Bribery to Get Members

[Jason76]

Even with excellent content, they just aren't joining and participating, but that can be solved!

Anyway, though, there is a downside. If people are just "paid to post", then once the incentive is gone, they're gone! However, though, forums is becoming such a losing biz lately that unfortunately it might be that "pay is to stay". You all think so?

 

[Joshua Farrell]

Care to explain? Your post doesn't clarify the topic title.

 

[Jason76]

Not really bribery as in bad, but sweepstakes, forum posting contests etc..

 

[Page]

You talking regards to new people joining the forum and not posting an goo d amount of content! rather then joining posting what they want then leave, never come back.

 

[Jason76]

You talking regards to new people joining the forum and not posting an goo d amount of content! rather then joining posting what they want then leave, never come back.

I don't really understand what you mean here. But anyway, my beef, as noted (edited) in the original post is that "pay to stay" members are sort of forum prostitutes, so to speak. However, though, forums are becoming so desperate, there isn't a solution!

 

[Page]

I don't really understand what you mean here. But anyway, my beef, as noted (edited) in the original post is that "pay to stay" members are sort of forum prostitutes, so to speak. However, though, forums are becoming so desperate, there isn't a solution!

It's what you said in the first post that got us confessed. But now you edited it so that we can understand. And yes you are right. I have the same problem that people come and post as they get paid or exchanges then they don't come back. But not all! I had three members that do come and check things out regards what's new, even then they don't post.

 

[Jason76]

I don't really understand what you mean here. But anyway, my beef, as noted (edited) in the original post is that "pay to stay" members are sort of forum prostitutes, so to speak. However, though, forums are becoming so desperate, there isn't a solution!

It's what you said in the first post that got us confessed. But now you edited it so that we can understand. And yes you are right. I have the same problem that people come and post as they get paid or exchanges then they don't come back. But not all! I had three members that do come and check things out regards what's new, even then they don't post.

If you're using post exchanges or paid posters, you gotta keep em on there for a couple of months or a year cause, face it, they're not coming back! However, this situation might be a necessity, as noted, because forums are desperate. Oh, also, I'm not dissing post exchangers etc.. and I don't blame them for leaving, because honestly, there's nothing in it for them - and I would feel the same way.

 

[Martee]

I've been part of forums before which have paid me to post on their site for a couple of weeks at a time sometimes, was nice to get paid to do something I'd do anyway on other sites. But in majority of cases I rarely stayed on the site. One or two sites though caught my interest after I made some posts through such methods and even made some real-life friends from it!

 

[vegasRambler]

I have used the post exchange or pay to post sites, and as Jason76 said you do have to use that service for an incredibly long time with the use of Facebook and/or google adsence.

The pay to post gets the content, and the facebook/google gets you prospective new members.
I found that I cant use one without the other.

I also found that giving things away helps with members sticking around, and set it up where they have to share a page on your forum to Facebook/twitter to enter for the chance to win. You can find some interesting and inexpensive items on amazon to give away, and they can handle the promotion for you if you want.

 

[Geoffrey]

There's difference in offering incentives to join and bribing members, though perhaps that's a very fine line in reality.

I see the value of doing posting contests and other prize-based competitions to incentivize members to join a (new) community. However, I've also seen more often than not most members leave the community or become lurkers once the prizes are awarded and the incentives go away. If you can manage to keep the incentives going long term, that could resolve the issue - but that involves a lot of money and investment that most folks don't have (or would prefer to invest in other ways to grow the site).

It's much better to promote and recruit in intentional ways to attract members naturally that are interested in the community niche and what it has to offer. Those are the people who will stick around and be active contributors. You may get some of those from incentive-based competitions, but likely not very many and probably not enough to make it worth the investment.

 

[fantanoice]

Isn't all advertising bribery in the end? :v You tease good times in exchange for the time and money of the people

 

[Jason76]

I think one solution is simply building something with good content and traffic. In that case, some people would hang around without being bribed - I mean, other than by the good content and traffic (But how can we keep from that?).

