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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:06:29
Dr. Bob, what do you think of a hidden private board for members who have made a certain number of posts? Like 100 posts?
I've been on other forums and many have hidden private forums for their more valuable members. It's a place where Google can't get to their posts. Having such a forum may encourage lurkers to delurk and post more so they can gain access to the private forum. I know I always want to gain access to these private forums.
Plus, having a hidden forum would give members a place where they feel totally safe and it will help strengthen the community and encourage sharing.
Maybe it's a bad idea, I don't know. It's just something to think about.
Posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:28:40
In reply to I have an idea, posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:06:29
Of course all the same civility standards would apply in the hidden forum and members wouldn't be allowed to talk about other members without access yet behind their backs.
The forum would be exclusive, but not excessively so. Those with 100 posts or more would have access to it. This would also keep away spammers. Every genuine member who wants access will be able to gain access once they hit 100 quality posts. They shouldn't gain access if they make 100 spam posts for example. A moderately active poster would probably easily get to 100 posts in about 2 months.
I think it is a good idea. What do others think?
I've seen it work in other online communities. I guess if it doesn't work out we can always scrap it?
Posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:33:50
In reply to Re: I have an idea - hidden forum, posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:28:40
Just in case you missed this before:
I also found this and thought it was interesting. The theory is that if we make it harder for people to join, it makes the community more attractive and adds prestige for the membership.
I thought that instead of restricting access to the whole site, maybe restricting access to just one board would do the same thing.
http://www.communityspark.com/invigorate-your-online-community-by-closing-it-down/21st October, 2009 | Community Management | By Martin Reed - Community Manager
Invigorate your online community by closing it downclosing online communities
Remember that community building takes time. That being said, sometimes an online community just wont get off the ground. If you are struggling to encourage activity or if you want to build more of a buzz around your site, sometimes closing it down is the best course of action.
Close your online community down completely
Most online communities fail. Normally this is due to one of two reasons. Firstly, starting an online community is easy, so many rush to build and release a community site without a plan or strategy. Secondly, many businesses think that if they invest enough money in a community, theyll see success. Community building isnt about big budgets, though. Its about building relationships which take time and trust, not money.
A lot of online communities launch before they are ready. You need to start building your community before you launch a community website. When your site goes public, it needs to already have members, content and active discussions. New members wont join a dead community.
If you started your community prematurely, close it down and start again. Reach out to your target audience through other channels (for example, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube). Recruit initial golden members to help you get your community going. When you relaunch your community website (if indeed, that is still necessary), youll now have immediate interest, early adopters and content.
Closing an online community also allows you to reassess why you want an online community. It gives you time to figure out why your community isnt developing as you had hoped. Having no community at all is better than having a failed community.
Restrict access to your online community
Being a member of an online community is rarely a luxury. Most are free to join. Most allow members to join without any obligation to be active. The result is often a high number of ghost members they show in your member stats, but they arent active (so they arent really members).
Theres no prestige in being a member of a community that lets everyone and anyone in. The more selective you are, the more attractive your community becomes. Consider making it more difficult to join your online community. Consider making it more difficult to remain a member of your online community. Here are some ideas:
* Have a waiting list for new members
* Only allow new members to join at certain times (specific time periods, days of the week, holidays, etc)
* Only allow a certain number of new members to join each week/month
* Make being active an ongoing membership requirement
* Make membership temporary new members have to earn the right to stay
* Make completion of detailed profile information a membership requirementExclusivity is attractive
Having an open community can result in a high number of new member registrations, but this wont always translate to active, engaged members. The more exclusive you make your community, the more attractive it becomes. Consider foregoing the ego stroke of artificial member counts, and aim instead for quality over quantity. Change the perception of your online community from a commodity to a privilege. Make members earn the right to join, and earn the right to stay.
Its a bold action, but it doesnt have to last forever. If you dont think exclusive, closed communities can work, read up on the history of Facebook.
Posted by psych chat on October 28, 2009, at 17:38:12
In reply to I have an idea, posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:06:29
Hi Deneb -
I think that is one of the best ideas I've even seen on this Admin page. If I create a new forum someday, I am going to borrow your idea.
At least a layer of security so all our posts don't show up on google would be helpful.
Thanks!
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 2, 2009, at 2:52:26
In reply to I have an idea, posted by Deneb on October 26, 2009, at 14:06:29
> Dr. Bob, what do you think of a hidden private board for members who have made a certain number of posts? Like 100 posts?
>
> I've been on other forums and many have hidden private forums for their more valuable members. It's a place where Google can't get to their posts. Having such a forum may encourage lurkers to delurk and post more so they can gain access to the private forum. I know I always want to gain access to these private forums.
>
> Plus, having a hidden forum would give members a place where they feel totally safe and it will help strengthen the community and encourage sharing.I'm open to the idea. Although if it's popular, more and more of the discussion here would become private. And those under 100 might feel excluded. What do others think?
Bob
Posted by Deneb on November 2, 2009, at 14:41:05
In reply to Re: private forums to encourage lurkers to delurk, posted by Dr. Bob on November 2, 2009, at 2:52:26
Yay, thanks for responding to my idea. I was brainstorming ways to make people feel safe here.
I think maybe 100 posts is too many. I now think something like 25 posts is better. 100 can seem like an eternity to a lurker who never posts. I think it might encourage lurkers to post to gain access. I don't want anyone to feel excluded and they won't be for long if they post.
At other sites I've been to, the busiest board is not the private board. This is because while it is nice to have a private place, people still tend to use the public boards because they get more responses.
Hmmmm...is there any way that we can have a condition for gaining access to the private board? Like maybe it is required that the poster post at least 1 post a week on the public boards? This is if we are worried that people may just post on the private boards only.
Hmmm...maybe we can scrap the 25 posts thing and make it 1 post a week on the public boards?
I dunnno. LOL Just more brainstorming. This is fun. :-)
Posted by Maxime on November 3, 2009, at 3:42:59
In reply to Re: private forums to encourage lurkers to delurk, posted by Dr. Bob on November 2, 2009, at 2:52:26
I like the idea very much. The depression forums work that way.
Posted by muffled on November 4, 2009, at 23:25:30
In reply to Re: private forums to encourage lurkers to delurk » Dr. Bob, posted by Deneb on November 2, 2009, at 14:41:05
I like that idea.
Just Bob often says he might do things, but then he never does....so I am not holding my breath here....
This is the end of the thread.
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