I Really Need Help

**Levoni** · 01-18-2009, 11:24 AM

My forum is in the dark ages right now, after the fall of the roman empire. Now I need to bring it back into the Middle Ages at least. I wasnt' advertising the forum very much, though of course I encouraged new members to stick around wherever possible. I wasn't advertising much because my members would get upset if there were too many new members. The new members were then put off by the posts in my forum, which were full of a lot of injokes and conversations that no one would understand unless you'd read the whole forum for weeks.
I tried to put a stop to that... because it was also upsetting quieter members, they felt totally left out. (I wasn't the one encouraging it. I had members treating it like their own personal playground. It was fun in a way but also I knew I was losing people because of it).
I have now lost members because I'm apparently a dictator on a power trip for wanting them to be more inclusive and for locking threads taht went on for 3,000 posts- they were often the only threads being read.

Unfortunately they were very talkative members.

I have been trying to get new members for months. The bottom of this ravine of badness was just before Christmas. I think it's *starting* to pick up again, but I try to advertise, and new members are put off because it's quiet yet lots of members. Fair enough. The actual real members don't post much because there's not much to reply to, yet they're not willing to understand that if they make some threads, there will be stuff to reply to, and they can't expect everyone else to do it. (And considering these people are loudly lamenting the loss of the forum, I know they do want it to be active again). I'm doing my best, but I REALLY need help. Even five more active members would do marvels. I just don't know how to get them.

Any help would be fantastic. And giving up isn't an option, I love this forum and I've been running it for three years.

**Shawn Gossman** · 01-26-2009, 10:51 PM

I try to act more like a member than a staff member on my forums, sure we have rules but I am laid back and not quick to lock a topic and give warnings and people appreciate it and they act cool with me

Take that advice, maybe apologies to those who deserve it...

**Money Hungry** · 02-03-2009, 06:46 PM

Levoni

Yea, I just opened my forum and it's a free advertising site and getting people just to go and drop banners and links can't be pushed. People flock to the popular sites.

Finding advertising places to promote your site is tough going. The popular sites don't let people drop banners and spam. The least popular sites don't have traffic but are more open to letting people drop banners and links.

I have no problem with people dropping links and banners in their sigs on my site. I don't get much traffic yet but I do get some. My site is spam site for people who are active in the auction site marketplace arena but anyone can post and put banners and links to anywhere in their sigs.

**Levoni** · 02-06-2009, 04:37 AM

I do usually act like a member, which is why they get annoyed when I have to crack down on something. *sigh*.

**Money Hungry** · 02-06-2009, 06:02 AM

I aready have plans for this type of situation.

New members are vital to a forums success. I will not let gangs take over my forum. It's bad! Totally bad! Gangs of members alway push their ideas onto others and a gang of members with the same ideas and thoughts will always start unnecessary arguments against the one new member that has his own idea about the topic or conversation. I have an "auto prune" feature in my forum that delete posts automatically after a pre-set post limit has been reached. I will always encourage new conversations and topics which are vital to a forums success.

I myself have tons of experiance posting on forums and have picked up on several things that really kill forums and push away new members.

To much nice will also kill a forum. I know of one forum that hired all "Carry Nation" bible pushers and that forum is a mess. It still has lots of members but the members are as you said, long term with the same ideas and thoughts and new members stay away.

Just some food for thought.

**Levoni** · 02-12-2009, 05:51 AM

mm. But when I tried to break up the 'gangs' I was accused of not liking the fact that people had friendships, and that they can't be friends with everyone on the forum or include/remember absolutely everyone in their conversations.

**Money Hungry** · 02-12-2009, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Levoni

mm. But when I tried to break up the 'gangs'

Yea, it's a tough call because they are friends and you don't want to interfear with that. New members are important to a sites growth and you have to weight how many new members are signing up with you against how many friends are in this little gang of friends you have on your site.

Being cunning and smarter than they are is your way out. Experiamenting and trying new methods to get them to back off is your way out.

Maybe pop in and greet the new member personnaly and start a conversation with the new member. The old members (gang) will see you are actively conversing with the new members, making friends with the new members and the old members may leave the new members alone.

You just have to be creative. I'm on alot of forums and run into these hardcore members all the time. They can be dealt with without running them off. Just have to beat them at their own game.

UltimateOreo · 02-15-2009, 07:28 PM

Being too laid back is not an option you need to either be a standup person and enforce the rules or act as a friend to all and fulfill their requests and only lay down the law after a few offences has been commited for the first few just delete them and let them think to themselves.

