Encouraging New Members to Post

[Mixed]

Hello!

I like the idea of this new board and figured it was a perfect place to open up a discussion/question that has been nagging at me for a while now.

   How to encourage new members to post

Mostly, I am coming at this from an RP perspective. Members may join on a whim but some also join after looking around and finding themselves interested. Some even start character applications. But then they never return to finish the application. Specifically, I am looking at those that do log into the forum but never finish the application.

What can I do to encourage them to finish the character and then join the RP?

I have been doing my best to keep the site active in the RP with NPCs and apart from the RP. I would rather not place a time limit on creating characters because I want to keep my forum a flexible and welcoming place, but at what point does flexibility bend to activity? I am doing my best but have yet to find the balance. Guess that comes with building a forum.

I hope that all makes sense. But I guess that's what I'm trying to balance is encouragement to post without the site nearing a strict dictatorship.

Sounds good, right?

[bigballofyarn]

I am someone who has never joined an RP, and my reasons why may somewhat answer your question.

May RP sites either have too many rules, or those who write the rules have a very hard time articulating themselves. If the initial page I see contains 1,000 misspelled words, I will never give the site another look. I would imagine that part of the fun of an RP site is to use your imagination. If a member is constrained within too many rules, that will drive them away. If applications go into too much length or detail, I would imagine you'd get the typical Internet response of "TLDR." I think balance is very important. You are entitled to run your forum in your own way, but be the type of admin you would want to be in charge of you.

[Mixed]

Very true. I agree with your points, bigballofyarn.

But what if most the rules are common sense rules anyway? And the admin is careful not to have typos and English mistakes? As for the application, what if there was only a guide but no minimum for the amount they needed to write?

Honestly, I really wish the TLDR response didn't exist, especially with forum crowds considering a forum is for discussion.

I guess a big part of my frustration is in finding the balance. I am not forcing anyone to write a certain amount and I don't really have so many rules in the type of character they can build. But I am feeling more and more like I should have a time limit on things so that people won't just forget to finish.

Basically, how do I know what kind of limits are reasonable? Where is the line between forum- and real life balance, and straight-up leaving the forum?

I feel like I'm not making sense but I hope that something is coming across clear. Maybe I should have typed this up when my mind wasn't going in a hundred directions.

[Former Member]

Content is key, in my opinion. People would be less likely to post and visit regularly if there were only 3 threads and 2 members.

Although obviously there's a ton of different things to contribute to this as well - different people have different tastes.

[Mixed]

Mar 10, 2016 20:26:47 GMT -8 @xandalf said:

Content is key, in my opinion. People would be less likely to post and visit regularly if there were only 3 threads and 2 members.

And this is the sticking point for many NEW RPs trying to start off. There is only so much a couple of friends can do to get an RP rolling without posting with oneself.

[Boy_Wonder]

Mar 10, 2016 21:31:15 GMT -8 Mixed said:

Mar 10, 2016 20:26:47 GMT -8 @xandalf said:

Content is key, in my opinion. People would be less likely to post and visit regularly if there were only 3 threads and 2 members.

And this is the sticking point for many NEW RPs trying to start off. There is only so much a couple of friends can do to get an RP rolling without posting with oneself.

This expectation of people to come to a new forum and expect boom tonnes of content to post and visit back to is why I've stopped making rp forums. Yes 2 or three friends who thread well together can indeed do lots of content but there's then two things at risk of happening

A) A Clique forming where they ONLY post to each other
B) Burn out.

[Former Member]

You need to understand people's intentions(discussed in other threads).

Some people might be hardcore RP players and engage with everything on your forum, others may just be there to catch up on some news related to your niche. You may find people just want to use your forums as a central point for all of their needs.

You need Data to analysis and look for patterns, only then can you make an informed decision.
Second guessing will just leave you chasing your tail.

One suggestion if I may, and this may or may not work but twitch followers seem like a really engaging bunch of people. Under the creative section I see alot of people into RP, maybe that might be something for you or your staff to consider doing. Maybe create some content whether it be art,fashion or whatever and that might drive some targeted traffic to your forum.

[Mixed]

Thanks, Boy_Wonder. I can understand the frustration with minimum activity (as we can see) and this is why I'm not asking for a ton of activity right now. There's just a fear of a pattern rising. Mostly wondering how my cousin did it those years ago. But thinking on it, it was a different environment for the internet back then.

@synthtec, I see where you're coming from. And I know that the data just isn't there right now. Maybe I'm old or out of touch, but who are "twitch followers"?

To bring in some other members, I've been thinking about trying a few contests. I was only hoping have a few more before opening a contest. Do you think that could work too? I'm not sure if I could make enough creative content in terms of visual art. Perhaps a mix of contests, original, and collected art could work.

