Today's featured rig...

[Gary - K7GLD]

OK, I fully understand the reasoning for NOT alerting owners or forum users to whose truck is featured, in an effort to encourage all users to regularly stop by the main page to check...



BUT, to be perfectly honest and candid, other portions of the main page change so slowly, it becomes an exercise in futility to keep checking it daily and see the same stuff there for the last several weeks - especially at a connect speed of 26. 4 or less...



How about a linked blurb in the forums header naming the owner of the featured rig, so those interested can then jump on over to take a look?



Either that, or else update the main page regularly enough with interesting stuff to actually encourage viewers to go there regularly.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Actually, there's new news items on there almost every week. All 5 of the current news items on the front page are less than a month old for example.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Now Steve - if yer local paper or TV station only changed news weekly or monthly, how often would YOU read or tune in?

 

[Whiskey]

I agree with Gary!!





Whiskey

 

[KatDiesel]

Whys so wrong about coming to the front page everytime, then clicking on "Forums" when your ready to go in... ... ... ... ..... just one click?

 

[SRadke]

I start on the homepage and click on the "what you've missed" button to get me straight to the forums. Are you getting there faster than that? With the new features introduced last month you can narrow even that search down to just what you want.



-Scott

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

To each his own - but on a dialup connection at 26. 4, every unneeded page load counts - and using the main page as startup for theTDR usually exposes us to stuff that we've already seen for at least a week, maybe longer. Now, if I had one of those neat super-duper hi-speed connections, I suppose it wouldn't be as sensitive an issue... OR, maybe try to update the page more frequently with news or items that justify the trip...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Originally posted by Gary - KJ6Q

OR, maybe try to update the page more frequently with news or items that justify the trip...

Got any ideas for that Gary? Robin posts any news she finds that is relevant. That WAS kind of the point of having the featured rig up there - something that would change every day . The magazine shot there changes each time you refresh the page as well. What we're trying to do is get people to look at the front page more so that when we do announce things on there they are aware of them. Our only other option is to load it all up on the forum pages and then you'll be looking at it every time you load a page rather than just once when you come to the site. How about some ideas of what we can do different on the front page? We're open to suggestions. Putting the name of the person who is the featured rig on the forum page would defeat the whole purpose.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

OK, I'm up to the challenge!



How about:



1. A sponsor participation box, over and above the "canned" one that pops up on other pages, where vendors are encouraged to offer a weekly or monthly special on one or more selected items - such as an "extra" 5% off a set of performance injectors - thus the member is motivated to keep checking for a special that HE needs - and the sponsor gets extra exposure.



2. A box where random members names are listed - much like the "featured rig" - and if the member sees hs name, he has X number of hours/days to claim a prize - perhaps another sponsor item that is attractive, but not too costly - again, a good deal for members, and exposure for sponsors.



3. Several listed "most popular" threads, so casual browsers are motivated to look inside for more details - after all, not all who pass this way are members!



4, Members seem to like guessing games - pick a subject or issue, relate it to a contest, like when will the 20,500th member be signed up - and again, a few sponsor provided prizes of appropriate value - shucks, maybe even a free TDR membership/extension...



How's that for a start?