A possible membership drive?

[-:Undertaker:-]

I've just noticed its a Saturday night and Spam/the forum is basically empty. Now before we all went out and got social lives all of a sudden, i'm sure (correct me if i'm wrong) the forum used to be buzzing around this time!? it's just in general i've started to notice a definite slowdown in posting and so forth and wondered what steps are being taken/could be taken to reverse this?

Could Habbox.com (unsure as to how active that is these days) perhaps put a large banner linking to the forum on the front of the website? any other suggestions? because as we know, once a forum dips below a certain point then its decline becomes more or less certain.

Thoughts/suggestions/answers?

[Chippiewill]

I'm going to guess that the social aspects of the current forum demographic 16-18 means that after the school term breaks up people go out partying or whatever, likely within 3-4 days we'll move to higher activity levels.

However I feel that at the present time we need to work on our Habbo demographic of 12-15 because the older demographic isn't going to stick around much longer and due to the forum's focus towards habbo can only shrink, not grow.

[GommeInc]

Habbo and Habbo fansites have been in decline for years. You can't stop the inevitable :P There's no interest in them, if people are interested in Habbo they will stick to the website rather than spill out onto fansites which are very rarely talked about.

[GeorginaxD]

Habbo and Habbo fansites have been in decline for years. You can't stop the inevitable :P There's no interest in them, if people are interested in Habbo they will stick to the website rather than spill out onto fansites which are very rarely talked about.
The only reason I joined habbox is because I purposely googled for a Habbo fansite. Many people don't know about this site but maybe if they did they would want to join?

[FlyingJesus]

Don't know if it's just the current skin (I don't often go on the main Habbox site I must admit) but there's not a lot there promoting the forum, so yeah you could be on to something with a larger banner or at least a more obvious link.

Unfortunately as Ryan says there's not nearly so much interest in fansites in general now as there was a few years back, but as far as I'm aware Hx and HxL sites get a fair bit of traffic from Habbo users still,so could well be worth showing them that there's more of a community here than just tuning in to the radio or checking values (do we have still have rare values? lol not an expert on this part) and possibly more referring through events and such, although I know there is some degree of that already

[xxMATTGxx]

I've highlighted the areas where there is a click able link to the forum. I do believe we used to have a tab called "Forum" on the main navigation but was removed due to spacing issues. Where do you suggest we put a better link/banner to promote the forum even more?

http://mattgarner.net/upload/images/1324251781.png

[Inseriousity.]

I've always said the best advertising is often done on the Hotel itself, the events and the hxl parties mostly. When I was competitions manager, I definitely noticed an increase in entries when it was advertised on the client so I do think the 'there's no interest anymore' is a myth. There's the interest there, it is as PrincessG is a clear example, a lack of awareness of where to go. Advertisement on the hotel is very thin on the ground for all fansites now that there are so many and so little help from Habbo itself. Despite that, there is definite proof that Habbox out of all the fansites has the resources to do so. The fact that our imbursement of things means we win whatever-that-fansite-was-called official status and more recently the awards done by fierycold proves that we still have the potential. Personally, I think that potential is often taken for granted by general management and is something that could be tapped into further.

Habbo has also offered us a great opportunity to get our name out there and Habbox is obviously going to jump onto it with both hands but I won't go into too many details just yet cos I'm still working them out myself! :D

[Eoin247]

I have to agree on trying to encourage younger members to join. Most habbo players are between 12-15, but most members here are above that age. Unless something is done (and fast, time is running out), then once the older members inevitably leave this forum will become dead.

[Zuth]

I've highlighted the areas where there is a click able link to the forum. I do believe we used to have a tab called "Forum" on the main navigation but was removed due to spacing issues. Where do you suggest we put a better link/banner to promote the forum even more?

http://mattgarner.net/upload/images/1324251781.png

Me & David have been discussing some possible changes to the way we advertise things on the Habbox.com main page, I will talk to you about these on MSN sometime, if we do implement them, it should bring in a lot more users.

