Anonymous 234 Share Posted January 1, 2020 For lack of a better title... To keep a long story short, I am an admin on a site that has been around for quite some time. Over the years the site has seen a lot of ups and downs. People come and go, it's just part of the territory. But over the past 2 years I have seen activity become more and more stagnant. I take partial responsibility because the past year has not been the best for me mentally, and I really have not been feeling the roleplay vibe at all. Even as I write this, I struggle. Which has also encouraged me to reach out here. I feel a lot of why the site has been so quiet is due to some drama that happened a while back the site not really changing much during the aftermath. It's also really starting to look dead. There's no way around it. We don't have contests anymore, and, with photobucket being the pile of garbage that it is, some of the images are either broken or have that stupid ass watermark. The other staff have been around but head admins have been busy with their own thing, outside of the site, and honestly have not been too active. Though to their credit, they are there if anybody needs them, they haven't abandoned the site completely. What I'm asking here is, when and how should I approach them? I am planning on bringing it up to them and the rest of the staff but I don't want to just drop it. Is waiting until I myself am in a better place the right approach? Or would it be better to just be like 'look, here's how I feel..'? I mean, I guess the latter should be obvious but I'm worried that my opinions would conflict with their vision of the site. It is their site, I don't plan on taking it from them; goodness I don't even know how to code anything outside of basic BBCode used in posts. I also want to get member opinions as well. There are still people who rp regularly and I want the site to continue being a place where people can come and go, and it will always be there if they need a break from life, another rp site, or whatever. I really just want to breathe some life into one of the only sites I have ever roleplayed on as well as learn to be a better admin. Consider it my new year's resolution. (It actually took me until now to find the best way to put my thoughts... If they're reading this and know, I don't mean any ill will, I swear, I just think something needs to be done and need advice) Anonymous poster hash: 8a0c7...3f3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx 317 Share Posted January 1, 2020 I'm not sure what you would quantify as a "better place" for yourself. But I'll be honest and say that, as an admin, if someone came to me with a list of things they thought needed to be changed and wouldn't offer to help with any of them? I'd be pissed. I've always been of the mindset that if you point out a problem, you should also offer a solution. And it sounds like there may be a chance that the admin team feels overwhelmed with everything that needs to be fixed and/or has lost interest because of the site getting slow. I think that if you offer to help do some sprucing up, your message will be much better received. And who knows? Your love and activity may be just what's needed. I would start with a direct but polite message explaining that you think the site could use a little pick-me-up, noting a few things you think need to be urgently changed, and offering solutions. Be clear that you wish to help carry out these changes yourself. If the other staff shuts you down on that, well, that's that. If not, then cool! You have a to-do list and a plan for how to finish it. I don't know what your site's genre is or anything like that, but honestly, a little can go a long way. Give your existing members something shiny. A new skin, posting templates, miniprofile, species, or membergroup. New toys generate interest, which is a perfect time to start hosting events or dropping new plots. Once your activity is back up, start advertising more and getting in new members. But before all this: be honest with yourself. Can you commit to the level of action and energy that is required to revive a dead site? Can you keep those levels for at least three months? Will your co-staffers step back and make you do everything to fix things up? Will the site just end up in another slump a year or two later because staff has stopped caring again? I think you and your fellow staffers could do a lot to turn things around, but it might also be worth asking yourself if it's time to let the site go and you're only fighting for it on behalf of your memories rather than the enjoyment it gives you now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bekah Share Posted January 1, 2020 I agree with Jaxx, approaching the admins with the offer to help in someway is the way to go. Even if you can't code, perhaps offer to help come up with new events or a new twist on the rp's plot. Offer assistance in moderating the site that might help a lot, especially if the admins are overwhelmed. But like Jaxx said, if they refuse the help that's up to them. Perhaps consider starting your own forum if you are desperately in need of a better place 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophetess 137 Share Posted January 1, 2020 (edited) This is the time of year that everyone has slumps most of all. The holidays can be hell since everyone is doing their life things and family things. Even I've been a little lax in things with the holidays on deck. Every time that I've gone through a slump, I've looked at things. I have an open door policy with staff and members to voice things to me. I don't mind everyone coming to me with suggestions, but it does feel a bit like an attack (to me) if someone comes to me and dumps a bunch of things that they're upset about and not offering to help with it. Talk to the other staff, some people just have a lot going on. If that's the case maybe try some different methods or offer things that could help (a new review, changing up your ad, offer things the members can help with) and see where that goes. I know as an Admin, if I have a lot on my desk it takes away from the posting. If everyone's pretty much done then maybe it's time to move on. If the other staff are done, see about offering sites to the members in the same genre. Something I've done, Photobucket is a dumpster fire. TinyPic is gone. I use a certain site (Imgur) for keeping the pics we use. There's other sites as well but that's something to look into about that. On a personal note, if you're not feeling it anymore it's a good bet that maybe it's time to move on. Look into other sites to see if they spark something for you. Maybe pick up a side site until the slump is over. Sometimes a little something new can spark things back to life. It may even spark you on your main site to start something new. Edited January 1, 2020 by Prophetess Because after thoughts are murder. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindxsecrets 15 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I agree with pretty much everything said here. I understand slumps and not being of the right mind-set to really devote much time (or have a whole lot of motivation) to roleplay. It comes and goes for me, and a lack of activity can definitely play a hand in that. But really, there's not much you can do when that happens except decide to wait longer to do something, or knuckle down and make yourself do little things so you get your feet wet again before you jump in headfirst. I'd propose one or two things to the staff, and of course clarify that if they need/want help with the suggestion (assuming they go for it) that you will be more than happy to help implement whatever it is. I wouldn't put a big laundry list of things before them at first, I'd start small and tackle/finish one thing, then make another suggestion, etc. Or maybe a few little things and see how that goes. Perhaps also ask them if they would mind some member input or suggestions on your ideas, or the site as a whole in an effort to increase activity, or at the very least member participation? IDK. Just my two cents, lol. As for images, I use http://nickpic.host/ and it's a godsend. It's made for RPers, too. 😄 4 The Society Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hexiva 4 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I've been there. I think you might start by asking the head honchos if they have any plans to address the more obvious issues, such as broken images, and then ask about the inactivity. See what they've been thinking about this, before offering your own solutions. 1 Welcome to the Anomaly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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