokyhosts since a few months after it was launched. Smokyhosts has since changed a number of times to suit not only the company, but the members of the free community.

Originally you posted 1 post per 1 credit, you then paid monthly by credits to earn your hosting. It was a simple task, but unfortunately you could end up racking enough points to carry you through a year.

The next system kind of altered the system, it limited the amount of points you could earn per day or per month. This was a better system for Smokyhosts, but kind of left us feeling restricted. After a couple conversations with SHAdmin, he thought up the system today which relies on actual Activity per month. I like this system, but our credits seem to go to waste.

This thread is to come up with some ideas on how to use our credits, but also somehow manage a cost to cover anything we obtain from these credits.

We all know that domain names, web space, and everything offered here costs real money. The last thing I would want to do is end up putting Smokyhosts at a deficit. The community use to be full of Web Developers who actually wanted to help other users, so why don't we come up with a system that rewards those users who go out of their way?

Currently I think I have the most credits. I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but I see plenty of users who have also racked up a few of their own.

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I suggest we use the Banking / Transaction section to allow web developers to charge credits for the work they do for other users. Users who are active can purchase this help, which gives the developers a since of actually working for something good.

Rewards could be based on high numbers of credits, making it so that you have to actively continue helping in order to cash in your reward. An Example: 3,000 Credits = 1 .info Domain.

I'm not entirely sure what SHAdmin would feel about this idea, I understand that there would have to be a system in place to ensure each reward was covered in costs. I mean he can't go out giving 200 .info domains without someway to cover the negative balance.

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This year the competitions were pretty much missed. I'm not one who was expecting them, because I am thankful for everything SHAdmin has done. For those who have not been here for the past 4 competitions, he would hold competitions offering rewards for people who came in first, second, or third.

Each competition offered a variety of fields, giving everyone an opportunity a chance to win.

Of course this year, with understandable ****, they were not here. My point is, there was something always given in exchange for those gifts. The community was able to actively sculpt Smokyhosts into what it is today. Honestly, no other hosting company gives a community that kind of chance.

I know we all hate ads, but they do manage to bring in some type of cover fee for things given away for free. I suggest that the community, as a whole, figure out exactly where to place an ad or two. These ads would help cover the costs of those rewards given to those who actively help the community.

We also need to figure out some type of ad program, like Google Adsense, that actually gives good ads. I don't want to take a supplement to gain 60 lbs of muscle. If we could actively help find a better system, better ads, and sculpt this suggestion into a great one that he would accept. Then all of those members who already help people for free could start getting something in return.

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What I need:

- 1. Better Ads, Better Ad System, Ads that actually offer something people would like.
- 2. Ad Placements - Where should they be placed for best view, and least aggravation?
- 3. Some Reward Ideas w/ Prices of Credits.
- 4. Support!

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For those of you who have not noticed, the ads are gone from the website. One of the ads were causing a pop-up which wouldn't display, and it would play some type of preview for a show. I complained about it, and I do feel that the removal of the ads are my fault.

SHAdmin has the best free host I've ever found. The community is dying, but with some more Community Suggestions we may be able to revive it.

So who is with me? Operation Revive the Smokyhosts Community. Let's get some suggestions rolling, let's spread the word, and let's start being the community we once were.

P.S. I'm a little over enthusiastic aren't I?

Posted: **Fri Jan 08, 2010 4:43 am**

Thank you for that post TheCrymsonLengeds... Been a long time since i myself recollected how SmokyHosts community eveolved!

The suggestion of banking/transactions that you have given in exchange of developing things seems to be a good idea, but would only make more sense from the point of view of the developers if they could get actual money, or actual prizes instead of just points. Coz they would spend good amount of time developing something, and once they earn 10's of thousands of points, they would want to encash it somehow nor the other.

