Seeking advice

[Gordon Maney]

I am seeking your advice on how to communicate best with forum users. I have several ways I can do that.

• I can put an announcement at the top of the forums. As you enter any forum, look up to the top; above the first post will be an announcement.
  
  Go have a look, to see what I mean.
  
  That is a global thing, meaning I create one and it is everywhere. My question is, do you actually see those? Or are they like trim on the ceiling, going entirely unnoticed.

• I can post in this forum, the Back Room. Not everyone comes here, I suspect.

• I can make new posts in all forums. I don't like that one so much, as it is what I call duplicate posting, something I don't want you to do.

I am interested in your opinion on how I can most effectively reach the largest number of forum users when I need to communicate important things to them.

Discuss.

[Clint Dixon]

I am seeking your advice on how to communicate best with forum users. I have several ways I can do that.

• I can put an announcement at the top of the forums. As you enter any forum, look up to the top; above the first post will be an announcement.
  
  Go have a look, to see what I mean.
  
  That is a global thing, meaning I create one and it is everywhere. My question is, do you actually see those? Or are they like trim on the ceiling, going entirely unnoticed.

• I can post in this forum, the Back Room. Not everyone comes here, I suspect.

• I can make new posts in all forums. I don't like that one so much, as it is what I call duplicate posting, something I don't want you to do.

I am interested in your opinion on how I can most effectively reach the largest number of forum users when I need to communicate important things to them.

Discuss.

How about a new and separate Forum right above the "Information For Newcomers" forum? Maybe titled: Announcements. If most readers are like me, I do not visit everyday. When I do, the first thing I do is to click on "New Posts" so I can filter out everything but those conversations I have missed since my last visit. After catching up on the latest news, I then go revisit other threads I wish to see that have not had new posts.

This way your announcements would reach everyone without multiple posts, or the risk of become just a banner that gets ignored. The announcement threads could probably even be filtered between Premium Forum users and non premium users so we all see only what we are supposed to see.

If someone does not use the "New Posts" functionality, the Announcements Forum would still right at the top of the list so if readers choose not visit it, at least they can not say it was hidden away out of sight.

[Gordon Maney]

How about a new and separate Forum right above the "Information For Newcomers" forum? Maybe titled: Announcements. If most readers are like me, I do not visit everyday. When I do, the first thing I do is to click on "New Posts" so I can filter out everything but those conversations I have missed since my last visit. After catching up on the latest news, I then go revisit other threads I wish to see that have not had new posts.

This way your announcements would reach everyone without multiple posts, or the risk of become just a banner that gets ignored. The announcement threads could probably even be filtered between Premium Forum users and non premium users so we all see only what we are supposed to see.

If someone does not use the "New Posts" functionality, the Announcements Forum would still right at the top of the list so if readers choose not visit it, at least they can not say it was hidden away out of sight.

Hmmm.....

[Desoto61]

I like Clint's idea, though I think the "New Posts" feature only works for subscribers and premium users, and I'm not sure how likely people would be to look at the forum normally though.

Of course depending on how important you could always subscribe everyone to it. They could always unsubscribe manually, but that seems kind of pushy.

[Gordon Maney]

I like Clint's idea, though I think the "New Posts" feature only works for subscribers and premium users, and I'm not sure how likely people would be to look at the forum normally though.

Of course depending on how important you could always subscribe everyone to it. They could always unsubscribe manually, but that seems kind of pushy.

Given my possible administrative functions, I don't believe I can choose to subscribe any people, or all people, to threads.

[MoparFreak69]

I personally find myself browsing the main forum for new threads or replies and simply click on the thread I find interesting. Other than the Power Giant forum I never seem to see the sub forums that contain the threads and announcements.

I wonder if it would be difficult to set up an emailer that will send out the information you want to convey to all premium/subscriber members and maybe the registered users that post in topics that may apply to the information you are presenting. You may even want to include registered members who have been active during a certain timeframe (im sure there are registered users who have not logged on within a substantial timeframe).

The email could simply contain a title that pertains to whatever it is you want to inform the users of and a link to the thread you posted it in. That way even people who dont frequent the forum daily/weekly can be informed and if they have a few extra moments can go straight to the thread and find out what you want them to know. It would also be minimally obtrusive and shouldnt cause gripes, groans or complaints if the information doesnt apply to the user.

Just my $.02 anyway!

