Constructive Suggestions (and debate) for the New NamePros

[Bannen]

As you have heard by now, Namepros has been sold by its esteemed creator RJ, to the new owner Matt of Bodis.com.
The suggestions, arguments and debates are already beginning, and I thought it was important to highlight a thread specifically for this discussion, inviting all NP members to add their two cents in the way of which areas they think could use improvement, changes, or getting the axe.

We don't know all the plans Matt has for Namepros, but a forum is all the stronger when the owner/leader can see first-hand suggestions from its many experienced members.

I'll start:
1 - Just a personal dislike: I really, really miss having the discussion forums at the top of the home page. I know it may be a business decision to see the marketplace first upon coming to Namepros... but it hasn't led to me using the marketplace any more than usual, and it's a minor annoyance to have to scroll quite a ways down in order to get to the most interesting stuff, the discussions, news, appraisals, etc. Again, I get it if it's a biz decision; but if it hasn't strongly increased your traffic/business in some palpable way, my vote is for the discussion forums back on top.


2 - This is a very minor point, but still worthy of mention: in the appraisals section, when submitting a new thread for an appraisal, quite awhile ago the 'subject' line became automated, so they all now have to start with 'Please appraise' and then limited fields for up to 4 domains. That totally bored me when it happened. It used to be very entertaining to create your own subject line. Even if I was scanning the rest of the forum, I'd often run straight to the appraisals section simply because there was a funny/interesting/whack subject line. Now all it says on the home page under the appraisals section is 'please appraise' for every thread. I often just skip it.
As I said, it's a minor thing and I can see your reasons for automating things... yet IMO the value of automating it is not worth the loss of 'fun'.
Remember: Fun, Interesting, Odd, Exciting, these are the things that entice new members to join, and keep term members wanting to come back.

3 - In the spirit of that last comment, I'll make a very vague, generalized, but I think very important mention: a lot of the pure fun of this forum has somehow left, over the last couple years. It used to be quite entertaining, practically daily there was a thread or three that were so entertaining, interesting, potentially volatile (?), that it was hard to not come back often to see how things were playing out.
Somehow it seems much more sterile here now.

It's important to mention that I am still here because IMO this is the classiest, most informative, best-run domaining forum around. I signed up at the other best-known ones, but would keep returning here because it had that certain balance of all elements that I found was stronger than any other forum.

I don't know what the answer is as far as making things less sterile, and that is the main reason I opened this discussion. Perhaps with a lot of input we can figure that one out. It has something to do with rules and how they are modded... but that's not to say there is anything wrong with the rules and the modding, I feel no complaints about them myself. It may also have something to do with the layout of the forum categories... or not.

Perhaps it is also a consequence of the 'balancing out' of domaining. A few years ago there was this larger-than-life, delusional grandiosity still hanging on to domaining, people were still flocking to it in droves, regging any kind of name and thinking they had a million dollars worth. Now domaining seems to be entering a 'maturity', steadiness, professionalism, where a lot of the 'unknown' and 'growth' excitement is gone, values seem to be mostly predictable and sober.

Perhaps the steadiness or decline of traffic to domaining forums is simply the levelling-off of something that has now passed beyond its initial (decade-long) infatuation phase, and has entered a more sober, less exciting, more steady professional phase.

It seems the business-model of domaining forums has to somehow now change with the times... yet I don't quite know what those changes will be... where the trend is going next. Maybe if we get our heads together and throw the right suggestions against the wall, the right one will stick, NP can use that and get right to the cutting edge of where domaining is headed next. Where??????

Anyway, I will have other comments/suggestions, but that's enough to get this thread started I think. Welcome to anyone who wants to contribute their dos centavos.



Oh, a comment: this thread probably belongs way way down at the bottom of the forum in the Namepros comments & suggestions area... however, no one visits that, and since I'm starting this thread specifically to address the switch-over period and possible changes/improvements that may happen during this transition, hopefully mods will keep this thread in the discussion area. Even stickie it for a week or two...

