How could the Escapist draw for traffic to the forums?

[Drathnoxis]

So as we know the forums are a ghost of their former selves, but how could the Escapist reverse this?

My first thought would be to remove Zero Punctuation from Youtube. The first drop in forum activity coincides with the time that ZP was uploaded to Youtube, this is corroborated by the number of comments on the Youtube videos which are much, much higher than the number of comments on the same videos hosted on the Escapist. Removing the videos from Youtube would force people to come into contact with the Escapist forums by proximity.

I've been coming to these forums for 5 years and it's a shame the way it's dwindled. Time was you could post a thread about pretty much anything and be guaranteed at least 3 pages of replies, but these days you are lucky if you get a couple dozen responses.

So anybody else have any ideas on how the Escapist could force some life back into the forums?

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

I was wondering about stuff like this.

One idea I had would be to have discussion threads started and run by contributors, not just Q&A threads, but the kind of thread where the contributor can start a discussion about something they find important. Possibly they could have threads where they share their own life experiences, or use their work as a platform to give people advice how to be successful themselves.

Other than that the Escapist should find some fresh talent to provide exclusive content that the community can get excited about. Part of the forum traffic problem is the lack unique and exclusive content providers. Quite a bit of what we have is available elsewhere, some time weeks before it ever comes here. So more exclusive content from new talent.

 

[stormtrooper9091]

just increase the level of content, replace clickbait with actual stuff worth reading, drop the hammer on SJW crap and finally stop giving the attention whores the attention they whore about.

The thing is, Escapist was always kind of niche, making it a tabloid for the purpose of increasing traffic seems to have backfired. But maybe it didn't. It brought more users to the forums, but rather than being able to talk about relevant stuff, most threads devolve into sjws/feminism/some other completely artificial bullshit outrage, and the most sensible people ignore it and conclude the numbers are down. When they're not, it's just that the number of idiots will possibly reach critical mass soon

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

just increase the level of content, replace clickbait with actual stuff worth reading, drop the hammer on SJW crap -snip-

I kinda tuned out when I saw SJW there, because every time I see someone complain about it, the complaint is some vague irritation directed at a straw-man. It seems like it's just a new way to dismiss people who aren't right wing conservatives anymore.

That said I definitely agree on the first two point are definitely valid. We need more content and it needs not to be click bait, but it also needs to be exclusive to The Escapist. Too much of the content we have now is posted sooner in other places, so we could do with some stuff that's posted here first at least, then makes it's way to youtube and such.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I kinda tuned out when I saw SJW there, because every time I see someone complain about it, the complaint is some vague irritation directed at a straw-man. It seems like it's just a new way to dismiss people who aren't right wing conservatives anymore.

Well, how would you suggest we dismiss people who aren't right wing conservatives then?

[That said I definitely agree on the first two point are definitely valid. We need more content and it needs not to be click bait, but it also needs to be exclusive to The Escapist. Too much of the content we have now is posted sooner in other places, so we could do with some stuff that's posted here first at least, then makes it's way to youtube and such.

Yeah, you can have the odd rubbish article, but don't pretend it's not a rubbish article.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Maybe they could get some of Yahtzee's future Ego Reviews/Lets Drown outs posted to here first.

That would require paying Gabriel Morton who is quite comfortable living as a student on welfare at the moment, if they start paying him that'll interfere with his welfare money. Not that it wouldn't be better, but Gabe doesn't currently need the stress of filing taxes. Also Gabriel is a University student, a contract for a weekly show would interfere with his studies, especially during exam season, because he wouldn't be able to take hiatus for study. Plus he's apparently getting pretty close to doing actual intern work apparently, for qualifications as a teacher, a contract from the escapist might cause him not to become a teacher. Which is counter productive to Gabriel's goals.

 

[RedRockRun]

I suggest adverts at the bottom of articles on other websites: 'Horny housewives at the Escapist discovered one trick that has bee-keepers fuming. You'll never guess what happened next.'

I love you.

I was thinking links to the forums could be more obvious in Escapist articles.

 

[IceForce]

I don't think it can be done. As I mentioned before in one of those threads you linked, OP, as far as I see it, traditional forums like this have had their heyday. And those days are now gone.
Social media and micro-blogging has overtaken internet forums in a big way. And as you said, youtube is now a one-stop-shop for video content of any type, not just Escapist stuff.

This sounds all very doom-and-gloom, but don't worry; this site isn't going anywhere. Hell, just look at Warcry. That site actually *is* dead, and the forums are a wasteland with tumbleweed blowing around. And yet, Defy Media still keeps the site up and the servers serving those pages; for what purpose... god only knows.
Anyway, point is, the powers-that-be here don't seem to shut down a forum even after it actually does die, so I don't think Escapist is going anywhere anytime soon. (Not to mention, we're still a long way from Warcry levels of dead.)

 

[Albino Boo]

1. Drunk editing. Senior staff should commission articles while drunk and write comment pieces after drinking at least half a bottle of spirits. (Maybe no change in some cases)

2. Mod actions. Instead of warnings via the forums, mods go round in person and "warn" people armed with rubber chickens. This will be filmed and put up as exclusive content.

