Ideas for threads that encourage members to post

[I would love to see more threads on ideas for threads encouraging member posting! Some questions can be tailored to any forum topic. ]

Some suggestions for January/winter threads, beginning of the year and all that. IMO seasonal thread topics draw posts (even if the admin doesn't care much about seasonality :p), because it connects with what members are doing in their *other* life and they may have more to say. Even it's to say they don't like the season ... it's a post, yanno. :yes:

As always (my broken record) whatever the forum topic, the real favorite topic of each member is themselves, their own opinions and doings. For some your forum may be the one place in their lives that is about themselves.

insert forum topic ...

Is there anything you're planning to do differently this year? Why do you think this change is needed? How are you planning to go about it?

Which [activities-games-conventions-whatever] are you planning on attending this year? How far will you travel? Going with anyone?

What are your goals for [forum topic] for this year?

Anything new you plan to learn about this year, to add to your base of specialized knowledge? [or skills, abilities, and so on]


More ideas?

 

the best thread ive come across today was "
if you could break into someone's house and "deficate" any where, where would you choose and who's house would it be?" that caused a lot of random posts and funniness.........

 

Who is going to win the Kentucky Derby?

Superbowl?
Who has the cutest pets?
What do you drive?
Post pics of your town?
Is anyone a PHP programmer?

 

I have a horse forum ... several members (including me) have chronic Derby Fever. This is an incurable condition.

The thread you suggest goes on for with great vigor for months until the very instant the starting gates open for the actual race. Then they have a thread where they manage to post comments during the 2 minute race.

Then they dissect the race just run, every nuance and backstory and whatif, for weeks and weeks ... until it's time to start speculating about the next KY Derby. The Derby is good for probably a couple hundred posts or more a year, I think.

So funny you should mention the Derby ...

[Derby winner Barbaro's little brother Lentanor may become eligible for this year's Derby ... he just picked up his first win, we'll see how he develops ... same breeder/owner & trainer as Barbaro, they are full brothers ]

 

Well your avatar have me a hint


Have you ever tried to get connected to the insiders of the sport? It is amazing what some insiders like to do (in good ways) on a forum. It adds credence to a forum.

 

If you have a close community, you can do the "say something nice" game. You start a thread and the next poster has to say something about you.

The occasional Roll call is pretty cool.

In a photo community that I visit, they post a tiny snippet of a photo and you have to guess what it is. The person that figures it out, starts the next guess. The same can be applied to faces, movies etc......

Story time is pretty cool, just sentences to create a funny story.

 

That is truly a great idea. For any forum.

Did once ask forum members to suggest questions for a major insider and I emailed the questions. The individual was kind enough to respond with some answers, but declined to spend time posting on the forum.

Actually a few of the forum members are insiders to some extent, have worked in the racing industry. A few others follow it so closely they probably know more than many insiders. They can tell you the last Derby winner, Mine That Bird, spends his days in his track stall hanging over the door trying to bite everyone that goes by.

Another very cool idea ... that could be done with a photo of a part of something germaine to the topic of many forums. Could be a great contest. For game forums, a corner of the box of popular games, members give the game name for each snippet. I can think of some other ideas for other forums as well.

One of this year's contests is going to be telling a story using only smilies (we have acres of smilies.) Might allow a certain number of 'words.'