ForumGarden

Attracting new members is the lifeblood of any forum. I can't tell you how many forums I've seen stagnate and disappear because they couldn't do that.

After seeing many people over the years come to "Forumgarden" for agricultural advice, it occurred to me that it was probably due to the search engine and the words they were typing, such as "forum for gardeners" or something like that.

We could probably attract many new members if we were willing to do a theme and name change, but the problem is, what would that be?

Chit chat forum?

Talkers Club?

People who hate facebook and would rather just talk to a group of random people forum?

Any ideas?:-3

I see where you are coming from, and agree. Like you I have been apart of other, now gone forums.

I don't know a name change makes any difference.

My join date here is 2007. It is only the past year or so I been active here, and I must say it is only as a last resort when my last chat site died.

Problem here it isn't all that welcoming. Difficult to navigate.

Wanna post a new topic? How do you do that?

It's a PITA

tude dog;1433954 wrote: I see where you are coming from, and agree. Like you I have been apart of other, now gone forums.

I don't know a name change makes any difference.

My join date here is 2007. It is only the past year or so I been active here, and I must say it is only as a last resort when my last chat site died.

Problem here it isn't all that welcoming. Difficult to navigate.

Wanna post a new topic? How do you do that?

It's a PITA


OK, how would you make posting a new topic easier?

Do we flatten the structure completely and just have one central pool? Partially flatten it and have a single screen's depth of themes?

Given that the forum engine is a standard product, I can change the structure of the forums but not the way you select them - once you're in a given forum starting the new topic is easy.

If you want to start a new thread in, say, general chit chat then it's two clicks of a mouse's tail.

Saint_;1433926 wrote: Attracting new members is the lifeblood of any forum. I can't tell you how many forums I've seen stagnate and disappear because they couldn't do that.

After seeing many people over the years come to "Forumgarden" for agricultural advice, it occurred to me that it was probably due to the search engine and the words they were typing, such as "forum for gardeners" or something like that.

We could probably attract many new members if we were willing to do a theme and name change, but the problem is, what would that be?

Chit chat forum?

Talkers Club?

People who hate facebook and would rather just talk to a group of random people forum?

Any ideas?:-3


Funnily enough I think it works the other way, because we've been around for a long time there are a lot of references out there to ForumGarden that a name change would break.

Also, we have a fairly good level in the search engines and changing the domain name would put us back to square one with them.

As my old Granny would say ' If It ain't broke don't fix It'

Then, she was common as muck.

She probably had germs.

SnoozeAgain;1433976 wrote: She probably had germs. And went on public transport with goat shaggers.

I like the name.

Anyway, what's in a name? A (Forum)Garden by any other name will smell as sweet.

Bryn Mawr;1433960 wrote: OK, how would you make posting a new topic easier?

Do we flatten the structure completely and just have one central pool? Partially flatten it and have a single screen's depth of themes?

Given that the forum engine is a standard product, I can change the structure of the forums but not the way you select them - once you're in a given forum starting the new topic is easy.

If you want to start a new thread in, say, general chit chat then it's two clicks of a mouse's tail.


OK, fair enough.

tude dog;1433981 wrote: OK, fair enough.


It was a serious question - how would you like to see the navigation improved?

My only problem in starting a new thread has been deciding where to start it.

I have been to a lot of forums, and usually lose interest fairly quickly.

They are either too focused or the members take themselves far too seriously.

As baby bear said, this one seems just right.

I wish there weren't so many god damn religious threads though.

F#@k no!

SnoozeAgain;1433986 wrote: I wish there weren't so many god damn religious threads though.


Stop reading them.

Bryn Mawr;1433982 wrote: It was a serious question - how would you like to see the navigation improved?


I always have a minor crisis when starting a new topic.

When you shuttle down the list of forums or is that forai ?

There are far too many seperate headings for my small brain.

Why so many different religious headings? Why not just Religion ?

Why Hotel ? Weather Station? Coffee Shop ? Pub Nutters Inn ?

There is even a General Chit Chat in the Automobile section with the most recent post from 2010 ?

I am sure many headings could disappear and no one would be any the wiser........what to do with the historical posts is another question

gmc;1434009 wrote: Stop reading them.


Oh, I don't. Just seeing all of them on the first page annoys me though. That Mikael (sp?) guy is a posting fiend when he sets his mind to it.

No, I don't ever want to see the name ForumGarden changed....NEVER!!!!!

SnoozeAgain;1433986 wrote: I wish there weren't so many god damn religious threads though.


You don't mean the forum is being used to push an agenda do you ?

After my trial, I googled my name and found 72 no less sites discussing me.

All were complimentary except one which had the heading ' Blue Rinse Battleaxe makes World News'.... then I saw the forum was Forumgarden and I have to admit our first thought was ' what's a bunch of Gardeners doing talking about a trial that they were not In court to witness' ?

So the forum name can be slightly misleading but then the new members do have a choice to stick around or not.

I've had people ask me if this was a Christian forum before.

SnoozeAgain;1434052 wrote: I've had people ask me if this was a Christian forum before. Oh well, I am sure I will drive them all away at some point :wah:

Isn't it my turn to drive people away?

SnoozeAgain;1434057 wrote: Isn't it my turn to drive people away? Yeah, you get the next three weeks.

I've always found the site easy to navigate and I like the layout. There's definitely a wide variety of categories and some of them may be redundant but I like the nonchalant approach of not having it so constrictive that you MUST put that thread here and NOT there. I like the light moderation in that regards.

Lately I've been having some problem getting Vimeo videos to post properly but I think they may have changed their coding or maybe it's just a tabby thing and I'll figure it out eventually.

I would love to see more young members here with the enthusiasm, brightness, new perspectives and open mindedness that they usually bring to any arena. How to get them here? I have no idea! Maybe a free laptop for new members ?? :sneaky:

SnoozeAgain;1434020 wrote: Oh, I don't. Just seeing all of them on the first page annoys me though. That Mikael (sp?) guy is a posting fiend when he sets his mind to it.


One of the things I about the forum is the tolerance shown to the idiosyncrasies of the diverse posters. Religion and politics are the two main topics most people are interested in at least on this forum you usually don't have people throwing the dummy out the pram every time someone disagrees with them. OK except maybe mor so on the religious threads

Why is the name confusing? If I wanted to look at a gardening forum I would search for gardening forums not forum gardens.

gmc;1434289 wrote: One of the things I about the forum is the tolerance shown to the idiosyncrasies of the diverse posters..




I what about the forum ? You didn't say.

Years ago, I found Forum Garden by googling "forums" not "gardens". I'm still here; reading and posting. I enjoy the diversity of topics, even if I don't necessarily post in a particular thread. Most of the time, I've felt welcome here. Sometimes I've been misunderstood, but that's okay with me. I have the opportunity to make my case.

Don't change the name.

oscar;1434300 wrote: I what about the forum ? You didn't say.


Like.

I spell i typ[e I construct sentences sometimes doing them all together goes badly wrong.