Viewer Statistics Comparisons

[Eric Lyon]

Viewer Statistics Comparisons

After many members and staff pointed out that they feel NamePros is lacking in member participation and all around viewer statistics, I decided to dig a bit deeper so I could get a clearer picture of what's happening. I compared a couple popular domaining communities with NamePros just so we could compare actual numbers. all the numbers below were taken within a few minutes of one another at the same time of day to help insure accuracy. It should also be noted that for the past few weeks the below numbers appeared to remain consistent.

NamePros
Logged in Members: 105
Guests viewing: 245
Record Online total: 4394 (10-05-2008 10:12 PM)

DNF
Logged in Members: 112
Guests viewing: 3429
Record Online total: 17,415 (04-06-2011 at 12:47 PM)

DomainState
Logged in Members: 0
Guests viewing: 196
Record Online total: 27,379 (09-14-2011 at 07:11 PM)

NameSlot
Logged in Members: 148
Guests viewing: 3842
Record Online total: 8,861 (02-01-2012 at 06:43 PM)

DomainForums
Logged in Members: 0
Guests viewing: 68
Record Online total: 334 (08-16-2005 at 08:36 PM)

Forums.DigitalPoint
Logged in Members: 153
Guests viewing: 1314
Record Online total: 22,414 (Sep 15th 2009 at 1:54 AM)

The above are just a fraction of some of the large communities that cater to domainers. As you can see in the very basic numbers scheme of things, NamePros is VERY competitive in the Logged in user numbers and right up there with the other big communities. Where NamePros is hurting is in the Guests Viewing area. Unlike the other big communities we seem to be stuck in a low xxx hump when it comes to guests visiting us.

With that said it could be due to a number of factors such as but not limited to:

• Sending to many threads to the Graveyard (Graveyard is NOT indexable by search engines)
• Members editing out their posts removing all the content
• Members not posting full articles on NamePros & just using links to blogs to read more
• Stale Content - Rehashed topics that are no longer of popular interest

What ever the reasons may be for our Low guest numbers, I would like to take this opportunity to ask if any of you have some ideas on how we can ethically rectify this small obstacle and start getting the fresh new guest viewers that the other communities are getting. Changing rules probably isn't a real solution so lets brainstorm some other ideas. Please keep in mind that Guest Viewers are potential buyers and sellers so I would imagine everyone should feel the same way and want more eyeballs on the marketplace where you may or may not be buying & selling yourself.

A few Ideas of my own might be:

• Start NamePros Blogs - ONLY staff members, NP Supporters, & Business members may submit articles. Each article will allow 1 author link in the footer that is indexable by search engines in an effort to assist with the authors inbound link campaign as a thank you for the content contribution.
• Set a time limit on post edit ability, maybe 24 hours, to help cut down on the hundreds of threads edited into blank pages each month.
• Encourage People to post more than just one liners (e.g. Thanks for info, I like it, ty, I learned a lot, interesting, etc.)
• Utilize Free ad spaces
• Start a more rewarding referral Program for site Owners / Bloggers and provide a set of banners they may use. Prizes for Top referrers of the month might be things like: Free 1 month account upgrade, Free 1 month Sticky Thread in marketplace, Free 1 Month forum sponsorship, etc..

If you have some more ideas for us, we are all ears and look forward to your suggestions.

Eric Lyon
Administration

 

[mis_chiff]

I'm very disappointed that this would be included in a list of positive changes.

LOL Don't be, I'm not - especially considering the source.
and what better way to toot your own horn... :wave:

 

[Eric Lyon]

@Defaultuser
I appreciate your feedback, Please note that viewer numbers is only one of thousands of different factors we monitor and that conversions is a primary factor in relation to it. Viewers is not a soul focus and never was, just one of many elements.

Noticed you edited your post to remove your comment about a staff member being a big problem after I answered you about it in the list. That was the only reason I had it in the list was to address your concerns about them. Now that you've edited your post, I see no more need for it to be in the list since it's no longer a relevant reply (edited out of the list & your reply that seems to disregard you even addressed it in the first place).

Thanks again for all your constructive suggestions

Eric Lyon

 

[DU]

@Defaultuser
Noticed you edited your post to remove your comment about a staff member being a big problem after I answered you about it in the list.

I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't remove a comment about a staff member.
The only thing I said was:

"Mis_chiff is usually the excuse"

Because everyone uses it as just that, a lame-ass excuse. I did not say she was a problem and I never thought she was.
My honest opinion? If people took the time to look through all the bullshit spewed forth by some "members" on how crap the modding was at NP? They would realize one thing - it wasn't that bad and had only minor problems (usually through lack of direction than anything).

Losing someone who cared more about NP than just about anyone else here is a positive? That says it all. Granted they are still a member and can contribute if they want.

But that idiom "the customer is always right" ? Worst piece of crap advice ever to make it into common usage. Sometimes, and more often than you think, the customer is wrong.

At NP? The customers are wrong. A lot. Myself included.

That was the only reason I had it in the list was to address your concerns about them. Now that you've edited your post, I see no more need for it to be in the list since it's no longer a relevant reply (edited out of the list & your reply that seems to disregard you even addressed it in the first place).

