When it comes to running a forum, some people will register and upload an avatar right away whereas others don't tend to bother and instead will post without an avatar. In some cases, this is not always an issue but if you are someone who likes to see avatars for a user around your forum or even other forums, it can be a little frustrating.
Are you someone who likes to see members upload an avatar when they post on a forum? Do you have a way to combat generic avatars on your forum if people do not upload one?
I have in the past changed the default avatar to something a little different that goes with the forum if it's on my forum so that if someone doesn't upload an avatar, it looks a little more appealing than just the default avatar for the forum software.
I would prefer a member upload an avatar & even post an intro, if I didn't get to it first.
I feel an avatar helps make the forum look nicer. Plus, if they take the time to post an avatar, they most likely will stick around. Those who don't are ones who tend to leave sooner. Although I have heard from a few people who use a cell phone, their phone doesn't make it easy to upload avatars. However, my forum, & I'm sure many others, DO have generic ones you can use. I feel they can use one of those if nothing else.
I haven't created a Default for my forum; would have to figure out how to do it lol But I do like that idea & have seen other Proboards forums have that option.
On my forum if people don't have an avatar it will display the first letter of their username in a big font. But I don't mind if people have avatars or not.
I'm not bothered if they don't put up an avatar, but I also don't expect them to stick around for long. If they put up an avatar, they're more interested in the forum and putting up an avatar means that they want the members to see more of who they are. Avatars show some personality.
It's their choice and we can't enforce them to add a nice image. If they do not want to upload then far enough. that being said that I have seen so many site owners do the same via not uploading an image to their own site for years. I see that most websites now offer the first letter of the name 🙂
You as an owner still can ask or do it yourself if they become inactive which I never do..
On my forum if people don't have an avatar it will display the first letter of their username in a big font. But I don't mind if people have avatars or not.
I also don't mind it, but when there's a high percentage of people without avatars, subconsciously, I think to myself "how do I get loyal members?" Sigh. But I don't mind it. Its just, I want more users to post, more retention.
I wouldn't say it bothers me, but I do see it as a sign that they're typically more engaged and will stay around. If I see a user with an avatar on my forum, I'm more likely to try and get to know them, then just a blank circle. I get everyone's preferences are different though - there's times I've just signed up to a forum for a one-off post or something and haven't bothered with an avatar
In the beginning, I used to remind members to upload avatars but these days I don't care much even though I believe having an avatar will make them look good on the forum.
I like the setting if they don't upload their own, we can set a normal one for everyone which would have the forum name, or the initial or something. -shrug- I prefer when people post their avatars because it gives them a personality, but if they prefer not to... I get it!
In some forums, people are offered am incentive to post am avatar. I once worked on a paid to post forum and my withdrawal request was declined because I didn't have an avatar. I had to add an avatar to get paid on that forum.
