Membership Sister Sites

[Midian 4]

My staff and I have been toying with the idea of reintroducing the idea of sister sites for our site.  I would think that sites that are sisters would vote for each other on the topsites and review each other's sites.

 

Anyone have an opinion as to what that involve other than standard link sharing?

Edited June 13, 2017 by Midian Minos

[anthrxmilkshake 86]

I have been actually toying with this idea myself, though I think I would only sister site to sites owned by my RP friends. I've also thought about making sure the sister sites are easily seen at the top of the forum, while all others are at the base of the forum. I'm not so sure about the voting things, especially if it comes down to the two sites competing in something like a challenge on the D, or here, for instance, but top sites could be also advertised on eachothers sites, maybe? 

 

I also know that I saw a while back a couple of sister sites helping eachother out by creating a crossover plotline between them, which was incredibly fun I noticed. Not sure how it would work, but they managed it.

[Death Kitten 200]

People do a lot of different types of link exchanges and I don't often see a consistent definition for any name. I do only one type of link exchange myself, and it's pretty much what you're calling a sister site. I only make these exchanges with people I consider friends, and typically I play in their game also.

 

I do like the idea of a cross game plot, but I'm not sure how to make something like that work in a way that's not awkward for players, so I haven't seriously considered it. Otherwise it's mostly just encouraging players from sister sites to socialize together, helping each other out with things like voting on ranked site listings, and fostering good admin team friendships and support. Things that make the connection more than just a link exchange.

[CovertSphinx 710]

I usually just have one section of site links. That's it. Just regular affiliates. If I ever bring "Sister Sites" back, I think I would limit it to only sites owned/run/populated by members who are also on my board.  This is because I believe "Sister" should be a closer affiliation than "oh look, here's other sites similar". I think @Death Kitten has the right idea of only accepting affiliates who are "sisters" to begin with.

[Rune 1,099]

I'm with them. If I brought them back I'd try to limit it to the same genre/boards ran by people I'm friends with/boards we share members with or something along those lines. 

 

For example, I'd consider putting most of the active members of The Initiative on a sister site spot, since I chat with them fairly often and you guys put up with my shit.

[Sage 289]

I think sister sites can be a great practice! Being friendly among games beyond just regular affiliates is an awesome idea and I'd love to see it implemented more.

 

But as long as two sites aren't actively competing against each other for something, I would totally be behind voting for a sister site somewhere. I think it could also be fun to exchange ideas for plots and characters, maybe run some events in tandem, hold your own contests and friendly rivalries...the whole point of being sisters is to promote a friendly, yet competitive, atmosphere I feel.

[Midian 4]

I like the friendly competition concept and branching out to other fandoms to get a wide spectrum of support.

 

One of my first sites I joined did a sister site system where all their sister sites were connected but at different points in time (the one I was on took place in the modern time, but there was a site that took place in the 1970s, and another in the Dark Ages).  We all were members on each board and coordinated plots.  I think that became obsolete when you can just create a subboard that allows for RPing outside of the site's time frame.

[Uaithne 543]

Ooh, this sounds neat. For my affiliates, I have a pinned thread of "affiliate news" for my regular affiliates, but I'd love to do more for some of them that I know more personally.

 

I've had experience running an event between two sites. I'll write about that later in another thread if I have time (don't want to get derailed here) since there are some challenges with it.

[Sage 289]

@Midian Minos I don't think alternate time subboards make that idea obsolete! Users will rarely spend more than a thread or two in those subboards, but a whole other board dedicated to a particular time opens up a whole different avenue of setting and plot. I think if you did it right, that idea could still work, especially if, instead of using subboards, those subboard links redirected to the sister sites!

 

@Uaithne I love your affiliate news feature - I think that's awesome. But I'm interested to see what else you would include with a sister site for it!

[Uaithne 543]

@Sage, one could always put their latest news in the forum description so it's visible from the home page. Or give them their own account and a pinned thread that they can update as they please.

[Midian 4]

Idea! A Doctor Who site becomes sister sites with other sites and then they agree to let the Doctor appear in each of them, altering their storyline slightly.

[Sage 289]

@Midian Minos That's a really cool idea! A very unique way of tying different sites together.

[CovertSphinx 710]

On 6/14/2017 at 10:26 PM, Midian Minos said:

Idea! A Doctor Who site becomes sister sites with other sites and then they agree to let the Doctor appear in each of them, altering their storyline slightly.

 

I would really enjoy that as well. That sounds amusingly fun - like an entertaining "Filler" episode or "Guest Starring"

[The Duchess 8]

I've considered this before; coding a certain area where their images are bigger than a normal affiliate button specifically for sister sites. Though, I'm not sure I'd expect them to vote for my site over their own. But more so, if their site doesn't work for a guest that they might push them our way in case we might be.  I don't know, it's such a tricky area I suppose.