Comments on: The first 5 things a new forum visitor looks for http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/ Community Building Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:57:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Farrhad A http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-19792 Farrhad A Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:11:50 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-19792 Martin, I completely agree with all your points. People keep saying content is king but then design is queen. I invested around most of my forum funds in a custom skin, and it has helped my community stand out. Martin, I completely agree with all your points.

People keep saying content is king but then design is queen.

I invested around most of my forum funds in a custom skin, and it has helped my community stand out.

]]> By: James Barton http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-17520 James Barton Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:11:01 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-17520 I think that simplicity, lack of too much advertising, clarity and quick loading times are important factors that new visitors look for. I am in the process of moding my new phpbb3 <a href="http://www.VirtueScience.com">Spiritual Forum</a> layout to make it clearer for new visitors. In some more specialist forums people might be happy to join and post comments even if the current post count is low. The reason for this is the email notification feature which will alert them when their thread receives a reply. I think that simplicity, lack of too much advertising, clarity and quick loading times are important factors that new visitors look for. I am in the process of moding my new phpbb3 Spiritual Forum layout to make it clearer for new visitors.

In some more specialist forums people might be happy to join and post comments even if the current post count is low. The reason for this is the email notification feature which will alert them when their thread receives a reply.

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-16684 Martin Reed - Blog Author Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:26:51 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-16684 <strong>DJ MC</strong> - That's good; just make sure that the forum admins are OK with you including a link to your site in your signature. <strong>Smiley</strong> - I am surprised you didn't drive yourself crazy and forget who you really were! <strong>Jon</strong> - I am glad you found the article useful, and good luck with your new forum. <strong>Kouji</strong> - Yup, it's a fact that most people look at forum stats before deciding whether or not to join a forum. That makes it even more important to ensure you have quality content to offset any disappointing membership stats. DJ MC – That’s good; just make sure that the forum admins are OK with you including a link to your site in your signature.

Smiley – I am surprised you didn’t drive yourself crazy and forget who you really were!

Jon – I am glad you found the article useful, and good luck with your new forum.

Kouji – Yup, it’s a fact that most people look at forum stats before deciding whether or not to join a forum. That makes it even more important to ensure you have quality content to offset any disappointing membership stats.

]]> By: kouji http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-16548 kouji Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:59:51 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-16548 i tend to check the member count first. hard to have conversations, when there aren't that many people around. i tend to check the member count first. hard to have conversations, when there aren’t that many people around.

]]> By: Jon http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-16272 Jon Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:14:09 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-16272 These are some great tips for some just starting a new online community (myself included). We recently added a forum to the Gamer-Junkie site and it's been a long and drawn out process so far. @smiley I've read about having multiple users to help add activity on a forum, but haven't tried it myself yet. Sounds like it worked for you though. These are some great tips for some just starting a new online community (myself included). We recently added a forum to the Gamer-Junkie site and it’s been a long and drawn out process so far.

@smiley I’ve read about having multiple users to help add activity on a forum, but haven’t tried it myself yet. Sounds like it worked for you though.

]]> By: Smiley http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-16096 Smiley Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:43:00 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-16096 I agree with Martin, Anjuan. Just do it, no matter how weird it feels. When I first started <a href="http://www.friendly-forums.co.uk">Friendly Forums</a> I registered 3 usernames. Smiley(Host) and two other 'regular users'. I sat there for days having a three way conversation with myself. LOL. It did feel rather weird joking and bantering with myself, but I did it nonetheless. I kept it up for weeks and weeks, getting involved in all three usernames. I was ridiculed for it by most that knew, but I knew it had to be done. To a new user, on a new forum, it looks good. Once I had enough registered members, I slowly 'phased' my extra usernames out. One was "too busy with University", the other was moving in with their boyfriend. It makes me sound insane, but fact is it worked, and the forum runs on its own without me 90% of the time now. I agree with Martin, Anjuan. Just do it, no matter how weird it feels. When I first started Friendly Forums I registered 3 usernames. Smiley(Host) and two other ‘regular users’. I sat there for days having a three way conversation with myself. LOL. It did feel rather weird joking and bantering with myself, but I did it nonetheless. I kept it up for weeks and weeks, getting involved in all three usernames. I was ridiculed for it by most that knew, but I knew it had to be done.

To a new user, on a new forum, it looks good. Once I had enough registered members, I slowly ‘phased’ my extra usernames out. One was “too busy with University”, the other was moving in with their boyfriend.

It makes me sound insane, but fact is it worked, and the forum runs on its own without me 90% of the time now.

]]> By: DJ MC http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-16095 DJ MC Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:30:46 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-16095 I guess I'm very fortunate, because there is one very good Disc Jockey forum (with content that's related to my site & similar key words), called "Our DJ Talk". The forum is open to Google, -AND- the signature links are "do follow" which helps one's SEO. I guess I’m very fortunate, because there is one very good Disc Jockey forum (with content that’s related to my site & similar key words), called “Our DJ Talk”. The forum is open to Google, -AND- the signature links are “do follow” which helps one’s SEO.

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-15770 Martin Reed - Blog Author Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:11:52 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-15770 <strong>Anjuan</strong> - Sometimes you do need to talk to yourself in order to create content, value and activity within a new community. Just don't take it too far and end up talking to yourself in the real world, too! Anjuan – Sometimes you do need to talk to yourself in order to create content, value and activity within a new community. Just don’t take it too far and end up talking to yourself in the real world, too!

]]> By: Anjuan http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-15703 Anjuan Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:52:16 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-15703 Exellent point about creating content before you get new users. This was not intuitive for me. It seems like you have to have a conversation with yourself and then hope this draws other people into the conversation. Exellent point about creating content before you get new users. This was not intuitive for me. It seems like you have to have a conversation with yourself and then hope this draws other people into the conversation.

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/comment-page-1/#comment-15132 Martin Reed - Blog Author Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:20:29 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/the-first-5-things-a-new-forum-visitor-looks-for/#comment-15132 <strong>pcheing</strong> - I agree; if your forum has no activity it will struggle to attract new members! pcheing – I agree; if your forum has no activity it will struggle to attract new members!

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