customer acquisition

[busker]

A few years ago, we had a flood of new entrants to the site.  Most were genuine posters, rather than bots or one post wonders.
Then we went through a lull, and then we got a few superb new poets join the site (TqB and Bryn. I'd say Knot too, but he's been around for longer).
But we need more to sustain the site and keep it interesting.

How do we do that, without spending ad dollars on google? Poets are notoriously shy, so social media promotion might not work....or might it?

[TranquillityBase]

If we could somehow make the forum known to the folks who teach poetry in MFA programs across the country.....

In the mid 70s I participated in several poetry workshops while getting my English degree.  In 1990, while pursuing an MA in Creative Writing, I was allowed to teach a poetry workshop.  In both cases, the class consisted of critiques limited to participants in the class.  Honest, enlightening comments were few and far between in both experiences.

I've often thought, if I were teaching a poetry workshop today, how useful an awareness of this forum would be.  I can think of numerous "outside of class" assignments I could develop using Pig Pen as a resource.  That would, I believe, lead to at least some of the serious students to become members on a long term basis.

It may be that poetry workshop teachers in this day and age must be aware of that potential, but then I wonder, are the workshops still taught the same old way?

The trick of course would be how to advertise the forum to those teachers.  The only way I can think of would be labor intensive: compiling a list of MFA faculty and emailing them with an invitation to think about using the forum as part of their curriculum.

[Quixilated]

I have reservations about that particular path. In that scenario, we would need the teachers to make it clear to their students that this is not a “help me with my homework” forum nor a free tutoring service.  The students would need to post valid critique in exchange for posting their own poems.  Also, we don’t work on a deadline.  The critique offered is optional and offered at the pace of the members who give it. We do not have the manpower or setup to be a tutoring service. Our members (and mods) are not paid nor required to critique the poems posted here.  The students and teachers would need to understand that poems might not recieve critique in any reliable time table and might not receive critique at all. We used to frequently have students post a poem and say “it’s due on Monday, help me fix my poem!” without having offered critique and without the intention of sticking around after that one assignment. A transient, labor-intensive member who only wants help and then is gone, might not help the site in the long run. That kind of traffic might exhaust our more long term members, especially if the students are only using us for a one-and-done assignment. I would rather find a way to attract people who are trying to do poetry as a long-term personal choice and not as a one-semester assignment. (However, the poetry teachers themselves would probably make fantastic members.)

[Quixilated]

My other main concern is that, an increase in members means we would need to increase our moderator team, and I haven’t had much success in finding people who are willing to sign up for the task.  When the site was more active, we had a team of eight very active mods/admin who were all sharing the burden. (We currently only have three officially ‘full time, active’ mods/admin).  If we do figure out some good ways to increase our membership, we shouldn’t activate those measures until we have people willing to handle the extra work that an increase in members would require. As much as I would love for the site to be more active, I wouldn’t be able to handle it if we don’t also add more moderators. 

I think we definitely should find ways to increase our membership. I just also want to make sure we are realistic and intentional about what that will mean and how we go about it.

[Tiger the Lion]

I agree about students. Too many drop their poems two days before their deadline then bug off. Having said that, members most times try to help them anyway- says a lot about our members. As far as traffic goes. I would like to think if we doubled active members, at least a few would have the bravery to help mod.   The pay is pretty good from my perspective. 

In terms of the idea in general, teachers and profs might be interesting targets. If you could only reach their students with the fact that critiquing improves writing, you'd really be onto something.

[TranquillityBase]

In terms of the idea in general, teachers and profs might be interesting targets. If you could only reach their students with the fact that critiquing improves writing, you'd really be onto something.

This is what I primarily had in mind: a place where new poets could learn to critique.  Not a place to do their homework.  But I see you guys have had experience with this in the past, so I table my idea.

It seems like the only way social media is going to help is if some somewhat famous poet with lots of followers were to give us a rave review.

Just as an aside, I originally found Pig Pen by Googling "poetry forums" and finding this website:

https://blog.feedspot.com/poetry_forums/

Pig Pen is number 4 on the list.  Used to be lower down, so we must be doing something right.

[brynmawr1]

I also found pigpen via a google search.  One thing that might limit our exposure is that the formatting of the site doesn't work on chrome browsers.  I had to switch to safari.  How's that for dedication?  I use a Mac so not sure how that affects things.

I haunt another forum mostly to read a couple people that I like.  I no longer post because it's useless, but I've thought about PMing the poets I like to nudge them in pigpen's direction.  Just a thought.

[Quixilated]

If you think they’d like it here, then give them a nudge. Perhaps they feel the same way you do about the other site. (Ours is the best one anyway).

I don’t know if there is anything that can be done about the format thing, but I’ll check with Addy just in case.

[busker]

Of course, there is that and there’s the long term plan to make all of us billionaires.
Billy would have none of it, but we’re less conscientious

Only kidding

[Mark A Becker]

Hey all-
People come and go, but those of us who need to do poetry tend to stick around. I've been absent for a month while tending to home remodeling, but always intended to get back to it. I think that occurs with many of us.

The 'core' group we have here is very solid, and always willing to offer sincere critique, and that has made all of us better poets. I submitted a poem that I wokshopped here to a contest, on a lark, and it is now published in the Loudoun County Library annual poetry collection. So, THANK YOU all for helping me polish "Route 9 to Harper's Ferry' !

Busker- I don't know that poets are so shy, but feel that many are terrified by honest critique, and are often at a loss for offering critique. I don't think many new folks check out the valuable resources here, much less even read the rules. Many of those folks seem content to blast away on open sites that don't require critique, to satisfy their urge for instant gratification.

That said, as we cycle through challenges like NaPoMo, there seems to be a natural ebb and flow. Those of us who stick around understand the value that we offer to each other. This site is very good at welcoming new comers, and the sincere ones like what they find.

Just my 2 cents,
Mark

[Mark A Becker]

... if some somewhat famous poet with lots of followers were to give us a rave review.

I don't know about the lots of followers, but would argue that the 'somewhat famous poet' would be you, Tim. 

[TranquillityBase]

... if some somewhat famous poet with lots of followers were to give us a rave review.

I don't know about the lots of followers, but would argue that the 'somewhat famous poet' would be you, Tim. 

I tell all the poets I know, outside of here, what a great place this is.  Unfortunately I only know one: myself.

[Mark A Becker]

I tell all the poets I know, outside of here, what a great place this is.  Unfortunately I only know one: myself.

Talking to yerself again Tim.   

I had a good talk with myself the other day, and really wish I could remember what it was that I was telling myself.  Hmm??  It was probably something about listening better.