I never had concerns. Even if I did it shouldn't have been listed as a positive change for all to see. Even if it's a positive change for her and a decision she made completely on her own.

People got upset that Name.com listened to threats and made a customer change registrar. I don't think not supporting a key staff/mod and viewing their departure as a positive would be considered less than giving in to the vocal complainers. Sadly, most of these blowhards were on external blogs/forums....where are all of them that were going to come back? Let me know when they get here.

My point was that I see less of the people I used to "follow" so the changes aren't having the desired effect for me. I don't know how to fix it but the changes don't really speak to much a vision at the moment - just bit of spitting and rubbing to polish a dirty knob.

Thanks for your detailed response. I appreciate that you are putting in 100x the effort I would for an unpaid position. This is probably sounding angrier than it is intended.

---------- Post added at 02:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:51 PM ----------

LOL Don't be, I'm not

Good to hear.
I won't talk about you in the context of modding anymore. It's a done deal. I'm sorry to have brought it up again.. I just got a little bemused when my favorite ex-mod gets dinged

 

[JB Lions]

"I appreciate that you are putting in 100x the effort I would for an unpaid position."

Mods are unpaid positions, not admins.

I can't even figure out what you're complaining about. He's only been a new admin for a couple of weeks now, you've offered up no specific suggestions and forums go as the members go, provided the atmosphere is there to do so. And if the atmosphere is less walking on egg shells, that will be better for the forum. Even in this short time, I'm seeing more members online here or equal.

 

[Sabre]

Just to dive in between all the verbal sparring - this is by far the most sensible route for Namepros going forward. The sooner it is implemented the better.

Namepros for me has by and large lost that sense of 'community' that made it so special. I totally agree with defaultuser in the sense that things need to be much bigger and longer term than basic fixes - although these are of course useful I think the fundamental 'spark' of Namepros has gone.

It's like being in a long term commitment - sometimes the spark fades and you need to do something to ignite it again for another few years. Namepros reached that a while ago and nothing has realistically been done about it.

Why not get together what members are left and loyal to Namepros and truly see what they think can be done? Namepros used to be all about the people behind the usernames - why can't we find out what people truly want from this forum (or community) going forward?

Just my $0.02 :wave:

Another route to consider is adding more depth beyond just being a forum.

Create a non-forum centric homepage on the main namepros.com domain (move the forums over to say forums.namepros.com ) with content, features, services, etc in which the forums are easily accessible / integrated into, but aren't the primary focus.

Also, in my experience, ad click-through / response rates, are often far higher on content pages than on forums, as in 10x-100x higher.

There's a lot of risk with much effort being required, so it may not be practical to do, but putting the suggestion out there to ponder.

Ron

 

[ngenme]

Write an e-book, sell that at namepros, drive traffic to that e-book sale pages. Write something worth discussing. People that want to buy or ask questions will need to sign up.

Actually sell SEO services or something at namepros.com

 

[DU]

I can't even figure out what you're complaining about.

I'm not complaining.

My first comment was that if you're just looking at guest numbers you're the forum equivalent of an SEO wizard monitoring your site and looking at traffic and not noticing you have no clicks.

You need to look more important metrics and Scorp indicated they are.. which is good.

Then I was just saying that the modifications mentioned - while lengthy contained a lot of chaff. A lot of it sounds like Scorp just sharing what he had learned as a mod - which is good... but it's nothing I've noticed.

Even in this short time, I'm seeing more members online here or equal.

Based on just count?

Or more members like SDSINC and Fonzie and yourself and Johname... or more like the "I can't find domain please help" "how seod work with new domain I must flip" members?

I agree with you if it's the first.. but real posters? I'm seeing less.

 

[JB Lions]

"real posters"

That's already been gone thru already.

Some have went to blogs, Facebook, Twitter etc. They might pop in forums every now and then but some have decided to have their own sites, monetize their own content etc. And you don't get edited or modded at those other places.

Back to TM's. Imagine you're checking out a new domain forum for the first time and you see a lot of Verizon, Samsung, Ipad domains for sale, what's going to be the typical person's first impression? For me, I would probably think it's more of a low end, bottom of the rung, spammer type place. That's why I didn't like the new direction as far as that. And I mean the obvious ones.

And moderation, which has been gone over to death already. I just watched Blues Brothers the other night when Jake and Elwood visited that nun and she was cracking them with the ruler for cussing. This coupon isn't working, crack. Nice domain, crack. Linking out, crack.

The last 2 things, that don't help forums, you've been defending.

Now back to the numbers. Again, as far as members online pretty much the same or more than DNF, the other mainstream domain forum. Post count, NP has more. I think they're both good forums, there is a thread over there talking about the lower numbers as well. Is there another domain forum that has more participation? Where? I know you're talking about quality but with open forums, you're going to have the range. People just starting out to those doing it for a living. The only thing you can do, is create what you don't think is here, help new people out etc, if it's an issue with you.

The only thing a forum can do is be open to conversation, relaxed and with that atmosphere it's up to the members to make it what they want it to be.