How can we boost forum participation?

[Moecat]

This looks pretty enticing ... http://www.mygolfspy.com/mygolfspy-spy-vip-program/

[finalist]

visuals.

 

It's the internet and people are looking for things to look at on screen quickly. Once they find something interesting a few times they then join and chat it up.

[luckypablo]

Make sure forum is showing up in search results. I end up on other forums alot because they come up in search results for some golf related question usually related to some aspect of technology for golf.

[TWshoot67]

I will post as often as I have in the past and the present. I would like to see more members who do most of the posting have a chance at demoing some of the equipment that has come and gone over the year. I would like to see us get a club and pass it around to say 10 members and the only way you can get in on the action is to actually write a review. Then do a random giveaway to one of the 10 who participate and actually write a review. It's one thing that gets people involved for sure. THE CHANCE TO WIN SOMETHING FOR FREE. The only money that would come out of the participants pocket would be the shipping to get the item to each individual who are picked for said item. It was done on another site where they had a thing called insiders where you paid a nominal fee for the year and this gave you the opportunity to participate. It doesn't have to be a hugh fee, but enough money to build up a escrow account for the initial shipping from MY GOLF SPY to the first contestant, then each individual will use same shipping method as to make sure its done in a timely manner. There are areas of concern when 10 guys say they want in and then when they are picked and they receive the club they decide to keep it longer then the allotted time frame that would be set. We could always do this by zones as to where members live. Like not all of us live in climates where we can golf all year round. So members on the west coast and south can get on the " DEMO LIST" during the winter months while northern members and Northeast and northwest members can get on that list during the summer months. it could be fair that all members feel like they have a real piece of the site, instead of just a few getting to Demo all the equipment. If that idea doesn't work then just do more random giveaways. it's not all that surprising that the sites that seem to have more members contributing are the sites where they get free whatever. it could be golf balls, to golf socks, free is free and everyone likes free merchandise.

[mudfish]

Just a random thought, but I know there is a YouTube page for MGS, (http://www.youtube.com/user/mygolfspy) how about branching out to different media...

 

I would love to see part of the ultimate reviews that includes a video... maybe a 5-10 minutes with an interview with the manufacturer, history of the company, a little about the competitors, real life experiences or even a few shots of the testing process with numbers...

 

I hate to say it, but I'm lazy and just skim through some of the reviews because they are long, but if they were videos, I would watch the whole thing...

 

Just something that popped into my head...It probably won't make a huge jump in forum members, but it is something I haven't really seen anywhere else...

[mudfish]

I will post as often as I have in the past and the present. I would like to see more members who do most of the posting have a chance at demoing some of the equipment that has come and gone over the year. I would like to see us get a club and pass it around to say 10 members and the only way you can get in on the action is to actually write a review. Then do a random giveaway to one of the 10 who participate and actually write a review. It's one thing that gets people involved for sure. THE CHANCE TO WIN SOMETHING FOR FREE. The only money that would come out of the participants pocket would be the shipping to get the item to each individual who are picked for said item. It was done on another site where they had a thing called insiders where you paid a nominal fee for the year and this gave you the opportunity to participate. It doesn't have to be a hugh fee, but enough money to build up a escrow account for the initial shipping from MY GOLF SPY to the first contestant, then each individual will use same shipping method as to make sure its done in a timely manner. There are areas of concern when 10 guys say they want in and then when they are picked and they receive the club they decide to keep it longer then the allotted time frame that would be set. We could always do this by zones as to where members live. Like not all of us live in climates where we can golf all year round. So members on the west coast and south can get on the " DEMO LIST" during the winter months while northern members and Northeast and northwest members can get on that list during the summer months. it could be fair that all members feel like they have a real piece of the site, instead of just a few getting to Demo all the equipment. If that idea doesn't work then just do more random giveaways. it's not all that surprising that the sites that seem to have more members contributing are the sites where they get free whatever. it could be golf balls, to golf socks, free is free and everyone likes free merchandise.

 

 

Thats a great idea, especially the part about the seasonal golfers. The season up here will be ending up here in a couple months, and I won't be able to hit a ball until the snow melts, so a "pass-around-club" would be pointless to me, but in the summer, I would love it...

 

And free stuff is great. Hell, RookieBlue sent me a couple Ballzees last month and I felt like it was Christmas... It wasn't a huge freebie like a wedge, putter, balls, headcovers,or driver shaft (Thanks MGS for all of these), but I was just as excited to go out to the mailbox to get it (well, mabye not quite as excited, but you get the idea)

 

Free is great...

[mlf16507]

I like the "New Member Introduction" I think members are more likely to reply to someone in their neck of the woods.