Lack of posts/involvement of members

[Fifi]

I thought I'd move this into a separate thread as Maree's post was specifically addressing the future of the Youth Section and Bonna raised the very valid point about the general lack of posts from the 126 members we now have on the forum.

bonna said:

Maree, I could hardly be designated a youth (although have ony o wis gotten much past sixteen i wir heads? - better no answer dat een!), but I would like to comment on da forum in general.
The youth section is faring particularly badly, but the whole thing seems to be getting very moribund these days. Not a lot of postings considering the large number of members. If it wasn't for our friends in "the deep (very deep!) south" of Nortmavine, and a very few others, there wouldn't be much said on many days.
Why bother joining if you have nothing to say? You can always read other folk's comments (if that's all you want to do) as a guest.
Could we spur folk into action do you think? I could easily turn up the controversy levels on many subjects if that's what it takes.......

mhay said:

Yes Bonna, it would be interesting to find oot why we have so many members who don't contribute to the forum.

Are folk wary of having comments set in "type"?
Are folk shy?
Are the topics uninspiring?
Do we need Bonna to "S-e-x" (wonder if this word will get round the censor fellow in da 'puter) up the forum? ;D

Or is there another reason entirely?

bonna said:

Maree, I dunna keen aboot yun s-word, I doot a'm gittin kinda aald. I hae ta save me energies noo fur special occasions, laek me birthday an mebbe Christmas.....

Ingrid, you're probably fairly right about da young eens, but I don't think da aald eens can use those excuses! At least not eens as aald as me.

Bonna's right - not a lot of posts for the 126 members and if it wasn't for Benji and her family.. Thing is, you can't force people to post - they have to want to. Most folk find it easier to respond to something that's been posted <they're reacting to it> rather than to start a thread. What we want is both - people not only to read <which is fine too> but also to respond and start new threads too. People bounce off each other and that's when interaction can become interesting. If you read, have a thought to yourself but say nothing, then it doesn't progress much.

Why do people join if they have nothing to say <or aren't willing to join in>? Not sure. Unless they are happy reading and think that by bumping up the member number it will have more chance of continuing? We've said before that a forum needs people to interact. If we all read - no forum. But that said, it would be awful to think of anyone posting grudginly, as though they were feeling forced into it! It can be tremendous fun as well as educating and very sociable. I'm probably like a lot of people, in that I've made some extremely interesting friends and acquaintances over the years on the internet - - barristers, cleaners, doctors, train drivers, poets, elderly former Spitfire pilots , etc etc - some of whom I've met in 'real life'. We may live in a remote place physically but we've the world at our fingertips..

Controversy and getting Bonna to s-e-x up the forum? While many here will enjoy reading controversy, few will join in, or so it seems at the moment. <certainly regarding this forum or area> Perhaps Maree's point is correct about "wary of having comments set in type"?

Are folk shy? Well, yes, that could be a factor. Although, compared to some forums/newsgroups, this is full of absolute pussycats. And very friendly and welcoming pussycats, come to that. The mods bend over backwards to try to welcome and involve new posters, as do other members too. Not sure what more you could do, other than saying that we'd all love more members to post, and for new people to join. <give all the ever-increasing jolly band of mods something to actually do >

Seriously, regarding the 'shy' factor - we've all been newbies <new people/posters> at some time. We've all been there and know what it's like. I can remember the thrill of logging on and seeing the first replies to my first feeble attempts at posts. ;D People were actually responding to me! If you just take that peerie step and say something, even it's just a 'hi, this is my first post' or a reply to something someone's said, you'll hopefully get a buzz from getting some feedback. It's also a fantastic resource - if you have a problem or a query, then there's a good chance that someone else will have had the same problem or be able to give a suggestion.

Are the topics uninspiring? Well, probably yes, they have been/are to some extent. But it's what you make it. Contrary to belief in some quarters, I don't think the forum and/or mods are here primarily to entertain folks - members and readers. In terms of input <posts> - we're all equal members and it's up to us <all> to make it what it is. If you think it's boring, or could be more interesting - then start a thread on a topic. Find the section most suited to your topic, click 'new thread' and off you go.

Other reasons? Perhaps some people have joined and forgotten about it. <Although Malcolm has sent emails to all members so that should have awoken any folks slumbering.>

Raising awareness of the forum to remind members and to encourage new members? Yes, as with the community website itself, it's time we did more to promote it. Re the website - it's something I'll be looking at shortly as part of a project to take the website forward - marketing the website and how the website could be used to market the area and its produce more effectively. The website and forum are frequently mentioned in the NDC newsletter which goes out to all households in Northmavine and in the latest edition Malcolm, as admin of the forum, introduces himself and encourages people to join in. I'll welcome Mal's input <plus mods and members> on the forum side when I get going on the project and of course anyone's suggestions regarding boosting awareness of the community website itself.

