Incentives for moving/memberships

[Trix]

Hello all. I run a semi popular IPB forum/gallery/blog which currently has a few hundred paying members. Currently they are paying $25 for a yearly membership which allows them access to the blogs, gallery, chatroom, and some other normal things, such as more pm space etc.

Now, i desperately want to move to Xenforo. From a SEO and technical point of view, it seems like the right option, and to me, better SEO = better presence in Google = more visitors = more paying members.

However, my partner does not see it that way lol. She sees it that we will lose the blog, gallery and chatroom. All features people pay for. And we can replace them with non official products that may no longer be supported by the creator, leaving us stuck. Or Xenforo release an official version which doesn't support the unofficial version (import etc).

She threw a question at me a moment ago which i could not answer, 'What non technical reason is there for us to switch over'. 'What big feature is there that our members need and will love and pay for'.

I have to admit, she had me stumped. So i'm looking to you all for help. I know there are trophies which are nice and fun, but everyone gets them. I need real things to entice people to keep paying for memberships, especially if i am going to lose the main features they currently are paying for.

Hope you all can help, thanks!

 

[ragtek]

[ot]

And we can replace them with non official products that may no longer

This can also happen with official features / add-ons. (that's a lesson i've learned from www.vbulletin.com )
[/ot]

 

[Shelley]

Your in luck with the hope that a developer will maintain and stick by their add-ons because 2 of the add-ons features on your list are developed and supported by two respectable and very talented developers.

Chat - http://xenforo.com/community/resources/taigachat-ajax-shoutbox.115/
Blog - http://xenforo.com/community/resources/ln-blog.91/

With regards to giving your paying members additional features you may want to look at some of Syndols commercial add-ons which will fit your expectations in offering your paying members that little something more. Syndol is another great developer who also takes suggestions and maintains his products very very well.

Edit: Another big reason I suggest you migrate to xenforo is when the devs update the software you'll be spending a minimal amount of time updating your style due to the (light years ahead styling system of any product). This leaves you more time to focus on the important aspects like posting content and focusing on your members rather than spending time updating.

Need a custom style? Both xenique and xenstyles have excellent frameworks built into their styles offering you alternative layouts in many areas and giving you even easier customization abilities.

www.xenstyles.com
www.xenique.com
www.audentio.com

 

[SneakyDave]

IPB is a good product, in my opinion. I don't know if there are any major inherent advantages Xenforo has that would tempt you to ditch blogs, gallery, and the chatroom.

Trusting a Xenforo styler is just as risky as trusting a vbulletin or IPB styler. They may be around for the long haul, but then again, they may not be.

 

[mrGTB]

However, my partner does not see it that way lol. She sees it that we will lose the blog, gallery and chatroom. All features people pay for. And we can replace them with non official products that may no longer be supported by the creator, leaving us stuck.

You've more of less answered your own question really, from what I can see anyhow. So your members are paying to use "offical" IPB add-ons like Blog, Gallery and Chatroom. I would assume your already aware XenForo doesn't offer those as "offical add-ons" just yet, so the only question left. Are you willing to use 3rd party ones then with XenForo as an alternative. If no, there's your answer.

 

[jeep123]

Same boat..