Do you enjoy smaller communities or large ones?

[CedricV]

Do you as an administrator enjoy small or large community forums? If you are small, is your goal to become a large community? If you are big, do you crave for a smaller community?

Small forums can often feel more intimate and close-knit, which can be a positive for some users. It can be easier to build relationships with other members and get to know each other, and it may be easier to get attention and feedback from others. However, small forums may also have less content and activity, which could make them less engaging for some users.

On the other hand, large forums can offer a wealth of content and activity, which can be very engaging for some users. However, it may be more difficult for individual members to get attention or have their voices heard in a larger group, and it can be harder to build close relationships with other members.

Ultimately, it's important to find a balance that works for your forum and its community. It may be helpful to encourage participation from all members, regardless of the size of your forum, and to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.

 

[Mendalla]

I think my current site works best as a small community. It's basically a church without services since most of the members come from the same Christian denomination (oddly, I am one of the exceptions, though I grew up in that denomination). I did push for measures to help growth early on but I kind of backed off in recent years since no one else seems arsed to help and few of the new arrivals seemed to stay or be very active. People have made friendships, enjoy just chatting, and occasionally get into more serious discussions. Its predecessor was larger but not vastly and had a similar dynamic.

However, I do find a larger, more active community more engaging in general. Of my two writing sites, the much larger NSFW one is livelier and more fun to be on, even if I try to keep my writing to the clean sibling. I can't really share my smut too widely like I can my other stories. OTOH, when a community gets too large, I can feel a bit isolated and less engaged (the largest forum site that I have been on, which became a Xenforo customer a few years ago after using VB for a long time, has that issue for me). I just feel like I don't get to know anyone, or at least have to make an effort to do so.