So I know some of you are a bit baffled because I keep changing things, and not really explaining them. Problem is, I'm not always fully happy with them, haven't checked patterns of members and that kinda stuff, and am probably going change them every now and again over the first week or two of setting them up.
But I think I've found a happy place.
So I thought I'd explain them.
HOME
This isn't the page people come into the forum on. They come into forums direct to a thread. Nearly everybody does that. It is configured exactly the same as the What's New tab. Which you guys who are regulars use every day all the time. (New members and unregistered don't click that).
So the Home button I've put on there some top-related-stuff. So thread with the most replies, training information with the most views/replies (Assuming that's popular for those people). The top listings that are there (and they will rank well because they're on our homepage). And other top stuff.
FORUMS
This is the traditional list of the forums. But if you're on this page, and want to post a new thread in ANY forum category, you can click 'Post Thread' on this page, select the category from a list, and post it right from that page. That's what I use it for mostly. It's the quickest way to post a thread into the right forum.
Obviously it's main use is to find the forum category that interests you, so adhesives, courses, tools, JOTM stuff, whatever. And scroll down to find the category. Then click into it, and read the posts. There's now a "Next Post" button at the bottom of all threads, so you can read one, go to the next and read that, go to the next and read that. Rather than needing to keep going back. That's the quickest way to browse a forum category or two. To keep up with trends etc.
What's New
This is exactly the same as the Homepage when it comes to how I build it. I populate it with content from around the forum. And whilst I get dibs on the forum homepage, as I need that for ranking sections of the forum. You're welcome to come up between you all what you want to see on this Whats' New tab.
So it's currently got
I an populate that area with the most liked threads, the most viewed / read, newest threads, newest posts, specific forum threads (so if you want top 5 latest tool threads, then top 5 latest adhesive threads, and top 5 latest tilersforums arms threads, I can do that and add them unde the existing content.)
So have a think and a browse around and see what you want me to setup on the what's new page. If I can't do it directly in the core forum software, I have coded my own widgets. That's the stuff I'm awesome at and why no forum ever gets bigger than us
I know it can look busy. But the key is to find the quickest path to what you do often.
If you have a specific thing you come to the forum to do, tell me by replying to this, and I will find the least amount of clicks to get to the information you need. Sometimes I can create a special link you click when you load the forum and it does it all for you. You can then bookmark that link, and some similar ones, in your forum bookmarks (which nobody has used yet!!!). You can also bookmark threads of your own or good threads you find. Or threads like this one to come back to when you've found more time to do this etc.
Bookmark button is at the top of all pages I think?
But have a read, have a click around, and let me know what you want on the what's new page and I'll sort it out for you.
But I think I've found a happy place.
So I thought I'd explain them.
HOME
This isn't the page people come into the forum on. They come into forums direct to a thread. Nearly everybody does that. It is configured exactly the same as the What's New tab. Which you guys who are regulars use every day all the time. (New members and unregistered don't click that).
So the Home button I've put on there some top-related-stuff. So thread with the most replies, training information with the most views/replies (Assuming that's popular for those people). The top listings that are there (and they will rank well because they're on our homepage). And other top stuff.
FORUMS
This is the traditional list of the forums. But if you're on this page, and want to post a new thread in ANY forum category, you can click 'Post Thread' on this page, select the category from a list, and post it right from that page. That's what I use it for mostly. It's the quickest way to post a thread into the right forum.
Obviously it's main use is to find the forum category that interests you, so adhesives, courses, tools, JOTM stuff, whatever. And scroll down to find the category. Then click into it, and read the posts. There's now a "Next Post" button at the bottom of all threads, so you can read one, go to the next and read that, go to the next and read that. Rather than needing to keep going back. That's the quickest way to browse a forum category or two. To keep up with trends etc.
What's New
This is exactly the same as the Homepage when it comes to how I build it. I populate it with content from around the forum. And whilst I get dibs on the forum homepage, as I need that for ranking sections of the forum. You're welcome to come up between you all what you want to see on this Whats' New tab.
So it's currently got
- Videos/Pictures scrolling at the top
- The latest 15 threads, whether you have read them or not, so you can get back to them quick @JulianSidney and somebody else wanted this and noticed there wasn't an option and we had one at some point before. So I stuck it back.
- Then the latest threads that you have NOT read yet - for those who just want to quickly get to the new topics. This will be for the forum browser, who just wants to read, perhaps.
- Then videos again I think, and latest submissions (Rather than top like on home) to the directory.
I an populate that area with the most liked threads, the most viewed / read, newest threads, newest posts, specific forum threads (so if you want top 5 latest tool threads, then top 5 latest adhesive threads, and top 5 latest tilersforums arms threads, I can do that and add them unde the existing content.)
So have a think and a browse around and see what you want me to setup on the what's new page. If I can't do it directly in the core forum software, I have coded my own widgets. That's the stuff I'm awesome at and why no forum ever gets bigger than us
I know it can look busy. But the key is to find the quickest path to what you do often.
If you have a specific thing you come to the forum to do, tell me by replying to this, and I will find the least amount of clicks to get to the information you need. Sometimes I can create a special link you click when you load the forum and it does it all for you. You can then bookmark that link, and some similar ones, in your forum bookmarks (which nobody has used yet!!!). You can also bookmark threads of your own or good threads you find. Or threads like this one to come back to when you've found more time to do this etc.
Bookmark button is at the top of all pages I think?
But have a read, have a click around, and let me know what you want on the what's new page and I'll sort it out for you.
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