Future of TF.............

Garyrae, VG, Salathe.

As said before, the homepage really needs to be changed. I can't imagine how it would ever attrack visitors to register. However, I'm not sure if user posted articles are such a great idea, it will be exciting at first, but the articles won't keep comming. I think earnersforums tried that a while ago, and I don't think it was a huge success.

TalkFreelance is a well known brand out there on the web. At the moment it's a forum for 30-50 regular posters. Boohoo, I'm not going to click the ads to help the bills.

The site needs to attract people who can use the information on here, threads about what colour your new underwear is, won't attract new visitors. freelanceswitch.com for example was created way after this site and is far more successful.

Why don't you run it as a business Zee rather then a interest/hobby ?

Yeah you could sell it and just scrap a profit, or you could turn it into a business and and mega profits ?

nice plug for freelanceswitch, if you like it so good or other sites why are you dragging your sorry behind here then? We know what you think of this site and what this site needs is to not have members that think this way.

Originally Posted by Peter Avey all i know is i wouldn't cry if this forum does go down

Originally Posted by Peter Avey lol im a freelancer but none of tfl's content help's me other then the odd xhtml/css thread

Originally Posted by markuptheme nice plug for freelanceswitch, if you like it so good or other sites why are you dragging your sorry behind here then? We know what you think of this site and what this site needs is to not have members that think this way.

If you think most of the people who come here are too new to the web to have never heard of freelanceswitch I'd love to know who you think this forum is actually for...? The way to attract new members certainly isn't to tell them that if they prefer anything else to it then they're not welcome.

Or is discussion of how to fix TFL's problems treachery now? Believe it or not, to make people care a rat's ass about a site the site needs to actually offer something, up until recently all TFL offered was frustrated admins trying to keep an abandoned site alive, increasing numbers of spambots, and declining numbers of sellers following massively declining numbers of reasonable offers.

Seriously, what's to be upset about if TFL did go down now? Loss of a lot of history and the final death of a still reasonable community, yes, but that's nothing unique to this site and the fact that the community has declined so much here means it's getting to the point where even that reason to miss it is questionable.

Hopefully TFL has good times ahead again. Unfortunately I really don't see much happening without there being an excellent, focused strategy with investment as to how to achieve it.

^^Best post in this thread! This place hasn't been of any use to me in several years since all the really good designers grew older and moved on with their lives.

Originally Posted by smacklan This place hasn't been of any use to me in several years since all the really good designers grew older and moved on with their lives.

yet several years later you are still here, if its no use to you then why my friend are you here?

Originally Posted by markuptheme yet several years later you are still here, if its no use to you then why my friend are you here?

Seems like your the one who don't want to be here to be honest bud.

Zee what's your input ?

If i was running this site i would first create a script for market place selling similar to sitepoint. Then i would create a small test and get developers, designers, marketers, writers etc.. to become verified. Then think of someway to charge a subscription monthly and all money raised will be put back into the site. I would run more frequent contests, a monthly contests; best post all month, the coolest newest member award, best market place sale, most improved freelancer etc.

That way it gives the members something to look forward to, I'm full of ideas, PM me for a more in depth discussion

Originally Posted by Peter Avey Then think of someway to charge a subscription monthly

No offence but that sounds like a rubbish idea. There are better ways of making money than turning away a large proportion of the key demographic, teenage freelancers. For example a larger emphasis on advertising, more opportunities/benefits of donations, premium content etc.

Other than that, some of the contest idea's weren't bad. Problem with contests are that they are a little useless to run unless you have an active community because you'll get 3 people sign up and they would all win something.

Contests should come when you have a larger database of regular posters and you get those by improving content, better moderation and investment into the community.

Originally Posted by Normo No offence but that sounds like a rubbish idea. There are better ways of making money than turning away a large proportion of the key demographic, teenage freelancers. For example a larger emphasis on advertising, more opportunities/benefits of donations, premium content etc. Other than that, some of the contest idea's weren't bad. Problem with contests are that they are a little useless to run unless you have an active community because you'll get 3 people sign up and they would all win something. Contests should come when you have a larger database of regular posters and you get those by improving content, better moderation and investment into the community.

I've been on this forum for 5 1/2 years, when Robson owned this forum he would run regular contests and they worked very very well. The folk who own Freelanceswitch run a subscription service on all of there websites. I'm a teenage freelancer and nothing absolutely nothing on talkfreelance.com has helped me or probably will ever help me. Selling crap designs for $30 in the market place ? That's not freelancing my friend, the only reason why i come here is for the community aspects.

clearly you have no idea on how to run a business

Originally Posted by Peter Avey I've been on this forum for 5 1/2 years, when Robson owned this forum he would run regular contests and they worked very very well. The folk who own Freelanceswitch run a subscription service on all of there websites. I'm a teenage freelancer and nothing absolutely nothing on talkfreelance.com has helped me or probably will ever help me. Selling crap designs for $30 in the market place ? That's not freelancing my friend, the only reason why i come here is for the community aspects. clearly you have no idea on how to run a business

Were you not banned and only unbanned recently? And were you not advocating that Nick steal and import the talkfreelance database into his new but crap forum?

I can't take you or any of your suggestions seriously.