Do you think it's a good idea

DNSimmons · Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 14 Location: Chicago

to force new members to have a certain amount of post before they can enter special zones on a forum. Do you think that makes people want to post more to see what they're missing, or do you think it'll turn them away?

NelsonN · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

tksoho · Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 6

You could charge extra to enter certain forums, but not until your public forums are well-respected and full of content. Visitors expect to be unrestricted, so that is a stretch. Still, that's how many website owners make their money.

elfbwillow · Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 11

My site is a completely free site and most forums are open for all members as they sign up. There are a few which are opened up for specific groups, either by forum posts or due to group choosing (houses in Hogwarts). The forums opened up for specific forum post counts work very well upon my forum as members aspire to reach each goal as it comes, therefore not becoming bored as there is always something to aim for.

PneumaticMuffin · Joined: 31 Jul 2007 Posts: 8

I think this is up to the subject. If you feel certain subjects could confuse the heck out of the newbies that have no clue what is going on, you can block certain subjects for availability after 20 or 30 posts, so that you simply know that anyone in those specific boards have a decent clue of what is going on in that specific environment. Think about pro teams for games that want to rule out total noobs from entering their high-requirement teams. Many possibilities here.

aehbamafan · Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 6

I believe that as long as you have plenty of content in the area that is accessible to everyone, this method would encourage extra posting. If the forum isn't very interesting without the extra content, then you would probably just frustrate newcomers and they would leave.

StrawberrySmile · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 23

I agree with the above poster.

I'm a member at a forum with this type of 'posting requirements' & I really hated that at first, but understood as they explained it well why this is implemented (& it was really a good reason to do so). Also, there was enough of other exciting stuff around, & the topic I joined for was really fascinating enough for me to 'stick around'... (& was kinda unique on this forum, I didn't find it discussed on other sites...) Probably if there were another similar site discussing the same topic, I'd go there, but there wasn't Razz

So maybe this is something to consider too.. Smile

HiddenAnomoly · Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 15

I don't recommend doing this on a forum you own. I personally turn away from most forums who do this. Not only is it tedious for the new members, but they also create a lot of spam until the full forum is available to them. I can understand like a rank called "Grand Posters" with a lot of posts have their own section, but otherwise this idea isn't all that great.

mollj · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 5

I thinki it will turn them away. Newbies are looking for advise from people that are successful.

Shruti · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 8

It will trun them away. Come on man, how can you force to post certain amount of post? This is rediculious. Everyone should let free to their member in the forum. If you have any intersting thing then, they will stick to your forum otherwise there are thousands of forum.