I wanted to make some banners quickly as these were long over due. Here’s what I did: I wanted a color scheme to identify the forum, so I went to the Gardasil and Cervarix websites to see what they used. Pinks and purples were popular, so I took that as guidance. I originally thought pink would be cliche, but given the marketing budgets of the companies behind those products, I figured, “hey, if their research determined that those were appropriate, then why not?” Incidentally, I attended the internal launch of Cervarix in 2005 in Belgium, so I have an idea how much money actually is behind that product (I originally thought about using red as in Redbook).
Then I searched the Feedback forum for descriptions made by people who have actually been in the Women’s forum and quoted them. I was actually asked to tone down the ones I originally planned to use.
Please suggest other ways to promote that forum, as well as more ways to describe it
I think the real issue is that, in order to get to the women’s forum, one has first to join Forumosa and then realize that there IS a women’s forum. Banners would help with that, but the truth is that if we’re the rare kind of women who can hangout with the boys on a regular basis, we do. If we are like most women who don’t like the cut of the jib around here, we are not going to wade through the site to get to the women’s forum.
I like having the women’s forum and do use it at times. I’m just saying that if I didn’t like greater Forumosa, I would not come just to use the women’s forum. I’d just call up my girlfriends on the phone, or send an email.
In fact, if you’re interested, the ONLY women’s forum of any kind that I’ve ever seen and felt was successful were preganancy related, and most women there didn’t keep posting for years like we do here. It works because there are always women getting pregnant (or trying to, or hoping they didn’t) and looking for resources on-line. Always fresh meat for a woman specific market that will always keep renewing itself.
Oh, and Gardasil and Cervarix are products for women’s vaginal health. The women you’re targeting here, Goose Egg, are adventurous types living in a foreign country, looking to get or share info about their lives as related to this adventure–not talking to their gynos about cancer(though Gradasil and Cervarix are things that we would discus in teh women’s forum). (But I WAS impressed with your thought process!)
Thank you, housecat - what you say here make plain sense, and I do not believe I could ever have thought this out on my own.
Both Maoman and I have separately been meeting more people at the Community Services Center - we could place Women’s Forum flyers, bookmarks, etc there, and on the bulletin boards of popular Mandarin schools (MTC, etc). Would it be a good idea to add a permanent link to the Women’s Forum at the top that would be seen when one is not logged in (i.e. prospective Forumosans)?
[quote=“Goose Egg”]Thank you, housecat - what you say here make plain sense, and I do not believe I could ever have thought this out on my own.
Both Maoman and I have separately been meeting more people at the Community Services Center - we could place Women’s Forum flyers, bookmarks, etc there, and on the bulletin boards of popular Mandarin schools (MTC, etc). Would it be a good idea to add a permanent link to the Women’s Forum at the top that would be seen when one is not logged in (i.e. prospective Forumosans)?[/quote]
That’s a good idea, Goose Egg, but if there’s a way to log in to only the women’s forum (is that what you’re saying, exactly?) then how do we have any pretense of keeping the forum “women only?” Currently you must become a member, then PM the women’s forum mod, so there’s at least some sort of process of stating, or implying, that you are indeed a woman before you’re given access to the women’s forum. Without this, it’s pointless to even have the seperate forum.
I guess you could still make logging in a two step process for brand new members who are interested in the women’s forum, so that they still will have to PM the lady mod?
[quote=“Goose Egg”] Would it be a good idea to add a permanent link to the Women’s Forum at the top that would be seen when one is not logged in (i.e. prospective Forumosans)?[/quote] YES, YES, YES! I have been saying that for so long that I had pretty much given up. It was like beating a dead horse. I couldn’t figure out why this suggestion kept being ignored again and again. Then one of the hatemongers would start on about how we shouldn’t have it at all, discussion would cease, and then a year later start up again.
Just make it VISIBLE to people who are not logged in. Easy.
Sorry to shout, but this has been frustrating for me. There is a simple solution - and you just hit on it. Well done.