 

[RJ]

Awesome thread. Somethings are cringe inducing for me to hear but it's good timing to get these topics out there. :]
In retrospect there are several things I wish I had done differently as the owner, between people I should and shouldn't have hired, policies and business decisions that didn't go right. It's all a part of NamePros growing up, and these missteps aside I'm pretty proud of what this place has grown up to be.

Ultimately the buck is going to stop with Matt on the big decisions from here on. I got us as far as I could, but he's the driver now. I do believe his energy and drive may be just what we need to get NamePros to the next level.

I see a few mentions of the decision to put marketplace above the discussion on the home page. This was done strategically; I felt that highlighting our marketplace would be our best shot at bringing in new domainers.

When I opened NP, it was our appraisals area that attracted a lot of new members. There were only a few big places for domain discussion. (NamePros being one.) Today the global domaining community is splintered between blogs, more forums, domaining conferences, news sites, Facebook, Linkedin and other social media channels. There are a lot of places to discuss, but still only a few big places where large numbers of domainers are buying and selling domains. (NamePros being one.)

It is easy to say "hold the course"... but not so much when you can see the numbers on their way down month after month. And you can see this in the Alexa stats. It not just NamePros either, DNF shows similar trend. Focusing on the marketplace was an attempt to carve a new niche for NamePros and regain some market share.

If the scrolling is an issue, maybe we can create a user option or tabbed interface that makes getting to discussion easier. In my opinion the whole homepage layout can use some further modernization.

I would love to hear more ideas on how to make this site better. I'm sure Matt would too! Thank you, keep it going! :tu:

RJ

 

[DU]

Wow, I am impressed by your suggestion here. Since I own shagging.us I will take this into consideration since this one bothers you so much. Maybe you want to buy it, delete it, and stop the agonizing you are going through.

It's perfectly with the rules and I admire your efforts. I didn't pick on you for any reason other than it was one that came to mind.

I'm sure some people would try this method to create constant updated backlink value. I genuinely think you're trying to sell shagging.us and I've actually thought of buying it to stop the thread

It's nothing personal - but I do happen to think that names should have a daily bump limit and a consecutive bump limit (sorry).

 

[InvisionTech]

P L E A S E
Let members receive subscription emails every time someone replies to threads user subscribes to. If its some type of feature, turn it off or modify it.

 

[Dave_Z]

Personally, I wish to see members being able to edit their posts only up to 15 minutes. It can get irritating seeing someone post a question, it's subsequently answered by various people, then the OP edits to essentially delete it as if it never existed. That can rather disrupt the flow of questioning, and tends to leave others confused if they have similar questions or thoughts.

Rather understandably, this tends to happen especially in the legal section. Someone asks, then decides to (again essentially) cover their tracks after.

 

[Tippy]

I would love to see threads like this be closed http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-fixed-price/743556-brand-name-domains-take-a-look.html

 

[DU]

I forgot one MAJOR thing.

REBUILD THE SEARCH INDEX.

Right now it's better to search Google with a +Namepros than it is to search within Namepros and that's just sad.

Unless it was fixed and I'm still doing this for no reason

 

[mis_chiff]

P L E A S E
Let members receive subscription emails every time someone replies to threads user subscribes to. If its some type of feature, turn it off or modify it.

When you reply to any thread, you will have an option
on the side or bottom [not sure of your layout]
that gives you the option for Thread Subscription options.

Let me know if you see it

However, some time back something happened and Hotmail
users were not receiving any emails - I haven't switched mine
back yet so not sure if it's fixed.

 

[Bannen]

This was done strategically; I felt that highlighting our marketplace would be our best shot at bringing in new domainers.

I personally don't see it helping attract more domainers to any noticeable degree, as domainers tend to be in-the-know about domaining forums and they'll pretty much already know that any premier domaining forum has a marketplace, and if they want it they'll go looking; as I mentioned, I think it would be more productive/successful to target this area (or a part of it, or an additional marketplace area) to people/businesses who want to buy names, even premium names, but who aren't domainers themselves. And create an escrow for them. A huge untapped market IMO, that can somehow be enticed to visit Namepros for some layperson-friendly domain sales.