To start it off... What I can do is maybe keep the minimum conversion to cash limit say as high as 25000 points, (consider somebody asks to develop something for 5000, within 5 jobs, he can encash). And to keep people with the community, for lesser amount of points, we can offer domain names, or better off something more exciting if someone can comeup with a suggestion. I know this could prove lossy affair to SmokyHosts, considering we are operating without any ads to support hosting, leave alone cash prizes. However, if we can find some really good ad network (for some reason google adsense seems to have blacklisted our community, so they are out), then it could be payable.

More suggestions are welcome...

Posted: **Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:00 am**

Thank you for your support on this suggestion . I don't want to do anything that could potentially be a loss for Smokyhosts, because you already offer so much to the free community.

I'll be looking for an Ad Network myself, and I'm not sure why Google Adsense would blacklist us. I feel that if the Google Ad Network would have been more precise to what the website was about, then the ads wouldn't have been a problem.

Would you really be willing to offer cash prizes? I like the idea, but I'm not entirely sure if that would be a great move without someway to cover losses. Also, what kind of cash prizes did you have in mind? We also have to remember if the community gets large, example 1000 active members, and 100 of them are doing jobs for the other 900.. then the potential money outflow could be massive.

I'll work on some basic concepts, but I won't allow you to potentially set something up that will harm Smokyhosts more than it helps. :P

The main thing is we need to find some type of revenue source to bring in enough to cover these prizes, if not all at least 80% at a minimum. I believe the prizes would increase forum activity, and even if they do jobs for prizes, we will still have a great community. BUT, as I said there has to be something to cover costs or it would be rendered null.

Thanks again for the support on this, now hopefully the remaining community can come up with something as a whole. Once we do, and find revenue to cover the costs, Smokyhosts will have the ultimate Webhosting and will never be beat by any other competitor. ^^

Do you have a point to cash conversion in mind? Or are you wanting some suggestions on potential point to cash rewards?

List of Adsense Alternatives

I found that list, there is one company that pays per 1000 impressions instead of actual ****. There are a few Ad Networks which seem pretty good and actually give the user control over the ads displayed on their website.

I don't mind ads, just dislike those "Little Green Frogs" by **** or Pop-Up Ads. I'm sure, if the community is willing, we could all come up with placements for best view and less aggravation from these ads.

They have an RSS Feed, and many of these ad networks allow you to use other adsense alternatives in conjunction to maximize revenue. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look into them, and see what you think .

Posted: **Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:25 pm**

The only problem I have with keeping my activity up, is that there is nobody else posting. So it's literally like having a conversation with myself.

Check out bidvertiser.com for another Advertisement site.

Posted: **Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:08 am**

Yeah it can be pretty hard keeping up activity levels, which is why I was pushing for the use of spending credits for some sort of reward. This would push for both activity and more involvement in the community as people would have a benefit to doing so.

I was also trying to keep in mind that this would be only beneficial to the members and not to Smokyhosts itself.

I've not directly checked out bidvertiser.com, but I heard some decent reviews on it. Somehow I'm thinking we need to find a way to promote smokyhosts before we directly promote other sites on smokyhosts.

Wouldn't happen to have any ideas on how to spread the word would you?

Posted: **Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:44 am**

OK i guess it is time for me to get active for you guys.

haha jk.

anyways I have the Fallowing suggestions for the site related to this material.

I have been working on and around the internet my whole life and I always
keep the love for those out there providing a free servive for the many
beginners and experts of the world.

As for add's. I have played with forum cms's for way too long to not tell you that they are really bad for adds lol. So my suggestion is creating a more dynamic site with the forum still intact. there are many ways to do this with out cms out there that can easily be mad to integrate with the forum.

Still Keeping the forum the center of attention we can add module boxes:

in the header : adds!
side menus: account info/adds/top topics
footer: add

Those are where i think adds as well as engaging content along the sides!

Also crimson I agree with you on the impression add's, google and many other
offer these types of adds witch don't pay much but and really useful for un-active to active sites.
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Now Along the Lines reward credits. Now im 100% behind the trading/selling of credits
for help/designing/coding.
But as it is i cant think of a way to do that haha.

