| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sean |
Posted - 08/22/2013 : 00:10:01
I made a rule some time back that if FWPT ever got down to only four entrants, or two weeks in a row with five entrants, then I'd retire from FWPT. Anyway, this is now the third consecutive week with only five entrants, so I'm retiring from FWPT (as manager and entrant).
So, that means if FWPT is to keep running then someone else will have to take over. If nobody wants to take over then it's time to retire the competition. Some points to think about:-
a) Numbers of entrants have been steadily dropping for a few years now. E.g, compare competitions from the last year with this one here from 2010; FWPT is a shadow of its former glory. Just for comparison, the last few rounds have interest as follows (from most recent): 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 5, 6, 7, 6, 5, 6, 5. That's an average of 5.7 entries per round for the last three months; with one departure (me) that'll go down to 4.7.
b) Regulars have been steadily departing over the years while no new blood has been added for a very long time. I can't see any reason for this to change, so in my view FWPT's demise is just a matter of time.
c) One withdrawal of a regular will mean that voters will be voting for every other entrant on a regular basis (with only four entrants, you vote for the other three). I won't be entering FWPT again so this will be the case from next week.
d) Irrespective of numbers of entrants, we're getting into 'recycling' mode here, many entries have been seen in previous rounds, and some winners are unsuccessful entries from previous rounds.
So, I guess if the winner of the current round ([matt]) wants to pick a new porn star then I'll run it for one more round while people think about it. Thoughts? Post away...
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sean |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 23:51:49
quote:
Originally posted by benj clews
As long as I'm still thinking up fwfrs this site will be here- after all, it was mostly just me for the first 2+ years, so I wouldn't worry about that.
The site seems to run itself nicely anyway (as far as I'm aware) with helpers (MERPs etc). I didn't perceive a problem with the site in general, it's just that I lost interest in running FWPT for myself and four other people. FWPT and FWTO and the Avatar comp were only spinoffs of the main function of the site anyway.
quote:
You're also making it pretty clear to me I need to make the top reviews more front and centre too. Keep it coming
I'd agree with this. I've always seen the top reviews as the main point in the site, i.e., there're a few hundred / thousand great reviews and hundreds of thousands of more 'pedestrian' reviews, so the sooner new arrivals see those the sooner they'll cotton onto the main thing that's kept some users here for many years. Perhaps put something on the front page that displays a few of the Top 500/1000 and cycles through the rest randomly or something? With a prominent link to the rest (the Top Reviews page)? |
| benj clews |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 20:14:48
As long as I'm still thinking up fwfrs this site will be here- after all, it was mostly just me for the first 2+ years, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Personally, I feel the biggest issues are of accessibility and visibility, in other words making fwfr work on mobile devices and getting it high(er) up Google's rankings. If I can make headway on those we'll be in a much stronger position than we currently are.
I'd love to do an app but I've only played around with iPhone development so far and am aware this alienates quite a few Android users. A mobile (browser-based) version of the site is most likely the route I'd take- initially just for reading reviews before building in review submitting functionality.
You're also making it pretty clear to me I need to make the top reviews more front and centre too. Keep it coming |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 19:59:56
I don't have any deep suggestions myself, but I DO promote it on Facebook regularly and do NOT want to see anything go by the wayside. Having said that, I tend to choose reviews from the top 100 or so to use as examples and it is hard to find the list of overall top reviews. Aw well. Hopefully, nothing dies a natural or unnatural death. I love this site! |
| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 10:36:31
Well, I'm not sure how to promote the site. My review of our book is my best performing article on Yahoo! Voices, with my review of this site in 4th place.
I'm wondering if the site might benefit from an iPad and/or iPhone version. |
| benj clews |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 09:32:34
Will be sad to see it go but yeah- if we don't have the numbers it's a bit embarrassing to keep it going.
I agree the site in general seems to be in decline. The design could definitely be improved but possibly worse is our web ranking. We simply aren't anywhere near as visible as we used to be and whilst it's tempting to blame this on the site design also, that doesn't hold as the old site is still up and running. It's largely a case of google changing their algorithms and me not having kept up with the times.
I've also been largely non-present so I can further my skills professionally and so I've not been refining the site or extending it to other mediums (FB, Twitter, apps, mobile site) as I'd planned. On this matter, I'm just finishing off my first iPhone app and will then be back on proper web development
Now, even more than ever, I'd be interested in what you think should be the priority in moving forward and getting people interested in the site again. Then, of course, we can work on getting things like FWPT revived.