**Shawn Gossman** · 02-15-2009, 08:26 PM

I express my requirements on rules pretty good but with a laid back sense, so I usually dont get put in the position to "crack down" on issues. I get a long with my members really well, we have a great system

**Levoni** · 02-18-2009, 12:10 AM

People feel like what they have to say is too trivial, so they don't bother posting it. *sigh*

01-18-2009, 11:24 AM	#1
Levoni Groupie Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 49	I Really Need Help My forum is in the dark ages right now, after the fall of the roman empire. Now I need to bring it back into the Middle Ages at least. I wasnt' advertising the forum very much, though of course I encouraged new members to stick around wherever possible. I wasn't advertising much because my members would get upset if there were too many new members. The new members were then put off by the posts in my forum, which were full of a lot of injokes and conversations that no one would understand unless you'd read the whole forum for weeks. I tried to put a stop to that... because it was also upsetting quieter members, they felt totally left out. (I wasn't the one encouraging it. I had members treating it like their own personal playground. It was fun in a way but also I knew I was losing people because of it). I have now lost members because I'm apparently a dictator on a power trip for wanting them to be more inclusive and for locking threads taht went on for 3,000 posts- they were often the only threads being read. Unfortunately they were very talkative members. I have been trying to get new members for months. The bottom of this ravine of badness was just before Christmas. I think it's starting to pick up again, but I try to advertise, and new members are put off because it's quiet yet lots of members. Fair enough. The actual real members don't post much because there's not much to reply to, yet they're not willing to understand that if they make some threads, there will be stuff to reply to, and they can't expect everyone else to do it. (And considering these people are loudly lamenting the loss of the forum, I know they do want it to be active again). I'm doing my best, but I REALLY need help. Even five more active members would do marvels. I just don't know how to get them. Any help would be fantastic. And giving up isn't an option, I love this forum and I've been running it for three years. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-26-2009, 10:51 PM	#2
Shawn Gossman Apprentice Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Illinois USA Posts: 150	I try to act more like a member than a staff member on my forums, sure we have rules but I am laid back and not quick to lock a topic and give warnings and people appreciate it and they act cool with me Take that advice, maybe apologies to those who deserve it... __________________ Shawn (WildBB Developer) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-03-2009, 06:46 PM	#3
Money Hungry Rookie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 20	Levoni Yea, I just opened my forum and it's a free advertising site and getting people just to go and drop banners and links can't be pushed. People flock to the popular sites. Finding advertising places to promote your site is tough going. The popular sites don't let people drop banners and spam. The least popular sites don't have traffic but are more open to letting people drop banners and links. I have no problem with people dropping links and banners in their sigs on my site. I don't get much traffic yet but I do get some. My site is spam site for people who are active in the auction site marketplace arena but anyone can post and put banners and links to anywhere in their sigs. __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

02-06-2009, 04:37 AM	#4
Levoni Groupie Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 49	I do usually act like a member, which is why they get annoyed when I have to crack down on something. sigh. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-06-2009, 06:02 AM	#5
Money Hungry Rookie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 20	I aready have plans for this type of situation. New members are vital to a forums success. I will not let gangs take over my forum. It's bad! Totally bad! Gangs of members alway push their ideas onto others and a gang of members with the same ideas and thoughts will always start unnecessary arguments against the one new member that has his own idea about the topic or conversation. I have an "auto prune" feature in my forum that delete posts automatically after a pre-set post limit has been reached. I will always encourage new conversations and topics which are vital to a forums success. I myself have tons of experiance posting on forums and have picked up on several things that really kill forums and push away new members. To much nice will also kill a forum. I know of one forum that hired all "Carry Nation" bible pushers and that forum is a mess. It still has lots of members but the members are as you said, long term with the same ideas and thoughts and new members stay away. Just some food for thought. __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

02-12-2009, 05:51 AM	#6
Levoni Groupie Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 49	mm. But when I tried to break up the 'gangs' I was accused of not liking the fact that people had friendships, and that they can't be friends with everyone on the forum or include/remember absolutely everyone in their conversations. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-15-2009, 07:28 PM	#8
UltimateOreo Groupie Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 32	Being too laid back is not an option you need to either be a standup person and enforce the rules or act as a friend to all and fulfill their requests and only lay down the law after a few offences has been commited for the first few just delete them and let them think to themselves.

02-15-2009, 08:26 PM	#9
Shawn Gossman Apprentice Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Illinois USA Posts: 150	I express my requirements on rules pretty good but with a laid back sense, so I usually dont get put in the position to "crack down" on issues. I get a long with my members really well, we have a great system __________________ Shawn (WildBB Developer) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-18-2009, 12:10 AM	#10
Levoni Groupie Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 49	People feel like what they have to say is too trivial, so they don't bother posting it. sigh __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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