Open Designs Forum » Site Specific
Participation Rate
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I am having a discussion on another board about participation rates of members, i.e. # of people registered on a site vs. # people that actively participate in any 30 day time frame. The number 1% was put out there as being average. That seems low to me. Just curious if anyone had any idea what the percentage would be for here. Is number of registered users public knowledge at OD?Posted 3 years ago #
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It can be public knowledge, if you want any infomation feel free to ask. As of this post there are currently 5330 registered members. Of those 86 have posted on the forum within the last 30 days. So that makes the figure 1.6%. But if you then check who has been active as in last seen while logged in, the number goes to 155 which makes the figure 2.9%.Posted 3 years ago #
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what percent registered and submitted a design?Posted 3 years ago #
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210 unique users have submitted one or more designs, so 3.9% of the currently registered users.Posted 3 years ago #
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So we have like 96% users that we can remove?Posted 3 years ago #
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Why would they need removing? They're not doing any harm sitting in there so it seems silly to remove them surely?Posted 3 years ago #
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Thats cool. Thanks so much for that info Christopher.Posted 3 years ago #
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@Christopher: As we know, you don't need an account to view the forum or to download designs. You only need one to comment or start posts, so I think any users who haven't commented or started a thread in 8-12 months should be removed. If they need to comment or start a thread, they can re-register. That will help clean up the database a little bit.Posted 3 years ago #
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Why remove them from the database? You have their email addresses, send out one big massive email blast to those 96% and say, 'Hey, we haven't seen you around Open Designs in the past few months, we've done some great things here, new designs, etc. etc.' and see how many of those users come and make a visit. If you get any percentage at all, you've justified keeping the registered users in the database. If no one comes back, then you haven't lost anything. I'm sure that having a news letter or something go out once in a while sure wouldn't hurt the site. What do you say...?Posted 3 years ago #
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Newsletter is a good idea :)Posted 3 years ago #
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I see no reason to remove anyone from the database. They're not hurting anyone. I agree! A newsletter is a good ideaPosted 3 years ago #
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@papab30: I explained in my previous comment why I think we should remove them. I had said:
...you don't need an account to view the forum or to download designs. You only need one to comment or start posts, so I think any users who haven't commented or started a thread in 8-12 months should be removed.
So again, to view the Open Designs forum or read comments, you don't need an account. You also don't need an account to download design templates. If people don't post threads or comments, having an account is pointless. @JJenZz: What would we put in a newsletter that can't be viewed in a forum post or on the OD home page blog? Newsletters are cool but for OD I think it would be a waste of time since anything that we could put in a news letter could be a weekly or monthly post in the forum. @bakercad: Agreed, they are not hurting anyone but having user accounts sitting dormant for 8-12 months without any posting or commenting does fill up the database and if people just want to read the forum or download designs, no account is needed. I'm not saying removing dormant accounts who have posted or commented in the past, just the users who don't post or comment. My thoughts on this is just looking at ways we can keep the backend tidy and clean without unused accounts taking up space.Posted 3 years ago # -
I think an email... not a newsletter is a good idea. Just something saying hi and reminding everyone that they belong to OD. Warn then that due to lack of account activity there account will be removed in 5 days (or something) to give them a chance to come back, idk. At least dont remove the accounts without notifying the users.Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: conartistdesigns...Warn them that due to lack of account activity there account will be removed in 5 days (or something) to give them a chance to come back. At least don't remove the accounts without notifying the users.
I think not posting or commenting is lack of activity, at least worthy of having an account that isn't doing anything specific to some degree. As mentioned before, if you only read posts and comments on the forum (which is fine) or download design templates (also perfectly fine), no account is necessary, so either people have registered an account thinking they need one to download designs or to read the forum. Both are untrue. You only need an account if you submit templates, forum posting or commenting. Nothing else. I'm puzzled at how people don't get what I'm saying here. I'm not saying zap accounts who have posted or commented, only accounts that have no activity which is required to have an account that's been unused for 8-12 months. How would sending these technically un-active user accounts an email do anything? Example: "Hi, you have an OD account but don't post or comment, you only download designs and read the forum which a user account is not needed for this, so we are going to remove your account unless you post or comment within X days". To me that's a huge waste of time. If people download designs and read the forum, they are being active but for those two functions, accounts are not necessary and as pointed out by Christopher, we have thousands of registered accounts doing just this... absolutely nothing forum posting, comment or design submission related.Posted 3 years ago # -
Just my 2 cents: It happens to me. I go to a forum, i see stuff, but i wonder if there is stuff only available to registered members. So, i register, just to realize that i got nothing from it. I believe many members are just that.Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: fernbapIt happens to me. I go to a forum, i see stuff, but i wonder if there is stuff only available to registered members. So, i register, just to realize that i got nothing from it. I believe many members are just that.
