Why don't people use the forum?

Yes, that's exactly what I'll do. :-)

Well, there is the 'Today's Posts' feature which presents a 'newsfeed' style list of active topics, but I agree that some user experience improvements to the forum wouldn't go amiss.

Thanks very much for your feedback. I may however, post a Blatant Ad just cuase the forum say I can!! haha

Not everyone "gets" the forum and some of the members I've mentioned it to at meetings find a sense of overwhelm with all the different sections.

I then briefly explain that they don't need to go through all the sections if they don't want to (several sections that I personally rarely click on, expecially with the demise of the recent posts list on the front page).

I also explain that they can chip in on a variety of topics, not just their business area.

Like everything, it has a learning curve and not everyone has the time or inclination to follow that path.

I think forums are a great place for education. I have learnt a lot from here.

I also think that this forum is overwhelming. Despite having a search facility, I have difficulty calling up some of the posts that I know I have seen in the past e.g. how to modify XP to restrict access from IP addresses. I knew that it had been posted about 6 weeks ago but I struggled to find it.

I would like to see the forum more segmented. I would like to see a separate forum for the common areas e.g. accountancy, search engine optimisation etc so we can go to the topics that are of greatest interest.

Gary

There are so many forums out there, but when you find a good one, I think they are great.

Forums are 'old school' to the vast majority of business owners out there.

You only have to look at the reticence of business owners to understand/grasp/utilise social media which have focussed on ease of use and usability etc as part of their design to realise that expecting a business owner to just 'get' using a forum is not going to happen.

To get this forum to attract more usage, engagement...break people into using it gently...etc...you need to focus on providing group/area-centric forums first to feed into the larger fishpond, it's far easier to engage with people you already know if you're unsure/shy whatever about using a forum....break them in and push them through to the larger forums......anyway I've said all this numerous times........notes...documentation etc etc

#thatisall

I use the forum socially. I must admit as our company is growing (thanks to 4N) I'm not on here as much as I used to be but through using the forum I've met some fab people who I would never get to meet at my local meetings. On saying that it's because of the forum i've managed to get some 4sighter's from different areas 

It also means when you go to the 4N Xmas party you walk into a room full of people you alreay know, even though you've never met 

Lets face it. You're just a social animal.

Being at 4N meetings 3 or 4 times a week and then running TLC time sometimes is against me using the forum. However, thats my bad for not prioritising it enough. The forum has been great for me as I've had business from it, I've learnt an aweful lot from it and it helps to cement those 4N relationships that you build up at meetings. I've also made freinds with members before I've even met them.

I've asked people, I've shown people, and I've cajoled people to use the forum but some just don't get it. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Unless people see the real benefit to them then they won't get involved.

Yes I think you might be right Terry. Don't tell Steve though!! He thinks i'm 100% motivated by work!! 

True enough, but remember, 4N users are the cream of the crop. They aren't your ordinary business people. Some pf the best and brightest are here (not me). Agree about the groups / areas, which is what I alluded to in my earlier post. Imagine a sub forum for funding opportunities, by industry sector, by topic type, by technology. Make the individual forums smaller by sub dividing it into something usable.

Gary

Tons of reasons from this thread - thanks!

I think the questions are:

1. Why do people use business forums generally?
2. Why would those people who use forums use a different forum (e.g. LI, UKBF, ecademy etc..)
3. Can we make this forum attractive to those people?
4. Can we make this forum attractive (AND WORTHWHILE) to forum newbies

Having said that, I don't think there is much, if anything, wrong with the forum. Some people just don't want/need