Getting the word out about VT...

[Californian]

i was thinking that we should get the word out about VT.


I am real into web design and i could create a logo or something for VT and create codes for it that people can embed in their website (MySpace, personal site, ETC) - thats just a thought.


If you moderators or fellow members like that idea then let me know!

[Oblivion]

I like the idea, but as of right now VT is growing pretty quickly. I know Ben, and Ant have been working to make the site more visible in searches, etc. and it seems to be working. Also, right now we have a pretty stable income of people, and outgo of people. It keeps the site calm, and safe.

More people is harder, but more beneficial to the general public.

[IAMWILL]

Yes, Nick said it well, but I just want to add:

Advertising something openly and not in a controlled way could wreak havoc on this cite, and many people of the wrong age would join. Not to mention, there are a lot of *creepy* so to speak people out there, and more people = more spam a lot of the time.

That is my short answer.

[The Batman]

I say do it. If we want to grow we can't just sit and let the admins do all the work. If anyone is comfortable enough to tell their family and friends about VT in hopes that they will join than do it. This isn't a secret community that you have to jump hurdles just to join. If the creepy people really wanted to join then they already have or will anyway and they can be banned(wow how did we miss that). Also the overage people can be banned(omg there's more). Your right there is more even if the spammers join they can be banned(wow didn't see that coming). We need more member just like any other forum out there.

[Donkey]

Lol.

I could create a sig with PHP which would show the number of posts, topics and users which people could use on my forums (example in my sig)...

[Maverick]

i was thinking that we should get the word out about VT.


I am real into web design and i could create a logo or something for VT and create codes for it that people can embed in their website (MySpace, personal site, ETC) - thats just a thought.


If you moderators or fellow members like that idea then let me know!
Go for it.

[Stevo 69]

Like the idea, could even get VT to be a most used site.

[Californian]

hi. So i created a little, quick, logo. Its just an edited version of the one we all know (the one we see at the very top of every page.)


Here is what it looks like:
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm236/leeoinsd/4-7-20094-09-01PM-1.jpg



Here is the Embed code:
<a href="http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm236/leeoinsd/4-7-20094-09-01PM-1.jpg" alt="CLICK HERE to visit VirtualTeen.org" /></a>

That code would take people directly to the forums.



That was just a quick little thing, i just took the existing logo and added text.

I will make up an entirely different one (soon.)



Hope you liked it. :)


Tell me your suggestions, question, comments, criticisms.

[IAMWILL]

Now that I think more of it it is a good idea, so I'm up for it, but here's my one overreactive worried concious reasonable point.

Almost everyone on Virtual Teen joined because they have some type of problem, or are worried about something, which is very personal information, yet we share it here for mainly two reasons: one, no one critizes or makes fun of you because two: barely anyone here know each other, or grow up with each other. If people that know each other well were to join, very personal information could be revealed, which sometimes isn't good for relationships and friends.

Spreading something like this on Facebook again, means widespread publicity, which, in very low chances, could lead to *insert above paragraph here*.

Anyway, this is just me being me, so if we to ahead with this, I'm changing my name! (and possible deleting a few things). I support this now though.

[Patchy]

Now that I think more of it it is a good idea, so I'm up for it, but here's my one overreactive worried concious reasonable point.

Almost everyone on Virtual Teen joined because they have some type of problem, or are worried about something, which is very personal information, yet we share it here for mainly two reasons: one, no one critizes or makes fun of you because two: barely anyone here know each other, or grow up with each other. If people that know each other well were to join, very personal information could be revealed, which sometimes isn't good for relationships and friends.

Spreading something like this on Facebook again, means widespread publicity, which, in very low chances, could lead to *insert above paragraph here*.

Anyway, this is just me being me, so if we to ahead with this, I'm changing my name! (and possible deleting a few things). I support this now though.

I agree with you on that one,

VT doesn't need publicity as such on sites such as facebook, its there for when teens search for stuff like puberty and mental health.

