Appreciation post: The one weird trick that saved my 'ask anything' forum from dying

So about a year ago, the forum I help run was just kind of dead, you know? People would ask a question and maybe get one reply, if that. It felt like a ghost town. I was about to give up, honestly. Then I remembered something from an old internet forum I used to read, where they had this 'weekly challenge' thread. I decided to try it here, but with a twist. Every Monday, I'd post a new, super specific prompt like 'What's the best way to ask for a raise without sounding greedy?' or 'How do you politely tell a neighbor their dog barks all night?' and just pin it. I didn't force anyone, but I made it the first thing people saw. It totally worked. After maybe three weeks, those threads were getting 50+ replies each, and it bled into the rest of the forum. People just needed a little nudge to start talking. Has anyone else tried something like a weekly theme to get a quiet community going again?

3 comments

3 Comments

blairwhite2mo ago

That just sounds like forced engagement.

skyler_white952mo ago

My local grocery store just added a new self-checkout that makes you watch a 15 second ad before you can pay. It's the same with those pop-ups asking you to sign up for a newsletter before reading an article. Every single app now has some pointless daily reward or streak to keep you opening it. It feels less like a service and more like a series of traps designed to trick you into giving them your attention.

king.lisa5d ago

Start by saying it's basically the digital version of being trapped in a car with a salesman who won't stop talking. They've turned everything into a tiny little transaction where your time is the currency. Next they'll make you watch a commercial before you can flush a public toilet. It's not engagement, it's just a hostage situation with better graphics.