Best Of Voting

[stepanstas]

I have seen just about all other forums do it, and I think we can too.

Best Of 2007

If you agree, it will take a while because people will need to visit the site more often, but i think an email to all members can help.

I think this will encourage people to come and visit the site more because it actually gives them an interactive thing to do.

It can also give credit to those who put in effort and encourage others to put in others.

I copied this idea from another forum

Best poster award
Forum politician award
Best avatar award
Best signature award
Best moderator award
Forum clown award (funniest poster)

We could also have Most posts
Most effort
Most Spirit

We could also assign award to popular threads.

What do you guys think (I posted it here since the Admin/Mods have to aprove it, but if they do, they can move it.)

I would be willing to help to create graphics for each winner to put in their signatures.

Look at some of these: International Forum Awards (IFA)

Also, I don't know if this forum has capability, but if they can be put in for people next to their name would be great. (like these: PESGaming Forums - Awards)

Vote Now!!!

[V-G]

Good thinking... but this forum never had the traffic it should. VCI would have to spend some serious $ on advertising this site before you have Ukrainians around the world joining...

[stepanstas]

One main thing that i don't mind about this forum is that it is in english. However, if we are trying to join Ukrainians, there is maybe 5% support for Ukrainian on this language. The all english might discourage them.

Its all about spreading the word, but one problem i see it this. Ukraine.com is not all about the forums. The first page is travel and stuff. Even thought thats nice, it does not help the forum one bit.

[V-G]

Very true. The only group we should be targeting is Ukrainian diaspora who speak English. And you are right on the money that the first page doesn't direct to forums very well. If people search "Ukraine" in google and hit this forum - now that would increase traffic.

But we are not in charge Stepan.

[stepanstas]

Well, I must agree that the site does need to make money somehow, but the owners should realize that the main reason people come here are the forums.

[Max_the_Highlander]

Hi, people!

Will someone enlighten me, please?

I just try to figure out overall policy of the board for some last monthes. The slogan says about "Official Gateway". It reminds about something very global and universal.

So is the aim of the board really to join all English-speaking Ukrainians all over the world and give them room for discussions or as V-G states, "the only group we should be targeting is Ukrainian diaspora who speak English"?

[Max_the_Highlander]

I'm certain V-G would be very happy with participants from any country.

I would like to hear it from him personally.

I just don’t think ideas about “narrow focus – get more business” are applicable to message boards. Here, the broader appeal is and the more motley company is, the better it comes.

I saw some purely diaspora projects of this kind and I have to say they are not very active and just barely live. On the other hand, our non-English language forums in Ukraine are loaded by emotions and laud. I guess the language is the only barrier for convergence. But it is getting better. The closer Ukraine comes to West, the more people study English and so they will be able participate such projects soon.

Besides, if the project is centered on Ukraine, it gathers many people who just want to pop in and get some info, some clear picture. I guess participation of Ukrainians “from Ukraine” is the only way to get reliable information. There are a lot of myths around our country, and if we want to get realistic idea, it would be better to take everything from first hands.

The narrowing of audience is not good for message boards because too many people are out of the board (pun is not intentional) though they could make their contribution and who knows how much precious it will be.