Somethings are cringe inducing for me to hear

Cringe-inducing? Any site as large as this cannot please everyone all the time. No one can get it all correct. You just have to give props to someone who gets so much right, in so big a way, that they can build a community this strong. You have zero to regret here. Jesus, man. Slap.

Personally, I wish to see members being able to edit their posts only up to 15 minutes. /// Someone asks, then decides to (again essentially) cover their tracks after.

Actually I love being able to cover my arse when I screw up, or when I learn something from someone else that makes me think D'oh about what I wrote and I embarrassingly want to retract my earlier brainfart. And I often add to old posts, eg in my Bannen's Best list. Have to vote against you on this one :P ...but I get where you're coming from, because (to play devil's advocate) I do get annoyed by people who do the exact thing I just described myself doing. Still, I plead with you, let us arse-coverers keep our delayed-reaction dignity.

When you reply to any thread, you will have an option
on the side or bottom [not sure of your layout]
that gives you the option for Thread Subscription options.

All kinds of little tips popping up; things that those of us who don't look in the nooks and crannies haven't found. Graci

REBUILD THE SEARCH INDEX.

Right now it's better to search Google with a +Namepros than it is to search within Namepros and that's just sad.

Noticed that; half of the 'old stuff' I search for doesn't come up on the in-house search field. Didn't bug me much, but noticed.

 

[freedom30]

I would love to see threads like this be closed http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-fixed-price/743556-brand-name-domains-take-a-look.html

...outside of the comic relief aspect of uncaring posters, threads like this have no place on a domaining forum as the naiveté of genuinely innocent newbies may be compulsed to actually purchase a tm because they saw threads like these...

I see godaddy is the registrar. That is like the crack dealer on the corner selling sh*t and a subject for another post on registrar responsibilty.

 

[cache]

I'll start:
1 - Just a personal dislike: I really, really miss having the discussion forums at the top of the home page. I know it may be a business decision to see the marketplace first upon coming to Namepros... but it hasn't led to me using the marketplace any more than usual, and it's a minor annoyance to have to scroll quite a ways down in order to get to the most interesting stuff, the discussions, news, appraisals, etc. Again, I get it if it's a biz decision; but if it hasn't strongly increased your traffic/business in some palpable way, my vote is for the discussion forums back on top.

this issue stand out for me, I agree 100%. What is the result of market-topic on top? Did it really bring more users in the experiment?

RJ,
what is your next venture?

 

[liquidcherry]

RJ,
what is your next venture?

Buying DNF!!

:hehe::notme::hearts::wave::cy::blink:

cheers

liquid

 

[Sull]

I would love to see threads like this be closed http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-fixed-price/743556-brand-name-domains-take-a-look.html

Agreed! Having those kind of posts will only bring the wrong eyes to NP.

 

[Name Trader]

Firstly, congrats to Ron for the sale and Matt for the purchase

I seem to be the only one (apart from RJ), but I like the For Sale Forums at the top. At first I thought it was quirky, but now I think it is exactly where it should be. I come to NamePros in equal parts to trade domains and to read about domaining.

I agree with doing away with the All Domains For Sale Forum. It's just superfluous.

As for the fun. I think that has a lot to do with who is posting. They can be humorous but should stay on topic. Maybe threads could have a keyword in their title (ie Fun) where Mods would allow some latitude on the posts.

I think it's right that Mods should delete off-topic posts. They seem to have been more diligent in the last couple of months, but I see that as a good thing, cleaning up the forums.

I don't see any reason for the VIP Forums if they are not restricted to VIP members, and I think "We want to make VIP's public! Are you cool with that?" topic was one of the worst off-topic discussions ever on NamePros. There could have been a "Fun" topic created to post all those off-topic posts.