[Boy_Wonder]

Mar 11, 2016 8:43:58 GMT -8 Mixed said:

Thanks, Boy_Wonder . I can understand the frustration with minimum activity (as we can see) and this is why I'm not asking for a ton of activity right now. There's just a fear of a pattern rising. Mostly wondering how my cousin did it those years ago. But thinking on it, it was a different environment for the internet back then.

@synthtec , I see where you're coming from. And I know that the data just isn't there right now. Maybe I'm old or out of touch, but who are "twitch followers"?

To bring in some other members, I've been thinking about trying a few contests. I was only hoping have a few more before opening a contest. Do you think that could work too? I'm not sure if I could make enough creative content in terms of visual art. Perhaps a mix of contests, original, and collected art could work.

Twitch to my understanding is a video game streaming platform.

[Former Member]

For me, the character submission on some role playing forums are so overwhelming.
For instance:
200 words describing this character.
why you like the forum and want to join-yes I have actually come across this! - another 200 words!

Who are you really? I'm like bye! I want to join without feeling like I am at a job interview.

[Mixed]

Mar 11, 2016 9:22:35 GMT -8 STLUEE said:

For me, the character submission on some role playing forums are so overwhelming.
For instance:
200 words describing this character.
why you like the forum and want to join-yes I have actually come across this! - another 200 words!

Who are you really? I'm like bye! I want to join without feeling like I am at a job interview.

So then would a phrase like "paint a picture with words" come across as too close to a job interview-esk impression even if there was no mention of a minimum word count? The RP is an intermediate to advanced RP so the players are left to decide how long is long enough. At least that's what I'm hoping would come across.

And thank you to Boy_Wonder for the definition.

[Eileen]

Mar 11, 2016 10:19:15 GMT -8 Mixed said:

Mar 11, 2016 9:22:35 GMT -8 STLUEE said:

For me, the character submission on some role playing forums are so overwhelming.
For instance:
200 words describing this character.
why you like the forum and want to join-yes I have actually come across this! - another 200 words!

Who are you really? I'm like bye! I want to join without feeling like I am at a job interview.

So then would a phrase like "paint a picture with words" come across as too close to a job interview-esk impression even if there was no mention of a minimum word count? The RP is an intermediate to advanced RP so the players are left to decide how long is long enough. At least that's what I'm hoping would come across.

And thank you to Boy_Wonder for the definition.

Part of whether or not I join a site is their character app. I agree with stluee about not wanting to feel like I'm at a job interview. The more i have to write, the longer it will take for me to write it and RP my character. If there's minimum word, I tend to just write out what want and most times it's at least 500 words total. 

At the same time, I don't want to put my char's detailed history and personality in the app, it sucks the fun out of RP-ing them. 

I'm admin on two sites and most of the time, people will ask on chat if they can write more or less even though on the app it's like "write whatever you want / write at least 2 sentences". 

Bottom line, I never understood why it's important to require members to write novels for their apps. 

[Mixed]

Mar 11, 2016 10:38:08 GMT -8 Eileen said:

Part of whether or not I join a site is their character app. I agree with stluee about not wanting to feel like I'm at a job interview. The more i have to write, the longer it will take for me to write it and RP my character. If there's minimum word, I tend to just write out what want and most times it's at least 500 words total. 

At the same time, I don't want to put my char's detailed history and personality in the app, it sucks the fun out of RP-ing them. 

I'm admin on two sites and most of the time, people will ask on chat if they can write more or less even though on the app it's like "write whatever you want / write at least 2 sentences". 

Bottom line, I never understood why it's important to require members to write novels for their apps. 

Makes sense. I'm think I'll need to look through and rephrase some things in my application.

But bringing this to the discussion, I agree it's important not to drain out all the fun and mystery in the introduction application for the character. Personally, I like keeping a few secrets to myself when writing up a character. And sometimes the character keeps secrets to him-/herself from me until the RP plays out. This is really making me think I should look back at the administrative posts as a member... again.

Anyway, another factor that you mention and I agree on which is important is flexibility. A staff's flexibility when both running the forum and speaking with members (joined and potential) is important. Really need to look at myself as an admin from a member's perspective.

Thanks for the reminders and for joining this discussion.

[Boy_Wonder]

I remember my favourite rp forum was one with a unique concept.

However I'm finding that in the current rp culture original rps are also something that is hard to get off the ground.This could be another reason for your problem getting members

[Mixed]

Mar 11, 2016 11:40:11 GMT -8 Boy_Wonder said:

I remember my favourite rp forum was one with a unique concept.

However I'm finding that in the current rp culture original rps are also something that is hard to get off the ground.This could be another reason for your problem getting members

Seriously? I thought original RP was the way to go. I know I personally prefer originals. But, if I'm understanding correctly, you think that something based on a franchise is better (not for you personally but for the masses)? But then, if all RPs are based on something, and everyone wants to be the same person, then no RP will get very high off the ground.