Frequency

[Ed]

Do you visit this community every day? Once a week?

 

What can I do to encourage you to check in more often?

and Martin like this

[Bamaswitch]

I’m checking in every few days or so now. I’d like to see the site grow and get a bit more active.

Ed likes this

[Scott]

Unfortunately, I think the way it works is more activity will generate more activity.  More frequent activity will generate people checking in more frequently.

Ive know idea what the sites software is or what capabilities it may have, other than the checkbox for notifications of new post replies and pm’s, but have you either tried or considered generating email updates to give a periodic synopsis of what’s going on, announce events, etc.

[Ed]

You’re absolutely right on activity causing more activity. The problem is I’ve never reached the critical minimum required. Every time I stop posting 5-10 things per day, everything grinds to a halt.

The blog was an attempt to keep the activity level going, even when I’m not around. I can’t be active here every day. That’s going to run out of content before the end of the month.

 

I used to do an e-mail newsletter a long time ago but it wasn’t popular. Approximately 30% of users cannot receive e-mails from the site because their mail service provider blocks us.

The site runs on WordPress (world leader CMS).

[Arthur]

I check daily or a few times a week usually, but it is often not that active and I have no real experiences of my own to share.

[Anonymous]

About once a week at the minute?  Had some fun exchanges with other members at first but quietened down a bit.

[Ed]

If everyone checks in once or twice per week and doesn’t interact, then the community will be very quiet. Going on server stats, we’ve got around 50-60 people who do that 🙁

[Ed]

The community isn’t just about experiences. Everyone still has opinions, aims, plans, fantasies and feelings about the things people do here (or want to do).

[Ed]

Right now, it looks like we have between 5 and 10 regulars.

If everyone visits 3-4 times per week, that makes about 26 visits per week (or 3-4 per day).

It’s not all bad. There are hundreds of unique visitors per month, but most of those are not registered members.

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[Ed]

There’s activity here almost every day now, but almost everyone is still only visiting a few times per week. What would make you want to visit daily?

[Bamaswitch]

I really liked the idea of the daily challenges but I do see how coming up with something new so often could be tough.

How about a weekly challenge with a monthly and yearly winner? Prize could be anything from bragging rights, to special forum directories or member badges. Just a thought.

I think I’m like most people and would like to see something new when I drop back in.

Ed likes this

[Ed]

My problem there is simply time. Life and work mean it’s near impossible to schedule a regular monthly/weekly thing. I have to work the Vote-Off events around the rest of my life, which is why there are random month-long lulls where activity towards starting the next one almost stops. I have succeeded in getting activity in both the forum and the blog every day for a few months now. I’m still not sure about the live chat feature. A lot more people wanted it than actually use it.

Also, I’ve been a bit demoralised with coming up with variations on things here as it always appears to cause disproportionate upset and anger.

I like the idea of extra badges as prizes. That’s cool.

 

Joseph likes this

[Jim]

I have not been regular visiting your site would like to see more active members and I have no nudist friends near me to help on challenges I am interested in doing more dares I am single man any suggestions on finding nudist friends

[Ed]

I’d love to see more active members too. That would make it much easier to meet someone who lives near you.

[Scott]

Ed

Ed,

Sorry to be blunt with some constructive intended feedback but, with responses like that, you may as well just tell ‘em to go away.  Yes, it may be an honest response, for the moment anyway, but we are trying to change that.  Let ‘em know that, find out what they would like from the community (if more than meeting people), and encourage participation to help out.  It’s called engagement.

[Ed]

Probably yes, BUT, if we can’t talk about this in an honest fashion, then it makes it extremely hard to work out a way forward.

[Scott]

Just saying, we can try to be honest without sounding bleak or hopeless.  I have to work on that, myself, quite often.

[Ed]

I’m trying, trying really hard. I’ve been doing this for almost a decade. It’s hard to keep going, especially when I get mostly the same complaints and suggestions every week.

I’ve been talking to community members for a very long time. trying to take onboard advice, suggestions and recommendations, measuring stuff with my experience (and limitations) and making this community as good as it can be. Obvious, the one thing I can’t control is that every community can only be as good as its members. I’m trying to give the best environment to achieve that and attempting to attract as many suitable people as possible to join us, but marketing is difficult (and I’m not very good at it).

When I started out, I thought I could attract a few members and they would like the community and gather more people to join. Obviously (I now know with hindsight) that does not happen. Very few people are willing (for good reasons) or able to invite people from other communities or social networks, so that all lands on me.

What the community members can do is be active, post stuff, generally get involved where they can and make sure that when new people arrive, they find a vibrant and welcoming community waiting for them. I don’t feel I’ve fully achieved that either.

Running a community is complicated.

Bamaswitch likes this

[Scott]

Hope you’ll stick around, ask questions, tell us what your interests are, and contribute.  It may be quiet now, but the more the merrier and we all want to make this party happen!

[Ed]

I’ve had 4 people PM me in the last day, effectively telling me that they don’t visit very often but they’ll start once the community gets more active. I hope everyone doesn’t think the same or it’s going to be impossible!! 😮

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[Ed]

For the past two days, I’ve visited 4+ times per day. I’ve worked out a routine that will allow me to keep that up for the foreseeable future. Some days I visit many more times than that, but often I was only visiting twice. By doubling that minimum, I should catch more activity and respond a little faster to questions/suggestions etc.

[Bamaswitch]

I’m trying to drop by more often. I hope to get some entries sent in shortly as well. My work schedule has been hectic but these are on my to-do list.

Ed likes this

[Scott]

People all come to the site, look, at different times.  Answering questions is fine, and one thing I’ve thought missing is a FAQ page.  However, to generate more visitors, more frequency, and more sticking around, the site needs more active and changing content.  The forums can help with that if more of those who are here contribute to them.  As For the moment, I sort of feel like the forums are more like a catch all chat room with people asking questions and making comments until the topic dies.  They could be for more in-depth topics and discussions.  I’m working on coming up with some.

Ed likes this

[Ed]

What would you want to see on an FAQ page?

[Scott]

You do a great job of summarizing what the site is about on the home page, so that kind of information you don’t want to repeat unless you feel it is very important.  But, anything else you think visitors should know as they explore the site would be appropriate.  Primarily, though, the FAQ page is answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” and can be added to as needed.  I would suggest starting with the 5 or 6 most frequently asked questions, maybe one or two of the oddest questions that you feel are appropriate, and go from there.  The idea is that it will help save you, and the forum, from answering many of the same questions over and over again.  The bonus is that, even if your site is brand new and you make up all of the e questions/answers, it gives the impression to visitors that there is other traffic and interest in the site.  It also gives an immediate impression, to those who visit but may not ask questions, that you want to help them find what they are looking for and know what they need to know.

Ed likes this

[Scott]

For instance:

1. I have ideas for challenges.  How do I submit them.

A. Visit our forum and start a topic to ask the community.  PM me.  Join and participate in chat.

(this one answers a likely question an the answer encourages participate in other parts of the site, even join up)

Ed likes this

[Ed]

Good suggestion 🙂

[Ed]

I’ve started building one. I’m thinking of adding it to the “More” section of the main menu and into the right column menu in some fashion (not sure how yet).

[Author]

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