What makes you join a website?

Nor · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:17

Not sure this is the right forum, but think it might be.

I have recently started up a football website. It runs vbulletin with a CMS front page. Originally, I had the forums viewable to guests, and latterly made it necessary to sign up to view the site.

Question is: What would you be more likely to sign up to? A site which lets you view it, but not post, or a site which doesn't let you view it unless you sign up?

Berserker · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:27

View (lurk) first. No doubt. Unless you've got a very good idea what the forum is about and a good reason for joining that is.

Jotun · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:28

A site I can view. Show visitors there is a community there and it is worth signing up for.

Adnams Drinker · 1 Feb 2007 at 13:57

Berserker said:
View (lurk) first. No doubt. Unless you've got a very good idea what the forum is about and a good reason for joining that is.

Agreed - being able to read or lurk in advance is what enables me to gauge whether there would be any point in becoming a member. By that I mean seeing how quickly other posters respond to questions/calls for help and being able to assess the general 'tone' of the forum, that sort of stuff.

Having to register in order to post on the forums is fine by me - in a way, it's common courtesy. Allowing anonymous posting prevents the community aspect of a busy forum from developing.

Berserker · 1 Feb 2007 at 14:03

It also opens you up to being spammed to death. I know of very few circumstance under which guest posting is even close to a good thing (and most of those involve illegal activities).

Fr0dders · 1 Feb 2007 at 14:30

websites that insist on registration before you view i never bother with

if i've been sent there by a link from another forum or whatever, ill just click off and not bother

people quite often lurk before they register

only once they know what's on the forums will they think about joining in

some websites have a "top 5 threads of the day" or "currently being discussed in a our forum" section. that might be good to entice people in.

as above dont allow guest posting, but at least allow guest to view.