So if that's the case, we need to have more clear FAQ's or instructions... sort of a "how-to" get the most out of OD and what having an account verses not having account does for you.Posted 3 years ago # -
I've just updated our help and FAQ page with some much needed information, so maybe this will help for future users.Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: SeanI'm puzzled at how people don't get what I'm saying here
I for one, never said that I don't get what you're saying. I understand. But now that I think of it, a newsletter is not needed. After a member has been here for 12 months without posting at all, send them an email like papab30 said. Say something like"Hey, we haven't seen you around Open Designs in the past 12 months, we've done some great things here, new designs...etc, etc. To keep your account active, please click here [supply link] within 7 days. If after 7 days your account remains inactive it will be deleted. Of course, you can always come back, but you'll need to register all over again. Thank you for understanding. OpenDesigns.org"
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Posted By: bakercad I for one, never said that I don't get what you're saying. I understand. But now that I think of it, a newsletter is not needed. After a member has been here for 12 months without posting at all, send them an email like papab30 said.
@bakercad: I wasn't pointing the finger at your specifically. I've actually received a few emails saying I'm an idiot for what I'm suggesting. Eh. Hehe. I can see sending an email to users who were once active (posting, commenting or submitting designs) and are no longer active, but those are not the users I'm talking about. I'm talking about users who have registered an account 8-12 months ago, have never posted a thread, commented on a thread or submitted designs. These users who have registered accounts are not contributing per se to the site and are filling the database up with un-used accounts. I'm suggesting user account pruning which a lot of member based sites do after X amount of time. Currently there are well over 2,000 user accounts that fall into this 8-12 month category without ANY activity. I'm not looking to kick anyone out. People can read the forum, read comments and download designs. No account is needed. If they choose to interact with the site at a later time, then they can re register an account then the account would be locked in because they either commented, posted a thread or submitted a design.Posted 3 years ago # -
Posted By: SeanI can see sending an email to users who were once active (posting, commenting or submitting designs) and are no longer active, but those are not the users I'm talking about.
If members were active (posting, commenting, submitting) even 8 or more months ago, what's to say that a little reminder before we cancel their account wouldn't spur them to come back and become a valuable member of the community? I have nothing against cleaning up the database, but it's just common courtesy to give these people a bit of notice. It only takes a few minutes to fire off a mass email, doesn't it?Posted 3 years ago # -
Hi everyone As a 'dormant' member I am opposed to getting an eviction Email. I read the forum entries I am interested in and learn from them. If I have anything unique to add I will. Likewise some of the designs posted here are fantastic but I don't feel it beneficial to add another slightly tweaked variation on previous submissions. :smile:Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: acousticsamIf members were active (posting, commenting, submitting) even 8 or more months ago, what's to say that a little reminder before we cancel their account wouldn't spur them to come back and become a valuable member of the community? I have nothing against cleaning up the database, but it's just common courtesy to give these people a bit of notice. It only takes a few minutes to fire off a mass email, doesn't it?
@acousticsam: I'm not talking about members who have posted, commented or submitted a design. I'm talking about users who have only registered an account and not posted, commented or submitted a design.Posted By: 19jumpAs a 'dormant' member I am opposed to getting an eviction Email.
