I am guessing a number of people here read the Buzz magazine on here. This month had a very in depth interview with Emily Frazer. It is a good read and I would recommend that to everyone.
Emily Frazer Buzz Interview
- Thread starter briankenobi
- Start date
Thanks for the heads up.
I would read or at least browse through every issue except that I totally forget that it exists and rarely go to the main page either. I suspect I am not alone in that boat. Mike (AzBilliards owner), you might want to consider a making a new thread with the link to the new issue each time one comes out, I don't think anybody would see it as shameless advertising, but rather making those of us that don't go to the main page aware about it so we can read it if desired.
I would read or at least browse through every issue except that I totally forget that it exists and rarely go to the main page either. I suspect I am not alone in that boat. Mike (AzBilliards owner), you might want to consider a making a new thread with the link to the new issue each time one comes out, I don't think anybody would see it as shameless advertising, but rather making those of us that don't go to the main page aware about it so we can read it if desired.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will do that in the future.
I am curious. Why would a regular forum visitor not visit the main page periodically? I don't mean this to be facetious. I am truly interested.
Mike
I am curious. Why would a regular forum visitor not visit the main page periodically? I don't mean this to be facetious. I am truly interested.
Mike
It's not available from tapatalk that I've seen. On PC, I have it bookmarked to go directly to the forums because this is a very intricate website compared to the forum boards I've been members of.
I guess for me the answer would be that (going by memory) there isn't much there that interests me that doesn't get covered in the forums, and often in more detail, and since I already read the forums pretty regularly (in between when I'm taking breaks from it) there isn't much reason to need the main page "cliff notes". Most pro tournaments will get covered in the forums, and often in more detail. Most press releases of interest will get discussed in the forum, etc. I do find it useful for looking up the results for various tournaments, or all the tournament results for various players from time to time.
Part of it is also that it just doesn't even occur to me and I forget to, just like with Buzz magazine, and part of the reason it doesn't occur to me may or may not be related to the above.
To be fair, I'm going strictly by memory on what is typically on the main page and I haven't been there in probably at least 6 months and didn't cheat and go to refresh my memory before making this post so I could be remembering things incorrectly and there could be tons there that is of interest that I have just forgotten about, and also as mentioned I would definitely go check it out more often to see what is of interest but I just flat forget all about it and it rarely occurs to me.
This is the reminder I needed, heading to the main page now...
That does make a lot of sense. I will have to think on that one. Of course, I want people to visit the home page, but you are right in the idea that for some people, there isn't really a need since the major items are covered here.
If you haven't seen the home page in months, you might be surprised. It looks a little different. Still the same content though.
Mike
If you haven't seen the home page in months, you might be surprised. It looks a little different. Still the same content though.
Mike
Biloxi Boy
Man With A Golden Arm
Why? Because in the minds of most, AZB is the Forum. Until I registered, I never knew all of the other stuff existed.
So, with that in mind, how do I remind people that the main site exists. I try not to "pollute" the forum with news that is on the main site. If I see something as very important, I might make a post here, but that's not very often.
Mike
Mike
I certainly don't have all the answers to that one but for a start I think you could easily loosen your definition of "important" just a bit. If you think a press release would be of some interest, make a thread saying "for those that haven't seen it on the home page yet, so and so issued a statement regarding XYZ that may be of interest to some". Or for an upcoming/current/past tournament, you could do a thread stating "for those that weren't aware, we will (or are, or already did) be doing daily coverage of such and such tournament on the home page if you want to get your quick update fix and see the news". Same thing if you are going to be streaming something, and any number of other examples.
You can do the same in the middle of any related thread as well. For example, if you see somebody discussing Corey Deuel and just how good he is, or how much tournament success he has or hasn't had, you can make a post something like "here is a link to Corey's historic tournament results that we are aware of if anybody would find it useful, and this information can always be found for any player on the home page in this area if needed in the future". Or if people are discussing some past tournament, make a post saying "the full results for this tournament can be found on the home page in this location if interested, and here is the quick link". Kind of how Dr. Dave does when he has information that relates to a topic at hand in a thread. I don't think truly useful information in these veins is ever really seen as pollution or shameless plugging. Useful information is useful information.