3. The publishers club should be renamed as the pub club and host regular drinking games, quiz nights, tribute acts and karaoke.

 

[Thaluikhain]

1. Drunk editing. Senior staff should commission articles while drunk and write comment pieces after drinking at least half a bottle of spirits. (Maybe no change in some cases)

I could see this being at least briefly popular.

 

[stormtrooper9091]

just increase the level of content, replace clickbait with actual stuff worth reading, drop the hammer on SJW crap -snip-

I kinda tuned out when I saw SJW there, because every time I see someone complain about it, the complaint is some vague irritation directed at a straw-man. It seems like it's just a new way to dismiss people who aren't right wing conservatives anymore.

That said I definitely agree on the first two point are definitely valid. We need more content and it needs not to be click bait, but it also needs to be exclusive to The Escapist. Too much of the content we have now is posted sooner in other places, so we could do with some stuff that's posted here first at least, then makes it's way to youtube and such.

well I could provide a ton of examples of why you're wrong but that would be a waste of time.

As people pointed out, internet forums are a dying concept, everyone's on social media now (Christ.. how I hate that term) and it's all about buzzwords, making stuff up and sensationalism. You lose traffic by not joining them and you lose quality by joining them

 

[vallorn]

The Escapist's staff once said that unless you were making video content then you were going to be way behind the current trend, and now there are no video reviews at all. I enjoy reading but those video reviews of games were always some of my favorite parts simply because they summarized the written review in an entertaining fashion.

So, I would really put emphasis on getting more video content like that started because those video reviews are the kind of thing that some people share. I would also put emphasis on trying to present the forums as a community, the RSI articles showed that, even despite the forumwide division that GG vs AGG caused, we can still band together as a community to defend what we see as our "home" online. Now, I don't mean that I want a shitstorm like the RSI threads again, I had a dig through those threads again recently and good GOD they are bad, but I think that the staff participation in those threads was widely appreciated by everyone surrounding the articles.

If the staff don't use the forums for feedback on articles then those news discussion threads can be, iffy, I've noticed that @ffronw has been active on several of the threads for content he published and I would suggest that kind of conduct as a good template for general participation by staff, I know they are busy, but just replying to a few people in the discussion thread can go a long way to making people feel invested in the site.

TLDR:
Bring back video reviews.
Encourage staff participation in the forum community.

 

[Something Amyss]

It's weird that people bring up click-bait, when click-bait has been a routine portion of the site for years and years. I'm not even complaining--I simply don't click on things that don't interest me. It just seems like "click-bait" is a term that means something more like "things I don't want to read."

As for more content, do people mean more video content? Featured articles? Because it seems we're going to get more fluff labeled as "click-bait" with pretty much any content increase.

My first thought would be to remove Zero Punctuation from Youtube.

That sounds like an excellent way to reduce the income both Yahtzee and The Escapist receive from ZP and limit traffic to those videos. This seems like the exact opposite of what you want.

I kinda tuned out when I saw SJW there, because every time I see someone complain about it, the complaint is some vague irritation directed at a straw-man.

Yes, but like a month ago you were talking about SJWs in the same way. Something worth keeping in mind.

Well, how would you suggest we dismiss people who aren't right wing conservatives then?

I hear "cultural Marxism" is popular now. If you want to be bleeding edge, "Cultural authoritarian" has been used a bit, and I think it's going to replace Marxism.

drop the hammer on SJW crap

Well, Jim's gone, Bob's gone, LRR's gone. Pretty much anyone who is ideologically impure has been purged, and look at how much traffic to the site has improved. I mean, they could get rid of Marter since occasional delves into topics certain groups don't like, or Grey, one of the only comic providers.

So before anyone says anything, I'm not bashing any of the mentioned people or suggesting Marter or Grey actually be sacked. I'm just trying to demonstrate how this seems to be the sort of step that has helped reduce forum traffic. In fact, that seems to be one of the problems: a demand for a sort of ideological purity.

And most of the remaining active posters have largely retreated into user groups.

 

[Thaluikhain]

It's weird that people bring up click-bait, when click-bait has been a routine portion of the site for years and years. I'm not even complaining--I simply don't click on things that don't interest me. It just seems like "click-bait" is a term that means something more like "things I don't want to read."

As for more content, do people mean more video content? Featured articles? Because it seems we're going to get more fluff labeled as "click-bait" with pretty much any content increase.

That's not what I understand the term to mean, I always thought of it more along the lines of having an intentionally misleading title and deliberately bad journalism.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

remove the "required to interact with a shitty ad to make a 2nd comment a day" captcha

because fuck solvemedia and "engaging with marketing"

 

[Dango]

Maybe it's because the forums used to be pretty civil and accepting of a very wide variety of people.

Also there used to be like a million anime threads, and anime is pretty different now.

Also the escapist used to draw more people with site content. Site content is pretty dull now.

I guess I just don't post as much because the forums are just less novel to me now.