@19jump: You are one of the members who this wouldn't apply because even though you haven't posted, commented or submitted a design in a while, you have at one point been active, so your account would stay. Again, I am talking about people who have accounts that don't do anything with it. No account is required to read the forum or download designs.Posted 3 years ago # -
Well alright then ...Posted 3 years ago #
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Sean, I think we have a pretty good idea by now that a person DOES NOT NEED an account to read the forums, or to download a template. But, I think what's missing is seeing that something caused a person to 'want' to sign up for an account on Open Designs. From what I can see, there was something that caused them to go through the effort (how little it might be) to fill in a form to register an account. Maybe they've never used it since, but I think just by that fact it would be a good idea to shake the rafters and see why this person never used the account, and where they went instead of coming back to Open Designs. For as busy as this community is, you would really think that there should be more 150 people being active community members, and this would be a good way of getting some new repeat customers.Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: papab30...I think what's missing is seeing that something caused a person to 'want' to sign up for an account on Open Designs. From what I can see, there was something that caused them to go through the effort (how little it might be) to fill in a form to register an account. Maybe they've never used it since, but I think just by that fact it would be a good idea to shake the rafters and see why this person never used the account, and where they went instead of coming back to Open Designs. For as busy as this community is, you would really think that there should be more 150 people being active community members, and this would be a good way of getting some new repeat customers.
Good points. However I'm thinking a lot of people probably thought it was required to register to do anything on the site. Until today, our help and FAQ page was pretty light on content, so I updated it. Maybe that will help for future sign ups. We also get a lot of sign ups from people who just try and spam the forum but we've got that pretty much under control now with moderators being able to be more active in the forum with removals, edits, etc. I'm thinking even if we send out a bulk mailing to 2,000+ un-active user accounts doing as you and a couple people suggested, it's not going to get them to post, comment or possibly submit designs. The site is a few years old now, and anyone taking a quick moment to look at the forum or designs has a pretty good idea what the site is about. We do need to clean up the database but I think we also need something in place for situations like this... especially after we send out a bulk email. Even after that, people will most likely still not post or comment, so then what? Would it be ok then to remove the unused accounts that are 8-12 months or older?Posted 3 years ago # -
I have no problem with doing DELETE FROM USERTABLE WHERE LASTLOGIN < 1/1/2008. I would just hate to see throwing away that many contacts without first trying to encourage them to at least visit one more time. If they don't login at least once after the email, then delete them from the database. A simple cron job would work to run through the users table, check last login and then fire off a reminder email to all users who haven't logged in during a set time frame. Remind the user that due to space restrictions and what not tthat all users who have no been active for a period of time will be removed. With this action you give those people a chance to revalidate themselves, and gives the staff here the ability to clean out the database on a regular schedule.Posted 3 years ago #
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Well I for one hate to have to sign up to comment or ask a question. Been lurking here since the inception, once before (I believe), there was a round of deleting non-participating members which resulted in duplicate accounts for myself. Too many times before I can get into the conversation someone here has already helped the OP (that's great by the way) and no need for repeating. As it stands I have not submitted anything either due to the same reasons as someone said above, I don't see changing a color or two and the name and submitting it as designing.. But, most, if not all of my websites use themes downloaded from here, and my blogs link back to this site as well as some of the members...Doesn't that count for something?Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: copsworldWell I for one hate to have to sign up to comment or ask a question.
We made this a requirement in the very beginning to help keep spam to a minimum, not to make things harder for someone to comment or ask a question. @papab30 and copsworld: what you both seem to be missing to some degree is I am not proposing removing accounts that have commented or posted at least once (even if it was over a year ago), or submitted a design template, but for users who have never posted anything. There is no requirements for people to post threads, comments or designs. This is a users free choice. The purpose of not removing an account that has at least one comment, etc is to keep that conversation on the forum. Again, I am only wanting to remove accounts that are 8-12 months old or older and that have no trackable activity.Posted 3 years ago # -
I understand that sean. I agree that it should be done. I just think they should be notified. Thats just me.Posted 3 years ago #
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Posted By: conartistdesignsI understand that sean. I agree that it should be done. I just think they should be notified. Thats just me.
Ditto. I understand where you're coming from Sean. Keeping threads intact is a good thing and such. And a clean up is probably needed. But some kind of notification to those users might be in order. I personally think that it's nice to have a core group of community users here who are active in the forums, and who also take the time to submit designs.Posted 3 years ago #
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