Thoughts/Feedback about a “gathering day”?

[beardie]

Hey all,

I’ve been thinking about ways to boost up the community feeling on the site more. One thing I’ve noticed is that while we may have some 70-100 people a day actually login each day, we’re often only every 3-7 online at a time.

What are your thoughts on a “Gathering time”? I am planning on putting out a newsletter (to kickoff a new Photo Competition, and highlight some recent new articles on the site), and was thinking of including a highlight for that.

The idea being that we would identify some 3-hour period or so and I would send out the communication (and maybe other ways on the site to remind people) to encourage people to join and “hang out”. We could have a running thread for some general chat, etc…

What do you all think? I was figuring the actual day/time would be near the end of the month, and follow a second newsletter email (where I would also be announcing Photo Comp winners).

Ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[Pancake151]

I think that would be a sick idea! However coordinating timezones might pose a slight problem with trying to get the most people active at once

 

[beardie]

However coordinating timezones might pose a slight problem with trying to get the most people active at once

That’s why I was thinking a 3-hour window… it wouldn’t get everyone all at once, but it would have a concentrated period where more people were online at the same time and could chat, etc. Even I probably could be on the whole 3 hours (I’ll try my best but I have 2 kids that are always demanding attention).

 

[beardie]

Heh. I was just thinking, we could go cheesy and call it something like “Beardiefest!”

 

[xp29]

I think it sounds good, my only concern is like pancake151 said. Time zones may make it a little harder for some folks. Most of the people i chat with are mostly on the east coast or mid west so i kindda play tag with them lol.(I'm on the west coast). But i do like the idea.

 

[Axil]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

It might drive more participation if you could set up something like an AMA with someone like a reptile vet/breeder/researcher. Then you could center it around an event.

That would also allow content to be produced to drive engagement outside of the event itself and perhaps lead people to try to make the next one.

Beardyfest sounds like somthing that would be attended physically, but that might be just me.

 

[Claudiusx]

I think it could work quite well, especially if it became a place people had fun logging in to chat with people.

I'm working night shift right now, so you get me when you get me LOL.

-Brandon