How long before you call it quits?

[chrishicks]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

[TheListener]

Chris

I can understand what you are going through.

keep at it kid ( and I do mean the forum  )

I have owned the forum since April and had times I have felt like giving up.

Do you have many staff on the forum?

[chrishicks]

Oh, I'm not planning on giving up. It definitely does get frustrating at times but I couldn't give up on the site as I would always have that "what if" thing running in my head all the time. I've had it up for 2 years now so I'm in for the long haul.

It's just that I've noticed while reading through older topics here(say 3-4 months old) and I'll see something like "hey, check out my site. I just set it up, what do you think?" and when I click the links the sites are already dead. That made me start to wonder about peoples ideas of how long they give their sites for growth before they scrap it altogether.

I have 2 global mods(tagged as admin) and a few secret global mods who are hidden as regular members to keep an eye out on things.

[TheListener]

I have 2 global mods(tagged as admin) and a few secret global mods who are hidden as regular members to keep an eye out on things.

How often do your staff make posts?

[chrishicks]

One will post replies to something I post every day. He isn't that dead like the others with the exception of creating new topics. Another one will do some every few days while another one will go through spurts of posting. He will usually make say 10 posts in a few days and then just stops for a few weeks. Then after a few weeks he'll repeat the process. Of course they all come by every single day and read whatever new topics are up but many many topics go without replies.

Everyone on my forum pretty much just reads and not much else.

Then of course I have the Myspace group of guys who do nothing but send PMs to the few girls on the forum constantly asking them for naked pics or whatever. They will never come of of PM. You've seen the discussion about it on my board. That's why I wish there was a mod that made it where they had to make a few posts daily in order to have the ability to send PMs for that day.

[TheListener]

Do any of the 'Mypace' members have any posts in the forum?

I can suggest a mod which may help to get the non posting staff to do so more often.

[TheListener]

If the forum is on 1.1.10 this may help.

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2052

[chrishicks]

1 or 2 have some posts but most don't. I actually installed that mod earlier but my logs were filling up with errors from everyone as they moved around the forum. Pretty much anyone/anything that tried to do anything they don't have permissions for would trip an error in the log.

[TheListener]

Try the old stinkbomb routine.

I'm jealous btw you have a game in ya arcade which I have been after for months.

[chrishicks]

I'm having a brain fart moment so what is the stinkbomb routine?

Which game is that by the way?

[TheListener]

stinkbomb routine ie when ya threaten to throw them at ya lazy staff lol


The game I was referring to is the shooting gallery one.

[chrishicks]

I have no idea where my games backup disc is but I can look for it via ftp and get you a copy if you want it.

[TheListener]

Would me using e arcade make any difference?

[chrishicks]

I don't think it would. I was actually going to upgrade mine to that a while back but I never wanted to mess with it because everyone made it sound like the version I have installed is horrible to mess with

[TheListener]

If ya wanna have a look at the arcade on my forum sometime let me know.

( is off limits to guests and theres a 2 post minimum before members can use it. Also you can make members post every day before they can use it )

[AlexIsaacs]

Call quits when you no longer log in eager to post and browse the site for more than two weeks straight.

That's the best advice I can give, and applies whether or not you have 5 members or 5,000. You're not making money off the thing so if you're not getting enjoyment, there's just no point. Start again when you feel in the mood.

And if you're not sick of it, then obviously keep at it.

[chrishicks]

I think I was a bit misunderstood here. This was more about everyone else's threshold before giving up. I was curious about what others would say.

[Liam.]

How long before I give up! All the time. I used to think that my site would be successful, and it wasn't. My main one still isn't, but last week I gave it one last shot at one of my other websites, and wham, I got 17 contributers, posting articles for free, which is more convenient for me, although I will have to reward them for saving me some time. I just found the website of GoDaddy's CEO and Founder, Bob Parsons, at www.bobparsons.me , and he has 16 rules to follow. Try looking at it and seeing tip #3. http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php

It helped me, and I'm sure it can help everyone else!

[owcommandpost]

I have been VERY close to my threshold.
Most recently this past June.
Participation had dropped to zero
and we've had no real growth over the last couple of years membership wise
so I told everyone if things did not pick up at least on the participation level
I was going to close the board down forever!

I started our forums back in June of 2006
and since have spent hours upon HOURS researching and building
the best possible atmosphere with friendly staff
so that the general membership don't feel like they have to walk on egg shells
when participating.

