# Our Member-to-Guest Ratio



## Mister Loser (May 5, 2018)

So I was looking on the sidebar today, and only just now did I realize we have a very low member to guest ratio (about 300 to 1000 at the moment). Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Not trying to make a point, just pointing it out.


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## Piss Clam (May 5, 2018)

Depends on how NULL counts guests.


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## Null (May 5, 2018)

Guests typically wait between 6 to 12 months before registering while guest population doubles every year. We're already seeing user counts breach 400 because the oldest lurkers are starting to join. I'm aware of this because I've encountered people who did not know the site went down in 2017, which means the post-Vordrak era lurkers are now engaging as users.


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## Lysol (May 5, 2018)

I'm going to posit the idea that people are afraid to join mostly because of the possibility of fucking up and saying something that identifies them, and getting a thread terrifies them. It's very intimidating, and one of the reasons I personally didn't sign up for a while. Also a lot of people who have accounts seem like very smart people, coupled with the fact that not feeling like you have anything to add to a conversation all this adds up to not wanting to sign up.

Idk if it's a good thing or not, but that's my take and experience both personal and with folks I know who browse.


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## gobbogobb (May 7, 2018)

On a similar note, @Null do you ever look at which threads/subforums get more views at different times of day?  I know time zones and all, just curious if for example the furry forum is more nightowlish than say the Tumblr forum?

Just curious, so if you don't know or don't feel like looking it's all good.


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## Haramburger (May 7, 2018)

Lysol said:


> I'm going to posit the idea that people are afraid to join mostly because of the possibility of fucking up and saying something that identifies them, and getting a thread terrifies them. It's very intimidating, and one of the reasons I personally didn't sign up for a while. Also a lot of people who have accounts seem like very smart people, coupled with the fact that not feeling like you have anything to add to a conversation all this adds up to not wanting to sign up.
> 
> Idk if it's a good thing or not, but that's my take and experience both personal and with folks I know who browse.



I lurked pre-Vordrak, signed up post-Vordrak. Wasn't concerned with maintaining anonymity so much as making worthwhile posts to threads I liked. Site is very informative while not requiring you to interact, but the cows I was interested were having information gaps or lulls in interest that prompted me to start posting.


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## Haramburger (May 8, 2018)

Null said:


> Guests typically wait between 6 to 12 months before registering while guest population doubles every year. We're already seeing user counts breach 400 because the oldest lurkers are starting to join. I'm aware of this because I've encountered people who did not know the site went down in 2017, which means the post-Vordrak era lurkers are now engaging as users.


Abstract question @Null ; there's no real incentive to drive page views up with no ads but if this site hypothetically had ads, would you be able to tell on your end how much of the activity is actual people lurking/searching for threads about themselves, and which are bots/chinese click farms?

Just idle thoughts from a comment in a cow's thread about game journo sites.


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## Null (May 8, 2018)

Haramburger said:


> Abstract question @Null ; there's no real incentive to drive page views up with no ads but if this site hypothetically had ads, would you be able to tell on your end how much of the activity is actual people lurking/searching for threads about themselves, and which are bots/chinese click farms?
> 
> Just idle thoughts from a comment in a cow's thread about game journo sites.


No, but Google AdSense was making about $200/mo in 2016 before getting Vordrak'd without any presence in threads and only three banners: one at the bottom of the sidebar, one at the top of the thread list, one at the bottom of the thread list. If I could place ads at the top and bottom of every thread and with our current traffic it'd probably be thousands of dollars.


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## AnOminous (May 8, 2018)

Why isn't this site open to horrifyingly disgusting bestiality porn ads and other shit unless you ball up and join?


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## Null (May 8, 2018)

AnOminous said:


> Why isn't this site open to horrifyingly disgusting bestiality porn ads and other shit unless you ball up and join?


Because the money I'd make annoying and chasing off people is less than I'd make enticing users with good practices and accepting donations a year down the road tbh.


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