Members spending more time in PMs?

[triforceguy1]

Hello,

On a forum I am a staff member of, I am desperately trying to find ways of reviving activity, it used to be really active about three years ago, but now it isn't so much. One problem I think we have is that apparently, a lot of members are actually spending more time in Private Messaging than in the forums. This is bad as potential new members could come on and then they won't see much activity, heck, not even the Shoutbox gets active often. Plus, other members could feel left out that they are not involved. We currently run on XenForo where the messaging is more like private group conversations. I've had the idea of trying to limit the PM system, but I'm not too sure what could be done. I want to ween members back to the main boards, but I don't want their freedom of PMs to become significantly reduced.

Does anyone have any good tips on this sort of subject?

Thanks
Leon

 

[Allenafaith]

Maybe you can try to limit the PMs that are allowed to be sent out each day between people? Once they reach the max, maybe they will go talk in the actual boards.

 

[Cierra]

Try removing the shoutbox and lowering the PM limit. Members might need a "nudge" to start posting on the main boards again too so make sure there are fresh topics made by staff in all the boards. You could try a contest/competition as well but it might not be helpful in the long term.

 

[triforceguy1]

Try removing the shoutbox and lowering the PM limit. Members might need a "nudge" to start posting on the main boards again too so make sure there are fresh topics made by staff in all the boards. You could try a contest/competition as well but it might not be helpful in the long term.

Maybe you can try to limit the PMs that are allowed to be sent out each day between people? Once they reach the max, maybe they will go talk in the actual boards.

I've tried suggesting both of those things, but then the matter came up with "what if a member needs to urgently contact a member of staff but they have reached the limit"
I myself haven't seen the ACP on XenForo, so I'm not sure how much you can modify with the PM system 🙁

 

[THF_Martin]

I wouldn't limit anything as it would likely cause them members to become annoyed and potentially leave the site permanently. As a first point of action try to get them involved by creating some on-topic discussions and really lead the way in terms of activity on the forum, shoot them a PM asking them to join in with the discussions on the forum and hope that improves situations, they might just have nothing to say to the existing topics. If that doesn't work, try building a newer community of members - let them do what they are doing and then build the community from a stance of inactivity. Bring in new members who are wanting to discuss on the forums and such, they will either replace the posts the old members used to make, or it could encourage them to post again.

 

[Mozzie]

I used to be a member on a forum where they stopped pms altogether . And yes it caused an uproar,

 

[Cosmic]

If people are using your forums to communicate privately, I think that's a good thing that keeps them coming backs if you limit that, they'll just do the same thing somewhere else, and you may lose them as members. I think you need to focus on making your forums more appealing, raher than your PM system less appealing. 😛

 

[Kaynil]

Do you know why and what people are using the PMs for? If most of them are doing it it must be something in common. Find what it is and find a way to implement it to the forums themselves.

For example, if they are role-playing consider creating a roleplay zone. If you have one and they ignore it then find out what is turning them off the zone. Then think of ways you can incorporate the appeal or make it possible to involve newcomers with it.

If your forum is old it might be a Veterans wanting a space to talk about the good ol' days, if so, just grant them a hidden zone for that or zones related to the online places where they come from, if they arrived to your community from somewhere else.

As you see the solution depends heavily on their reason to keep doing that. Do you have any idea what it is? iof you know we might be able to give you better advice.

In short my advice is to take interest in what they're doing, why it matters to them and try to come to an alternative board, usergroup, permission that can satisfy this without resorting to Direct Conversations.

Good luck. 🙂

 

[Sharon]

All you can do is continue to try and provide topics for people to chime in on and reply to existing threads. Limiting their PM conversation will do more harm than good in my opinion. If you do not want to create new threads you can do post exchanges or order posting packages.

 

[Platipoo]

Do you know why and what people are using the PMs for? If most of them are doing it it must be something in common. Find what it is and find a way to implement it to the forums themselves.

For example, if they are role-playing consider creating a roleplay zone. If you have one and they ignore it then find out what is turning them off the zone. Then think of ways you can incorporate the appeal or make it possible to involve newcomers with it.

If your forum is old it might be a Veterans wanting a space to talk about the good ol' days, if so, just grant them a hidden zone for that or zones related to the online places where they come from, if they arrived to your community from somewhere else.

As you see the solution depends heavily on their reason to keep doing that. Do you have any idea what it is? iof you know we might be able to give you better advice.

In short my advice is to take interest in what they're doing, why it matters to them and try to come to an alternative board, usergroup, permission that can satisfy this without resorting to Direct Conversations.

Good luck. 🙂

I'd have to agree with this. Limiting PMs sounds more like trouble than a solution. Getting more content posted and forum-wide activities started are good ideas, and attracting new people with fresh content should be neat.

 

[Thomasss]

Actually, I have to agree with limiting PM's a little bit, (not to much). Just because one creates more content does not mean they will leave the PM's, usually it's in a PM because it's personal or rather they don't want to talk about with the rest of the forum, it's kind of why PM's exist. 😛

But the question still exists, do you know what is being sent through PM's?

 

[triforceguy1]

Thanks for all the tips guys

Actually, I have to agree with limiting PM's a little bit, (not to much). Just because one creates more content does not mean they will leave the PM's, usually it's in a PM because it's personal or rather they don't want to talk about with the rest of the forum, it's kind of why PM's exist. 😛

But the question still exists, do you know what is being sent through PM's?

I do not know, no. But I get the impression that it's quite a few members in one PM/Convo, like a massive group message on Facebook... which actually exists as an unofficial one for the forum.

 

[Ash]

To be honest I never noticed it and havn't had any problems with this. If you do notice this on your own site then maybe adding a limit to the number of pms a user can send could stop/limit this

 

[John]

I agree with the people saying to try to add some content to your forum. At least you have some members at your forum, so you've at least made a good start. 🙂

 

[Forces of Steel]

Don't limit anything. When they want to post, they will. Be patient.

 

[ultraonlinereviews]

Perhaps you can test for you to control the actual PMs that are allowed to always be sent out on a daily basis in between folks? If they attain the actual utmost, possibly they'll head out communicate in the true boards.

 

[Nebulous]

If people are using your forums to communicate privately, I think that's a good thing that keeps them coming backs if you limit that, they'll just do the same thing somewhere else, and you may lose them as members. I think you need to focus on making your forums more appealing, raher than your PM system less appealing. 😛

Thats good advice. :great: