Tips on getting members to sign up?

[DARRKCLOUD]

Has anyone got any times to get members to signup and post on my site? I seem to be getting no members signing and posting on my site. The problem arised when I was changing board software from MyTopix (When the forum was active) to phpBB (When it was not active) to SMF (what i currently have). I have had this month 121 Unique hits, and the most popular area is the commpunit forum with 385 hits. I was starting to redesign it, but now I am starting to think what is the point when no one is using the site.

Site: www.nitrorccarcentral.uk.to
Forums: www.nitrorccarcentral.uk.to/community
Gallery: www.nitrorccarcentral.uk.to/gallery

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[Blake]

If you have good content, people will come. You just have to be patient, and get the url out there.

 

[DARRKCLOUD]

Yeah, but it has been open for over 5 months now...
The first news article was posted around the 11-15th October 2005.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Yes, you need patience, and you need to publicise the site in any and all relevant other sites.

I developed my own forums software. The first 1,000 posts took 500 days. The second took about 100 days, and now it's about 60 days per 1,000 posts. And even that is really quiet. Just remember: the way you publicise the site accounts for about 70% of your success as a webmaster. The other 30% is split between content & design.

Most webmasters start off by spending too much time on the design, not enough on the content, and hardly any on promotion. This is all wrong.

 

[Blake]

The other 30% is split between content & design.

Which is about 28% content, 2% design. People don’t come back to look at the pretty layout.

That said, it has to be readable and presented in a logical way.

 

[donbenni]

Which is about 28% content, 2% design. People don’t come back to look at the pretty layout.

That said, it has to be readable and presented in a logical way.

But people won't stay to find out what your site is about and therefore won't come back if your site isn't attractive.

 

[Blake]

But people won't stay to find out what your site is about and therefore won't come back if your site isn't attractive.

I’m not saying it shouldn’t be good looking, but I am saying you shouldn’t concentrate on making it pretty if you don’t have good content in the first place.

 

[donbenni]

I’m not saying it shouldn’t be good looking, but I am saying you shouldn’t concentrate on making it pretty if you don’t have good content in the first place.

So if i haven't got any content then i shouldn't worry about what the design looks like?

At work we start with the design: We create multiple designs and decide on the best. Then we create and add the content.

As a designer i will biasedly say that i think the design is much more important than the 2% you suggested (where exactly did that figure come from anyway?). I've seen many great-in-theory websites fall apart from bad design.

And to counter your previous statement, i go back to loads of websites with mediocre content just because i like the styling

 

[Blake]

At work we start with the design: We create multiple designs and decide on the best. Then we create and add the content.

That sounds a bit backwards to me. The design should (generally) be based on, and support, the content.

And to counter your previous statement, i go back to loads of websites with mediocre content just because i like the styling

But you’re interested in design.

Perhaps you design for an audience that is specifically interested in design, so it plays a more important part in the design process.

BTW, just to be clear: when I say design isn’t as important as content, that doesn’t mean I think a design like the W3C’s website is acceptable. Rather, I think that a design like this is superfluous if you don’t have good content to begin with.

 

[Sprite]

Ive just visited your forum and site, and to me its looks just fine. Get your site out into the world of RC Racing and you will have a few more members, then they will spread the word to friends, but dont think thats it, still put your site out into the web and they will come. Give it some more time.

 

[donbenni]

That sounds a bit backwards to me. The design should (generally) be based on, and support, the content.

But you’re interested in design.

Perhaps you design for an audience that is specifically interested in design, so it plays a more important part in the design process.

BTW, just to be clear: when I say design isn’t as important as content, that doesn’t mean I think a design like the W3C’s website is acceptable. Rather, I think that a design like this is superfluous if you don’t have good content to begin with.

Yeah i appreciate where you're coming from. I always thought it was a joke that W3Cs website isn't particularly catchy and isn't advertising the awesome power of the web in it's design.
I was going to quote CSS Zen Garden as a site that i go back to because i like the design(s) and not so much the content

r.e. Design before content: We of course know what's going to go into the website contents-wise before starting the design. We know for instance what the site is going to be about and what sort of content will go in (we don't just create a design that can be used for any content and use it whenever). We don't actually add specific content (the important 'getting people to come back' content) until after the design is finished. It seems to work.

Have you have other experiences? Are we going off topic?

 

[Burnout]

I believe the design is far more important that just "2%" as said. Clear, enjoyable to look at.. It's all important. Personally I'm not into elaborate, insane designs where there isn't even any room to put freaking content, but it needs to be easy to read.

You tell me, if there are two sites with exactly the same content, the only differnet being that one site has white text on a black background, and the other site has dark grey text on a slightly colored background, which one are you going to read?

Anyways, back on topic.. Provide something that no one else offers. If you offer the same thing as every other 50,000 similar sites off, why would everyone come to your site? They need a reason, and that can't just be "well, I have the same stuff as the site you already visit," what is that going to get you?

 

[Blake]

I believe the design is far more important that just "2%" as said. Clear, enjoyable to look at.. It's all important. Personally I'm not into elaborate, insane designs where there isn't even any room to put freaking content, but it needs to be easy to read.

You tell me, if there are two sites with exactly the same content, the only differnet being that one site has white text on a black background, and the other site has dark grey text on a slightly colored background, which one are you going to read?

BTW, just to be clear: when I say design isn’t as important as content, that doesn’t mean I think a design like the W3C’s website is acceptable. Rather, I think that a design like this is superfluous if you don’t have good content to begin with.

My point with the 2% (which I just made up to get the point across) is that far too much attention is payed to design when content is left hanging, more of an afterthought, rather than an integrated part of the project.

Design is important, but there is no point making it pretty if there is nothing there worth reading!

Obviously sites such as CSS Zen Garden are different, because the content of the site is the designs.

 

[Burnout]

My point with the 2% (which I just made up to get the point across) is that far too much attention is payed to design when content is left hanging, more of an afterthought, rather than an integrated part of the project.

100% agreed.

However, the content of a site (in most cases) shouldn't be left to one person, it really should be between a few people, or even a whole community, particularly on the type of site Dark is trying to run. On the other hand, the designs of a site is often left to one person, the creator of the site. Therefore, the design needs a lot of attention put into it.

These days, with so many different sites around all offering such similar features, the design and overall feel of a site is really quite important. It not only keeps viewer's attentions long enough push them on over to the actual content, but it also gives them the feeling of looking at a "quality product."

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