I have had a little activity in the past but now the forum has gone completely quiet! I've tried getting feedback and have started a suggestion thread, I've even added a place for guests to give feedback. But nothing seems to be reviving it! The forum is far from dead because I will never give up on it! EVER!
I need help getting it back in action! This forum needs a wake up call, but I don't know what to do!
Please Help! Suggestions, Feedback, anything! I am all ears!
Ok, after looking around heres the major "turn offs" I found
-The software, IF is just too old these days
-The skin is too "blocky"
-Guest welcome box too large
-Random "Home" button on the bottom, atleast make it less square
-On the Cbox rules "Starting 12-03-08 thank you!" Can be removed
-Cbox period
Those are just a few things I saw, not sure if any of it helped. Do with it what you will.
There's nothing I can do about that! A free forum is all I can do for now and I already put too much work into this one!
-The skin is too "blocky"
I'll be starting a poll to see what skin would suit me better very soon!
-Guest welcome box too large
I'll work on that too, but those who join/sign-in will not have too look at it, only guests and myself can see it!
-Random "Home" button on the bottom, atleast make it less square
It's not ramdom, it saves you from having to hit the top button and then hit the Wii Experience link to return to the front page! MrJohn made those for the site and I can't ask for GFX here again for a while!
-On the Cbox rules "Starting 12-03-08 thank you!" Can be removed
-There's nothing I can do about that! A free forum is all I can do for now and I already put too much work into this one!
There are ways of having a better type of "free forum" that can be used. There are even certain crawling convertors that can help you keep everything. I do get where your coming from though.
-I'll be starting a poll to see what skin would suit me better very soon!
Very good.
-I'll work on that too, but those who join/sign-in will not have too look at it, only guests and myself can see it!
I know, but from a guests view its just abit big, and no guest would take the time to read it honestly.
-It's not ramdom, it saves you from having to hit the top button and then hit the Wii Experience link to return to the front page! MrJohn made those for the site and I can't ask for GFX here again for a while!
If you say so, maybe think about adding a link in the header up top, I know it can done. Name it "home" or something?
-Ok, I'll do that!
Works for me.
-HUH?
Cbox's are huge turnoffs to me. Its proven they reduce posting on smaller forums. That one doesnt match your skin either, which makes it an eye sore to me. I just done like forum cbox's in general though.
-There are ways of having a better type of "free forum" that can be used. There are even certain crawling convertors that can help you keep everything. I do get where your coming from though.
I'm going to need help with that one!
-I know, but from a guests view its just abit big, and no guest would take the time to read it honestly.
I see. I'm working on it!
-If you say so, maybe think about adding a link in the header up top, I know it can done. Name it "home" or something?
I can't add anything like that at the top, there are idea cloning issues, and I have to be original!
-Cbox's are huge turnoffs to me. Its proven they reduce posting on smaller forums. That one doesnt match your skin either, which makes it an eye sore to me. I just done like forum cbox's in general though.
I'll remove the c-box untill traffic goes up and demand increase!
I mentioned the skin poll! And I really need members that will stick around! I did alot of exchanges in the past but when members see that those members never return they leave too!
Doing post exchanges will make your forum look like it has activity, which is what visitors like seeing on a forum. If you include a lot of advertising and promotion, your forum is bound to have more activity.
My tip is to do forum posting with your link in your signature.
Yes do post exchanges and change the style definitely! Remove the cbox and advertise and you should get bigger. Also affiliate with sites that are related to your topic.
I think the skin is a little plain, and not much to really pop out and grab the guests. There are a few things i would change, and i will list these below with my reasoning for changing these items.
1/ Get some action of the front page. Colors and better icons will add that pop your site seems to be lacking in now. This is easy done, and just requires your time to do it.
2/ Move the news scroller to the top of the forum page, so it scrolls across the whole page area. It kind of looks like an after thought in that small box it is in now, and does not really do what a scroller should do. Which is advertise what your site has.
3/ Change the text is the scroller. You know you want to, sounds very amateurish. Announce new changes, the new board, new skins, and why guests should join.
4/ Loose the category title of "Introductions/Farewells" Just change it to something like "Intro's here" or something similar. Seeing a Farewell thread on the first page is not a good thing.
5/ Post something in the "Guest area discussion!" spot. Seeing completely empty areas is never good, and does not indicate a lot of activity. Just list what the area is for, as even that will fill up that void on the front list .
6/ Let your guests see the front page, so they can see what areas you have. But if they want to look inside those areas they should have to join. If the guests can see absolutely everything that you have, there really is no incentive to join. Give them a good teaser, and they will reward you with joining.
Just some random things i can see that may help you out a little.
Trust Me! Judging from the feedbakack that I've been getting, this skin is a huge improvement over the last one! Not going to swich again for a while!
and not much to really pop out and grab the guests. There are a few things I would change, and i will list these below with my reasoning for changing these items.
1/ Get some action of the front page. Colors and better icons will add that pop your site seems to be lacking in now. This is easy done, and just requires your time to do it.
Perhaps an animated banner/logo?
2/ Move the news scroller to the top of the forum page, so it scrolls across the whole page area. It kind of looks like an after thought in that small box it is in now, and does not really do what a scroller should do. Which is advertise what your site has.
It's not a "News Scroller"! And it's designed to catch your attention, which it's done that because that's the first thing you remarked upon!
3/ Change the text is the scroller. You know you want to, sounds very amateurish. Announce new changes, the new board, new skins, and why guests should join.
The idea was not to sound "Needy". Perhaps a new phrase but still the objective has been achieved.
4/ Loose the category title of "Introductions/Farewells" Just change it to something like "Intro's here" or something similar. Seeing a Farewell thread on the first page is not a good thing.
Good Point!
5/ Post something in the "Guest area discussion!" spot. Seeing completely empty areas is never good, and does not indicate a lot of activity. Just list what the area is for, as even that will fill up that void on the front list .
Ok, I'll do that!
6/ Let your guests see the front page, so they can see what areas you have. But if they want to look inside those areas they should have to join. If the guests can see absolutely everything that you have, there really is no incentive to join. Give them a good teaser, and they will reward you with joining.
I hide all the subforums! You can see the links but try and click on them without logging in and see what happens!
Just some random things i can see that may help you out a little.
Thanks for your input! I'll try and put as much of it to use as I can! 😀
Also the Spam & Forum Games forums are invisible to guests! There are actually 4 visible forums in all categories when you log in. It lets you see some but not all of the forum!
Ok, but what about all those stupid senseless threads people start? I can't hunt them all down, at least if there's a place for them I know where they all are.
And yeah, I know about the "!" thing. I've been trying to break that habit.
Get a shorter domain e.g wiiexperience.co.nr? or .co.cc or something? something members will remember easier 🙂
personally the software is nothing to do with it although its not the best its not the worst by all means...
I suggest maybe starting competitions? winner gets a special rank or something?
Try adding another style available for members a dark theme would be nice , give members a choice the more options you give the members/guests the more they feel at home 🙂
