Do you ask members to create threads?

Discussion in 'Member and Staff Management' started by cpvr, Jun 3, 2011.

  1. cpvr

    cpvr Regular Member

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    I know as a forum owner, I sometimes send my members a PM asking them how they're doing and if they can make a thread or two, to help the community come alive, but do you do this?
     
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  2. Kaiser

    Kaiser Regular Member

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    I dont ask members to create threads as it might make some members feel pressured which would end up causing them to leave. But if the people on your forum are your friends and you know them well then why not, but other than that its a bad idea.
     
  3. Soulwatcher

    Soulwatcher Regular Member

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    No, I think its taboo and playing with fire. All its going to take is one member who is in a bad mood that day. And for them to reprint your PM and now you look like your begging for posts to the community.
     
  4. Kaiser

    Kaiser Regular Member

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    Yea its best not to go around and beg for posts, its never a good thing. But it varies from member to member. Some might be offended while others will be happy to help out. But as I said if you know them well and they are like you friends then why not?
     
  5. SpacewardAsh

    SpacewardAsh Lurking From Space

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    I would never ask members to make some threads/posts, as that is showing a sign of desperation. However, I would politely ask if staff could assist in making new threads/posts to keep an activity flow as it's their job(s) to do so.
     
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  6. Kaiser

    Kaiser Regular Member

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    Yea I see no problem in asking Staff Members, as mentioned its their jobs. But you still have to ask them politely and nicely.
     
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  7. SpacewardAsh

    SpacewardAsh Lurking From Space

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    I should hope they would ask nicely, otherwise I'd be out the door straight away, lol
     
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  8. AmazingP

    AmazingP Regular Member

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    Directly asking members to post threads and not just replies may not be the best way to encourage more discussions. Why not just make it as one of the rules in the forum. You can, of course, make it sugar-coated so as not offend other members.

    A forum is a place for interaction and discussion and to make the forum serves its purpose we need new threads every day.

    Of course, this might be different if you are hiring paid posters or part of a post exchange system.
     
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  9. Kaiser

    Kaiser Regular Member

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    Same here, when you are staff and devote your time to a forum and help around I would atleast expect to be treated fair if I was doing my job properly.
    I agree, say you have a new or dead forum, you can just make an announcement and ask your members if they can help get the community of the ground by posting around and creating threads to get the activity up, so you wont have to ask them directly. Thats what most do when they open a new forum.
     
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  10. cpvr

    cpvr Regular Member

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    Of course, a forum is a place for interaction and discussion - and its not wrong to ask the members for help, heck, they help the community grow and without them you wouldn't have a community. Also, you could just create threads yourself and lead the members by example - and also possibly run contests that encourage users to create new threads. New threads help the community grow more - as people have different views of various different things, and you never know, by asking your members to post threads - they may come up with a very interesting thread or two that gets a ton of views and replies.
     
  11. Marc

    Marc Checkmate - Game Over

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    Only if I know the person, ;)
    Like, what will you do if they replied saying, "No!" ( <- just like that ) ? How will it look? How will you feel if they blog about it and your forum?

    At my forum I do it different when it comes to getting people's attention for creating more threads. Some people might say it's "smart" & currently I'm the only person who's doing it with xenForo that I know of, :sneaky:
    It's kind of funny and fun at the same time but you'll only know what it is once there's absolutely nothing to do at the forum, :whistle:
     
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  12. cpvr

    cpvr Regular Member

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    Ya, well if you run a contest and recommend that users make new threads as well, then it isn't so bad.
     
  13. Brandon

    Brandon Regular Member

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    I wouldn't say I straight up ask them in a forum to post new threads but I have had questions via pm's that either I'm busy at the time, or it would benefit others. I'll ask them to post a thread in the forum for support.
     
  14. Cerberus

    Cerberus Admin Talk Staff

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    I think it is a good idea to point them in the right direction. Specially those members who are respected and you can trust with a certain topic. I myself have never out righted asked anyone, but I may have encouraged a lil here and there lol
     
  15. dojo

    dojo Regular Member

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    No. It's my job, as forum admin and leader to keep them entertained and prepare new interesting topics. Of course I do have some amazing members who are experienced enough and realize how much this would help me, so they do start threads and help with the content. But they are not asked to, even if their effort is much appreciated. You need to really take your admin job into account and deliver. Your members find it easier to respond and, until the community is getting to a decent size, they won't come with topic ideas in great numbers. Of course, once you have the people who need help in your niche, these would ask for help, otherwise, you're discussing your main topic and try to create some content.
     
  16. pambeacher

    pambeacher Regular Member

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    It might be a better idea to put it in the terms of service a clause that states full participation is required. Meaning, replying to posts and well as creating threads. It just seems to make sense that everyone contribute equally. Although I know that there are always going to be the complacent member that just wants to read and reply lol.
     
  17. benjaminp

    benjaminp Regular Member

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    I don't think it would be wise to make people create threads.

    What I do think works well is point systems I see on other forums. Where points can be traded for services.

    If the services offered are desirable and threads off lots more points than replies; people are more inclined to create threads.

    Or that's the way I see it atleast.
     
  18. Seahunter

    Seahunter Regular Member

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    I think if you choose the right members it would probably be alright. I would just be afraid of sounding a little desperate that I had to ask members to post instead of letting it happen naturally. I suppose anything to get a forum going though. I know it's tough (boy do I know) and sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
     
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  19. cpvr

    cpvr Regular Member

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    Awards systems tend to get users more active, same thing with contests. In fact, dropping some money to have your users come up with reviews[the best ones] of certain sites in your niche, seems to be playable and a great way of promoting quality work done by your users.

    And also, I don't care what anyone else thinks, but if a user wants something done or anything, we tend to tell them to create a thread about it and ask for help.

    And really, I agree with a lot of the posters about "If you're cool with the member, then by all means do it.".
    Personally, I only ask our users if they can come up with any threads, if they can't, then great, other users will fill the void. Like, and also, I link to our blogs feature to see if users would love to write about certain things. It's about giving the users a choice more than anything, and if the user is new to the forums world, then of course, they'll need to learn how to post threads.
     
  20. bauss

    bauss Regular Member

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    Nope I don't ask members to create threads, I just assume that members will follow by example and create threads. So as long as I create new a threads and replies, my members will do the same.
     

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