Generally, in terms of the community website <which of course has a link to the forum on the homepage> we've exchanged links with various websites, are listed on most major search engines and have been mentioned in various articles, but definitely more can be done to raise awareness. Malcolm and I both put www.northmavine.com in our signature on internet posts which does result in people following the link and coming to the website to have a look. I'm not sure if other people are doing that also - they may well be, and if so, well done and thanks! Maree, Pam and those on NDC business put links to the website in their email signature as well.

Getting back to the main point - why do you think more people don't post?

[Fifi]

Well, I killed that one stone dead, didn't a?! ;D

[georgeg]

Well now fiona, you can lead a horse to water.. but you canna make it drink.. and the young ones, there are probably like my grandkids, to busy talking to their friends in the various chat rooms..I do wonder about the older one's, they apparently do like to read the posts.. but for some reason don't like to post themself.. perhaps as maree say's it might be shyness... i just don't know.. i also have a link in my website.. but being a piczo site. i don't think many people know how to find it as i have only had about 5000 odd visits... hopefully it will attract more in the coming winter..
regards george...

[Pat]

Oh dearie me, I got in such a fluster when i read this It's time wi me bairns, i just dunna hiv any!! I wid hate ti think dat you might zap me if I dunna post

I try to look at the site as often as possible and sometimes I sign in but have not replied because I ken if I start i'll still be writin a couple of hours later.

It could also be this Bebo/Facebook thing as well that's getting folks hooked.

Anyway I still love the site it's my favourite by far.

[benjiesmum]

fifi said:

Getting back to the main point - why do you think more people don't post?

Pass!!

I belong to two similar forums - Dartmoor Sheepbreeders and I recently joined Labrador Rescue North West after they helped me with rehoming my pupil's dog. The former suffers even more that this one does from lack of posts! Weeks can go by and very little has been posted so it's not just this forum. Lab Rescue however, is full of new posts every day and not just about dogs!

However, if you look at how many times people look at the posts made here it is quite amazing. The Magnies gets lots of views, so does link the photo to name but two.

I have heard of Bebo and Facebook, but I always feel comfortable on this forum and they are more for the youngsters, I think. This one remains top of my favourites. I have looked at Shetlink and do post on that sometimes but it can get a bit fraught on there - people seem to "shout" and "rant" a great deal.

So, don't know what the answer is really. It is great to see folk posting - especially when it is someone who doesn't post alot. But maybe they have other sites they visit too.

[MG]

Hi,
I belong to several other 'hobby' forums and of the three of them two require me to log on before I can access posts. Now, I have always regarded this as inconvenient, as my intetion is to just read the posts. However, now that I think of it, the forums that require log on get ten times as many posts to the one that doesn't. The reason? If you are logged on you are more likely to respond to threads ! Also some forums have a wider range of emticons which some members post as their replies !
These are a couple .
As has been mentioned in this thread postings are down to a few regular people, I, in particular keep the 'Fun Pics at the Bar' going single handed. However, I am chuffed with the amount of visits it gets. The same goes for 'Link the Photo' which after 'Da Magnies' has the highest no. of visits!
But, I suppose this is sufficient as the site is visited regularly. I cannot remember an occasion when I was the only one logged on, there are always other visitors.
As I post this at 7.20 on a Sunday morning we have 3 guests on!!!

[Fifi]

I just moved Bonna's debate into another thread to give it a space of its own as I thought it merited that. I can pretty well agree with what everyone's said so far.

People have got to want to post - as George says you can't take a horse to water. People shouldn't feel coerced into posting - as David says, people are absolutely free to join a forum without there being a clause that says they HAVE to post. It's all a bit of fun with perhaps some serious bits thrown in, innit? It would be nice if there were lots of people posting but as Benji, MG and David <perhaps others> have touched on, lots more people are more active on the internet nowadays and social networking <whether that be Bebo, Facebook, etc or forums, newsgroups, blogs, etc> is rife. There are lots of things to spread yourself around! I do think, however, that someone who has achieved the valued position of being a staff member should at least be posting back and forth when they can manage it, even it it's just to create a buzz and be an encouragement to others to join in - otherwise what's the point of becoming staff if you don't particularly participate? It should be an earned position and given to someone who has been participating in the forum. Just my own point of view.