 

[freedom30]

...not to throw water on an electric fire, but since it happens on a frequent basis there should be a big sign IN RED on any domain for sale forums for newbies and veterans alike to read...something to the effect like...

WARNING - DOMAIN NAMES THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE TM ISSUES MAY BE A HUGE WASTE OF YOUR MONEY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...

...you know, like the signs on buses and other places that warn the unsuspecting public about pickpockets. Yeah, something like that...

 

[liquidcherry]

...not to throw water on an electric fire, but since it happens on a frequent basis there should be a big sign IN RED on any domain for sale forums for newbies and veterans alike to read...something to the effect like...

WARNING - DOMAIN NAMES THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE TM ISSUES MAY BE A HUGE WASTE OF YOUR MONEY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...

...you know, like the signs on buses and other places that warn the unsuspecting public about pickpockets. Yeah, something like that...

Well, it depends on the bus route, lol ...crap aside i proposed this a while ago that every new member who signs up is referred to a generic guide or the 101 for domainers, to first learn the trick of the trade with tips etc...but then i believe godaddy would pull the sponsorship of this forum if this would be really pursued...LOL....


cheers

liquid

 

[Bannen]

Thank you everyone for your contributions; I know RJ and Matt know this thread for what it is... suggestions directly from us members who want to keep this forum strong and contribute our thoughts towards how it might remain great, be improved according to our daily wants/needs, and to keep the entire forum growing with the changing face of the domaining industry.

I think it's clear that there are two primary areas we need to get into, if we want to talk about an increase in traffic and interest in these lagging times: threads (thread rules and moderation); and business model of the whole site.
Both are things to tackle over long discussion, so today I'll take a plunge towards starting some solid dialogue on threads.
I'll break it into two categories, general (rules, moderation) and specific (like/dislike certain threads/categories etc.):

A) General:
1 - Allow more thread comments by thread starters, but keep the obvious bumps limited
To help chip into the block of 'sterility', the sterilizing of threads so that they are dry and uninteresting except for the bare info they are relating, I feel like some of the rules might be changed/relaxed.
Personally I don't mind the limiting of 'bumps', but to also limit discussion by the thread starter (esp in the appraisals area) takes a lot of the interaction/excitement out of a thread, IMO. I agree to the value of limiting the 'bump' or 'thanks for your opinion, anyone else?' type posts that are obvious bumps and contribute nothing to the conversation, but I'd like the TS to be allowed to make other comments/debates/questions without them being removed as 'bumps' in appraisals and wherever else this happens. I know some TS will still be making comments simply to bump their threads, yet I believe it's better to allow this grey area, for fun/interest's sake, rather than whitewashing the threads. The appraisals section used to be exciting, much more than just dry informative info, and I for one would love to see it that way again. To get there, the bump rules might somehow be relaxed or changed.
This also applies to 'off topic' post removals and some other restrictions. For example, in the marketplace, many sellers still unfortunately post TM names for sale (see some of the above posts about this) and it would be more productive if we could all post there about the dangers of TM names. It's more productive when all of us can see these comments, rather than someone sending the seller a PM about it. The same applies to stats; for example a seller will post xx,xxx exact search results for a crappy name they are selling, and it would be more productive (especially for the watching newbies) for us to be able to post 'those are broad searches, exact searches for this term are x'.
Even more 'off topic' comments might be allowed in the various category types, remember that this 'grey area' is the area that keeps things colorful and entertaining, more than just dry info. The grey area is the area between sterile info/comments on one end, and chaos/anarchy/rudeness on the other end.
An ideal balance in this grey area is what keeps this forum more exciting, more visit-able to us... but I think currently we're much too close to the sterile end, I'd like to see more discussion on how to allow more grey area.

