TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

I was thinking about how to increase forum activity and got to thinking why not do like other sites and post some interesting forum threads on the homepage every now and then.

The forum link is small and out of the way so I think alot of people miss the opportunity to visit here. By posting an interesting thread every once in a while more people will get the chance to visit the forums and potenially sign up as members. Techspot might have some kind of policy against this I'm not sure, but I think it is a good idea.

Feel free to post your comments about this!!!

I do use that trick once in awhile, usually about 1 time per week... We definatly need more members though, I would rather not a huge crowd (ie HARDOCP) but some more users would make things more interesting.

Agreed. Maybe I'm missing something, but I haven't seen anyone post something like that. Maybe its because its just a link and not a qoute or something from the actual thread. I could be wrong on this, but its just my experiences.

I just think Julio should take a more in your face approach to the users when they visit the site, especially on the issue of the forums. Maybe even a direct promotion of them would be nice.

Uncleel, better get your WELCOME TO TECHSPOT thread out...

Like, "Discuss this in our forums?" That's been done before.

Hey, I'm still here. It just took about 6 months to remember my name, heh. That's why I haven't been around!

i m on the same track with ya...wanting to create a warmer atmosphere..but hey my internet connection is not tat good! But i'll try my very best to come to this forum frequently.

Hey Y&W - why don't you check out some of my screenshots in the where you post from thread - just kidding man, don't do it on dialup. I'm notorious for posting big pics with very little compression (actually I do compress - but I don't accept much loss in image quality so they stay big.) Maybe if I post more big pics more people will come? Hmmmm... prolly not.

LNCPapa

1st point:

Key news items need a forum topic already setup to discuss it rather than just a plain link to the forum.

I found it necessary to create this thread http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthrea...&threadid=2018 to discuss the new ArmyOps game.

2nd point:

I usually find more updated news from other sites like www.warp2search.com and www.savagenews.com for example before TS which gets updated way after.

I prefer the TS forum to any of these other sites and I would post a news topic which could be picked up on as "news worthy" and made a note of on the TS homepage.

Well, i think one of the obvious ways is to create a competition! Thats what bought me here.....
...[size=3]wait[/size], that could be a bad thing! U dont want more n00bs like me

I did notice, that there is a large blue area in the top right hand corner....with 1 advert in it! With a bit of re-arranging, there would be a nice place for a button linking to the forums.

LOL - there used to be a link there - but it seems I was the only one who used it

It was removed during a redesign...

LNCPapa

there are definatly many sites that update quicker and with more content, but we believe in quality not quanity. For example, when I search for news I am very selective on what I will post on the front page, it's just basically trying to figure out what our readers like to read about.

I agree forum activity would increase if each news link had a discuss section which would be part of the forum, they are now very popular with most sites.


We have done some contest, but many of the users then did not return after the contest was over.

Keep the ideas comming, and I will try to link a thread to some good topics of the news page.

Paul

Thanks a lot for all your suggestion guys, they are really appreciated. Lately I've paying little attention to the promotional side of things as I'm currently working on a new design for the site that will come along with a CMS (Content Management System) that will give us more flexibility and will save us time in the long run.

I believe the new design will be much more functional and like you have suggested, we will finally get a good news comments system that will ran apart from the actual forums, hopefully we will get to see familiar faces around there, too.

Will keep you updated...

Well, we could go link some threads @ some other forums & bring 'em in. he he

From the other sites I visit: Overclocking is all the rage. 8-80, blind, crippled & crazy: everyone is doing it. Maybe a forum dedicated to oc'ing? People can garner info from each of the other forums & then bring it all together in the oc forum, if they so choose.

I agree w/the link to actual threads for the 'news' items. I personally enter the forums directly, still on the 3D bookmark I saved in March.

I will say that when I do visit the 'front page' I do find 'news' I haven't seen elsewhere, quite often.

Just some thoughts & I enjoy my visits here gents. Thanks for it all, Julio & others.

I often "pimp" TechSpot at other forums that I visit. Saying that I only do this when I have a valid reason (i.e. recommend a guide, or a forum thread that has useful information etc)

I think that having a section on the frontpage that lists most popular topics/newest topics from the forum as links would be good. The only downside to this is if someone posts something derogatory/slanderous or likewise TechSpot could end up with something on the frontpage that they really wouldn't want there. Something to have a think about anyway Julio...

One thing I was thinking of is maybe talking to the owner of www.freshnews.org

They have lots of websites that have current news and reviews, and I think Techspot would fit in good there especially with the new name and all.

That is my homepage so I check it alot to see what the latest news is on such sites as Slashdot, Warp2Search, Neowin, Ars Technica, Tom's Hardware, The Register, etc. etc. I figure lots of other people probably use it to check the latest news also, and would promote Techspot well.

Anyway, just another thought from me.

Saturday Express
by crazyace @ 9:50 AM - [Comments]
Well folks, really nothing else going on worth talking about. Enjoy the weekend, and make sure you visit our wonderful forums

These are just my thoughts so feel free to cannabalise me.


Sometimes the forums can read somewhat clannish if you know what I mean.
Maybe somehow make them more user friendly, such as when the gurus answer a query, try to answer in layman terms. It seems sometimes that you have to have an indepth working knowledge to appreciate the answers, which could stop a lot of people (from all ages) from fully utilising the forums.

I'll shut up now.

I always notice the search feature being under-used before people post, I included although it doesn't always help.

I think you need a forum for a FAQ of the kind of topics that the most people have read or searched for or something like that.

Maybe another forum for topics that can only be a question thus would be helpful when searching about that topic.