"Why won't anyone respond to my ads or wants?"

[ClearlyHasUlteriorMotives]

Bit of an old thread, but I still really wanted to chime in.

When looking to join a forum myself, a big turn-off is a wall of rules. I understand how they often come to be, but I found that forums like that often just aren't for me. To be fair, I'm an admin on a Dutch RP site and the other admin did have to talk me out of changing the behavioral rules into 'don't be an mean person', so I might be a little bit too much on the other side of that particular spectrum, but you get the idea.
Rude admins are another one of those things. I can appreciate a bit of cynical humor, but the moment someone gets condescending for no real reason is the moment I'm out.

With 'looking for' ads I mostly agree with what has been said a lot here; people that are super demanding and want special treatment are generally not people I'm likely to get along with very well.

What does surprise me, by the way, is how many people strongly dislike one character= one account systems. Especially with how easy it is to switch between accounts, I personally love it. That is actually more likely to convince me to joing a forum.
Could be because I might be a little easily entertained (okay, there's no real doubt about that, but oh well) and just love creating avatars and signatures for each and every one of my characters.
I also like the fact that when I switch accounts, the overview helps me keep track of everything. Had plenty of 'Oh right, also had that one. Better post with him soon as well' moments.

But yeah, that's just my two cents. All in all response really depends on what people are into, I guess. The more niche your forum, the smaller the target audience sometimes is.

[wildmaven]

Jun 5, 2016 5:16:36 GMT -8 ClearlyHasUlteriorMotives said:

Bit of an old thread, but I still really wanted to chime in.

When looking to join a forum myself, a big turn-off is a wall of rules. I understand how they often come to be, but I found that forums like that often just aren't for me.

For general forums, simple rules may be okay, but for a specific genre RP there needs to be a bit more. The rules on my forum are pretty extensive, but it has helped form my long-standing RP into a place where it is fair for everyone. After all, they only have to read it once, right?

[ClearlyHasUlteriorMotives]

Jun 5, 2016 10:36:46 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

Jun 5, 2016 5:16:36 GMT -8 ClearlyHasUlteriorMotives said:

Bit of an old thread, but I still really wanted to chime in.

When looking to join a forum myself, a big turn-off is a wall of rules. I understand how they often come to be, but I found that forums like that often just aren't for me.

For general forums, simple rules may be okay, but for a specific genre RP there needs to be a bit more. The rules on my forum are pretty extensive, but it has helped form my long-standing RP into a place where it is fair for everyone. After all, they only have to read it once, right?

What's needed really does depend on the forum, yeah. The Dutch one I mentioned consists of a very small group where everyone knows each other, and that has a rather simple plot/setting, and I have to say that as an admin in that group it's a lot easier to tell someone off than in a more formal setting. Same with if I do something stupid myself; someone might be a regular member, but they also know me personally and will probably call out the bulldookie. 
I also definitely agree with them only needing to read it once. If someone really can't play nice without regularly checking what behavior is or isn't allowed, that's a bit of an issue :')

[Willow]

Jul 5, 2015 16:25:04 GMT -8 Willow said:

I have to add this here as a frustration to seeing Forum leaders complaining that people won't reply to their ads.

Just today here I came across TWO RP forums (that will remain nameless) that I was really interested in joining.

Lo and behold when I get to their page there is NO WAY AT ALL, as a guest, I can ask anyone there a question about the forum. No shout box, no guest friendly area to post...nothing.

I'm sorry but I don't want to have to become a "member" to ask a question about becoming a "member". It seems very disrespectful to my time. So frustrating. So I end up leaving and not joining.

Shhhheshhh!

<rant>

I haven't considered joining a PB forum in a while now as I am pretty busy with running my own now. But I came across a site in the Advertise Your Forum RP Section that looked promising and when I get there guess what? The same issue I posted about back in 2015.

I just don't get it, why advertise here for new people if you go out of your way to make it IMPOSSIBLE for new people to ask anything without having to join? Either provide a section that guests can post questions in or let them use the shoutbox.

This just turns me off so much it turns me off from looking at other forums as well.

</rant >

[ApeWild]

Honest question, do advertisers even look at the "Looking for" threads anymore? Over the past few years the number of advertisements I've received from forum owners has steadily decreased. I've always followed all the rules brought up in here and tried to keep what I want simple and open to get the most offers as possible so I have plenty of options.

Maybe it's just that no one around here is making forums that match what I'm looking for but even when I was looking for a "Canine Roleplay" I didn't receive any ads while there are a plethora of posts made advertising these kinds of sites every day.

[soulofevil]

I looked at all the 'Looking for' ads that go up. If I've sent you my ad before I try not send it to you again at a later date (if you weren't interested the first time around, why would you be a second time?). If people are looking for specific things that aren't on my site I also won't send them my ad.

Despite how many times I have answered those 'Looking for' ads and sent people personalized PMs that address the wants of those ads, only once has someone actually PMed me back and none of them have ever joined. It's a lot less time consuming to just drop your ad on sites or bump it then it is to reach out to people.

There are also times when I have to wonder about the person posting the ad and if I would want them on my site. When I see the same want ad going up every time I start to wonder why that person can't find a site (especially if they're looking for stuff in a popular fandom). Are they just looking for something super specific? Or have they joined sites and then been booted or are they the sort that joins then fades away after a few months or is there something else going on?

