What Do You Look For In A Forum?

[LaurieH 12]

So, I noticed that every time I log in, there's not a ton of new activity or new threads, and most of them are specific to picking a particular stone. So... if you participate on other forums online, what are they like? What do you look for in them? What do you expect to get out of them? What makes you choose to (or not to) jump in?

 

I love that this place is here to help folks get advice from people who have no vested interest in their decision--they're not getting the sale, they're not making any money off it--just making sure that people get good advice to make the best decision to get the best diamond to suit their needs. I'd just like to see everyone get more out of it than that alone There's so much more fun to be had with talking about jewelry!

[mattyt 0]

I guess I just look for things to be going on. I am only sorta a lurker at this point, but I came here for the jewelry advice. I guess that down the road I'll need more advice for other things, but the ring is the big thing. I suppose if there were more activity, more people would get more active. But I do keep checking back to see what's up.

[davidelevi 608]

Laurie - I think what is missing here (at this point in time at least) is a core community of people that are willing to start threads like these and participate. That core community is what keeps the forum "alive" also in terms of advice etc., and at the moment it's really too small: Neil, yourself, HearthAndStone, Jan, Barry, David, myself and maybe a couple of others. There were times here when it was larger, and then conversations about things other than the latest "I need to choose among these diamonds" were taking places, but this has always been a relatively "short and sharp" forum: the longest thread probably has no more than 50 posts at the moment.

[denverappraiser 491]

There are, of course, other diamond forums out there that have rather different flavors about them. I rather like this one and I actually rather like that it’s not so magnanimous as you describe. The experts listed by Davide (and I think Brittany deserves specific mention as well, her posts are well thought out and well written) are nearly all jewelry professionals and we ARE making money at this. It's just not usually a direct sale. Profit isn’t a bad thing and it’s nice to have a community where the people who are trying to sell something, be it diamonds or advice, are clearly labeled as such and while we’re permitted to sell our own goods and services, everyone is respectful of the other participants. I think there’s a nice balance here. Kudos to Hermann.

 

By the way, I'm please to see you as a member of this core group but we know nothing about you our your business. Are you in the diamond or jewelry trade? If so, in what capacity?

Edited October 22, 2010 by denverappraiser

[hermann 16]

Thanks Neil

[HeartAndStone 2]

Some members just come and go.

That's why if this site helped you...

It would be nice to help out other diamond lovers as well.

JOIN US.

And LEARN.

 

Cheers!

[LaurieH 12]

So then, besides just increasing the population (which is just going to happen or not on its own, right?), what would any of you suggest we could do? What kind of things do you think you'd wanna talk about that would get conversations going a little more. I know a lot of the visitors are going to be "one shot wonders" so to speak, but what would you think would help get more people more involved, maybe even make friends here? I know I've made friends off forums and other online communities (chats, etc) in the past...always like a little bit of that, ya know? I guess, ya know, I'm still new--ish, but I like it here, and wouldn't mind picking the brains of some folks who have been around longer.

[davidelevi 608]

Well, increasing the population is going to happen only if we stick around...

 

I don't know what to suggest - we (you!) have tried a few that usually work (show me your best/most interesting jewellery pieces or thereabouts, tell us something about yourself, and so on), not to great results, or at least not yet. To tell you the truth, I'm kind of worried when I see that 6 out of 7 (soon to be 7 out of 8) replies to this thread have come from "regulars"...

[hermann 16]

6 out of 7 (soon to be 7 out of 8) replies to this thread have come from "regulars"...

 

Hail to the "regulars"

 

We have a ridiculous amount of "lurker" traffic. It certainly is puzzling that more people don't stick around.

 

BTW, a few usability enhancements and a professionally designed look (colors, fonts, etc.) are coming in the next week or two.

 

It's rainy here in San Francisco... that's rare, so I think I'll go for a walk

[IntermezzoDesigns 0]

awesome! i look forward to seeing the changes.

 

yeah, I've wondered why more folks don't talk a whole lot. hopefully that'll change!

[davidelevi 608]

How did your "singing in the rain" walk go, Hermann?

[hermann 16]

I caught a cold!!!!!

 

But, I guarantee you, that will not prevent me from doing it again

[davidelevi 608]

There are very few people that understand the beauty of a walk in the rain (particularly if followed by a re-entry in a warm and dry place).