Ah. I didn’t even realize you had to be logged in already to even see the banners! I can understand Kage’s frustration if she’s been pointing that out for so long.
So you didn’t mean a way to join only the women’s forum, just a way of seeing that it exists before logging in. Well, yes, of course you should do this!
And you should make the process of accessing it clear. Lots of threads have been started asking how to join the women’s forum because new users have to first stumble across a thread mentioning it, then feel confused when they can’t find it, then start a thread to ask about it. You want to make it OBVIOUS that this forum exists and how to access it.
Somehow HC, there is also a need for women to talk about it. I know quite a few women on this forum personally and not one mentioned it…when I did find about it (on the boards), I thought it was an inside circle thingy for long timer women forumosans. I guess, I am trying to say, that the admin. is responsible for advertising it but women should be more inclusive too.
You know like guys saying, ‘hey you wanna come to curry night???’ we could also ask, wanna join us ladies???
Your insights are great. And Goose egg thank you for all the effort you put in.
[quote=“divea”]Somehow HC, there is also a need for women to talk about it. I know quite a few women on this forum personally and not one mentioned it…when I did find about it (on the boards), I thought it was an inside circle thingy for long timer women forumosans. I guess, I am trying to say, that the admin. is responsible for advertising it but women should be more inclusive too.
You know like guys saying, ‘hey you wanna come to curry night???’ we could also ask, wanna join us ladies???
Your insights are great. And Goose egg thank you for all the effort you put in.[/quote]
That’s right, Divea–'cause we’re women! But it’s not always obvious that a new poster is a woman. Sorry that you didn’t feel like you could joing the women’s forum right away.
Part of the problem with this right now is also that it’s a bit like extending an invitation to watch paint dry. “Hey, new gril, would you like to join us this weekend? We painted a new room yesterday and we’re all gonna go sit in it and watch the walls dry out!”
This should get better with more membership, but it’s hard to get the membership without the excitement! I’m afraid I’m not insightful enough to solve this dilema.
Not always, but most of the time, I just say whatever I need to say, or ask whatever I need to ask, on the regular boards. And so do you. And that’s the problem with advice from us–we aren’t overly put off by boards on a regular basis. I can fully understand why many women are, but I’m not one of them. The members who almost exclusively post in the women’s forum, obviously, aren’t going to post here.
I actually don’t think that an option of only joining the Women’s forum is a bad idea, if we could be sure to keep it female only.
I also dunno what the admin are targeting?? I mean why are they targeting women. Why do they want more women in the women’s forum. I am not being obtuse, its just that, is it for ads??? or is it for women on other forums to come here??? Or is it for Forumosan ladies, to get a break from guys once in a while. I like it the way it is now, just feel it should be better advertised is all. Its good to know kage, you and others on the main forum but to also be able to discuss things behind the men’s backs if need be.
A public women’s forum, would be like having a whole new set of other people. Okay I am not being very clear neva mind.
HC dont worry about me feeling unwelcome, I assume a lot. My fault.
[quote=“housecat”]Ah. I didn’t even realize you had to be logged in already to even see the banners![/quote] not the banners - those are brand new. I meant the actual link you click on to get into the forum that is way down toward the bottom of the forum board index and ONLY VISIBLE IF YOU ARE LOGGED ON. Thanks for acknowledging that, housecat and Gus. FInally!
Yes, well, that too. I guess because I was here before the women’s forum, and I’ve been a member of women’s forum for a long time and can see the new posts, I don’t even think about where the link is because I don’t need it. That’s the problem.
Of course, if you’re new and NEED the link, then it’s an even larger problem. Making it visable when you’re not logged in just makes so much sense.
[quote=“housecat”]Of course, if you’re new and NEED the link, then it’s an even larger problem. Making it visable when you’re not logged in just makes so much sense.[/quote] Yes, it does.
I need to figure out a way to communicate better, as I am not eloquent enough to avoid being dismissed. I am so relieved others finally see what I have been on about. Thank you. Fingers crossed this very simple solution can be addressed.