A few of these type posts would probably remind or encourage people to visit the home page more often in general as well, and I suspect that before long you might even see more of the membership linking to things from the home page too.
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hey mike
I'm admittedly not typically a fan of flash ads
but what about a little crawl at the top of the page
in between "buzz" and "goldmine"?
most wouldn't see it, most of the time
but if you just logged in, it'd be there at the top
"corey deuel wins whatever"
"interview with neils's coach"
etc.
it could alternate headlines
and if interested, people could click on them
if they didn't like the view, a user could "mute" it
otherwise might drive a bit more traffic to the main
These are all good ideas.
I think by periodically posting up about stories, etc. it will get people to look. You could also consider one post a month with links to the stories for that month?
Normally I link directly to the forums so I never see the front page, ironically, my AZB link goes to the main page, which I read often. I haven't read the story mentioned yet but will soon.
That seems like a great idea I would think if done in a way that would be noticed but not done too obtrusively.
On a slightly separate note, until I just saw your post, I don't recall if I have ever even consciously noticed that "BUZZ" link button at the top of the forums, perhaps because it doesn't stand out. Or maybe I have seen it but didn't know what buzz was (I forget the name of the magazine and/or it just doesn't click what it is) and so it never grabbed my attention enough to consciously notice it or give thought to it.
That said, it might be worth making that "button" stick out a bit more by changing the color to red or blue or something that differentiates it a bit.
Probably even more important, I would highly suggest changing the name of if to "Billiards Buzz Magazine" (which will of course require enlarging it to fit the words) so that when people see it they will actually know what it is. I bet there are lots like me that have seen it and would have interest in it but didn't click because they didn't know (or it just didn't click) what "BUZZ" was. Or maybe I knew what it was at one point but forgot about it and never noticed it since because it doesn't stand out, not sure.
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Make people go to the main page to relog in periodically, take the log in/log out tab off the forums user cp and only let it be accessed from the main page and require a relog every month.
Biloxi Boy
Man With A Golden Arm
I know very little to nothing about computer displays. I do know this, however: we all owe AZB a dumptruck load of gratitude for how ya'll have designed and maintained this site. We, or at least I, take too much for granted, but when I think about it, I realize I have never had a "pop-up" assault me on AZB. Some of AZB's beauty must be attributed to how easy it is to navigate. Soooooooooo
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HOW YA'LL RUN THIS JOINT
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SSDiver2112
2b || !2b t^ ?
Maybe instead of just a link to the main page at the top have a control that cycles through a handful of top links on the main page.
Below the Buzz word?? have another word active/blinking or side by side to denote something special in that issue.
BUZZ
''US Open 9 Ball''
BUZZ-2021 US Open 9 Ball
Seem like there is extra lateral font room on the front page to insert a tag along.
BUZZ
''US Open 9 Ball''
BUZZ-2021 US Open 9 Ball
Seem like there is extra lateral font room on the front page to insert a tag along.
Thanks Bill. I have fought against things like that since day one. There is a pop-up for people who go to the forums without being signed in, but it is a one time thing.
Mike
Mike
I was reminded of this thread with from another page I visit:
Macrumors.com. Its the main site for Apple fanboys (me
). They have been around a long time. I think I started visiting them in about the late 90's. They have a main page with new stories all the time. That is the main traffic driver to their site (I'm guessing). Those stories also get shared all over FB in the various Apple-centric groups.
The thing they do though, that might be worth copying here, is when they post those stories on the main site, they also post them in their forum (the admin does). And any comments people make on the story show up in the forum thread. I think it does a good job in helping to unite the main page with the forum page.
Macrumors.com. Its the main site for Apple fanboys (me
). They have been around a long time. I think I started visiting them in about the late 90's. They have a main page with new stories all the time. That is the main traffic driver to their site (I'm guessing). Those stories also get shared all over FB in the various Apple-centric groups.The thing they do though, that might be worth copying here, is when they post those stories on the main site, they also post them in their forum (the admin does). And any comments people make on the story show up in the forum thread. I think it does a good job in helping to unite the main page with the forum page.