If you over publicise it, the goals of VT would change and could case overage members to be attracted by the site, by all means stick it on a website, but I wouldnt recommend a social networking site.

[Skittle Flavored]

If people that know each other well were to join, very personal information could be revealed, which sometimes isn't good for relationships and friends.

What i've told friends that join, and they dont want me to know who they are, is to not advertise their whole name around*Which is a bad idea anyway.* That and not use your usual e-mail. That way, i have no idea who you are. I've invited 3 people recently, and they could very well be here now. I have no idea. It is sort of awkward to mention the puberty portion, but if its for someone getting their own advice without fear of public humiliation, then its worth it.

[Underground_Network]

Hmm, those good ol' anon days. I don't think VT will get attacked with too much publicity, BUT too much publicity is never good for anyone/anything. I think getting VT A LITTLE BIT more attention couldn't be a bad thing though. I know that there are a lot of people out there that could benefit from this site that probably don't know that it exists, so advertising really can't be a bad thing... We could save a life, and that's huge. I know multiple people [myself included] who have decided against killing themselves [and in some cases much improved their life] thanks to this site.

But we've been attacked multiple times and we've had plenty of people join and be assholes; but I'm sure our admins can take care of that. That and I'm always helpful in those situations. Those who remember the shoutbox situation the last time anon struck... Well, it was fun to pretend being on their side... *Ahh, memories...*

[SapphireDragon13]

i was thinking that we should get the word out about VT.


I am real into web design and i could create a logo or something for VT and create codes for it that people can embed in their website (MySpace, personal site, ETC) - thats just a thought.


If you moderators or fellow members like that idea then let me know!

I think that VT should hold a contest for a logo and use the best one that will get the most attention for the website. That's just my opinion, though. I think that lots of people would be interested in participating? :)

~Jenelle

[Oblivion]

I agree with you on that one,

VT doesn't need publicity as such on sites such as facebook, its there for when teens search for stuff like puberty and mental health.

If you over publicise it, the goals of VT would change and could case overage members to be attracted by the site, by all means stick it on a website, but I wouldnt recommend a social networking site.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8633/agreed.png
We don't want the wrong publicity, I don't think. Attracting the wrong people, and such.

[Cloud]

If you post it on something your friends can see then that could ruin the whole anonymous help thing that many people need especially if your on first name terms with other members then people will know who you are adn stuff which you may want private will be at risk. im all for advertising jsut not on social things like facebook nad myspace

[OnlyByTheNight.]

I totally agree with Will here. If i found out that people I know personally were on here i prob would delete my account, i wouldnt want people to know some of the stuff i have sorted! I am not exactly very enthusiatic about the whole advertising thing. Except maybe on govteen or other websites that are like ours.

[AllThatIsLeft]

i agree with Will, but i do believe if we stick to sites that we KNOW no body we are familiar with visits, then it should be okay.

People out there need this website, it is an incredible help. but to help the anonymity we should stay within websites that are not known world wide.

[Antares]

I highly object.
I used to say the same thing, but now that I have been here for so long, I have noticed that VT's size is PERFECT! Its not too big and not too small. We don't want to be another GovTeen.
So I would say, no. Just let it happen naturally

[Maverick]

The idea of limiting the advertisement of VT to lessen the chance of someone being discovered on here is just ridiculous. Anyone you know that has a computer has an chance of finding this place. Don't give yourself a false sense of security.

If you have truly made yourself anonymous on VT, no one should discover you. But once you start posting pictures of yourself, your first and last name, city or location, and anything else personal, you've lost your anonymity.

If you don't want someone to see something, you shouldn't post it. If you must post it, make sure your account can't be traced back to you. If you have pictures of yourself posted under the same account then you just shot yourself in the foot.

I don't plan on doing any advertising on social networking sites but there isn't any stopping anyone from doing so.