2 - Insults/offensive comments
Of course it is important to retain a professional attitude, show respect for each member and post, and not scare off tentative visitors/new users. However I also feel it's important to allow a lot of 'color' to the forum, where people can vent and express personal opinions even if those seem angry, judgmental, funny. To my eye this seems like the area of greatest concern and controversy here, and it's the area that has the most grey area, simply very difficult to establish clear, hard-and-fast rules without completely sterilizing the entire forum into dry lifeless toast.
I'm thinking out loud here, to get things started anyway: seems to me that direct insults, threats, attacks might be modded out (as they are now), but that 'indirect' offensive comments might be a grey area we can really work with.
In other words, you don't say 'You're an idiot, you're stupid for saying that, You don't know anything' kind of direct insult; yet perhaps it can be okay to be indirect and say 'I think that's a totally dumb idea, a stupid domain, I think your comment makes no sense'. In other words, get (almost) as offensive as you like, but not direct it towards the person, rather to what they're talking about. Seems like a fine delineation here, but it's actually a huge delineation and might well be clarified... in the name of allowing things to be expressed a little more colorfully.
The same principle works with threats; of course you don't allow direct threats like 'I got your ip, gonna find your home address and cut your throat, then gonna punch your momma so hard that it knocks all your relatives unconscious'; That's a direct threat and 'bad'.
Yet: 'SOPA is mongoose dung, I'm gonna find out where its creators live because they should be spanked and SOPA itself should be drowned and whipped until it screams the scream of a thousand breach births' seems to be a fine statement... even though it is rife with insults and threat.
Direct vs indirect: I think this needs some discussion and might help with threads, rules, and modding.


B) Specific (these are all 'IMO'):
- I'd like to see the 'all domains for sale' category axed.
- would like to see the 'premium domains for sale' category return.
- would like to see a more defined 'Resources' category where we could put all threads that are more about resources and less about discussion. All the registrar and host reviews could be there; available domain names, expiring domains could be there; I plan to soon begin a thread called The Domaining Dictionary, where I (and others) can post a good list of domaining terms and their meanings, a resource for noobs mostly, including terms they still commonly ask about like regfee, end user, x/xx/xxx/x,xxx valuations, what those kinds of things mean. Anytime anyone asks those questions in any thread, we can simply link them to the dictionary thread. Gonna start that thread soon, maybe this weekend (actually I just did, HERE ), and I think I'll put it in the newbie section, but would be nice if there were a well-defined 'resource category' for these kinds of things. Dozens of good resource threads can be put there, some that are already under other headings here, and some that can be invented like my glossary/dictionary thread. Even a well-written thread about TM issues could be put in the resources area, a thread about how to properly use Goog's keyword tool, etc, instead of us writing all these things out over and over again during appraisals and discussions. Quicker to have all these other resource threads, and just link to them.
- The VIP area still needs some thinking out, but I see there's a thread about that going on.
- Allow comments again in the 'Domains Wanted' threads. I know, I know - but allowing the comments keeps that area more interesting and busier, used to spend time daily there but now go there only once or twice a month, just too boring. Needs more thought.
- as mentioned in one of my prev posts, take out the automation in the appraisals section subject lines, allow for more interesting/entertaining subject lines to draw us in and make us laugh. You can still insist that the domain being appraised must be in the subject line. Mod out the obvious bumps but allow the OP to make more comments.

All right. I have more I'm sure, but those are enough personal thoughts to get some balls rolling. I'm gonna get mine off this chair and towards the kitchen.

 

[Michelle]

Lots to digest. Thank you

One comment I would make at this stage is the comments in Names wanted section. I am not against comments comming back to this section but unfortunately it was filled with hundreds of *pm sent* posts which not only did I personally find no value in but I even made a wanted thread once and lots posted saying pm sent when infact only a few did

 

[4pm]

having simple registrars directory with voting/rating system plus (probably more important) current reg fees and cost of ownership (renewal, transfers, whois privacy etc) in different tlds would be helpful too. it takes ages to scan registrar sites to find out what lowest .cc reg fee or .me renewal is.
promo codes/reviews/issues can be also posted there in comments on the registrar page/thread. not exactly forum functionality but i believe it can be easily implemented and kept up to date.
also when you have public rating with good visibility on a site with that many members/visitors as NP has it would be hard for registrars to ignore thousands eyeballs and not reply to questions/issue reports/etc.


imho

 

[Name Trader]

Me thinks you think too much, Bannen

I 100% agree with your thoughts in B i), ii). I think the VIP Forums should be limited to VIP Members, else why have them at all? I'll have to think about the rest

I also agree with 4pm's first paragraph.

 

[Bannen]

Me thinks you think too much, Bannen

More like I type too fast without thinking; it rolls out like a freight train. I'm glad it looks like I'm actually thinking about these things, though.
- Oops, the secret's out

 

[mwzd]

I'd have made a big post here, but I've already said my piece(s) in the Mod/TL sections over the years, so I guess if something is going to come off this thread, the admins can look at that.

There will be always some things that some people don't like, the best thing to do is to do what's acceptable to the majority.

I assume there will be a resurgence in traffic with the launch of the new gTLDs in 2013 and if things are streamlined here, NamePros is probably the most likely to be at the forefront of things then.

 

[DU]

I think I should get a VIP Room for me and my friends I'll even let Corey visit.. if she behaves.

[only "Friends of DU"™ can read this comment]

And autoclose in the appraisal section:

It has been 2 days and no-one commented. You can safely assume the name sucks. You have 3 days to grace-delete. Good luck, may the force be with you.

 

[Corey]

I think I should get a VIP Room for me and my friends I'll even let Corey visit.. if she behaves.

[only "Friends of DU"™ can read this comment]

And autoclose in the appraisal section:

It has been 2 days and no-one commented. You can safely assume the name sucks. You have 3 days to grace-delete. Good luck, may the force be with you.

I'm speechless

Cheers
Corey

 

[freedom30]

I think I should get a VIP Room for me and my friends I'll even let Corey visit.. if she behaves.

[only "Friends of DU"™ can read this comment]

And autoclose in the appraisal section:

It has been 2 days and no-one commented. You can safely assume the name sucks. You have 3 days to grace-delete. Good luck, may the force be with you.

...what a revoltin' development this is!...

(lifted from the old time radio show "the Life of Riley", for those too young to remember, which, it seems, is 99% of the forum)

 

[Eric Lyon]

Just a quick addition
Comments in marketplace:
Personally I agree that we should be more laxed in the commenting area of the marketplace as far as members asking questions about the domains being sold & sellers being able to respond to said questions. However, I don't think letting member strategically add more info about their sales every couple hours in an attempt to manipulate the loophole is the right course. With said, Maybe we can get on the same page and meet in the middle; allowing buyers to ask questions & sellers to respond, but continue to not allow sellers to bump the thread to to the top UNLESS a buyer asked a question OR it's been 24 hours.

Domain Listing in Marketplace:
Maybe we can also lax a bit in this area. Currently we require ALL domains listed in the thread itself and generally don't allow an image of a domain list or an external link to a portfolio (Unless listed in the external sections). While I still feel external links to portfolios & or domains with sales pages should remain in the external sections & NOT be in general marketplace sections, I think we could get away with allowing an image / screenshot of the domains the seller has via a link or attachment feature. This helps the seller be assured their domains wont be indexed by google & it still (Technically) keeps the domains for sale listed in the thread.

There's been a lot of controversy in the past about allowing images of domain lists in sales threads. But I think its one of those things that really doesn't hurt anything by allowing & actually helps sellers retain some privacy.

Design Contests
Lets get some more publicity to our design contests section. Most members still don't even know it exists and we have some VERY talented designers on NamePros. Granted, the rules in that area are VERY strict, but due to the nature of litigation when it comes to branding your company with a logo, we have to be strict in order help protect you & your business when purchasing said "Original Work". On the same note, we also want to protect designers from spending hours of their time for nothing & require a winner is always selected.

At any rate, maybe check out that section and see what you think. It might be a new direction to expand on as NamePros grows.

I have many more suggestions listed in the staff only sections (over the years). Just thought I would toss a couple out here publicly to see what other members think.

Eric Lyon