BigBlueBall reached another milestone, passing the 30,000 member mark this afternoon. The BigBlueBall community is centered around the subject of instant messaging and chat. The community has been steadily growing since 2001, providing a reliable resource for instant messaging news, information and support.
And the growth rate is accelerating, with an increase in new registrations of over 50% since the beginning of 2006. Why the change? Of course we have a fabulous staff that monitors the forums, keeping them friendly and helpful. And we’ve got a fantastic group of members who are willing to share their knowledge. But this most recent jump came after I added several subtle messages to the top of the forums and news sections in mid-January. These simple messages that invited visitors to join, reminded new members to validate their membership, and encouraged inactive members to re-engage.
Which raises an important point in designing a website: Make it clear what action you want a visitor to take. Invite them to participate, and make it easy for them to do so.
What attracts you to get involved, to sign-up, to purchase, or otherwise take action? What “invitations” have you found compelling?
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