The Admin Zone is an online Community of Bulletin Board owners and
administrators dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information relating
to all aspects of managing Message Board Communities. Our goal is to become
the leading resource for every Bulletin Board Administrator seeking the
information and advice needed to plan, launch, and manage their online
Communities.
What is the name of your website and a brief description of the theme/topic of the forums. What is the url?
Fifty Plus Forum, a discussion, chat and fun site for the over fifties. www.fiftyplusforum.co.uk
List some of the most popular forums and describe its discussions.
Chit Chat, Debate, Word Games, Competitions and Meetings.
What prompted you to start your forum? What was your launch date?
We rebelled against changes at sagazone.co.uk. 14th January 2009.
Do you have any special forum features or activities?
A members map that allows members to place their location pin on a Google Map. Members can also post videos in their profiles.
SOFTWARE:
Which software do you use for your forums?
SMF
Do you use any add-ons scripts to enhance your site? Which ones?
SMF Provided modifications and there are too many to list here.
HARDWARE:
What is your current server set-up? Do you have multiple servers for your big board forum? Who manages your servers?
Only one hosted by UKwebhosting.
MEMBERS:
Membership stats? How many members?
286
What are the demographics of your site? (Percentage of men, women, age groups, locality related)
Male to Female Ratio: 1:1.9. Average age ~60
STAFF:
Tell us a about your staff including how many admins (and their functions), moderators, mentors, web-developers, etc. Explain how your staff is organized.
Total of three staff. Two admins and one global moderator. We've got a great membership that understands how to behave so moderation is hardly ever necessary.
REVENUE:
How do you generate revenue to cover your expenses? (Ecommerce, subscriptions, advertising, affiliate links, etc)
We offer front page only advertisements but the majority of funding comes via generous donations from members.
Do you offer upgraded members groups for a fee? What benefits do they get for subscribing/upgrading?
No.
ADMIN:
What is your name?
Real Name is Chas Large, Hal (a nickname picked up many years ago for obvious reasons) used both here and there.
Please share a few things about yourself. (Bio, family, education, background, hobbies, your favorite pizza topping, your favorite vacation spot, your choice of transportation, etc)
I'm 56, an electronics and computer genius/boffin/guru/geek (they've all been used to describe me ) and I'm married (27 years) to the wonderful Patricia. We have no ankle biters. Hobbies? Computers, what else?, Pizza? Pepperoni and Onion. Holiday (sorry, I'm a Brit!), a caravan in Dorset on the South Coast of England. Transportation, Walking and Cars.
How do you spend a typical day as admin on your site? What do you enjoy about your job as admin of your site/forums? Do you office in your home or in a separate office space away from your house?
Well I log on on my laptop first thing in the morning and whilst at work (4 miles away) I keep in touch via cellphone app or in the background on work PC. As mentioned earlier, the forum requires minimal Admin moderation so there is little to do except move posts into the correct board if necessary.
What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in starting or running your forums? How did you/do you handle it?
Not had any really, except the odd troll who have been banned. Forum mods to screen for spammers have kept them at bay too.
What 3 things have helped your forums to be a success?
Understanding the membership; A willingness to compromise and the joy in helping others.
...Using Rafflecopter for Forum Giveaways*
*This is a follow up to Using Contests & Giveaways to Increase Forum Traffic (http://www.theadminzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84398)
http://img.ourmomspot.net/images/q7lyT1302624456/OurMomSpotGiveaways_0.png http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b193/Uhura1701/Webtraffic.jpg
Table... [Read More]
Admin Zone Forums
) and I'm married (27 years) to the wonderful Patricia. We have no ankle biters. Hobbies? Computers, what else?, Pizza? Pepperoni and Onion. Holiday (sorry, I'm a Brit!), a caravan in Dorset on the South Coast of England. Transportation, Walking and Cars.
