What can we do to up the numbers?

[pezenfuego]

I used to love this site a lot more when there were hundreds of active members and great help from everyone. There are still a lot of active and good members here, but less so than we used to have. I understand why and I realize the necessity. Still, how can we bring our numbers back up? Any good ideas? IMO, this is truly the best site for Saltwater, but it used to be better. Good layout, good archives, and great posters. Unfortunately we have less posters. I don't want to stir the pot, I would like to see if we can come up with ways to have our cake and eat it too. We should be able to think of some way to increase the number of posters without disappointing the owner. Maybe this is just a rut, maybe I'm insane.

Do we need incentives? What can we as a community do to entice little fishies? Remember though, in the ocean sharks are necessary, so don't go down that route. Any good ideas?

 

[sepulatian]

This is an excellent thread Pez! It would be great to get feedback on this site and what the members want.

 

[meowzer]

I know some people left cause of the "trading" issue...BUT I also think some people have left because there are so many RULES...Not saying that there should be no rules, maybe just lighten up on some....
and PEZ....NO CHOCOLATE CAKE....we want to bring them in, not poison them

 

[al mc]

I also wonder if the economy is a factor. Less people getting involved in this
relatively expensive hobby and some 'old timers' getting out for the same reason.
It would also be interesting to see how many people just visit the site and look through a thread that answers the single question they may have then leave without becoming a member. I rarely have a question anymore that can't be answered without a search of the topic and entering an existing thread.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3049068
I know some people left cause of the "trading" issue...BUT I also think some people have left because there are so many RULES...Not saying that there should be no rules, maybe just lighten up on some....
and PEZ....NO CHOCOLATE CAKE....we want to bring them in, not poison them

Which rules appear to be too much?
Feel free to give us ideas. Please remember that we are trying to keep this site family friendly and one that people can have a great experience on. Our goal is to help those that need it and hopefully they will stick around to help others.

 

[teresaq]

I have been here about 4 yrs, and the rules have always been the same.
I do miss the trading and used equipment. Frag swaps were always fun and when you need a piece of equipment and wanted to save money, the used equipment was nice.
There are a lot of people that have left, and I often wonder is it because someone ran them off by being nasty or is life just getting in the way.
There are a lot of people that hang in the aquarium that I never see in the main forums, maybe they are tired of answering the same questions over and over, but sometimes you just cant find the right answer by search and really want the opinions of people with more experiance.
T

 

[al mc]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3049075
I have been here about 4 yrs, and the rules have always been the same.
I do miss the trading and used equipment. Frag swaps were always fun and when you need a piece of equipment and wanted to save money, the used equipment was nice.
There are a lot of people that have left, and I often wonder is it because someone ran them off by being nasty or is life just getting in the way. I do believe this is true. There have been several people that
have posted , particularly in the aquarium, that could use a 'time out'
There are a lot of people that hang in the aquarium that I never see in the main forums, maybe they are tired of answering the same questions over and over,(T..you have been here longer than I, but how many times can the mods/other people answer the same questions about Ich?

but sometimes you just cant find the right answer by search and really want the opinions of people with more experiance.
T
Al Mc

 

[sepulatian]

People have gotten upset by answering the same questions over and over because people don't search. We, as mods and members of this community that want this site to grow, actually WANT people to ask. They get a much more personal experience and feel better about things if they can get help from someone that has experienced the same things that they are now. Take the disease forum for example. Beth has written up just about everything that you would need to know in order to treat anything that may come up. There are still new posts about ich every day. That is great though. We help them through it and they stick around. I have people thank me in different threads for things that I don't even remember helping them with. They remember that I am the one that helped them though. That is a great thing in my opinion. They are able to get personal help and then they give it to others.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/3049074
Which rules appear to be too much?
Feel free to give us ideas. Please remember that we are trying to keep this site family friendly and one that people can have a great experience on. Our goal is to help those that need it and hopefully they will stick around to help others.
Well if I had to name one....I would have to say that if SWF does not (or will not) carry something we should be able to help a person out by letting them know where they can find the item...through PM of course....I agree that competitor sites should not be given out publicly....
(some people have to buy EVERTHING online

)

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/3049085
People have gotten upset by answering the same questions over and over because people don't search. We, as mods and members of this community that want this site to grow, actually WANT people to ask. They get a much more personal experience and feel better about things if they can get help from someone that has experienced the same things that they are now. Take the disease forum for example. Beth has written up just about everything that you would need to know in order to treat anything that may come up. There are still new posts about ich every day. That is great though. We help them through it and they stick around. I have people thank me in different threads for things that I don't even remember helping them with. They remember that I am the one that helped them though. That is a great thing in my opinion. They are able to get personal help and then they give it to others.
+1...it's called communication...something that I (obviously) enjoy

