Encouraging Repeat Visitors

[Fergal]

For your chance to win 1,000 BAF Cash, please reply with your suggestions as to how we can improve Business Advice Forum, in such a way that it encourages members to make more repeat visits to our forum.

Thanks!

[GekiDan]

I think improving the site's load times will help more visitors in returning on the site,
I noticed the site gets slower from time to time. I don't know if it's on my side or what but BAF is loading slower than some websites I regularly visit, even though I already use Chrome when visiting the site.

[JPM]

Does the newsletter get sent out to members?

I remember changing my settings to add my name to a list, but haven't received anything.

A monthly email with the hot threads, topics, etc would work well.

[ownedbox]

Would it help if we have an online business school like babypips.com/school/ ?

[cesspadilla]

Well we can promote using BAF cash. If we do have a promo gaining BAF we should also have something to buy with BAF cash. More like giving value to BAF cash.

[Mark T]

For your chance to win 1,000 BAF Cash, please reply with your suggestions as to how we can improve Business Advice Forum, in such a way that it encourages members to make more repeat visits to our forum.

Thanks!

Newsletters, blogs (as i have suggested previously in the suggestion thread of BAF) or any other subscription means that lets people want to really visit back to BAF.

[TomWbl]

I agree a blog would help aside from this I think the only thing which will encourage more repeated visitors is livelier forums which means more posters.

[TomWbl]

Catch 22..

[Fowler]

I think a new look (skin/style/theme) for the forum would make it more visually appealing and may encourage more people to return. First impressions are important and what the user sees before anything else is the look of the site. They then start to see the content, contests and how active the forum is etc. The current style is pretty simple. It is not bad but equally it doesn't stand out and make users think this forum looks nice.

[JPM]

I think a new look (skin/style/theme) for the forum would make it more visually appealing and may encourage more people to return. First impressions are important and what the user sees before anything else is the look of the site. They then start to see the content, contests and how active the forum is etc. The current style is pretty simple. It is not bad but equally it doesn't stand out and make users think this forum looks nice.

I agree, i don't dislike this theme - but it's looking a little tired. Whilst I think the blue is appropriate and professional and should be kept I'd love to see a fresh new look - with the option of visitors being able to choose between this and the new one.

[BarelyHangingOn]

If you give forum money away then have something you can spend it on. Posting packages, graphics, advertising spots, the regular.

I went to the off topic forum to see what's up and it's riddled with watch pirated tv show posts. That's not encouraging.

I love the forum and hope to post more.

[JBMedia]

Here's my current thoughts on how to encourage more people to continue to come back to BAF:

1. Stay on top of Spam, including unethical types of posts.

2. As JPM has said, get a newsletter rolling out periodically. Make sure it's being sent.

3. Start up a blog with some business advice. It could even have posts derived from articles members here have written on the forums. With this though, it's another medium to which people can visit, and then they can check out the forum if it piques their interests.

4. Agreed, a new theme might be okay for this process. This could include a new logo as well.

5. Have a contest for BAF cash or real cash to promote the current members who are active to become even more active. The idea behind this is to have new topics started, including debates and other aspects of business. Let's all start asking each other questions again. It never hurts as business is always changing in this world.

6. Another contest? Referral contest. See if there's a mod for the board where not only you can have referral (which I know we have), but also show who the referrer was, and to the referrer who their referrals are. This way their can be direct contact, which in turn could help promote activity here.

Overall, it will take a lot of work. I'm willing to put some effort forth for it though, as this is one of the best forums and community I've ever participated in online.

[Mark T]

I like the idea of the new theme and logo. If I were asked to make some effort for BAF, i would gladly do so as well.

[JBMedia]

Another idea that I just got is why don't we make a video with our's truly, Fergal, talking about what this forum stands for and the innovation help within. It could be on the main page and started when an unregistered user visits the site.

Then you could also upload it on YouTube and possibly get some referrals from there to over here. Just an idea.

I'm not sure also if this has been done in the past, but you could also try out a trial period of having most forums shown, but unobtainable for information without registering. Then people will be more inclined to register here at BAF.

[Business Attorney]

There are a lot of good suggestions in this thread, but the biggest thing that will keep people coming back is the content of the discussion:

1. Are there fresh threads, or at least fresh posts on existing threads? There does seem to be a reasonable amount of fresh material coming in. More would be better. If there is little or no new material. there is little reason to visit regularly.

2. Are there quality posts/threads? While there are some very good discussions on the forum, there are a lot of threads recently on too many topics that have nothing to do with business. If I wanted to talk about TV shows or my "most favorite super hero" I would not expect to find it on a forum named Business Advice Forum. Even on a business forum there is room for an occasional off topic discussion, but it should be an area to discuss something of interest to the established members of the forum, not a cesspool for brand new members to deposit their "contributions" before they disappear forever.

3. I have not had problems with the load time.

4. The theme doesn't bother me. Since I am looking for quality content, I like a theme that limits the distractions and lets me get to the material.

5. Another business site I participate in promotes some of the longer, quality posts to article status. The articles may help attract people and certainly helps set the tone of the forum.