Yeah, I can't believe there are 10 arsenal fans here either, I estimate five of six
.
The problem with non-posting, is that it's contagious, its self perpetuating. People don't post, so someone who visits the site isn't inclined to post, so the next person who comes to the site dosen't post, etc, etc. That's why so many forums atrophy and die, lack of input.
I agree it is difficult to come up with something to converse about, that's why I generally write so much crap. Theres alot of news, but most of it is trivial, and unlikely to excite people to the extent where they would be willing to post, particularly if they haven't done so before. Indeed the fact that it is necessary to register, is in itself repulsive to spontaniaty, and robs the forum of much casual posting. The people who post are part of the set of the xtratime community which is a very small subset of the web user at large.
I think you'll find most of the more active forums, are active not because there is alot of intresting matters to discuss, so much as because theres a sense of community. On the real madrid forum, its not simply people talking about real madrid, but real madrid 'fans' talking among themselves. This is personified by the brazil forum, whos regular posters, seem to be refugees from the Pets-Talk-To-Pets message board
. The fact that it is informal, means that the regular contributors usually post in large volumns, so even though there are only a relitevely small number of them, it gives the apperance of a very active forum.
When talking about advitising, you have to remember that this isn't an arsenal forum in isolation, but part of a larger network, xtratime. So, it's really the responsibility of the administrators to bump up the buisness, if they do it effectively then posts at the arsenal should increase. Perhaps its simply a case of them having a crap system, and wanting to minimize the number of contributions
Plan of action
1) Create a cult, call it the arse-ologists, then recruit john travolta and nicole kidman to front it for us.
2) Create a bunch of porn banners that direct traffic to our forum, we are sure to get loads of posts, most containing a large number of f's or *s should I say.
3) Do a publicity stunt, paint your green and then jazz on bill gates. While you are being beaten up by the police, continually shout 'I love it up the arse'.
4) Subliminal messages, create a porn site with the words arse featuring extensively on it. Or even better, us the term 'arse anal'. Lots of people have already started doing this one.
5) Advertise in a gay forum - like men, want to chat about men playing with their big balls, why don't you cum to....ducky.
6) Break spurs fans delusions, and get them to support the only real club in north london.
7) We could create a get to know you thread, where we could create a sense of community which I have previously eluded to.
8) We could try to make lots of intresting posts, so that people will want to come back for more.