This is also a good point because you have to be a Forumosan first to become a Forumosan woman. That’s what I’m saying about being able to ONLY join the women’s forum.
Originally, I believe the women’s forum came about because the boys can be pretty rough. It does at times take a very thick skin to hang out here. It may be normal for guys to relate to eachother this way, but women generally do not and don’t enjoy it so much. It’s the reason why Thanksgivings are usually segregated (men watching the game on t.v. / women in the kitchen) and why women generally don’t continue to hang out in bars and clubs into their middle ages like men sometimes do.
But on a public forum, it’s not possible to tell if a new poster is a man or a woman and the boys usually just treat any new, ambiguous, poster as another boy. Many women then get put off and don’t bother to keep posting. Or those who do, still will not use Forumosa to ask about or discuss certain typs of issues because the guys are sure to be so snide or glib.
And my thinking is that, as successful as this site is with men, it’s almost entirely neglectful of half the demographics of it’s target user. That’s what I think the admins are trying to address. That’s why I don’t think they can ever successfully address it by making women go through greater Forumosa to access the women’s forum.
I’m sorry you felt ignored, kage. Ignoring you was not intentional, although I recognize that I do not read enough of even the Feedback Forum regularly or enough.
Normally, the best way to get our attention is to send email to admin (at) forumosa.com. If you are in North America, you can also leave a voice message at my Google Voice number (646 867-3432). If you want to PM us, please copy in Maoman - you should also be able to Group PM the Administrators Group as well.
The link to the Women’s Forum in the Site map at the bottom of the forum pages should be visible whether you are logged in or not. I agree that being tucked all the way down there is only marginally valuable to begin with.
I have already added he non-logged-in link at the top of Forumosa. Pls feel free to suggest other ways we can make the site more accessible.
Note: there is an RSS feed for the Women’s Forum as well, but I believe your reader (browser) would have to be logged into Forumosa somehow for you to access the content.
Yes, this was the reason we were told when others suggested a private forum be created.
[quote=“housecat”]That’s why I don’t think they can ever successfully address it by making women go through greater Forumosa to access the women’s forum.[/quote]I do not see how we can get around registering on Forumosa to access the Women’s forum. I would like to promote the forum’s existence, and make registering and accessing it easier somehow. The Women’s Forum should appear at the top of the Discussion Category - would it make any difference to reposition it at the top of the Life category - above the Events forum?
I just logged out and I can see the link to the women’s forum there at top right, but can you make it show up in the same place once you’re logged in? If a non-women’s forum member clicked it while logged in, could you send them to the tiny little “Why” link page? That way, they could still see it when logged in and would instantly be told how to join it. As it is, if I didn’t know about the women’s forum, but saw it before I logged in, it would be confusing that it went away once I logged in.
Also, I use the auto log-in feature, so I still wouldn’t even pay attention to the front page (or whatever you call it), so yes, I do think it would be helpful to have it at the top of the discussion category and that it should link to that “why” page if clicked by non-members.
Also, just a bit of grammar, but naming the link “Women’s only forum” technically means that this is the only forum for women. “Women only forum” would be better.
CHRIST ON A BIKE, that’s HILARIOUS! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
Seriously, you are pure comedy gold. Thanking for making my day! I’m imagining the convo in the virtual flob towers: ‘What gets the chix clicking their mouses? I know! Genital warts!’
[quote=“Buttercup”]CHRIST ON A BIKE, that’s HILARIOUS! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
Seriously, you are pure comedy gold. Thanking for making my day! I’m imagining the convo in the virtual flob towers: ‘What gets the chix clicking their mouses? I know! Genital warts!’
Buttercup, you just crack me UP!! I did have to respect the guy for TRYING to think it through, but yes, it cracked me up too. YOU cracked me up even more, though, with your mouse clicking for genetal warts conceptualizing! Hehehehehe! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
(I originally thought about using red as in Redbook).
Thanks for understanding.