Then Pat quite rightly mentions the time factor - the same with me. I like to get into a meaty post, or debate, but I tend to do it less nowadays, mainly the time factor. This year I had the great intention of getting organised early for Christmas <we can't say we didn't expect it to happen.. > and did some things, but then got waylaid somewhere along the way.. Got back from the bright lights of Glasvegas <literally - George Sq was gorgeous, ice rink, helter skelter, carousels, stalls..> on Wed then working through until today. Christmas in a shop is a busy time - even on a Sunday! And the boys are back tomorrow!

MG's logging on point is an interesting one. I initially set the forum so that anyone can view it, to make it more accessible to everyone <members and non-members> but it can also be set to be only viewable to members. It's something Mal and the staff could review. It could boost the member numbers <as someone would have to be a member to be able to read posts> but I'm not sure if it would boost post numbers hugely, but it might.

George - re your excellent website. I know you do have the peerie house symbol below your avatar to show your website but, if the mods were happy with it, you could also put a link to it in your signature as well. Same with other places you post, if they allow it. If you don't have it already, you could have a links page and exchange links with other similar or related websites. <reciprocal links - ask them nicely if they would put a link on their site to your site and you would do the same for them> It can help with rankings in search engines as well as boosting traffic to your site. You could also join a webring <a group of like-minded websites> for wildlife, ornithology, photography, etc.

Anyway - other things beckon!! It would be interesting to know what Mal, as admin, and the other mods think.

[maree]

Personally, i feel the way the forum has been set up, meaning folk can view posts without having to become members, is spot on. As has been said before, if things were changed to only allow in folk who register, we may end up with lots more members, but i don't feel it would help to increase the numbers who post.

There are a few sites who only allow folk to see the forum if they register but I've never actually bothered to register with them. Perhaps this may be because I wasn't really interested in the subject and would only have registered so that I could have a peerie read (nosy ;D ;D) through the site, rather than with a view to posting. So, I may have missed out on learning something new

I'm also a member of another forum.........I joined when there was an issue being discussed that i really wanted to add my two pennoth worth to, but since that discussion, I haven't contributed much!

As mg has said previously, there always seems to be guests looking at the northmavine website and reading the posts, so thats a good sign.

[MG]

Hi,
The forum, which I was alluding to, does allow free browsing by guests in all it's links without joining. But once you do you cannot browse without logging in.
However, I should say that logging in only requires the 1st. letter of my id., press tab to include stored password...enter and I'm in.
It encourages browsing but once you join your IN!

[bod]

I'm very guilty of not posting recently due to being very busy at work and doing alot of 11 hour shifts, trying to get Christmas ready etc etc. Will really try from today and am going to bore you with a few pictures taken recenly at work.

[bonna]

Something's worked, temporarily at least. Heaps more postings than there were a week or two ago........even if a lot of them are discussing the lack of postings!

[Pat]

mucklelaalie said:

I know I certainly have a long track history of signing up to websites on that basis and rarely being upon its self again.

Or there's folk like me david who are so stupid when it comes to technology that they get signed up without realising it and don't know how to get out again

[Fifi]

Well, you're not allowed to escape from us here, Pat!! <heheheh> <wicked laugh>

[Fred Asparagus]

Hi All, i have just been re-reading this thread whilst listening to the footy (telly went bang) and although guilty myself of not posting that much since i joined i was trying to think why that was, and came up with the following.
1) i was a bit shy and a bit apprehensive of posting, not knowing how others would react to a Southerner posting on their own site, was it just for people from Northmavine
2) i did join (thanks to Fiona for directing me here via a letter to the Shetland news) and then posted a few questions, and the response was fantastic, everyone was very helpful and friendly.
3) then i had run out of questions / did not want to ask too many, as people (myself included) would get bored of answering stupid questions
4) i have tried to post, but it all depends on the threads at the time, if they are about local things/people then i would not have anything to say.
5) the other thing i looked at was the amount of actual bona fide members, just a quick count told me that 34 members have never posted and a further 52 members have only ever posted between 1 & 10 times, thats 86 out of 126 members who are not contributing to this forum.

Having waffled on for far to long, its back to the footy

[Pat]

fifi said:

Well, you're not allowed to escape from us here, Pat!! <heheheh> <wicked laugh>

Good I'm glad - I enjoy the banter ;D

The problem I have is I can't keep up with the pace of the site and I miss postings addressed to me. I always feel so rude when I find them later and try to answer then.

What we perhaps lack in quantity I feel we make up for in quality.