I've been fed up to the point of being ready to quit
but have decided that as long as there is interest being shown I'll leave it up
but will NOT waste time on something nobody cares about.
I'm happy with 10 or 15 active members
as opposed to 20,000 dead beats who never do anything

[bullbreedluverz]

im in a similar situation, partly my fault but couldnt be helped as i moved house and had lots of work to do on it, but anyway things have died, no1's really posting, members arent visiting the site anymore so im reinventing it and rebranding it, expanding the scope of it - my site was a strictly bull breed dog site but im rebranding it as a general pet site - i had too much of a niche site that has become difficult to attract new members as the target audience is limited so now im opening up the site further to create a bigger audience and more oppertunities to attract new members

any forum has to be progressive really and if what you have isnt working and if the staff basically dont do ****** you have to re-evaluate the site and the staff - frankley lazy staff are a waste of time and are dead wood and need to be cut free - if they arent supporting you then whats the point in keepin them on as staff members - although my site has dwindled in activity my staff are still loyal and want to move the site on and do what it takes to make it active again but if they werent id sack everyone of them and by the sounds of it your staff arent really standing behind you and the site

your site has wide range of topics and you need to look at where you can get people from to be interested in your site and once you get them there keep them there - ive realised where ive gone wrong with mine and making changes

promotion of a site, especially without a budget can be hard but not impossible - look at your target audience, see where they frequent, what sites they go to like social groups - no1 likes a spammer but sometimes needs must and spam these sites - i dont mean poach other forums but social networks frankley are fair game, theres thousands of members on these and links posted on them are free which means free advertising

i considered just closing my site but then why, why close it when it can be viable with work and effort anda rethink on members and content and refocusing the site - if the present set up isnt working then look at how you can change that and that includes staff

[TheListener]

My forums was started in April.

It has been an up and down road for me never having done this sort of thing before.

Due to finances , house moves an a baby some staff have been unable to be online as much as they would like.

However one of the staff posts very little despite being on the forum daily.

One of the admin hardly does any posting at all ( what makes it worse is the person being my partner).

[chrishicks]

That is the worst thing to have - staff that doesn't seem to want to help. My forum is mostly made up of readers not posters. I actually just installed the rss feed poster mod and used their names as the posters just to bring up their post count a bit.

Now what really puts the icing on the cake - I have one member who did a bunch of small reviews on some no name dead site(one of those really cheap freebie boards) and he was asked by another staff member to repost them on our site which is a simple copy/paste and we can't even get that to happen.

[teh_Krall]

That is the worst thing to have - staff that doesn't seem to want to help. My forum is mostly made up of readers not posters. I actually just installed the rss feed poster mod and used their names as the posters just to bring up their post count a bit.

I have that problem too, but I don't think it's an issue of not wanting to help. Just like with anything else some people want to lead and some just want to follow and since you're the admin most people are just going to follow your lead.

[Lautermilch]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

I've been frustrated with the lack of members and Google not indexing me.
http://thintheherd.info
But the numbers are slowing going up and Google is starting to index and by this fall when H1N1 is the top news story I expect to have a very busy forum.

[TheListener]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

I've been frustrated with the lack of members and Google not indexing me.
http://thintheherd.info
But the numbers are slowing going up and Google is starting to index and by this fall when H1N1 is the top news story I expect to have a very busy forum.

You have to remember that the media does take things out of context.

I'm not that worried about swine flu tbh.

Staying indoors out of harms reach won't do any good either.

[Lautermilch]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

I've been frustrated with the lack of members and Google not indexing me.
http://thintheherd.info
But the numbers are slowing going up and Google is starting to index and by this fall when H1N1 is the top news story I expect to have a very busy forum.

You have to remember that the media does take things out of context.

I'm not that worried about swine flu tbh.

Staying indoors out of harms reach won't do any good either.

You will be worrying about H1N1 by this fall. Be glad to continue this discussion on http://thintheherd.info

[chrishicks]

I actually just installed the rss feed poster mod and used their names as the posters just to bring up their post count a bit.

I just can't win. Now they(staff) are complaining because all the recent posts/topics on the home page are news articles. I guess it's better to have no new posts instead of news posts.

[anunlike]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

Barring any outside factors like babies, illnesses, job / money losses, moving, etc... I'd have to go with "never," personally. Any forum I'd admin, run, etc., would be out of pure passion, personal interest and so on. As such, I would probably never get to that point.

I've been frustrated with the lack of members and Google not indexing me.
http://thintheherd.info
But the numbers are slowing going up and Google is starting to index and by this fall when H1N1 is the top news story I expect to have a very busy forum.

