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Post by milachan ★ on May 24, 2013 0:49:57 GMT -8
Although it's not an old old site (it only came to fruition last October and activity has been drizzling since about February) my Pokemon Special/Adventures site has been feeling very lonely as of late. I have updated and future-i-fied the plot so that some time has past, and some dramatic things have happened in the time that people have been away, but what I really want to know is how do you get people to come back? How do you manage to draw people back into that world you've created when they started drifting away. Even our canon slots, which are usually the fastest taken, are feeling lonely and unwanted.
I'd really love some advice as to how to spice it back up, or how you think it could be improved, even, if you've seen it. x3
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Post by konya on May 24, 2013 1:16:27 GMT -8
Usually if they've left, they're not coming back.
A new skin, a mass e-mail with the updates if you're daring, some flash advertisements and post around like mad.
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Post by milachan ★ on May 24, 2013 1:28:58 GMT -8
I did try the mass e-mail but getting no response gave me reason to instead just delete to free up all the canon characters that were being unused but held hostage by an absent member. I want to bring new people in too, even people just being away for a bit.
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the greatest general under the heavens
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Post by Egao, Egao Everywhere on May 24, 2013 3:38:32 GMT -8
If you want old members to come back, you'd have to remake everything. Down from the rules, the skin and to the plot and character profile. A change of staff would be a great improvement too personally. As Konya said, when people leave they won't usually come back because they left for a reason. It's a lost of interest overall.
But since you want new members too, I think you should just remake the board. Give it a new name and make everything new again. You want people to think they're joining something new and fresh. In addition to that, you should consider what elements might have caused people to lose interest in your site so that you could improve on it in your new one.
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Post by milachan ★ on May 24, 2013 5:00:09 GMT -8
I know the staffing was a huge issue in the first place. I loved my staffers as members but they didn't do a whole lot as staff and I was still doing all the app-checking and advertising myself. You might be right about rebadging, though that does concern me too. I think in large part what killed it was my own drop in activity when I was going through a rough time, and then when I planned my wedding. Everything could easily be renewed, but you're right on the whole.. people wanting to join something new and fresh. xD
Very good food for thought.
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the greatest general under the heavens
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Post by Egao, Egao Everywhere on May 25, 2013 8:02:00 GMT -8
Just keep on trusting your guts and don't be afraid to do what you think would be best. There are a LOT of owners around who just don't have the right staff team to keep their site alive. I've seen sites go down just because the owner's staff isn't enough either by numbers or by dedication. I think you're a really nice person that as an admin is really admirable. There aren't really as many Pokemon sites around anymore especially Poke-spec-based one (only other site I know is Wide Awake) so you should have enough audience for it.
Good luck with your site, Milachan. I can't help much as a staff but if you need someone to bounce ideas with, I'm always good in that area.
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Post by milachan ★ on May 25, 2013 8:20:13 GMT -8
Thanks, I really want a place that people can come and feel comfortable roleplaying something they love, that's my prime objective. Getting extra members for them to roleplay with is just the cherry on top for me, but like all admins, I'd love to see my site thrive. At the moment I'm asking the members what sort of way they'd like to go in order to bring in some more staff, and so far it looks like they'd support a rebadging, if not a move. I've also made the move to Affiliate with Wide Awake so hopefully we can share some members there too. x3 I know Epoch also allows Poke-spec canons, but they're an open-canon site, not necessarily pokespe based. I'm hoping hoping that we can get some stuff working.
Hopefully if we get some more members, I can look into some more staffing just for the support. I mean, I shouldn't really be awake now and the main reason I am is that I'm forcing myself to stay conscious. >> And if we could have someone who could check up on the site while I'm asleep to catch guests.. that might help too. xD We'll see.
Thank you for the encouragement though, I really appreciate it. It gives me hope that what I'm doing isn't for naught. xD
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Post by Zozma on Jun 17, 2013 0:23:39 GMT -8
I agree with sprucing up with a new look. I've noticed that when a site's getting a bit long in the tooth and the members are getting slower, a shiny new skin helps perk them up. The new members that the new look draws in might also help. I know whenever we get a new member, there's an influx of new plot ideas because of the new characters and their excitement rubs off on the older members who might not have fully found their foothold yet.
And I just noticed this was originally posted in May but hopefully things are looking up for you now.
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Post by milachan ★ on Jun 17, 2013 5:35:48 GMT -8
we actually do have a lot more members. a new name, a new skin and lots of advertising x3
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