[-:Undertaker:-]

[@]@xxMATTGxx[/@] maybe the top banner could switch between the present one (Habbox site banner) and a 'JOIN OUR FORUM HERE' type one? as for advertising on the ground I agree with that too, maybe staff ought to organise a pan-staff advertisement drive in the new year when user levels peak on the Hotel? a large Christmas givaway would be helpful (not sure if one is planned like we used to have?) It may seem easier to sit back but I think we'll regret not attempting to halt the decline whilst we still can.

Another idea may be (i'm unsure as to how much interest the department gets anymore with applications) that whatever size the Events department is now, at least double it.

[Zuth]

[@]@xxMATTGxx[/@] maybe the top banner could switch between the present one (Habbox site banner) and a 'JOIN OUR FORUM HERE' type one? as for advertising on the ground I agree with that too, maybe staff ought to organise a pan-staff advertisement drive in the new year when user levels peak on the Hotel? a large Christmas givaway would be helpful (not sure if one is planned like we used to have?) It may seem easier to sit back but I think we'll regret not attempting to halt the decline whilst we still can.

Another idea may be (i'm unsure as to how much interest the department gets anymore with applications) that whatever size the Events department is now, at least double it.

If you mean this top banner, then I dont think its a very good idea.

http://mattgarner.net/upload/images/1324273121.png

However, if you mean this one:

http://mattgarner.net/upload/images/1324315303.png

Then its a good idea :)

[Phil]

Everyone used to be in watching X Factor but now that it's over they're going and having lives! Well.... that's what I did!

[Chippiewill]

Everyone used to be in watching X Factor but now that it's over they're going and having lives! Well.... that's what I did!

That's a very leetgitimate point you have there..
http://i.imgur.com/jCthQ.png

[@]@Zuth[/@], I think making a minor modification to the banner to shift some drive to the forum would be a healthy compromise to a complete hijack and no change. Such as changing the "For all your habbo needs" to "visit our forums" or similar on a temporary basis.

[Phil]

That's a very leetgitimate point you have there..
http://i.imgur.com/jCthQ.png

[@]@Zuth[/@], I think making a minor modification to the banner to shift some drive to the forum would be a healthy compromise to a complete hijack and no change. Such as changing the "For all your habbo needs" to "visit our forums" or similar on a temporary basis.

Confused why all my details are there??
OH I GET IT! Thanks to Alex lol

*makes this post not pointless*

[Grig]

I've always said the best advertising is often done on the Hotel itself, the events and the hxl parties mostly. When I was competitions manager, I definitely noticed an increase in entries when it was advertised on the client so I do think the 'there's no interest anymore' is a myth. There's the interest there, it is as PrincessG is a clear example, a lack of awareness of where to go. Advertisement on the hotel is very thin on the ground for all fansites now that there are so many and so little help from Habbo itself. Despite that, there is definite proof that Habbox out of all the fansites has the resources to do so. The fact that our imbursement of things means we win whatever-that-fansite-was-called official status and more recently the awards done by fierycold proves that we still have the potential. Personally, I think that potential is often taken for granted by general management and is something that could be tapped into further.

Habbo has also offered us a great opportunity to get our name out there and Habbox is obviously going to jump onto it with both hands but I won't go into too many details just yet cos I'm still working them out myself! :D

I agree with this statement, in the sense that interest is always there if people are aware of it. I've seen some other fansites actually gain users because they are very active in promoting themselves throughout Habbo with various interesting events etc. that would in turn get people to actually go to the fansite. Whilst it seems different on Habbox, seeing as things such as events and stuff are mostly staff participated, so you don't get many new users finding out about the fansite and stuff.

Maybe do something big for Christmas? (and by that I mean not just a day or two, but a larger drive throughout the Xmas period) This on-client aspect is something that Habbox seems to be lingering slightly behind.

[Catzsy]

Personally, I feel that a few weeks ago the forum started to buzz again and then we had daily problems with loading and lag for extensive periods of time for weeks so you can't blame members for getting fed up and not coming on. I know I have frequently lost the will to live trying to moderate during these time. As long as the forum is stable and quick to load as it seems to be doing now then I feel we will get the members back. An vibrant community department always helps of course but it does seem to be pretty active to me. :)