Getting New Members To Stay - ideas

[PapaW]

lol

[tomcat360]

we could move it to the full members page, or we could talk in code!!!

chjghjyuyujktd hghgfurd uytrsrgh

ya'll agree with the last part?

I'm such an idiot....

[Dec]

tomcat...LMAO..

*I* saasusn *dont* akushiueb*think*kuisdhfkh *it's* laknsfdlajf *going* laDnslands *to* ladmsladsmnl *work*


Move it to the members page?

[PapaW]

nah just leave it its all good.

[deathfrog]

more hot chicks

[Surf_Nymph]

we just need to get them replying to the threads and getting them to write good new topics.

but to do this you need a friendly atmosphere which we've got

see at first on this forum i hardly wrote any new topics i just rarely replied and wrote on someone elses thread i only ever asked a few newbie question's i didn't feel like i could write up new topics i didn't want to look like a kook and cause i felt intimidated cause im new and don't know much about surfing but my knowledge is gaining

i think its just a confidence that people need to get especially if there new to surfing

a confidence to ask more than newbie questions

just a thought

[surferdude_scarborough]

can i suggest introducing them to cheezee slowly?

[PapaW]

Heheheh :)

[Dec]

Well, I gathered up some stuf from people on the forums, and they say that sifting through all the begginers questions cheeses them off.

Any sugestions?

[CheeZee]

can i suggest introducing them to cheezee slowly?

.. LMFAO ... no i think the cold sharp shock treatment is always better in the long run ..lmao

( p***ing my self here bro )

[CheeZee]

As to the topic ... most forums have a life expectancy im afraid no matter what is offered or included. An open forum is a conversation that any one can enter, interupt or end depending on the people involved and as such it is down to luck and hopefully enough dedicated posters/members to keep it alive .. same as a pub or club, the people return mainly because they like the type of people that populate it on a regular basis ...you can offer me free drinks but if the place is whack or the people have bad attitudes etc ..then im not going in !

Offering incentives is always helpfull and obviously keeping the info and layout upto date will also help but what ive learned is it is totally down to having the right moderators and the luck of the draw of having dedicated, patient,knowledgeable & entertaining posters... pro's and noobs alike

Ive seen the biggest most expensive backed forums fall apart for lots of different reasons ..

Snowboarding .com " went downhill as soon as the moderators got slack and kids turned it into a dating and slagging site etc ..many of the pro posters/riders didnt stay because it had become a joke. Then the security of the forum became slack so a lot of people left because they were getting spooked by visiting droolers .The list goes on but you guys already take care of all the above and the things that i havnt stated .

Basically guys, i personally think you are doing all the right things at the right times so i come back, but at the end of the day it does seem to be massively down to luck regarding the usefull life span of a forum .

You have the best moderators and the best posters ... i see a long life in Surfing waves tea leaves

[Dec]

Cheezee the fortune teller.... Now that's scaring me!!!

What's going to happen to me in my future then??

[CheeZee]

lol .. wish i knew the answer to that one for myself

Maybe i should try coffee granules instead

[Dec]

LMFAO.....every thread that gets the Cheezmistro involved in, seems to turn into something completely random!!

[surf patrol]

more hot chicks

Posting or moderating?

[PapaW]

When it reaches a point thereis always the option to 'acidently' losing all the forum server data... thus creating a new forum to start all over (and its still got the regular member base ;)

But anyway... the forums comming alive now!

[iomarti]

Can I give you my thoughts, and how I've felt as a new member? Hopefully you'll find them useful.

I think that there's a real feeling as a new member, that here are a group of people that have a sense of community and a real dynamic. That's very attractive, and I enjoy reading all the posts. HOWEVER... as a new member, I don't feel like I can respond to all the posts, especially not posts that all the regulars are posting on, I feel like i'd be butting in, or intruding into a friendship circle, where I may not be welcome.

This will hopefully fade with time, but it has to be a two way process...regular members being supportive and friendly, and the courage of the new member to join in.

I have to say thanks to PapaWallacoombe, he welcomed me very nicely on my first post. It made A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, seriously, don't underestimate that in procuring and keeping new members.

Also, I am a beginner surfer. And therefore, I don't feel at all qualified to respond to a lot of posts, but I do read and learn. I also feel slightly embarrassed by asking too many beginner questions, so I feel there is a limit to how much I'm going to post in the next month or two, but I'll still be reading. I think this may be quite common..

Sorry, I've gone on for ages, but hope it was a bit of use.
MARTI xx

[CheeZee]

LMFAO.....every thread that gets the Cheezmistro involved in, seems to turn into something completely random!!

... Dec' , whether intended or not ..that is a very good observation my man i must watch myself for that and i know you say it with the best intentions but you have very nicely given me a little reality check there bro' .. looking at some of the threads i can see a good handful that i and others have taken off topic .
lol..im making a note of that for business at work too so nice one

as a new member, I don't feel like I can respond to all the posts, especially not posts that all the regulars are posting on, I feel like i'd be butting in, or intruding into a friendship circle, where I may not be welcome.

.. also a good note ..it can seem and at times be that way i guess, but i think that is one of the toughest parts of holding a community of random people that changes on a daily basis and still trying to maintain the closeness of a group of friends !.. i think it comes to a good balance for the most part but as you say will improve with time

[PapaW]

This will hopefully fade with time, but it has to be a two way process...regular members being supportive and friendly, and the courage of the new member to join in.

Well now you've just raised the bar!!!! I'm goign to expect to see at least one profound post from you per week ;)

Christ at the end of the day if you feel you have somthing to contribute then do it! its all good!

[surf patrol]

I have to say thanks to PapaWallacoombe, he welcomed me very nicely on my first post. It made A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, seriously, don't underestimate that in procuring and keeping new members.

This is something that every member can do. Takes 10 secs when answering a post.
If you see a new member with post count 1 then drop in a welcome message.