As of today, there have been 173 new registrants in 2013. That's an average of 2 new registgrants per day. Some are spam bot registrations, say, like a few this morning. But the greater majority seem to be viable registrations...
Where is the activity of the 150 or so new members in 2013? ...
Since the first of the year, we are creating an average of 7.3 new threads per day... there is a concentration of new thread starts to a relatively small subset of the 5400 members...
As a result, I think there is a perceived "clique-yness" that might be affecting things...
Maybe a greeter function is appropriate here. Someone who can consistently greet new members...
Maybe a maximum on posts--say, 10, 15, or 20 post max/day...
I think that re-introducing the AA meetings is a BIG way to increase familiarity with the site and will increase traffic and participation...
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Thank you for this input Tanin! First, I do need to ask, where or how are you obtaining your information from the board? Like, I would not have a clue where to look to see how many new registrants there have been in 2013 on the board. How are you identifying some of them as "spam bots"? Also, I can look at the admin panel and it will show me the most recent new registered member, but just that one. How can I view the last 10 or 20 registered members?
I tend to agree, just based on observation that the number of new threads would round out around 10 per day, but the admin panel is showing completely different figures. I wonder why this is or are we actually missing something here in how we are viewing the counts? See chart below.
Ahhh, I see it already... this is a chart of "comments", not of new threat post each day. So, it would be pretty accurate based on 7-10 new threads a day, with 38 comments... or 3-4 comments per new thread a day average.
Okay, while writing this out, I just went and explored more of the stat features on the admin panel again. I found a way to see who is registering when, and yes, I too can see that some are spam bots, or at least good look a likes LOL Registering from Ghana, Hungaria, Asia... and no informatiion at all in their profile, with zero activity. However, I believe that to register, you have to put the scrambled CAPTACHA code into the little box to verify they are human, not bots. Can or how would a bot be able to get around doing this? It would seem it would have to be real people, who are just scamming/spamming the site. Would you agree? As long as they don't cause any problems, I will leave their registrations in tact, but first indicators of spam will get them removed.
I agree that our board can appear to be quite clique-ish. This is simply because out of over 5000 registered members, there are only about 10-15 people at a time "dedicated" to posting new threads and replying to new threads. And, this does create a sense of comoradery between those members which can be seen in their mutual sharing and exchanges. This has been the case since day one. While this might have its faults in some visitors perception, the fact is that it is this group of people that are the mainstay of strength on the board, and without their daily activity the board would seemingly go flatline in their absince at times. So, I applaud those who stick around and develop such close friendships, and while their friendships and community can be seen on the board, they are also there providing feedback to the newcomers and old timers alike who reach out and post. While the few that are committed to providing the service of being active on the board, there seems to be a trend towards life changes, plan ol' fashion burn out, etc, that creates a rotation of who is in that small group. Looking at user stats, I can see many that posted literally hundreds, even thousands of times, and they haven't been seen in a good while. I think being the strength on a board like this can be wearing on anyone after a while, and also that life does unfold and takes its own twist and turns that can lead us away from the board, to deal with more real world life issues. And without a doubt, from my own observation over the years, some leave because they come under scutinity by other members. Their morals, beliefs, general ES&H gets fired at, their motives get questioned, and some have unresolved control issues that members can only tolerate and be patient with for so long before they start getting targeted/blasted by the a good number of the members they have interactions with. Not that this doesn't happen any where else, but I think many times the integrety of a person is targeted, and in a public manner on a forum like this, instead of in the background where it could be handled in a more mature, adult manner without creating a bashing committee against the member, as sick will follow sick and jump on the band wagon of degrading, belittling, and devaluing another member pretty quick. This should be avoided at all cost, as it creates division and disharmony within the group, it does not lend anything to its unity.
I agree that we might want to consider having a greeter/welcomer who sends a standard email to the newcomer, welcoming them to MIP, providing links to our group resources, and inviting them to make themselves at home with us. I also think it would be equally beneficial and valuable to reach out to some of the older members that have distanced themselves from our group and update them on any new group related information and state that we have valued the time and dedication they had shown here and would like to see them return, as their ES&H is valued and appreciated here. A personalized email can be so much more effective than just sending out a bulk email to a listing of members.
To put together and maintain a site and a group such as this is not just one person's responsibility. It takes several people getting involved and finding their role, that allows them to meet a need for the group, and being committed to providing that service on a consistant, regular and frequent basis. Whether it's to work the board, (both staring new threads and replying to the threads of others), being in the background greeting newcomers and inviting old timers to return, sitting in the chat room so a suffering alcoholic doesn't end up in a room by themselves, chairing meetings, ect,.. each of us can play a big role in the picture as to how this group develops and grows day by day.
Most important is that we remember the "Declaration of Responsibility". I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.
And what Dr. Bob shared with us about staying guard over that erring member, the tongue (and/or pen);
"But there are two or three things that flashed into my mind on which it would be fitting to lay a little emphasis; one is the simplicity of our Program. Let's not louse it all up with Freudian complexes and things that are interesting to the scientific mind, but have very little to do with our actual AA work. Our 12 Steps, when simmered down to the last, resolve themselves into the words love and service. We understand what love is and we understand what service is. So let's bear those two things in mind.
"Let us also remember to guard that erring member - the tongue, and if we must use it, let's use it with kindness and consideration and tolerance."
