Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Is this site becoming too cosy? What would you like to see done differently in discussions?
I'm wondering if sometimes the way discussions can turn into 'chats' between people who may know each other or, through the site, have 'hit it off' online, may be putting people off contributing or making the site appear too cosy . Although a little humour is sometimes a good diffuser of a situation, some regular contributors, myself included, have an 'in joke' or two that may be read as flippant or even insulting to others.
Here are a couple of suggestions that people might like to take me up on.
1. You should be aware that you are publishing to an audience and that once your words are 'out there' they may be taken entirely differently from the way they were intended and that private messaging and your comments page may be the best way to carry on a joke/personal discussion, such as what beer you like or where you are having your tea.
2. If discussions wander too far from the original post, it may be an idea for a moderator / the original poster to pick up the new thread and post a new discussion.
3. I do feel that discussions often self regulate so that if someone posts something a little 'wild' then many others will leap in to defend/refute. However, I would suggest that people never write while feeling angry (or maybe write it in Notepad, leave it a few hours then go back and see if that's still what they want to say. )
4.The blog feature can be used effectively to let off steam (again prepare first and re read carefully before publishing!) and will still invite discussion. If it veers 'off the point' under a blog, well that is half the fun of a blog!
In the past few days, there has been a lot of contributions but often from the same people. Fair play to you, you keep the site ticking over but I'm wondering if others who post less would like to suggest what it is that is keeping them out of the conversations. Lack of interest in the topics? Feeling unwilling to expose themselves? Not happy with the way some people seem to dominate?
If this site is to serve you well , then you must let us know what is bugging you.
To borrow from the restaurant trade, if you enjoy the site tell your friends, if you don't, TELL US!
Here are a couple of suggestions that people might like to take me up on.
1. You should be aware that you are publishing to an audience and that once your words are 'out there' they may be taken entirely differently from the way they were intended and that private messaging and your comments page may be the best way to carry on a joke/personal discussion, such as what beer you like or where you are having your tea.
2. If discussions wander too far from the original post, it may be an idea for a moderator / the original poster to pick up the new thread and post a new discussion.
3. I do feel that discussions often self regulate so that if someone posts something a little 'wild' then many others will leap in to defend/refute. However, I would suggest that people never write while feeling angry (or maybe write it in Notepad, leave it a few hours then go back and see if that's still what they want to say. )
4.The blog feature can be used effectively to let off steam (again prepare first and re read carefully before publishing!) and will still invite discussion. If it veers 'off the point' under a blog, well that is half the fun of a blog!
In the past few days, there has been a lot of contributions but often from the same people. Fair play to you, you keep the site ticking over but I'm wondering if others who post less would like to suggest what it is that is keeping them out of the conversations. Lack of interest in the topics? Feeling unwilling to expose themselves? Not happy with the way some people seem to dominate?
If this site is to serve you well , then you must let us know what is bugging you.
To borrow from the restaurant trade, if you enjoy the site tell your friends, if you don't, TELL US!
Tags for Forum Posts: etiquette, involvement
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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I think Matt makes a good point about how the weekly update can work to draw people to the site and make them interested. AlistairJ also suggested that 'hot topics' are not easy for people to locate. A little rejigging of the order and the highlighting of a couple of the most posted to topics might pique interest. Maybe highlight a group that has been active or newly formed with a bit of info.
Don't want to make more work for you but the updates that come from other websites I'm signed up to are often instrumental in getting me back to their site and then often you stay to 'dig' around. From there, if people join in a few 'popular' conversations then they will return to the site when emailed and hopefully spot other things they are interested in.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Couldn't agree more. It's why I started the weekly update in the first place. But I'm afraid for me it's a matter of time. None of the weekly update is automated. You godda draw a line somewhere.
But those that's got wings......................
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Permalink Reply by DavidJ on
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I think there is little worse for a site than finding when you click on it and find that there has been no activity for 3 days (or 3 weeks) - so a certain amount of inane banter between regulars is not a bad thing in terms of keeping things alive. I applaud those who have made the effort to keep things going in this respect! What is perhaps important is that there are different types of inane banter. More diverse inanity - so more people will drop in.
'Truly important' topics tend to emerge simply by the democratic process (so long as enough people are dropping in) - people pitch in if they think the issue is important. 'Gating the ladder' and the 'Seymour Rd Fish shop' were notable in that people felt strongly and wanted to say something about the issues.
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Hugh, somehow I knew, when I wrote my comments, that you'd say that :D
The emerging consensus seems to be that people are reasonably happy with the way discussions go and that lots of activity is good. A little foolishness is good and that people will weigh in if they feel strongly enough.
No voices, so far, have emerged to suggest that the above is not the case, (although they haven't lost the chance!) but I think it was important to have the discussion.
I can't help it, I just want everyone to have fun at the party...no wallflowers...but maybe not everyone needs to be dancing on the tables :)
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I don't like to get barred from local pubs these days, as I don't get to go out so much any more. They tend to look askance at people climbing up on tables and grooving on down, I find :D
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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Hi all!
Liz, very sensible thing to bring up. I agree with Birdy and the rest of you it seems. One of the things I noticed when I joined this site, was how friendly it is. Hugh was the first person I "talked" to, and he made me feel very welcome (thanks Hugh!). I have joined other forums in the past, and have left, because it was too cliquey, and it just felt impossible to get a look-in. Not so here.
To the lady who gets grumpy when being on this site, why don't you join in and get your views across, it'll make you feel better!
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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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Interesting thread. The site is cozy in the sense that it still has a fairly small membership and a hard core of frequent posters (most of whom replied to this!). But I don't think there is much that can be done about that - as someone else said, far better to have frequent activity than nothing.
That said, I have some sympathy with what Liz was getting at - I've personally been put off other websites where the main topics are just (or have become) personal chats between people vs being about the topics that the site was about in the main place (if you see what I mean). I know one where you go along and the first ten threads will all be chat between about 5 people, about the weather or whatever (gosh this makes me sound like such a hip and happening person eh) - and that is off-putting, unless you're one of the 5. I don't think that does tend to happen here - most posts are relevant and most sort of stay on topic, don't they?
As for the life of their own/grumpy thing - isn't that just what happens when lots of people with diverse opinions start talking about something? I've found this to be especially true online/email - people can sometimes be a little less sensitive in how they put things than they would be in real life. Plus perhaps it is easier to get offended, because you don't pick up on all the other things that you would if you were speaking to someone.
By the way - I once posted on a site where they introduced a count to show how many people read a post. It caused real consternation, as you'd fine that 150 people had read a post that had turned into an intimate chit chat between a couple of people...
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