 

[teresaq]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/3049085
People have gotten upset by answering the same questions over and over because people don't search. We, as mods and members of this community that want this site to grow, actually WANT people to ask. They get a much more personal experience and feel better about things if they can get help from someone that has experienced the same things that they are now. Take the disease forum for example. Beth has written up just about everything that you would need to know in order to treat anything that may come up. There are still new posts about ich every day. That is great though. We help them through it and they stick around. I have people thank me in different threads for things that I don't even remember helping them with. They remember that I am the one that helped them though. That is a great thing in my opinion. They are able to get personal help and then they give it to others.
I agree, I can search for an answer, but feel better if someone who has done this or that answers my personal question. You may have additional questions that pertain but were never answered in ther orig post.
I have one out there now that I have only recieved one or two answers to, and still dont have the answers I need.
T

 

[sepulatian]

I am going to stick this thread. It is very helpful for admin, and for us, to get feedback on what the members like/dislike about this site. Feel free to give us ideas on what we could do to make this site even better. What would make you want to join? What makes you stick around?

 

[ophiura]

For what it is worth, the rules have not changed in the time I have been here. I actually left once because of it

but I came back because I realized the value of those rules when I saw the vacuum elsewhere.
Truthfully what I think has changed in part is the tolerance of society or perhaps the demographic of the boards over the years. They feel the language and relatively loose talk are ok, and when we hold true to the same rules, they get upset.
I would say that in the past this hobby was dominated by an "older" crowd because of the expense. Over the years, that has changed.
However, IMO, this does not make a good argument to change any rules of moderating. Rude is rude and rule are rules

I like to think of repetitive threads kinda like visiting a doctor. A doctor probably sees the same things over and over - probably worse than you have it. But you want that reassurance, and you want that care. Even if you can read about what to do for issue X online, you still want to hear it from someone who has considered YOUR concerns or confounding factors - your medications, your job, etc. And what is one of the biggest things in a doctor? Bedside manner - do they CARE about you.
No one wants their hand slapped when they need help, yet many newer posters are hit with harsh replies.

 

[al mc]

Just my opinion, but you will probably have more people see the thread and comment on it if you leave it in the 'regular' threads and periodically bump it.
Took me a couple minutes to find it when it was moved. ...But that may just be me......

 

[geoj]

Always with the negative Moriarty, I like to think positively about this low post number. Perhaps we all have gotten so good that there is little to post about. We have come a long way and agree more now then ever.

 

[beth]

I wonder if the traffic is less, or is it that the visual cues of traffic have changed. Under the previous owner, the "Currently Swimming" section actually was set up to show people who had signed on over a couple of days. I think the Swimming area is limited now to 12 hours or so. So, you see a more realistic count of who is using the forum, rather than the inflated version.
I think everything that all of you mention here is a contributing factor as well: economy being up there, and maybe even the absence of the hobbyist merchandise forums.
I wonder how many people are turned off by some of the topics that go on in the Aquarium...namely the ones of a political nature? I know I'm sick of them.

I have to admit, that I did get a bit tired of answering some of the same questions about fish diseases, which was the motivation to create the stickied topics in the Disease Forum.

However, there is no reason for anyone to be rude, no matter how basic a question is. The forum is here to help fellow hobbyists out and all of us, no matter what your experience level is now, were once wet-behind the ears, no-nothing newbies at one time.
I would not underestimate the impact of the economy on this hobby. The same way that we see businesses closing in our respective communities, so will hobby vendors be taking a hit. No one in business is immune.

 

[fish are good]

get the classified ads back like used things and livestock selling/trading.

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by fish are good
http:///forum/post/3049217
get the classified ads back like used things and livestock selling/trading.
I was about to post on here how good this discussion was and how mature everyone was being about it and then I read this

Beth, I didn't even know about the currently swimming thing...but you may have a point.

 

[meowzer]

Now Pez...keep in mind that this is for "everyone" to voice their opinions
LOL...You deleted your post.....

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by fish are good
http:///forum/post/3049217
get the classified ads back like used things and livestock selling/trading.
So here is the question -
One of the issues with those forums was that there were people who were running side businesses. It was felt there were people who ONLY used that forum. So if they left because of this, does it prove the point? That they were mostly using just that forum, and so it didn't necessarily contribute to the overall board? Just a thought...I am suspicious of the idea that so many "regular" people left simply because two forums - that were special interest - were removed. By regular I mean people who were not running any sort of high turnover frag or side business.
I am interested in understanding more on the impact of removing those forums, beyond just saying to bring them back.