[Gordon Maney]

I personally find myself browsing the main forum for new threads or replies and simply click on the thread I find interesting. Other than the Power Giant forum I never seem to see the sub forums that contain the threads and announcements.

I wonder if it would be difficult to set up an emailer that will send out the information you want to convey to all premium/subscriber members and maybe the registered users that post in topics that may apply to the information you are presenting. You may even want to include registered members who have been active during a certain timeframe (im sure there are registered users who have not logged on within a substantial timeframe).

The email could simply contain a title that pertains to whatever it is you want to inform the users of and a link to the thread you posted it in. That way even people who dont frequent the forum daily/weekly can be informed and if they have a few extra moments can go straight to the thread and find out what you want them to know. It would also be minimally obtrusive and shouldnt cause gripes, groans or complaints if the information doesnt apply to the user.

Just my $.02 anyway!

I have the ability to do mass mailing from the forum control panel. I have only done it a couple of times. The reason I don't anymore is that other web entities, such as AOL or Earthlink, brand me as a spammer if simultaneously I send thousands of emails. They block my address, and I am then unable to fix that. So I stopped sending mail that way. I think your idea is good, however.

[MoparFreak69]

I have the ability to do mass mailing from the forum control panel. I have only done it a couple of times. The reason I don't anymore is that other web entities, such as AOL or Earthlink, brand me as a spammer if simultaneously I send thousands of emails. They block my address, and I am then unable to fix that. So I stopped sending mail that way. I think your idea is good, however.

Yeah I bet that would throw a bit of a monkey wrench in the process now wouldnt it? I guess that makes my suggestion only good for people using addresses like Yahoo, hotmail and some other free services that dont do much spam filtering.

Do you have the option of making a single occurance pop-up window with a note or notice telling the user to read the announcements? I am not experienced much in web programming so I do not know what all options are available to site admins. Im sure there could be a way for a cookie to be saved letting the site know that the user already recieved the message and need not display it again. That way it wouldnt become a nuisance to everybody, just a one time heads up saying hey, check this out it might pertain to you.

Sorry if I sound like i'm spouting nonsense, I am brainstorming as I type. If it works, great, it not, well, next idea I suppose right?

[712edf]

Gordon,
Could you possibly send the announcement only to those members who have visited the site recently, say last 10 or 30 days maybe? These would lower the total number sent & possibly not appear as spam.

I have never used the new posts button.

I log in daily, then go to threads that have been posted to since my last log-in time. I may not actually "read" them all, but I do "view" them.

I may or may not notice any new announcements. If I missed it the first time it might be quite a while before I caught it.

This site runs very well (on my end) in my opinion. I don't know whats involved in accomplishing that feat though.

Thanks,
Bucky

[Chewie]

One more section at the top of the list, like what Clint said. Just call it Important Announcements.
Or even something like Gordon Says, or News from The Grand Poobah...

[Gordon Maney]

This seems to give rise to a question to all watching this thread.

When you come to the forums, what do you do?

Do you enter forums of interest and look? Do you use the new posts link? Do you look at your list of subscribed threads? Do you respond only to notification emails?

Tell me a little bit of how you navigate and why. I want to understand this. Seriously. Thank you.

[MoparFreak69]

I visit quite often just to see who has responded to what (in the threads I can get into for now). If someone has responded to my project thread I will make a response then if I have the time to do so. It seems the talk on this forum is a bit slower than quite a few other forums I am on so generally when I visit any new posts show up on the main index which doesnt require any further navigation into threads.

On a side note, I did notice your method for grabbing users attention for your announcement and I must say very effective. Couldnt miss it no matter how hard one may try.

[Gordon Maney]

I visit quite often just to see who has responded to what (in the threads I can get into for now). If someone has responded to my project thread I will make a response then if I have the time to do so. It seems the talk on this forum is a bit slower than quite a few other forums I am on so generally when I visit any new posts show up on the main index which doesnt require any further navigation into threads.

On a side note, I did notice your method for grabbing users attention for your announcement and I must say very effective. Couldnt miss it no matter how hard one may try.

What did you mean by this? You are meaning the announcements at the tops of forums, or????

[MoparFreak69]

I noticed when I logged in the other day that all the forums that I could see had an announcement thread stating that you may only be seeing 10-15% of the content available in the forum.

[Gordon Maney]

I noticed when I logged in the other day that all the forums that I could see had an announcement thread stating that you may only be seeing 10-15% of the content available in the forum.

OK, great, thank you. I hoped for that result when I made those posts.