What do you do when membership drops off?

This is a big problem with my site. Usually, we manage activity around 5 people. in and of itself, this is bad. Lately, though, it's just been one member and myself. Even the two who have been around since the beginning have stopped participating.

I feel that I've done everything I can to promote the site and still, no new members. I'm not willing to throw in the towel just yet, I'm stubborn like that. So, I'd like to know what others do in situations like this.

 

Honestly, there's only one thing you can do: hit the ground running and keep trying. Advertise by word of mouth! Hit up directories! Use social media. You've just gotta keep on trying!

 

5 people isn't bad, as long as they're all writing.

 

Right, sadly, at the moment, there's just 2 of us. One quit when she became a published author and the other two just stopped participating.

 

I can totally relate to the "published author" quits. I've lost at least 3 players to self publishing in the last 2 years. :(

Only thing you can really do is get new players and cross your fingers and hope the new peeps don't have aspirations of getting published too.

 

She's not a major loss, she kept ignoring some of the rules and defying others plus she liked to control and direct where the story went- usually around HER characters.

It's the two that quit that bothers me. They were the last of the originals to the group. Granted, I understand that it's RL B4 RP, one got married and a new job, the other also got a new job and has kids to raise. It just sucks that they no longer have the time to devote to their characters.

 

The signature you're using here, that isn't your RPG site is it? I ask because I was about to look at your site and give you some feedback.

 

yes, it is and feedback is welcome.

 

I see. Right from the start the design of your site is lacking considerably. For the most part there isn't anything for a prospective member to be attracted to, nor would I say a current member to stay around too long. I would recommend having a look at some of the more successful sites, see how they are set up. Looks are everything for many people these days, the site host plays a big part in that as well.

 

I'm going to start a thread looking for constructive suggestions for my site. That way this can keep to the topic of the origianl post.

 

That would help tremendously and good luck with it.

 

Posted here > Looking for suggestions on site improvement

 

Back in the early days when my site was a newbie Neopets guild, I spent some time alone on the little 'forums' but I never gave up, and 14 years later, it's really paid off! Don't let these periods get to you - advertise your face off, hit as many directories as possible, make your site the best it can be. Put out wanted ads, chat people up, put the link in every signature on every site you can manage.

I'll check out that topic, too, and good luck! <3

 

Something I've learned really helps, and to this day over the course of managing boards for ten years is something that proves quite crucial, is make sure you're close friends with your original members. This way here, in the event that anything happens where membership drops off, at least the friends you're keeping in touch with are there. If they're interested in your latest endeavors, that's a plus. Show them the site and ask, "Hey, so, wanna rejoin?" Paraphrasing, of course. I got quite a few friends of ten plus years from simply doing that, and a few more who dropped off the RP scene who still keep in touch.

Right now, my site has 8 members registered, with possibly a few more coming on board. I say possibly because, let's face it, they prospect and then say, "Meh." But stay in touch regardless. Cool for them, but yo...lemme know why you don't wanna join, y'know?

 

Sadly it's those members and friends who've dropped off. one got married and a new job, another got a new job and is raising 2 kids. The third,- she became a self-published writer, got married, is raising two girls, and recently lost her husband.

We keep in touch but it doesn't look like any of them are coming back anytime soon

 

Man, that stinks :|
What's worse, is when they say they may come back, tease it with a membership, and then just leave it at that, not even introduce themselves.

 

That's as bad as them coming back- saying they have a story they want to run- and then disappear midway through the story. See, at my site, we don't have a designated storyteller. If we did. he or she would probably have an easy time of it. Our stories are idea brought on by the members. Basically, if you have an idea you want to run with, go for it- but you start the thread and you act as the storyteller for that thread.

Some members like this- giving them an opportunity to run something, other people not so much. They'd rather have a designated storyteller over the entire venue.

Me- I'm a happy camper when I don't feel like "if I don't post, no one will"

 

That's basically the mentality I've adopted at my own site in recent years, sad to say.

 

I feel you. I have been there, and done that!

What has worked for me in the past is recruitment drives, paid advertisements on RPG sites, and working my tail off making new plots and the like that people can just jump right into. I have also contacted former players and asked them to come back, and point blank asked people to join.

 

I would love to know how to do a recruitment drive, but that's another discussion thread