Access or None?

[zoso]

Do you let guests view your forum? Or do you have to register to view?

What are your views?

 

[Callum93]

I let guests have read-only access. I absolutely hate having zero access as a guest, I want to get a better feel for the forum.

 

[Queenmommie]

I recently changed mine so that guest could view all, minus a few private forums. I am hping this helps with membership.

 

[CyberFreak]

I always say never hide the forums from public view. Keep as much visible. People like to see what the forum offers and what discussions there are on the forum. If you have to sign up to see anything less people will sign up.

If you have certain forums like ones with graphics or audio that you don't want guests seeing that it is ok to do but don't hide things thinking it will increase members and activity... It does the opposite.

 

[Van1lla ™]

Yeah with graphics i hide resources and tuts forums as then you know they will get leeched. Hopefully when people sign up to view them they will post around some more.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

It actaully worked the other way for an old Guitar Hero forum. They anted more people to join so they put it so that everyone has to login, so I registered-the forum was dead. I found out that I was member #3! It backfired on them

 

[Murder he Wrote]

I do not approve of hiding forums from guests.

When i open my styling site the tutorials section will be off-limits to guests, but other than that i will make sure everything else remains visible.

Rach time i go to a forum and have to sign up to view it, i say to myself "I can't be bothered" then move on.

 

[zoso]

i have always hidden our forum, not to gain more members but purely from a privacy point of view..

have considered loosening up and lifting it though -happy-

 

[Strawbee]

I let guests see most forums. ^^

 

[Mother]

I've been told it's a good idea to allow guests to view your forums so they can see if it's what they want to join. I mean, if you really think about it, would you want to join a forum that you can't view? :\

 

[Ste]

I hate it when people don't allow guests to see the forums, I have always allowed it on all of my forums.

 

[Mike]

I think guests should always be able to see forums, not post though, I think they should be able to post in Suggestions and feedback and problem forum, just in case something went wrong with registration etc

 

[zoso]

hmm im considering lifting my bad ;( still ... privacy wahhh

 

[Murder he Wrote]

hmm im considering lifting my bad ;( still ... privacy wahhh

I don't really see privacy as a valid reason for stopping guests from looking. If someone registers, then they'll havbe access anyway so in theory all you're doing is delaying the amount of time people have access to your forum.

Also, if i visit a forum which is hidden away, i can only ask myself "What have they got to hide?" ~razz~

 

[Van1lla ™]

Well i dont hide the forums, i make them viewable so guests know they are there but i dont let them read topics or posts.

 

[zoso]

yeah thats what i had before ^^ but you couldnt even see the topics listed

ive recently lifted the access, trying it out ;(