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| Sean |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 06:12:48
quote:
Originally posted by lemmycaution
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
c) One withdrawal of a regular will mean that voters will be voting for every other entrant on a regular basis (with only four entrants, you vote for the other three). I won't be entering FWPT again so this will be the case from next week.
This is the point I was addressing with my lurker vote post. if five or six irregulars opt to vote each week, there will not be the "you vote for the other three" issue.
Ah, gotcha. Still, if there are rounds with only four entries, then the entrants will be forced to vote for the other three (even if they don't like them) irrespective of lurkers. At that level the competition will have lost its purpose, i.e., where you vote for all entrants and most or all are 'winners'. |
| lemmycaution |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 05:41:42
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
c) One withdrawal of a regular will mean that voters will be voting for every other entrant on a regular basis (with only four entrants, you vote for the other three). I won't be entering FWPT again so this will be the case from next week.
This is the point I was addressing with my lurker vote post. if five or six irregulars opt to vote each week, there will not be the "you vote for the other three" issue. |
| Sean |
Posted - 08/24/2013 : 04:51:01
quote:
Originally posted by lemmycaution
I will be glad to lurker vote regularly when not entered if that will help.
Voting isn't really the issue these days (thanks though!), lately there's been a 100% voting rate. The issue comes down to the number of entrants, it's at the point where there's no longer much sense in keeping it running for a group of five regulars. |
| lemmycaution |
Posted - 08/23/2013 : 21:29:01
Always sorry to see any part of FWFR fall by the wayside.
I am not a FWPT regular but I do jump in from time to time if the victim interests me.
I will be glad to lurker vote regularly when not entered if that will help. |
| TitanPa |
Posted - 08/23/2013 : 12:30:48
It seems to me that we get more regulars involved when we dont do traditional actors/acrtesses and we do a topic with broad spectrums.
ex: Superheros, Artists, Books, etc... |
| [matt] |
Posted - 08/23/2013 : 08:21:18
Cheers for the link. It's strange that there were so many regulars back then but they're nowhere to be seen now. |
| Sean |
Posted - 08/23/2013 : 02:19:31
BTW, here's the link to the first round of this competition.
Initially subsequent rounds were called "FWPR" (Four Word Porn Reviews) and in the 'Games and contests' / 'Other' section, before ultimately being moved into their own section.
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| Sean |
Posted - 08/22/2013 : 22:52:05
Well, as expected, it seems nobody thinks there's much point keeping it running with such little interest. 
quote:
Originally posted by Cheese_Ed
I think the last contest should be FWPT FWTOs.
I like this idea, but as [matt] pointed out FWTO/FWPT fusion has been used before here.
Unless there are any other ideas, I'll start the final round within a few hours.
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| [matt] |
Posted - 08/22/2013 : 15:59:10
This is very sad. The numbers have become a bit pathetic though.
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
b) Regulars have been steadily departing over the years while no new blood has been added for a very long time. I can't see any reason for this to change...
This is an issue on the site in general, not just in the Fourum. I don't know why the old regulars have drifted away like they have, but as for the lack of new blood, to be honest I think it's down to the design of the site.
For a start, it doesn't make a good first impression on newcomers. The homepage shows the most recent reviews, but a lot of these don't show off the kind of wit, humour and wordplay that makes the site appealing. Whenever I'm telling someone about the site, I show them the all-time top reviews as I find it's the quickest way to make people 'get it'. The link to view the top reviews, however, is hidden down in the footer where you'd never find it unless you went looking.
For people who do decide to sign up and submit some reviews, the Fourum competitions are kind of buried. There's no mention of the FWPT/FWTO anywhere on the site, nor of the FYCTH if you want to get your reviews voted on. I remember only finding out about it all because someone (possibly demonic?) sent me a message inviting me to join in.
I've been meaning to make a few suggestions to benj about how the introduction to the site and Fourum could potentially be improved. (I work out/oversee online user journeys a fair amount in my job.)
Until the numbers pick up though, I agree that it's silly to have the contests limping on. Although I will miss them. 
Perhaps we can think of it as an indefinite hiatus with a view to starting it up again if and when we get a few more people returning to/joining the site?
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| Chris C |
Posted - 08/22/2013 : 06:34:30
Sadly, I think it is inevitable.
Unfortunately, I think that FWTO is starting to go the same way , but I can't confirm it until I check the numbers. However, FWTO will continue for the moment.
RIP FWPT  |
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