As for what they should be used for. well I would say perks on your current account
such as:

400 crd = +1 database
800 crd = +1 ftp user
1000 crd = +100mb disk

I dunno how ever SHAdmin would like to break it down is fine with me.
If and when I get my pay pal figured I would be glad to donate in the direction
]of getting smokeys name out there.

But Im typing at 6 am in the morning becuase ive been up all night
trying to understand how mail servers work!
ugh!

Hope I have Helped a little

Posted: **Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:35 pm**

When I decided to post this suggestion it was kind of mandatory to get a page impression type ad system which could hopefully match or go over the pricings of such items. For example, if it required 1000 page impressions per $1 or something (this is an example) then each 1000 Points would be nearly worth $1.

It was more of a method of pricing per point with a system per impression so that all prizes could be paid for in advance, plus earn a bit more extra to put money toward future Competitions and such.

As for your pricing, I've been on here for 5 years and only have 5000 Points. For 500mb in Disk Space.. that's a bit rough to spend all my points on.

Of course if we implemented a new reward system for completing offers like their use to be, then we could earn more points and eventually be able to go into big spending. I just thought since we have points, there should be some type of system which allows us to use those points in some way. I don't want to take any money away from Smokyhosts to support this suggestion, so if we could come up with a self-sufficient way of raising the funds to support more free items... then every user would in face be earning it a bit.. since we are technically working to make money for Smokyhosts through Ads and Offers.

Posted: **Sat Jun 26, 2010 3:23 pm**

Aw ok I see what your saying.

That sounds like a perfect way to do it. 1000imp=1000points.

and along the lines of the point pricing that can be smaller amounts
but it reality it is not up to us haha.

And Im gonna take a wild guess here but forced add's are out of the question right?

Posted: **Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:23 pm**

Not quite sure what you mean by forced ads! Over the years we've had various ads from the Green Frogs, to others and they caused big security risks as my browser had shut down Smokyhosts a few times for a specific ad being hosted on Smokyhosts.

I do know that users disliked the Green Frogs and I was able to get them removed, but there are not many advertising methods which will do more good than harm. Most people dislike Ads to begin with, but for this type of Free Hosting they are somewhat required.

There is GWallet, which will pay a site owner depending on various offers which can be completed by their users. These offers can be priced per credit given, but how to include it in vBulletin is a bit beyond my knowledge.

Members could complete offers and I do believe that the price is paid a set amount per completion, which can allow Smokyhosts to set a standard point to $$ rewarded amount so that we could begin spending out Credits for actual rewards.

Smokyhosts could get the same if not more money per items via the GWallet System and allowing members to spend Credits instead of real money.

Of course this would require some real Activity from SHAdmin as people may end up wanting to activate things. Depending on the actual activity of offers being completed on the GWallet System, Smokyhosts could offer more of the paid packages to members who complete more GWallet Offers.

They range from Surveys, Trial Offers, and much more.

It isn't a bad system.

Posted: **Sat Jun 26, 2010 6:13 pm**

Nice, didnt know about that.

are you talking along the lines of surveys and you can win just enter email kinda thing?

and on the lines of forced adds. forced add come in a variety of ways such as:

free hosting account has forced header on index page(smokey ad)

forced pop up on index

forced footer on index

or a site wide forced header,footer.

Now for surveys I dont begin to know how that stuff works(i can try lol)
but it would be beneficial to post them in a forum like 20 or 30 links or so.
users do the servey and with cookie or some sort of communication back to smoky to give them the designated point.

Kinda like mafia wars(face book) do a servey and you get credits towards in game items.

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Another Idea lol

how about an affiliation service where you are required to put other sites links on your site and the link yours on there's.

This obviously isnt for profit more of get you name out there.

SmokyHosts Support Forums - Webhosting and Webdesigning Support!

Use of Member Credits!

Use of Member Credits!