Fun With Data - BYC "Active Users" - How to get our friends to post!?

[Solsken Farm]

Quote:
off topic -

Opa - you're killing me with that avatar! Sam Elliot is dreamy!

on topic - Thanks, Nifty!

We are watching him right now in the Golden Compass. He is so westernly Macho....

Thank you Nifty for all you do.

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

Quote:
The 6,737 that have not posted are my ghostnics in case I get banned.

 

[DuckLady]

In case?

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
What could possibly be done to get someone banned from a chicken site??

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I second the idea of sending e-mails out to anyone who hasn't posted yet...maybe with a welcome, an invitation to introduce themselves and start posting, and some links to popular threads answering common questions.

Perhaps your programmer could add a link to the introduction thread that sort of "requires" that someone post an introduction when they sign up for the forum before posting anywhere else. You could also have an automatic e-mail sent out to anyone who hasn't posted in a month. Perhaps people should have to post at least once a month to keep their membership active.

Another idea might be to start a "brand-new to chickens" area where new members can create a sort of online journal of their experiences learning how to raise chickens. I know we have the personal pages, but they aren't really interactive blogs of any sort; I think interaction with the members here is key to bringing people into the community and making them feel like they belong.

The other thing is just to make sure that those of us who do post a lot continue to be really welcoming and supportive of anyone who is new. It's sort of a responsibility thing to be looking through the unanswered posts for new members who have questions; people who are new sometimes put a question in the wrong place or get discouraged when they ask something and never get a response, so then they stop posting.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
What could possibly be done to get someone banned from a chicken site??

Two words: Chat room.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
That is a good thought. We do have the BYC Learning Center, but a lot of people head straight into the forum (and I think forum posts come up a lot in Google searches for chicken-related topics).

Maybe we need more sticky threads that are just basic information -- locked, so that conversation and questions can't continue in those threads?

Another idea I have is for BYC to start doing some tutorial videos using YouTube. A lot of people learn better by watching other people doing something. For example, there could be a tutorial video on basic coop building, or on supplies, or on types of feed.

 

[bUg_Farm]

One word: Contests

People *like* contests, games of chance, etc. Look at the participation in guessing when we reach 22,222. Lots of participation.

So, I suggest contests -monthly contests, weekly etc. Prizes don't necessarily have to have actual value. Perhaps winning a status, i.e. a 'title' for the week. Or, a special earned title.

You could also do game contests. For example: come up with easter egg icons. Have a moderator insert them into random posts and people who respond first to finding those eggs has to post something like "Blue Easter Egg" or whatever color it is. Moderator keeps an egg count and after so much time the person with the most eggs wins. Or, a color egg has a different value, etc. Many variations can be implemented.

Could also do virtual trophies. So, winners of contests can display their contest trophies in their signature or on their webspace here and link to it in their signature.

Planning can be done in an admin / moderator section that is private to members. Then, roll out when ready.

Um, ok, you get the idea. It may sound like a lot but it really can be done.

 

[Scrambled Egg]

Well of course I agree with Wildsky that the hobby section is a big draw for continued posting with all the on-going projects and sharing that goes on in that section. I also wonder if a "New Members" section would not be a bad idea...a first stop shop for what the forum offers with maybe a few people that automatically check in there and welcome and buddy up a bit with the new folks. Could have some sort of forum "index" in it, an informal, "this is here" and "that is there" and these folks might be good ones to check with... ask them what their interests are besides chickens and get them interested in showing off what they are good at...I also think you should branch out with the sponsor banners...attract some craft sponsors and that recriprocity will afford you new members from those areas..alot without chickens even (to be converted later!!) ...several in the crochet thread don't have any chickens at all but they sure have become knowledgeable about them and that in it's own right is a public service! I think we have to personally speak to all the new people otherwise a forum of this size WOULD seem daunting....

 

[amyquilt]

Quote:
ITA, MP!!!