"And one more thing; none of us would be here today if somebody hadn't taken time to explain things to us, to give us a little pat on the back, to take us to a meeting or two, to have done numerous little kind and thoughtful acts in our behalf. So let us never get the degree of smug complacency so that we're not willing to extend or attempt to, that help which has been so beneficial to us, to our less fortunate brothers. Thank you very much."
I want to see and help bring this group to it's highest good. But to do this, I will need help, from several if not many who can donate the time to provide a service that is needed. If you think you have an hour, or a few hours - a day, a week or a month, let me know and I bet we can find something for you to do that benefits the group, the newcomer and equally important YOU as a member of AA.
Here is a screen shot photo of the stats that are showing on the Admin side of this board. I thought I would share them with you. We are being viewed by people over 2000 times a day, with a total of almost 8 million views since it was started! We have over 5000 registered users on the board, both active and non active. Now, my thought is... what can we do to make it more attractive to the viewers so they will register and become active on the board?
It's not like we are not reaching the Alcoholic population online. It appears we are doing that rather well.
There is so much to comment on. I'll start with registrants.
As of today, there have been 173 new registrants in 2013. That's an average of 2 new registgrants per day. Some are spam bot registrations, say, like a few this morning. But the greater majority seem to be viable registrations. Likely, at least.
Where is the activity of the 150 or so new members in 2013? We cannot expect activity out of all of them. But most of the 2013 new members, who, AFTER TAKING THE TIME TO FILL OUT A REGISTRATION, don't bother to post anything? They have a zero to the right of of their name on the member list.
Some potential reasons that come to mind is that they simply don't want to get involved in the discussion threads. Since the first of the year, we are creating an average of 7.3 new threads per day. But a lot of the threads are perhaps not that interesting to newcomers, perhaps because they are announcement-type threads (i.e., Grapevine quote). Also, I think there is a concentration of new thread starts to a relatively small subset of the 5400 members. The same is true, even more so, for total posts by individuals. At least in recent times.
As a result, I think there is a perceived "clique-yness" that might be affecting things--same as we often find in F2F meetings. Another view by newbies might be something like, "I don't have to post anything, the main members will do it. I'll just sit in the back row and read--again, same as in meetspace.
Maybe a greeter function is appropriate here. Someone who can consistently greet new members. (Greeting does occur here, but very inconsistently.)
Maybe a maximum on posts--say, 10, 15, or 20 post max/day.
I think that re-introducing the AA meetings is a BIG way to increase familiarity with the site and will increase traffic and participation. We've advertised meetings but haven't held them for over a year that I know of. What's worse is that none of the leaders seemed to think there was anything wrong with that. There are some leaders who don't seem to miss an opportunity to tell newbies that online meetings are not any good. Hopefully, they'll change their tune . . .
Let's face it, to have a 5,400 member site but only have 4 + 4 members on line, as shown in your graphic, tells us something is suboptimal. I appreciate your recent efforts to improve things for the alkies who need help. Frankly, it was getting kind of cozy around here.
I would call it more of a 'family' feel - than clicky. I remember thinking people were clicky in meetings and everywhere I went too... I grew out of it as my perceptions of reality changed and became healthier. In reality - people are just acting like the social creatures they are, and we sometimes just forget to notice newcomers when we have a plethora of folks we haven't seen or spoke to for a while - to acknowledge. Sometimes it's just a matter of time restraint or the good fortune of sticking around long enough to have a 'large family of choice'. I have posted several times that posting is service work and keeps this board alive and a place for newcomers to come and find hope. I still believe that. I still believe that putting up a little post about this or that - how you're feeling, what you're thinking about, struggling with, happy about, proud of etc... is very healthy. But... I learned that I don't need to try and control people to my liking or wishful thinking or expectations on how they want to do their recovery. I can only be an example - and I hang tight to the alanon phrase 'let it begin with me'.
Basically, it was shown to me once again that I am not God, and that I do not know or write the plan.
I can only jostle so many posts out of a person - but if they are meant to stray... they will stray. I am not responsible, nor do I want to be any longer, for other people's program of recovery. I do much better when I just show up - and be the best me I know how to be today. It is so much nicer to turn things over. I can get so tangled up over analyzing things, and getting all tangled up in 'how it should be' as if I really know. As if I write the rules to life. Again - another lesson for me, that I am NOT God, nor do I want to be! If I have to be constantly distracting myself with keeping others in line with how I think things should be, I'm not living in the spirit, and I'm superficial and artificial like when I got here. Sometime, I don't have to be so much like that anymore. Sometimes I do, but I'm going to stop for now.
Thanks John, for your service work. You're a treasure to me.
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Wow! A lot to ponder, indeed. I think Tanin brought up some great points. The perceived cliqueness caught my attention, because it is something that I've encountered many times in the rooms. Whether that's my own perceptions or not is up for debate, but I think it can be a real problem for newcomers, and may scare some away. I feel as though there may be an element of that here, too. I'm sure I'm guilty of it. A greeter is a great idea- I know some members are good about this and make it a point to welcome newcomers. Some other great points made by Tanin that have definetly got me thinking about some of the content of my posts- thanks, Tanin:). And yes, thanks John for going above and beyond to keep this site running and up to date! You've done a lot of great work here.