Just FYI, it's "Martial Law," not "Marshall Law".

[ArkServer]

I've been thinking. How long do you keep up a board with hardly any activity going on or whatever the case may be before just saying "forget it, I'm done"? I've noticed that a lot of people don't even keep them up for a year. Ive been thinking about my threshold and how long I will keep mine running even if it's pretty much just me for the most part there and I just can't see letting it go no matter what.

What about you? What is your limit before giving up?

my site is pretty dead but i'm still posting every now and then.

[Jamie1200]

You will be worrying about H1N1 by this fall. Be glad to continue this discussion on http://thintheherd.info [nofollow] [nofollow]

This is absoulty terrifying! Im not scared of Swine Flu, but the media are blowing it out of proportion and making the whole situation worse than it really is. TBH how many people die of normal FLu each year? and that never ever gets mentioned in the news paper, H1N1 is the new flu if you ask me.

[Lautermilch]

You will be worrying about H1N1 by this fall. Be glad to continue this discussion on http://thintheherd.info [nofollow]

This is absoulty terrifying! Im not scared of Swine Flu, but the media are blowing it out of proportion and making the whole situation worse than it really is. TBH how many people die of normal FLu each year? and that never ever gets mentioned in the news paper, H1N1 is the new flu if you ask me.

The media was all over the story during the first wave in the spring with few deaths. Now the death toll is rising and you don't hear much about it.

[nay27uk]

I just recently took down and deleted a board I had up for about two years. it only had 26 members and none of them ever posted or even visited any more

[anunlike]

This is absoulty terrifying! Im not scared of Swine Flu, but the media are blowing it out of proportion and making the whole situation worse than it really is. TBH how many people die of normal FLu each year? and that never ever gets mentioned in the news paper, H1N1 is the new flu if you ask me.

The CDC puts it at ~ 36,000 a year in the US alone that die from the "normal" seasonal flu and flu like (related) causes. Thus far, there's only been ~ 500 in the US alone associated with the Swine Flu. I agree, at least so far, it's been blown out of proportion.

Here's an interesting article which claims numbers and stats of other "normal" leading killers.

Sorry to go off-topic, just wanted to answer that.

[Lautermilch]

This is absoulty terrifying! Im not scared of Swine Flu, but the media are blowing it out of proportion and making the whole situation worse than it really is. TBH how many people die of normal FLu each year? and that never ever gets mentioned in the news paper, H1N1 is the new flu if you ask me.

The CDC puts it at ~ 36,000 a year in the US alone that die from the "normal" seasonal flu and flu like (related) causes. Thus far, there's only been ~ 500 in the US alone associated with the Swine Flu. I agree, at least so far, it's been blown out of proportion.

Here's an interesting article which claims numbers and stats of other "normal" leading killers.

Sorry to go off-topic, just wanted to answer that.

The death toll is rising - http://thintheherd.info/index.php?board=2.0
School infections are happening.
It is going to get a lot worse with the mutated H1N1 2.0 version.

[Ryanator]

My site has been running for about a year now and I have to say that I have come damn close to closing it a few times. One of my partners recently quit so another guy bought out his share so this has brought in some fresh blood which has inspired everyone to get their behinds into gear. If you have staff that aren't contributing, cut them off. It just drags everyone down. Everyone gets this "They're not doing any work so why should I?" mentality about them.

People reading my content and not posting also annoys me to no end. It would be nice if they gave a little feedback so I'd know how I was going.

Anyways, if you enjoy it stick with it.

[chrishicks]

I have a whole mix of annoyances on my forum. Staff who ignores me to no end and does nothing to contribute, members who just read and never contribute as well, male members who only try to "score" with the female members on the site via PM which by the way never post on the actual forum and the newest annoyance - members who won't stay logged in while browsing the site. They will login to make a post and then logout immediately after and continue browsing. I should request a toilet handle mod which when used would flush down all the crap so I can start over clean.

Even though I am annoyed more and more lately I can't think of not having the site.

I also recommend anyone who has a low frustration level to stay away from creating a forum. You will want to kill someone after a while.

[TheListener]

Will hopefully be back soon Chris.

Have a laptop now which I had to get used to.

One suggestion tho

Everytime a staff member posts use the announcement function

Could threaten the non posting staff with the sack too.

[booch_21]

Not sure what I can add, but I'll tell my story and see if anything inspires or not.

