What Should NEW Members KNOW?

[Adina P]

I would like to come up with some more permanent pages on DK.  Pages that we can easily direct members to when they ask very commonly asked questions.  It can be specific to groups (like the Food Group, Puppy Madness, Grooming, etc) or general types of questions. 

So think about "What did you first wish you knew when you joined the site?" and "To what info do you think members need quick and easy access?"

If, for example, some of these pages work well in certain groups each group can link to those pages and the pages can in turn link back to the groups if members have further questions. 

Right now every new member gets a link to this welcome page with BASIC info on using the site: http://www.doodlekisses.com/notes/Welcome_to_Doodle_Kisses!! -- But I'd like to create more than this and have specifics about the doodle experience AND using the site...for those who want more info.

So...shout out your brilliant ideas!

[Adina P]

You should have gotten a message from me on your page when you first joined that welcomed you and gave you a link to the Welcome Page for further reading about how to work the site, etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I really think the "Extra" tab should have a new name...Maybe "About Doodle Kisses" or "Important Info" or "FAQs" or "new Members Click Here", or something that lets people know there are guidelines and other important info there and it isn't just fun stuff or links...that's what "extra" usually is on many other websites...just extra, superfluous stuff.

[F, Calla & Luca]

FAQ is good since it's short. Of course some people may not know that.

[Adina P]

I agree. But it can only hold a limited number of characters so it would need a SHORT name like ABOUT or FAQ except it has more than FAQ stuff in it...there's a separate FAQ page. Pages in the Extra section, sadly, can NOT be renamed but the tab can be.

[Sandi]

I never checked out that tab. -- will now! Maybe it needs to have it's own tab......

[F, Calla & Luca]

Would you have looked under FAQ?

[Sandi]

Yes, FAQ would be better for me. Extras implies (to me) things like romps or shows.

I should have picked up on the the link when I joined, but then would have deleted the email and would never be able to find the link again.

[Adina P]

Except it is on your page...where the message will remain until you delete it. Definitely check out your page =)

[Sandi]

So sorry, just found it under inbox.

[Adina P]

Please don't apologize. If where I welcome members isn't working...I need to know. Unfortunately if it is NOT working then I don't know until members like you pop in and hint at it. The ones it didn't work for will never know enough to say anything about it.

[Sandi]

Since I've jumped into this discussion, I wonder if each new member could become a member of a Group entitled "Newbie" but membership would only be for a limited time (possibly 90 days). This would give us time to ask all the "dumb" questions. I realize that this might require more monitoring, but it might eliminate some of the repetitive questions.

This all being said, I also belong to a Rottweiler Forum and I often find myself saying out loud "oh my gosh, I'm glad this Doodle question wasn't asked on the Rottie site!" Doodle folks are much more patient!

[Adina P]

That would work quite well but unfortunately there is no way to have newbies automatically join a group or limit membership time. The sticky point is that some people join to ask a question or two...that's it. Not everyone loves social networks and being online frequently to discuss doodle stuff...even if they ADORE their own doodle, online forums are just not 'their thing.' So they join to ask a question and that's more or less all they want. How to get THOSE types of members to read FAQ's in the first place of a place they'll rarely visit...THAT is the tough part. Each member, upon joining, also must say "YES" to having read our community guidelines and must check they've read our Terms of Service. Abiding by those two sets of 'rules' is required...but how many actually read the TOS or Community Guidelines?