[Midian Minos]

I keep an eye on the "Looking for" ads, but I do see the point you are making. I have tried to advertise my site where ever I can, but I feel that some niches have been over saturated in the last 10 years (Harry Potter for one). I am still hopeful and will still continue to do what I can for my site and hope for the best.

[Kami]

I always look at 'looking for' ads, but the requirements tend to be really specific. for the handful of people my rp topic would even appeal to, their requirements explicitly exclude them from playing on my site, either based on member count, or lack of X feature, or lack of y character type allowance. there's no point in me PMing these people.

[arekkuso20]

Oh? Is this still something I can make a comment in? Cool, I like throwing my thoughts around.

See, I've read a lot here, granted I skipped a few things to... So.. Eh. You're right. People skim things these days.

Now I'm not here to advertise, and in fact, look at the signature. Nothing there. However, if you're curious enough you'll find the site.

So, couple things to bring up. On the site I am working with 3 others on, we have a special area known as the "Help" sub-forum where two members, me and the purple one, are creating guides almost as often as we can think of something. One guide I made, my pride and joy, was the guide to role-playing. Some people genuinely dont know how to role play, and I decided.. Why not try to teach them through a long drawn out guide.

I explained rp styles, as I see them and call them. I explained one liners and when it is ok to use them and when it would be preferred you don't waste my time. (Actually, it worked on someone too. Player has definitely leveled up.) So I think that all roleplaying forums should have this help section where they write guides for members and potential members.

So when I hear people complain about people who use one-liners, its a turn off. When I hear people complain about people who type too much, Its a turnoff. I believe roleplayers of all types should come together to form the story, from the danger players to the naive players.

(Here is about the time I lose my attention span, so... I mighr come back and edit this.. Unless someone comes in and replies with a direct comment towards me. Anyways...)

[hotteengirl]

I feel you need change and add new value for attrackting people on your ads. We know that almost user dislike ads, but they will take action when you give what they need

[americ-meteo-admirer]

What if I advertised my forum in the General Board, but am thinking that it could possibly be advertised better in the Art/Music/Tech one?

Should I ask that it be moved, or should I post a dupe advert in a second or even third board?  (I wouldn't post it in three, but for sake of discussion …)

[GingaLord]

My biggest pet peeve are sites that require you to join in order to advertise. Sometimes I want to advertise on a cool-looking site, because I advertise for one of my forums a lot, and I'm upset when it's member-only advertising.

It adds a bunch of inactive members as well. I mean, joining in order to advertise? I may not be terribly interested in your site tbh, and would hate to have to join in order to advertise. Most roleplay forums nowadays allow guest advertising. Why waste my time? It's kinda like even forcing you to roleplay too, but that's just my view. I mean, I only have certain roleplay forum interests, etc, so if your site is member-only adverts, it depends on what it is. If it's not one of my interests, I'd probably just angrily make an account just to advertise and never return. It's just not cool in my opinion.

[Retread]

Jan 3, 2019 13:14:20 GMT -8 GingaLord said:

My biggest pet peeve are sites that require you to join in order to advertise. Sometimes I want to advertise on a cool-looking site, because I advertise for one of my forums a lot, and I'm upset when it's member-only advertising.

It adds a bunch of inactive members as well. I mean, joining in order to advertise? I may not be terribly interested in your site tbh, and would hate to have to join in order to advertise. Most roleplay forums nowadays allow guest advertising. Why waste my time? It's kinda like even forcing you to roleplay too, but that's just my view. I mean, I only have certain roleplay forum interests, etc, so if your site is member-only adverts, it depends on what it is. If it's not one of my interests, I'd probably just angrily make an account just to advertise and never return. It's just not cool in my opinion.

I'm sure some others will be of the opinion that your desires are 'just not cool'.

You want to advertise to attract members and guests of another forum to your forum. But you aren't willing to participate in discussions/activities on the forum on whose space you're using to advertise.

You consider the necessity of creating an account a waste of your time. The forum owner might consider your advertising (without forum participation) a waste of their space.

[ustedbutler]

People who use swear words to advertise are annoying keshiheads.co.uk

[americ-meteo-admirer]

Jan 4, 2019 6:08:45 GMT -8 Retread said:

You want to advertise to attract members and guests of another forum to your forum. But you aren't willing to participate in discussions/activities on the forum on whose space you're using to advertise.

You consider the necessity of creating an account a waste of your time. The forum owner might consider your advertising (without forum participation) a waste of their space.

Hee hee.  I don't have separate boards for advertisements, of course:  I have one off–topic board for members and one board for guests; advertisements could fit in either, so I'll allow them in either one.  I simply flag such posts in the guests' board for falling and tweak the titles if I need to make them more obvious.

However, if the site which they are advertising is similar to the one which I administer, then I'll move their advertisement to a sticky where I also review its boards and inform my readers of its latest legitimate post.  You could say that I don't really think much of outright advertising on a board which allows discussion — compared to a simpler bulletin–esque system which doesn't allow replies (does anyone do that anymore?).

Anyways … I'm willing to allow guests to post advertisements if they don't clutter the board too much, but it indeed does seem rather inconsiderate:  if they think the users on my board would be good users for their own board, then why not reciprocate that and post at least once on mine?