My forum will be 2 years old in a couple of weeks.  It is a successful forum, by the standards of the area.  I have had as many as 240 members, but after paring that down for inactivity, it is more around 180 now.  It is a general message board mainly about my immediate area, but have added boards for other topics that seem to work.  I have the SMF Arcade, a chat room and SMF Quiz.  Plenty for people to do if they choose to.

There are a number of hot button topics from the local area that have many people willing to vent.  The site has become something of a news source for the area as things are said on the forum that don't get said on the radio or in the papers.  I figure for every post, and I average around 85 a day, there are at least 5-7 lurkers who do not post. 

When I first set up shop, another forum was in the beginning stages of self destructing.  Mine ended up filling the void, but it took time for people to see that I was on the level.  People want a place that is fair, that allows for little bias, and a friendly place for entertainment.  In the early days, I posted 98% of the messages, in varying topics, just to see what people would bite on.  The forum looks far different from the day it started as it has evolved into what people want to see.  I think that is the key to making a successful forum, keeping something that is interesting and catering to your audience.  Right now, I do not have to post but maybe a half dozen messages a week because the users have now taken over the threads and are sustaining the forum on their own.

Having said that, if for some reason the forum ends up going down drastically, say to a handful of messages a week, then it would be time to start shutting her down. 

[Ryanator]

chrishicks,

I have had a browse of your site. It's pretty good! Funny thing is your site and my site are somewhat similar and we both seem to be having the same problem. Coincidence? Or maybe our target market is just full of lurkers!

[Samuikon]

For me, it's been up-and-down as of late. I've been keeping my eye on the stats, looking at trends and such, and it usually relates to the time of year. Most of my userbase are students, so activity can be dependent on that. I've also seen people either lose interest, or just forget about the place. I never gave up, never will.

My community's been goin' for six years now, having gone through four name changes. I'm hesitant on doing that again, doubt it's even necessary. It started off as a crappy Digimon fansite, then slowly evolved to a gaming and roleplaying community over the years. Activity has died down a bit after 2005, but I am hoping to breathe new life into it.

So, I say, keep trying. All good communities start off slow. Heck, back when I first started, I never thought I'd still be doing this, nor did I think it would have turned out the way it did.

[chrishicks]

Bumping this because I just couldn't believe this when I read it. A forum member forwarded this PM to me this morning from some guy who constantly sends her PMs.

well there is no where for people to talk on here beside the forum or whatever and i hate that sh**.. If u wanna talk get some kind of messenger and we can talk on there.. but i doubt u do that either..

(I censored the swear as it wasn't in the actual message.)

Now can you say WTF? What's the purpose of being on a forum(complete with a chat by the way) and then have that kind of attitude? Now things like this will make you want to give up at times.

[Arantor]

Indeed, and that kind of attitude will not only hurt those it hits directly, but will affect others around them too.

Does that person want individual 1:1 communication? He's probably at the wrong site for him.

[chrishicks]

From what I gather this person(as well as a few others) want 1:1 communication but with multiple people(females). Think of it like like a cheater. They stay in PM and try to work different angles with different members to see if any of them will bite. It won't work if they post in public as it's there for everyone to see if you get what I'm saying. This was one of my main reasons for the mod request I made the other day. I don't want to outright ban these people because who knows what kind of negative feedback they could spread around about my site and the mod could just be stated as a feature "upgrade" so to speak. I'd rather just have them move away quietly because of them not wanting to do any actual posting. And then if they cause a visible scene where everyone sees a ban won't be a big deal.

[Jamie1200]

This is absoulty terrifying! Im not scared of Swine Flu, but the media are blowing it out of proportion and making the whole situation worse than it really is. TBH how many people die of normal FLu each year? and that never ever gets mentioned in the news paper, H1N1 is the new flu if you ask me.

The CDC puts it at ~ 36,000 a year [nofollow] in the US alone that die from the "normal" seasonal flu and flu like (related) causes. Thus far, there's only been ~ 500 in the US alone associated with the Swine Flu. I agree, at least so far, it's been blown out of proportion.

Here's an interesting article [nofollow] which claims numbers and stats of other "normal" leading killers.

Sorry to go off-topic, just wanted to answer that.

The death toll is rising - http://thintheherd.info/index.php?board=2.0 [nofollow]
School infections are happening.
It is going to get a lot worse with the mutated H1N1 2.0 version.

well to be honest i think its going to fizzle out, like the "great" bird flu pandemic, foot and mouth and every other disease going around.

[Warrantica]

My forum is all about drawing comics and stuff so it won't be so active as they are, of course, drawing 

It will give up if I die before anyone post anything lol.