Getting New Members To Stay - ideas

[surf patrol]

Hello regular visitors.
Any ideas on how to get regular members to stay and post on the forum?
I'm seeing people joining in for 5-10 posts and then thats it - goodbye.
There has been a good increase in the amount of new members taking part but there seems to be very little increase in the posts / topics per day. Effect - the forum is not growing as fast as it could.

It's not down to the lack of friendly helpful replies - they are great.

One thing I'd like to do is go back to the welcoming of new visitors on their first post. First person to see a visitor post please reply welcoming them to the forum (and helpfully answer their post!)

Any ideas on how to retain the new members please let me know.
Once again thanks for you help
SP

[PapaW]

It is differcult to put it down to any one thing but I'd say with any forums what makes people stay is if they are so incline to post regulary on forums in general...
It is becomming more popular for sure but the trouble here is that it is a predominatly a traffic of beginner clientel and thoese seeking answers that come through this site. As a result the nature is that all they want a question answering etc... Which is fine really but after a while as we see its the same thing over and over.

We need some hot debates, regular feature posts and perhaps even trimmin down the amount of boards in the forum to congregate everyone.
I think the For Sale section could just be one board really, a "Classifideds" board. People will specify what is for sale/wanted in the thread titles.
Addtitionally the in the Surf travel section, the Surf Stories and the Travel Tips could be a joint board easily... Travel Tips, Surf Stories & Info.

I know I should be getting some fo the topics on the go really but I've been a bit slack in the topic starting dept recently! Sorry :p

[surf patrol]

Point taken on the forums - I'll put them together.
Keep the ideas coming

[Xr3i_alloys]

Yeah i should have pointed it out earlier but there are too many boards like papa says, too much sifting through. i have only posted a few times but i come on here daily and browse through the new posts.

[surf patrol]

OK, the number of forums have been decreased.
All the classifieds in one place.
The surf stories have gone to the surf chat forum.
The travel info and the surf spots are one forum.

[deathfrog]

there's alot of redundancy in posts... and everyone who seems to stay seems to be absolutley obsessed.....

"What's your favorite wax scent????"
"Can I walk my dog with my surf leash?"
"Where can I get surf wall paper for my room with matching blankets, sheets, and accessories?"

[surf patrol]

there's alot of redundancy in posts... and everyone who seems to stay seems to be absolutley obsessed.

This is something that will always happen because people will not search before posting. But this is something that everyone can help out with. If any member sees a post that is a duplicate then have a quick search and post the link to the old post. One of the moderators can then lock the new post off and it will disappear into forum oblivion. This way it will keep the original posts relevant and also updated.

[PapaW]

Looking tidyer for sure now SP...

I've got a few threads I'll be feeding in over the next wek or so. They'll help draw together the existing forum community and give others the chance to feed in also.

Heh it all sounds a bit serious! :p

[libby]

Hmmm its a tough one, me and Brent seem to go through phases where we either post heaps or not at all.

I think people post when they have a quiet period, like in there summer holidays or just generally when they have a bit more time on their hands, saying that though i do the total opposite, i've been posting more recently because i've had so much work on, most of it computer based so a quick look on the forum is a nice break.

I stay on it mainly because there have been and no doubt will be some interesting topics, and also cos i guess by now i'm kind of interested in how some of the guys are (some i speak to on msn), like where the hell are cheezee and kmac? I guess because of meeting Brent through it etc its something i will always call back and check in on......

Making it a bit more personal would make it more of an incentive for me i.e a thread on what people are like etc, but thats just because i'm nosy! I also enjoy watching personalities develop on here - remember when Gulfsurfer first joined and he was full of agro - no offence gulfsurfer! Now he seems much more mellow and is an important member.

Oh god i'm taking the internet seriously. Somebody shoot me.

But then, thanks to you i'm stuck with Brent

[drowningbitbybit]

But then, thanks to you i'm stuck with Brent

Which is kinda like what I think... that we should all move to new zealand and be stuck with Brent
No, no, no, just kidding - what I mean was that loads of people come on here clearly looking for people to surf with or just to meet surfers for a beer, but what with surfing-waves being global, it doesnt really happen.

It's a bit of a problem for a bunch of reasons - no-one wants to babysit newbies, meeting up can be a pain if you have to go to a certain break, and enouraging people to meet people they dont really know is always a risk

So Im not sure what the answer is, but it might be nice to encourage people to meet up (particularly the newbies) in the flesh (whoops, badly phrased)

[libby]

Thats actually something i would really like to do once i get back to the UK actually, meet up with some more people.

What i did with Brent was very risky and in some ways very stupid, but i had my reasons to trust him, and luckily it paid off, but i agree encouraging people meeting others off the internet can be a dodgy business.

That said, fancy meeting up next year in the UK for a pint and a surf anybody?

[Brent]

Hmmm, suggestions...what's my wish list for this site. I dunno really, I kind of wish it was more populated by Swaylocks types rather than "is this board a good beginner board for me?". I find the same repetitive questions just, well, not worth replying to. I'd much rather be discussing fin cant & toe-in, board volumes & stuff like that.
I think many regulars check the site more often than you think - I do daily pretty much, Libby does too...but often there's just not much that spins our wheels into posting.

Doesn't mean we're not here though :-))

And I did meet my beloved on this very site. I have alot to be thankful for - Thanks SW.

[PapaW]

Thats one of the problems that comes with a site thats in the top 10 sites listed when googleing "surfing"
It is a great resource for beginners and natually it draws more of them than experenced. However I think its important to spread the knowledge. Enen though it gets a little repetitive, its got the the stage now where thoese posts are thinning out and you cna have stock replys ready linking to the relavant posts.

Its only a matter of time as the forum community evolves as more pick up some will leave and so on.



(btw Kmacs, off working isn't he? I remeber him saying something on MSW a couble of months back)

[libby]

Is he? Ah that would explain it, was just wondering how his study was going. I might PM him in a couple of weeks if he still hasn't popped up somewhere.

God i really am very nosy.

[oslo]

Read this thread for explaination. At the end.

http://tinyurl.com/rzh8m

[PapaW]

Well done for remebering that oslo!

Edit: He's just popped up on MSW... timing!

[k mac]

well papa w !cheers for pointing me in this direction ! hey libs ! hows tings ? ive just been working and studying a bit and dont have msn any more !! also passed my CBT so on the road now ...did i hear ...pint and surf ?! i have been checking now and then just not found thee time to post too much ! or read it all ...but to be honest theres one things bugging me ....what the hell makes white water....white!!?!?

k mac

[Driftingalong]

Not sure if this is a good idea or not, but...

I know you are trying to cut down of the number of forms, but maybe there could be one dedicated to "What Board do I get?" (or some similar title) and move the sticky in the "Surfing Lessons for All" over. Surfing lessons should be dedicated to "how to" topics (i.e. pop-ups, cut-backs, floaters...).

With all of the requests for "is this board right for me?", "new board?", and "first board?"... it may be good to have them all located in the same area.

[Phil]

theres not really been any good topics and most that keep coming up have been done to death, i still read the forum when im bored but dont feel theres much i want to reply to

[PapaW]

I've got that way with MSW... I do try to start some every now and again If I feel its relavant :p