 

[Sam]

Fergal started ForumCoin in 2013. At the time, it was the only paid to post forum. Now there's a bunch. It's weird because people are having to be incentivised to post and be active on forums. They just aren't visiting smaller communities as much. 🙁

If you can do a contest and then encourage participants to stay because your forum offers X, you're doing well. That could be resources, great tutorials or articles, links with important people in the niche etc.

 

[Page]

If you can do a contest and then encourage participants to stay because your forum offers X

Contest aren't that big as it used to be. Most are not interested in what the contest is anymore, On an very big forum some do and others do contest and they can offer big deals. Small forums just can't do it

 

[Jason76]

If you can do a contest and then encourage participants to stay because your forum offers X

Contest aren't that big as it used to be. Most are not interested in what the contest is anymore, On an very big forum some do and others do contest and they can offer big deals. Small forums just can't do it

Everyone's interested in $$$ 😀

 

[bullish]

Forum contests + giveaways are so cliche and winners disappear a couple weeks later, if not sooner.

I think the key to launching a successful forum is by actually investing in making it different. Get some custom plugins, extensions, and a sweet theme. The money for advertising should go in banner ads on other competing forums and even ads on social media are useful. You can even pay someone to help you rank long-string keywords that are low-competition and start your own pipeline of organic traffic.

There are tons of ways to grow your forum audience. "Pay to stay" is a total disaster coming to your pocketbooks.

 

[Xyphien]

I've tried this, and it sadly doesn't work. Unless you're able to get other none paid members, non contest, free games, etc. members to view and see your site is active with said 'bribed' content those you bribe will simply stay inactive until the next upcoming event comes out. I owned a website/forum/blog for 9 years and I just shut it down last week as I was tired of the inactivity, and lack of anything going on despite how much I tried. I offered almost a thousand free games to those who are active, and they would be active only when a game they want comes on the list, and only then. It's not the best strategy for long term activity. If you're looking for someone who's interested in a long term commitment to your forum, give them something long term to invest in other than simple posting contests.

One of my sites I have a section to post their game they make, resources they make, and they can even sell it saving them time and money from using Steam. Because of this the activity has been steady over the past few years. Though I've fallen off of the SEO game with it, those who are on the site still post simi frequently versus the site that was set to simply giving out free stuff. I talk more indepth on it here

 

[Jason76]

I've tried this, and it sadly doesn't work. Unless you're able to get other none paid members, non contest, free games, etc. members to view and see your site is active with said 'bribed' content those you bribe will simply stay inactive until the next upcoming event comes out. I owned a website/forum/blog for 9 years and I just shut it down last week as I was tired of the inactivity, and lack of anything going on despite how much I tried. I offered almost a thousand free games to those who are active, and they would be active only when a game they want comes on the list, and only then. It's not the best strategy for long term activity. If you're looking for someone who's interested in a long term commitment to your forum, give them something long term to invest in other than simple posting contests.

One of my sites I have a section to post their game they make, resources they make, and they can even sell it saving them time and money from using Steam. Because of this the activity has been steady over the past few years. Though I've fallen off of the SEO game with it, those who are on the site still post simi frequently versus the site that was set to simply giving out free stuff. I talk more indepth on it here

I think the time would be better spent reaching social media influencers - then possibly you could reach people who are truly interested in being in your forum - without being bribed.

 

[Xyphien]

I think the time would be better spent reaching social media influencers - then possibly you could reach people who are truly interested in being in your forum - without being bribed.

I agree. Focusing on promoting your site officially versus with bribes will create a longer lasting community, and members who are willing to help out rather than "Free stuffs pl0x"

 

[Jason76]

I think the time would be better spent reaching social media influencers - then possibly you could reach people who are truly interested in being in your forum - without being bribed.

I agree. Focusing on promoting your site officially versus with bribes will create a longer lasting community, and members who are willing to help out rather than "Free stuffs pl0x"

Well, people talk on social media all day - for no pay. Why would be so hard to get these people on a forum?