First Impressions (an incomplete observation)

[SoftWareRevue]

Don't underestimate that, oh so important, first impression.

First impressions are foremost when beginning any on-line endeavor.

They are critical for an on-line community.

That first impression is what your visitors use to decide if they want to remain a part of the community. If you've done your research, you've probably gained some insight on what your target group would expect.

First impressions are not limited to the visual aspects of your site. Content and current members play just as vital a role.

In fact, current member base probably ranks highest on visitors' assessment of if they want to become a member.

While it may be content and design that draws them in, it is members that finish the puzzle of that first impression that helps visitors decide if they are in the right place.

Your community's first members are a good indicator of what future members will be.

Opposites don't attract here. It is the commonality of interests and interactions that draws people together.

Just starting out? Start out with the type of members that you want to attract. For it is those that will send that first impression to visitors.

These are just some of my thoughts on the importance of the first impression. I would hope that others will expand or correct me where needed.

[DavidL]

Nice write up SWR! Thank You.
/me subscribes

[Jan]

I don't see where any corrections are needed in what you said :)

Visual impact, content and memberbase go hand in hand at times. I might come across a forum that meets my needs (at the time), judging by the content and how members interact with topics at hand. But! If that same forum requires too much effort to read the content because of the chosen colour scheme, then I wouldn't join.

More to come as I think of it :)

[Aussie Bob]

My first impressions of FU was nice color scheme. Looked easy on the eye, and then there's Dennis and Jan at the helm, with what looked like their side project of sorts.

I've been heavily involved with online communities, with building my own (httpme) and active on WHT. I liked the idea of a forum, about forums. FU reminded me of Kramer's coffee table book about coffee tables. :rofl:

I figured that with my past experience, I could contribute to the FU community, and also learn from some of the more, errrr, senior members here. :think: :D

[writespeak]

Good one, Dennis. It left me thinking.

If you've done your research, you've probably gained some insight on what your target group would expect.

Would you like to expand on this part?

First impressions are not limited to the visual aspects of your site.

They are if the the visual aspects are bad enough. Whenever I see a forum, I like to look in and get a feel of it. But if the colours turn me off, if the layout is hard to work with, or especially if the background colour is black or another dark colour, those visual aspects make me look for the Back button.

While it may be content and design that draws them in, it is members that finish the puzzle of that first impression that helps visitors decide if they are in the right place.

Absolutely. Well said.

Just starting out? Start out with the type of members that you want to attract. For it is those that will send that first impression to visitors.

That contains a perhaps unintended compliment to the first members here and to you for choosing/inviting the people who helped get this forum going. That's a good point that just having numbers to help the forum start up isn't enough.

Lois

[linux-tech]

My first impressions of FU was nice color scheme.

I agree, original enough to stand out, yet easy on the eyes.. Very nice job here, even if you didn't write the template yourself (who could, it's a huge task ;))