HairStylistsForum.com

Chris · Posted: 5/9/2009, 10:56 am Post subject: HairStylistsForum.com

Hey there everyone,

I wanted to get a few more posts into my account here at Community Admins, but I just couldn't wait to start looking for feedback regarding a web forum my wife and I decided to start for the hair salon industry:

HairStylistsForum.com

This is my second web forum, the first of which is no longer active.

Ignore the default logo, I am working on a custom one which fits our name.

Please feel free to peruse our site and kindly post any constructive feedback. Thank you!
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HairStylistsForum.com - A web forum dedicated to professional hairstylists, salon managers and owners.

Patrick · Administrator

Hey Chris,

Thanks for posting this. Smile

Here are my random thoughts:

I'm familiar with this style and it's nice. But, I might try to take a look at how you could customize it and make it your own, so that it stands out.

I like the welcome message, but I would maybe take it out of the "forum" format and place it in the header, above the forums list, so that it stands out as being different.

I would take a look at paring down the number of forums and see where you can limit the number. A picture forum seems like a good idea, but I am not sure if "General Barbers, Colorists, & Cosmetologists Hairstyling Discussions" and "Tips, Techniques, Styles" are both needed. In fact, I could see "Tips, Techniques, Styles" merging with "Brag Board" potentially, to form one "Talk and Share Techniques, Tips and Styles" type forum.

Mainly, though, I guess I'm talking about the event forums. Unless you plan to have some huge influx of content, maybe keep it to one forum or at most, two (U.S.A. and International).

I would strongly advise you to ban political and religious discussions from your community. Your community is one for professional hair stylists, barbers, etc.... politics and religion has no place. The problem with them is the seriousness with which people take them. Despite your best efforts, the discussions will make people hate each other for little reason and that animosity will affect the environment of your community, opt-in or not. I think it's important to know what you are - people can get politics and religion elsewhere. As an aside, they can really add to your moderation time in an unnecessary way.

I would say to merge Humor and Off-Topic at the start. You can always add it later, but it's cool to keep all of the off topic forums together for now. The one exception I would make is to add an Introductions forum. It's really about better showcasing the content you do have.

The description for Off Topic is a little long and scary. You should be creating the proper environment through example, guidelines and consistent enforcement, not by warning people in the description. People should feel comfortable on your site. Try to cut it down to 3 lines and make it about the forums contents, not so much about disclaimers, etc. Your entire forum should be accessible to professionals, since that is who your audience is, you shouldn't be warning people about risk for a particular forum.

I'd take a look at coming up with a way to show supporters and affiliates without making it a forum. Use the forums for forums. Smile

I hope that this helps! Smile

You have an interesting niche and I wish you a lot of success.

Thanks,

Patrick
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Chris · Posted: 5/10/2009, 11:39 am Post subject:

Great to see all your feedback!

Oh, the Religious/Political forum is Opt-in, and you shouldn't even be able to see it unless you opt into the group, I'll have to fix the permission settings for that.

I cut back some of the other forums, I can trim off some more, and merge as you described.

Will revise Off-topic.

I'll install a banner MOD for the link thing. I'm using the 'forum' technique atm for SEO to get some outbound links to big sites.

I appreciate you taking the time to look and providing me some feedback!
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HairStylistsForum.com - A web forum dedicated to professional hairstylists, salon managers and owners.

Patrick · Administrator

My pleasure. Smile

I think it does look better and is improved. I would still say to reconsider P&R, though! Smile

Good luck.

Patrick
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Patrick O'Keefe - CommunityAdmins.com Administrator
Author, Managing Online Forums - A Practical Guide to Online Community Management
Have a suggestion or a bit of feedback relating to CommunityAdmins.com? Please contact me!
User Guidelines

Chris · Posted: 6/2/2009, 12:43 pm Post subject:

Quick update, I removed the P&R forum. Both you and my wife pointed out that it really has no place, and in retrospect, I agree.
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HairStylistsForum.com - A web forum dedicated to professional hairstylists, salon managers and owners.

Patrick · Administrator

Excellent, your wife sounds great! Laughing

Just kidding. Smile

Looking good.

I would say to integrate that welcome message in a more attractive way, below the header, as well.

Thanks,

Patrick
_________________
Patrick O'Keefe - CommunityAdmins.com Administrator
Author, Managing Online Forums - A Practical Guide to Online Community Management
Have a suggestion or a bit of feedback relating to CommunityAdmins.com? Please contact me!
User Guidelines

appliancejunk · Posted: 7/11/2009, 11:16 pm Post subject:

Hi Chris,

I like the colors and over all look of the theme.
The site loads quickly too.

It's a interesting niche you picked for a theme.

Good luck,
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ApplianceJunk.com

Chris · Posted: 7/12/2009, 9:27 am Post subject:

Thank you, I appreciate that! I need to do some banner work, I don't like the way the title looks. It's too simple.

Edit: Forgot to mention, my host is wonderful. A small company, they respond lightning fast to my needs, and they have some amazingly-priced hosting packages IMHO.
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HairStylistsForum.com - A web forum dedicated to professional hairstylists, salon managers and owners.