How much is too much? - Forums Help - vBulletin, IPB, phpBB, SMF skins and community

Saaverda · 09-12-2007, 12:06 AM

How many *areas* are too many?

I do mostly mommy/women's boards and on some we have to scroll and scroll and scroll to see ALL the topic areas and on others you don't need to scroll much.

My question is at what point are you scaring off potential new members?

How do you chop up your board?

Arizona · 09-12-2007, 05:46 PM

I let the board decide this. If you're seeing lots of discussions in a section that need to be separated out, then it is time to add more sections. If you have sections that contain not activity, then it is time to delete the inactive sections. I don't like scrolling, so I lean towards less is more. If you have a large forum, than you must add new sections or the conversations will get lost.

Noodlez · 09-13-2007, 10:24 PM

I would think that if your board is a new board and you have (for example) a board for TV, videogames, movies, and music - why not just call it Entertainment?

Same goes with consoles, make it past, present, handheld, and PC gaming consoles.

But I've heard (I think it was on this board) that someone's board went past the fold. That's just too much.

dreaming · 09-14-2007, 02:52 AM

I agree with creating more general categories, then breaking those down into sub-forums. But, as long as you have activity in any that go below the fold, I don't see where that should be a problem. Sure some people don't like to scroll. But sometimes, it can't be helped. If the topics below the fold still get good traffic, then apparently enough of your members don't mine scrolling that much.

Saaverda · 09-14-2007, 03:11 PM

Thank for your help everyone!

I think for now, maybe i'll just make very general areas and subtopic from what members either want or post.

encoder · 09-15-2007, 12:07 PM

I like what arizona said. At first, you must have a small number of different sections which are all in general. Then when that section is big enough for splitting, then that would be time to separate that section into sub-forums. Having a lot of sub-forums just makes the members tired of looking for the right section to post their ideas.

fotog · 09-15-2007, 12:32 PM

Organization is good, but over organization is evil, try to find the mid area and all is well. I hate scrolling forever to find what I am looking for, but I also hate going into 6 sub areas to find what I want too.

**alexis** · 09-15-2007, 12:42 PM

I think if you can categorize the forum proper, make a layout on paper before you start playing with the forum, you can get a better idea of how it will look. Then you can play with all the mod settings and set it perfect. Might take a little extra time, but I would rather do it off the computer first, than fight with settings later.

09-12-2007, 12:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
User Profile Saaverda Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 25 Total Points: 455 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	How much is too much? How many areas are too many? I do mostly mommy/women's boards and on some we have to scroll and scroll and scroll to see ALL the topic areas and on others you don't need to scroll much. My question is at what point are you scaring off potential new members? How do you chop up your board?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

09-12-2007, 05:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
User Profile Arizona Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 25 Total Points: 451 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I let the board decide this. If you're seeing lots of discussions in a section that need to be separated out, then it is time to add more sections. If you have sections that contain not activity, then it is time to delete the inactive sections. I don't like scrolling, so I lean towards less is more. If you have a large forum, than you must add new sections or the conversations will get lost.

09-13-2007, 10:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
User Profile Noodlez Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 23 Total Points: 439 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I would think that if your board is a new board and you have (for example) a board for TV, videogames, movies, and music - why not just call it Entertainment? Same goes with consoles, make it past, present, handheld, and PC gaming consoles. But I've heard (I think it was on this board) that someone's board went past the fold. That's just too much.

09-14-2007, 02:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
User Profile dreaming Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 25 Total Points: 504 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I agree with creating more general categories, then breaking those down into sub-forums. But, as long as you have activity in any that go below the fold, I don't see where that should be a problem. Sure some people don't like to scroll. But sometimes, it can't be helped. If the topics below the fold still get good traffic, then apparently enough of your members don't mine scrolling that much.

09-14-2007, 03:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
User Profile Saaverda Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 25 Total Points: 455 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	Thank for your help everyone! I think for now, maybe i'll just make very general areas and subtopic from what members either want or post.

09-15-2007, 12:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
User Profile encoder Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 75 Total Points: 1,131 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I like what arizona said. At first, you must have a small number of different sections which are all in general. Then when that section is big enough for splitting, then that would be time to separate that section into sub-forums. Having a lot of sub-forums just makes the members tired of looking for the right section to post their ideas.

09-15-2007, 12:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
User Profile fotog Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Age: 32 Posts: 25 Total Points: 446 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	Organization is good, but over organization is evil, try to find the mid area and all is well. I hate scrolling forever to find what I am looking for, but I also hate going into 6 sub areas to find what I want too.

09-15-2007, 12:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
User Profile alexis Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SC Age: 28 Posts: 99 Total Points: 3,083 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I think if you can categorize the forum proper, make a layout on paper before you start playing with the forum, you can get a better idea of how it will look. Then you can play with all the mod settings and set it perfect. Might take a little extra time, but I would rather do it off the computer first, than fight with settings later.