Having users avoid your forum is something that no community manager or leader wants to go through. There can be several different reasons as to why users may avoid your forum and it is wise to know what to look out for to prevent these issues from arising and your forum being avoided.
Below we give you some reasons that users may choose to avoid your forum
Slow Performance: No one likes slow loading times or even frequent downtime; this can frustrate users and push them to seek alternative forums that are faster and have fewer issues.
Complex Interface: Users prefer to use a forum that has a user-friendly interface. If your forum interface is not user-friendly, they may find it difficult to navigate your forum and will seek out other platforms that have a more intuitive design.
Elitism and Cliques: Users who are already on your forum will have established cliques, this can make new users feel unwelcome or excluded which can result in them looking elsewhere.
Unwelcoming/Unfriendly Atmosphere: A hostile, unfriendly or unwelcoming environment can not only discourage users, but it can also discourage participation, especially among new users on your forum.
Low-Quality Posts: Many users are looking to engage in discussions that are engaging and of a high quality. If the discussions available on your forum lack relevance or depth, user may not find the content interesting or engaging and will instead look elsewhere.
Lack of Moderation: Spam is a very real problem within forums. Active moderation helps to keep forums free from spam and any other issues that may arise such as disagreements. A forum with poor moderation will likely become overrun with spam, content that is irrelevant or even toxic behaviour which can drive users away if not dealt with promptly.
Negative Reputation: Sometimes a bad reputation is not always deserved but once your forum has a bad reputation, it is very difficult to lose that reputation. Having a bad reputation can dissuade users from wanting to engage and interact with your forum but it can also dissuade users from joining your forum too.
Lack of Awareness: Building a forum and opening your forum does not instantly alert potential users to the fact your forum exists. Once your forum is created and opened, you will need to promote your forum to be sure that others know about its existence.
Mobile-Friendly: The use of mobile devices is increasing all the time with many people relying on their mobile devices more often than they used to. A forum that is not mobile-friendly will be a turn-off for those who prefer to use their mobile devices to access content.
Outdated Topics: Users are looking for forums that stay up-to-date with current interests and trends. If your forum does not stay up to date with the latest interests and trends that potential users are looking for, your forum may become irrelevant.
Niche Focus: If the focus of your forum is too narrow, you may find it difficult to attract users from a wider audience.
Addressing these potential issues involves a varied approach, this could include enhancing moderation, fostering a welcoming community, improving the user interface, ensuring data security and privacy, and effectively promoting the forum.
Below we give you some reasons that users may choose to avoid your forum
Slow Performance: No one likes slow loading times or even frequent downtime; this can frustrate users and push them to seek alternative forums that are faster and have fewer issues.
Complex Interface: Users prefer to use a forum that has a user-friendly interface. If your forum interface is not user-friendly, they may find it difficult to navigate your forum and will seek out other platforms that have a more intuitive design.
Elitism and Cliques: Users who are already on your forum will have established cliques, this can make new users feel unwelcome or excluded which can result in them looking elsewhere.
Unwelcoming/Unfriendly Atmosphere: A hostile, unfriendly or unwelcoming environment can not only discourage users, but it can also discourage participation, especially among new users on your forum.
Low-Quality Posts: Many users are looking to engage in discussions that are engaging and of a high quality. If the discussions available on your forum lack relevance or depth, user may not find the content interesting or engaging and will instead look elsewhere.
Lack of Moderation: Spam is a very real problem within forums. Active moderation helps to keep forums free from spam and any other issues that may arise such as disagreements. A forum with poor moderation will likely become overrun with spam, content that is irrelevant or even toxic behaviour which can drive users away if not dealt with promptly.
Negative Reputation: Sometimes a bad reputation is not always deserved but once your forum has a bad reputation, it is very difficult to lose that reputation. Having a bad reputation can dissuade users from wanting to engage and interact with your forum but it can also dissuade users from joining your forum too.
Lack of Awareness: Building a forum and opening your forum does not instantly alert potential users to the fact your forum exists. Once your forum is created and opened, you will need to promote your forum to be sure that others know about its existence.
Mobile-Friendly: The use of mobile devices is increasing all the time with many people relying on their mobile devices more often than they used to. A forum that is not mobile-friendly will be a turn-off for those who prefer to use their mobile devices to access content.
Outdated Topics: Users are looking for forums that stay up-to-date with current interests and trends. If your forum does not stay up to date with the latest interests and trends that potential users are looking for, your forum may become irrelevant.
Niche Focus: If the focus of your forum is too narrow, you may find it difficult to attract users from a wider audience.
Addressing these potential issues involves a varied approach, this could include enhancing moderation, fostering a welcoming community, improving the user interface, ensuring data security and privacy, and effectively promoting the forum.