Edit: As for not wanting new people here, I find that selfish. There are a lot of teens out there that need help. It should be a main goal that try and help as many teens as we can.

[Underground_Network]

Its not the idea of not attracting people, Ant [at least not for me]. Its the idea of attracting the wrong people...

But I'm all for advertising anywhere and everywhere, so long as we have competent staff who can handle a large influx of members, some of which are potentially "bad" people (people who will do things that will get them banned).

[Whisper]

I completely agree with ant
and as for attracting the "wrong people" just so everyone here understands clearly
Puberty was created as CONTAINMENT ONLY very few of the original members wanted it, it was a very hard pill for allot of us to swallow it was necessary to stop all the "am i normal" from spamming the ward and general discussion because of a certain link we had on a site called P101.

Many, MANY! members at the time strongly felt that advertising in P101 was a horrible idea
Nobody wanted anymore of the pube crap


and now if you look around the site the majority of the members
and i'm betting most of the members posting in this thread alone have the ability to do so thanks to that link
Its because of the P101 link that VT is still a successful forum
adapt or die
true in all walks of life


The more you can get the word out, the more members join, the stronger VT as a forum will be, PERIOD.

[The Batman]

Another thing is that The "Wrong" people will come no matter what. Rather we advertise or not there will be flamers, trolls, adverts, and spammers. It's just a part of the internet and every forum deals with it. If we ever want this site to grow we can't hide behind a wall of fears.

[Donkey]

I made a little video so we might get a few more users, not just for P101. I made it in Sony Vegas. It's in HD so if your PC can't handle that just watch it in low quality.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqmjymL8nO0

Full thread on this can be found here: http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?p=491412#

[Antares]

Also, the fact is that we have had about the same size of Active Members on VT for a long time. Last time I checked it was 800 now its about 1,000. My point is that, we are maybe going to pick up 5 continuous members out of 100. Those 5 people may not even interact with you much.

I honestly don't think we need more people. I think that we should just let VT grow naturally like it has been for the last 5 years. If it's worked this long, why change it (gosh now i feel like a conservative :P)

[Donkey]

All laugh at the conservative.

:P Yeah I mainly made it for fun but the more who get the resource of a site like this, the better.

[Whisper]

I honestly don't think we need more people. I think that we should just let VT grow naturally like it has been for the last 5 years. If it's worked this long, why change it (gosh now i feel like a conservative :P)

We need allot of new people because like you said very few will remain active at all theres 10,510 members but only 1,010 active members
your basically looking at 10 out of 100 (i realize its more then that, i'm rounding because i'm of simple folk, deal)
Ontop of the few members that stay active you have to subtract the ones that leave over time
including me i can only think of 4 people that are kind of still active from 2004
administration is on its 3rd change over

[Antares]

We need allot of new people because like you said very few will remain active at all theres 10,510 members but only 1,010 active members
your basically looking at 10 out of 100 (i realize its more then that, i'm rounding because i'm of simple folk, deal)
Ontop of the few members that stay active you have to subtract the ones that leave over time
including me i can only think of 4 people that are kind of still active from 2004
administration is on its 3rd change over

Well its not like we're getting NO new people. We are getting people gradually. We still have a good member base that will be here for at least another 3 years if they leave when they graduate or something. By the time they leave it will be a new generation. I just don't think we need a HUGE group of new people to keep VT from armageddon.
If things remain as they have been, I think we will be able to continue for another 5 years. (hopefully more :P)

[wristbandsnow]

Hello friends,
I am real into web design and i could create a logo or something for VT and create codes for it that people can embed in their website.
Thanks

[LiGHT]

I liked this idea a lot. I am really good at advertising and Ill put up links on other forums, facebook, myspace and youtube. But I just put them in my signatures and on aim.
great video donkey! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqmjymL8nO0

[BeautifulSilence]

Please don't post in old threads, thanks. :locked: