a few forums or one but active?

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  • Dr Shark
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2002
    • 172

    a few forums or one but active?

    Currently i am an admin at a message board and i am going to change it to another name and have a different topic, While doing that i will lose more then a few member's but i have no other choice,
    Do you(Talking to Everyone) think i should have a few forums like graphics, off topic, member announcements, etc, or only one active forum?
  • N9ne
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2002
    • 2477
    • 3.5.0 Beta

    #2
    Originally posted by Dr Shark
    Currently i am an admin at a message board and i am going to change it to another name and have a different topic, While doing that i will lose more then a few member's but i have no other choice,
    Do you(Talking to Everyone) think i should have a few forums like graphics, off topic, member announcements, etc, or only one active forum?
    One active forum. It's not over-done, many don't try it, it will be very active, different, special, cool and exciting.

    Comment

    • thefluke
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2003
      • 108
      • 2.3.2

      #3
      Strikning a ballance between what you need and not looking abandoned is a difficult task. I do think you need more than one forum; at a minmum, there should be publicly an "on topic" forum, an off topic forum, and some form of announcment, rules, and faqs forum. A staff and recylce bin type forum would probably be a good idea, as well, but those are hidden and optional.

      You can always add more forums, of course, but having just one really active forum shows alot of disorginisation in my oppinion.

      Comment

      • Vile
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2002
        • 2779
        • 3.6.x

        #4
        Originally posted by thefluke
        having just one really active forum shows alot of disorginisation in my oppinion.
        Agreed.
        Webmaster / Administrator
        www.MegaGames.com
        www.MGForums.com

        Comment

        • N9ne
          Senior Member
          • Mar 2002
          • 2477
          • 3.5.0 Beta

          #5
          On a side note, this forum will be full of teenagers, if that affects anything.

          My thinking was that, naturally, as thefluke said, to have those forums, but for all proper discussion, one forum or maybe two.

          See, one thing that's appealing about a board is active forums, so you dont have to sit around waiting for something. If all threads are in one forum it feels more active.

          Comment

          • Vile
            Senior Member
            • Jul 2002
            • 2779
            • 3.6.x

            #6
            Originally posted by N9ne
            On a side note, this forum will be full of teenagers, if that affects anything.

            My thinking was that, naturally, as thefluke said, to have those forums, but for all proper discussion, one forum or maybe two.

            See, one thing that's appealing about a board is active forums, so you dont have to sit around waiting for something. If all threads are in one forum it feels more active.
            True, it may look more active, but IMO there is a downside to it. It looks messy, unprofessional, unorganized and makes searching for specific topics harder.
            Webmaster / Administrator
            www.MegaGames.com
            www.MGForums.com

            Comment

            • N9ne
              Senior Member
              • Mar 2002
              • 2477
              • 3.5.0 Beta

              #7
              Originally posted by Vile
              True, it may look more active, but IMO there is a downside to it. It looks messy, unprofessional, unorganized and makes searching for specific topics harder.
              I'm also familiar with the people that will be visiting the forum regularly, they do not search often and don't have the need to as the board's topic isn't one that many would search for things on. Organisation, well, to be honest, that's only because there's only one forum right? But the point is that it's something new and refreshing, something different, which always catches one's eye.

              Professionality isn't a worry though, as like I said the majority of visitors are 13-20.

              Comment

              • Vile
                Senior Member
                • Jul 2002
                • 2779
                • 3.6.x

                #8
                Originally posted by N9ne
                I'm also familiar with the people that will be visiting the forum regularly, they do not search often and don't have the need to as the board's topic isn't one that many would search for things on. Organisation, well, to be honest, that's only because there's only one forum right? But the point is that it's something new and refreshing, something different, which always catches one's eye.

                Professionality isn't a worry though, as like I said the majority of visitors are 13-20.
                I guess both have their advantages.

                BTW, I wasn't reffering to search as in using the actual serach option.
                What I meant is by browsing each forum, and looking for a related topic to the subject one had in mind....(I.e. If one is having a problem with their PS2 they won't look for a solution in the Microsoft or Chit Chat forum.)
                Last edited by Vile; Tue 5 Aug '03, 6:25pm.
                Webmaster / Administrator
                www.MegaGames.com
                www.MGForums.com

                Comment

                • N9ne
                  Senior Member
                  • Mar 2002
                  • 2477
                  • 3.5.0 Beta

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Vile
                  I guess both have their advantages.

                  BTW, I wasn't reffering to search as in using the actual serach option.
                  What I meant is by browsing each forum, and looking for a related topic to the subject one had in mind....(I.e. If one is having a problem with their PS2 they won't look for a solution in the Microsoft or Chit Chat forum.)
                  Then I suppose that would make for even more activity, as if they can't find it, they will post their question so that's one more thread with however many replies.

                  Comment

                  • thefluke
                    Senior Member
                    • Apr 2003
                    • 108
                    • 2.3.2

                    #10
                    Originally posted by N9ne
                    Then I suppose that would make for even more activity, as if they can't find it, they will post their question so that's one more thread with however many replies.

                    How long do you think it will be before your regulars start saying "God, what are you, a bleeping moron? It's not like that questions never been asked before, search the boards you stupid-head".

                    Only they won't be quite so nice about it. And your mods will get tired of it as well.Having the same thread posted once a week makes boards feel spammy, in my oppinion, not active. Additionally, the members who aren't being mean, and aren't pretending to be mods telling them to search the boards for faqs will be driven off because all you talk about is the same 5 things over and over again.

                    That's not to say that having only one forum would make a nice experiment. But I still contend that it looks unprofessional/you don't care about the forum enough to put thought into how to best organise it. I just think that it would be best that if your boards are about something, you should seperate that which is about said something from that which is not. And alot of the above problems will only really be trouble if your forums get really big, you want to lay the proper foundation at the start and not have to play catch up later.

                    Comment

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