Discussion: Forum Makeovers

[misstinkerbell]

Changing the look of the forum isn't a bad thing. It adds fun, like you can ask your members to help and come up with a look that suits everyone's tastes, which is what we like to do at my forum...Although we've only had one skin change.

I like the idea of changing skins to fit the seasons...it's an interesting idea!

[luv2ride801]

I'm a member of a site (Not the admin) and about every 6 months they will change the skin of the forum, giving it a whole new look..

I really liked this because it changed the forum around, and gives it a new feel.. sometimes only have 1 skin for months and months can get kind of boring..

[SearaQuoos]

I think that change is very good, but that admins should also get input from their members. When I'm going to give the forum a make-over I do it on a test forum and get the members on my site to vote for if we should use it or not.

[Tini♥]

I think having a forum make over is really important. And if not a complete make over the little things, like adding new codes and changing stuff... And changing the skin once in a while is important. Is good to hvae little surprises and improvements for your members once in a while, that makes them even more interested at the site. Plus it draws new members!

[luv2ride801]

Yeah, One of the things I always look at or notice first when I'm looking at a new site is the Banner, which is the first thing I see. And the layout, and skin.. if i don't like it, or it's hard to look at or read then i usually don't spend a lot of time deciding if i want to join the website or not.

[nyaccent]

I think change is good.... I didn't know all the work involved in changing the look and skins until I had my own board.... My board is less than 6 weeks old and I am on the 2nd look already. I think I will be changing the look every 6 weeks or so..... I think it makes it interesting for members to see new looks. I am working on a new look right now.... It is a graphics board, so new skins and looks I think helps promote the forum and what the forum is all about... Learning to make graphics etc. I do not have them choose different skins and I don't think I will ever have them do that. I like that everyone is viewing the same look at the same time.... I also change out the smilies often too, so that the members have some different ones to play with.... AND yes, I keep the gist of the smiley the same, so that if someone reads an old post, the don't see a mad smiley with someone saying how happy they are....

[Karen]

My forum (which I took over August, 2007) was started in December, 2005. Since that time, it's gone through only 4-5 new skins. We don't offer multiple skins. Many boards, board names, board banners and a few category and category names have come and gone in that time period though. I agree make-overs (new skins) are good, but not too many. Once every six months or so seems to be about right in my opinion to keep things fresh and interesting.

Most of these new skins haven't been drastic, except for the header graphic, font, background and colors. We try to keep it simple and easy to read.

The content of your site, and the variety of fresh activities or contests you offer is what's most important in my opinion.

I think it's a good thing to get your members involved in changes as well. This last make-over we had, Staff chose the colors, styles etc., but we had a contest members could enter to have their designs voted as part of the Header. And we've done the same for naming boards and recently for a new set of smilies. It helps give the members a sense of ownership, like it's THEIR site, and everything isn't dictated by Staff.

[nyaccent]

That is a good idea! I am working on a new skin now....but I think for the next change, I may use some of your ideas... and let the members have a say on the theme.... Start a thread asking them for suggestions on themes and then have a poll.... Since it is a graphic board after the theme is decided, I can run a conest for images or a banner made by members to use..... I am liking that.... Thanks for suggesting it!

[Kirsty geek]

I think that they should be updated regularly and make sure it lookes good, if it dosn't then there is no point in even trying to run as no one will want to be on it will they?.

[Enchant]

May 2, 2008 2:55:56 GMT -8 Kirsty geek said:

I think that they should be updated regularly and make sure it lookes good, if it dosn't then there is no point in even trying to run as no one will want to be on it will they?.

Please make sure that your discussion post are a minimum of four sentences per rules. Thank you.

[Timothy]

I upgrade the "look" of my forum whenever I happen to think of a potentially interesting looking design and the members agree on whether or not we should change said-look.

[canexplain]

I have never been to this board before so I am guessing I might post my question here to an admin. I have a vegoose board and it looks like vegoose is not going to happen again. Is it possible to change the major things I cant change and make my current vegoose board into a Mile High Festival board? I just need the references to vegoose to now say Mile High. Is that possible. tnx ron

[BEAST]

May 2, 2008 6:57:18 GMT -8 canexplain said:

I have never been to this board before so I am guessing I might post my question here to an admin. I have a vegoose board and it looks like vegoose is not going to happen again. Is it possible to change the major things I cant change and make my current vegoose board into a Mile High Festival board? I just need the references to vegoose to now say Mile High. Is that possible. tnx ron

Hi and welcome to Proboards.

Your question is not really in the right place and would be better suited in support-perhaps.

Depending on how busy your forum is, it might be better to make a new forum and give it the titles you require.

[canexplain]

May 2, 2008 7:17:40 GMT -8 BEAST said:

May 2, 2008 6:57:18 GMT -8 canexplain said:

I have never been to this board before so I am guessing I might post my question here to an admin. I have a vegoose board and it looks like vegoose is not going to happen again. Is it possible to change the major things I cant change and make my current vegoose board into a Mile High Festival board? I just need the references to vegoose to now say Mile High. Is that possible. tnx ron

Hi and welcome to Proboards.

Your question is not really in the right place and would be better suited in support-perhaps.

Depending on how busy your forum is, it might be better to make a new forum and give it the titles you require.

thanks, if you want to delete this post then cool, i will read the rules on the support thread, there are quite a few, and make a post over on the support thread. tnx for the reply ron****

[HoudiniDerek]

I have to say that I agree with mixing up the site now and then in terms of style and such. However, I see a lot of people that will completely rearrange the forum (sometimes changing the topic altogether). They will delete a lot of threads, members, etc. and try to reinvent the forum to get more activity. While I know this can be beneficial to getting more activity and new members, I think it hurts older members.

If you are on a site for a certain reason and almost everything gets deleted and changed, would you want to stay? Probably not. I think that sometimes an admin's desire to have a very active site is overshadowed by what is best for the active members of the forum as a whole. I don't know how many times I have seen a forum that is revamped for inactivity or whatnot...and it has only been around a few weeks.

I think the biggest problem is that the admins want everything they see here or on other successful sites to some degree. However, they do not follow the pattern of staying with their original intent most of the times.

(I know it is not true for every site, but it is pretty common it seems for admins to make new sites all the time or delete other ones due to inactivity of a certain amount. Even if the forums are still active to a degree, they think it is not enough and that it warrants a makeover. I am not sure that should be the case).