Custom Welcome Header

Do you have a custom welcome header message displayed to guests? If so, what does this message consist of? Have you found it to be effective?

 

No, usually I don't. I'm sure that it would be pretty helpful for guests who are unsure of joining because they are afraid they don't know the subject of discussion.

 

I use a slight modification of the Welcome Headers addon for vBulletin Notices found here:
Welcome headers - Improve community registration rates - vBulletin.org Forum

 

I took the "colourful notices" instructions and used them to create three pastel coloured boxes for guests, explaining what the site does.

General feedback seems to be that people think they look awful, but I quite like them. Since I'm not actively seeking new members anyway it doesn't matter. If people want to join they can but the site is about as busy as I can cope with.

 

Generally finding a welcome header that answers all of the guests questions is almost impossible. The best solution I've seen is to allow a section for guests to ask and put a link to a FAQ topic of some sort.

 

Nick, do you guys use the vB built-in welcome header and modify it here on AA? Or, do you use the Welcome Headers modification from vB.org?

I wanted something simple like AA's welcome header, but with a Google Adsense block on my new site and was just wondering before I started adding more mods.

 

How did you modify the Welcome Headers addon Wayne?

 

I just realized that the new "Welcome Headers" mod is simply a way to assist in getting the default notices feature in vBulletin started and kickin'. Very cool and easy way to get things going though. And, I hope you guys don't mind it, but I'm using the "Register button" that you use here on AA for now until I get my custom one done.

I did the table with the two cells deal and added the image on the right hand side. Looks very spiffy if I do say so myself

Magic Kingdom Forums

....now, just have to figure out to add some Adsense in there without looking too crazy and overpopulated.

 

I think im going to try that out. Thanks.

 

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Absolutely!

 

We have 3 different ones on our teen forums with different information displayed for the index, showthread and forumdisplay. They seemingly are effective as it allows you to entice members in by letting them know what they will get.

 

I have that type of message.

It just occurred to be that if I explicitly said what the forum is all about in that message it would be easier for people that had randomly found it e.g. "VbCodex is a community of vBulletin admins helping each other" (or whatever the 'about VbCodex' message should be).

It is a bit hard to tell when scanning forums sometimes what a forum is all about.

I would not have thought of that if it was not for this thread, thanks Nick!

 

Let me just clarify...Wayne Luke's message is blank, right?

 

Your kidding? Theres a welcome header image of his Welcome Header.

 

I'm sot seeing anything.

All I'm getting is a 1x1 clear image.

Anyone have any ideas why this might be?

 

It is pulling it from my User Albums at vBulletin.com. I guess if you're not a member there then you can't see it. I'll see about uploading it elsewhere if I get the time.

You can see it by going to vbcodex.com

 

I just signed into vB.vom and I can see it now!

Thanks!

I thought I was already signed in...I guess I haven't since installing Win 7.

 

Been meaning to install this, thanks for the link, have you noticed an improvement?

 

You could have simply used

HTML:

<img src="your-image" align="right" />
<p>Guest message text here</p>

...That's how I set it up here.