Prioritize more user facing features

[Lee]

I think this is part of it. We see the same issue in navigation. Most major addons will add to the navigation drop down:

• 3+ links for new content (Items, Comments, Reviews)
• 3+ links for your content (Items, Comments, Reviews)
• 3+ links for watched content (Categories, Items, Authors, etc)
• Search
• Mark read

So if you have 10 major addons, then you will not only have 14 tabs in an almost endless horizontal scroll, but also 14 massive drop downs with many links under each. Its too much and users simply get lost. The navigation manager in XF2 is not a major improvement as it does not resolve this.

IMHO Instead there should be:

• One What's new page with filters for content type and unread. Allowing users to post any content type from the page.
• One Your content page with filters per content type.
• One Watched content page with filters per content type.
• A mega menu that allows for easy navigation.

I would go further than this, I would just have one content discovery page which shows ALL content, completely filterable. Make the filters saveable in preferences and make content creation available at this point too. Similar threads widgets would become similar content, featured content would be more utilised, latest posts would become latest content, etc.

I would probably make the media gallery and resource manager a node / thread type.

Pages needs a major overhaul. If we could create custom databases and build custom navigations, the possibilities are endless. Page comments would be a big bonus too.

 

[woei]

I like the technical view and solutions with Xenforo, that helps me as admin. But my users have a different view when they visit the site.

For my users, the "why" is more important. Why would they engage? Is the UX suited to current day and age of internet users?
Like do I need to download a file, or can I view the PDF directly in a thread? Or if i ask a question, how do I know if there is maybe a solution? And if I want to share my project or passion, is it appealing for others to read and share?

 

[FTL]

@Chris D recently made a comment where he said that quality of life features are coming soon, so let's see what comes of it.

Chris, if you'd like to elaborate here, we'd all appreciate it.

 

[Alpha1]

The problem that I see is that we cannot really file a useful suggestion for this for it to be voted on. Because we need to make one suggestion thread per feature. It would just get binned. Creating separate suggestions would lack the importance, urgency or context and few people would actually vote on it. Or they would be too technical to attract votes. This is not meant as criticism. Maybe @Chris D could comment on this. I feel that IMHO critical suggestions stay under the radar when it's so wide in scope and details are technical or seem trivial on their own.

To me, if there is one suggestion that would change everything for users and webmasters then it's this.

To elaborate, in my experience its not allowed to post a general suggestion for better content discovery like I posted in this thread. Its only allowed to post one new feature per suggestion thread. This then becomes too detailed and technical for people to post on. For example, some important parts of this suggestion are posted here:

Thread 'Give all comments full posting functions via threads'

Dec 23, 2014

The current discussion system does not allow addons to use forum posts for comments.
For example if we want to have a page, blog, resource, with comments below it then we need to build a commenting system instead because its not possible to make use of the discussion function.
This leads to duplication of functionality and also gives addon developers the dilemma whether or not to add a 'new comments' tab to /find-new/ on top of their normal implementation of find-new.

It's just not handy the way it is and it would be useful to implement an improvement.

Having a more flexible...

• Alpha1
• addons comments content discovery content types new posts
• Replies: 6
• Forum: XenForo suggestions

• 

Thread 'Similar Content Widgets (for any content type)'

Jun 7, 2018

Content Discovery is a major issue with XenForo when you have addons. When a user is browsing a forum or thread about a specific content, then the user is most likely interested in the very same topic in other content types. But this related content is often hidden in a category of an addon. Accessible only through many clicks or searches for users that consider to look for it and know where to look for it.

What is much needed IMHO is widgets that display related/similar content from a specific content type.

For example a related resources widget.
A related resources widget would display...

• Alpha1
• better content discovery
• Replies: 11
• Forum: XenForo suggestions

• 

While I'm pretty sure that a suggestion for better content discovery with the details I posted in this thread would quickly rise to the top voted suggestions, in contrast: suggestions for each detail without the wider context are too specific and technical for it to gain significant votes.
I could create a suggestion for one Watched Content page with filters, but I would be amazed if it received any votes. While if it was part of a wider approach, to remove clutter from navigation and better content discovery, then it would be much wanted.

 

[Suzanne O]

I agree with the pages. They need some features added to it the are similar to ezblocks.
Things like shoutboxes and comments on every thread.

 

[tajhay]

Seems as if everyone forgot about this thread after the blockbuster announcement yesterday

XF 2.4 Thread 'Featured content improvements'

Feb 24, 2025

Since announcing Featured Content for XenForo 2.3 we have been closely monitoring feedback through various channels and our own overall vision for the feature and, as such, in today's Have you seen...? for XenForo 2.4 we are highlighting some of the recent changes we have made.

Automatic feature expiry​

When curating content, sometimes it can take time to manage the list of featured content effectively to ensure it stays fresh for your visitors, and part of that is the inevitable time where perhaps content is no longer noteworthy and needs to be "unfeatured". You...

• Chris D
• Replies: 39
• Forum: Have you seen...?

• 
• 
• 

Or just given up.

 

[Renegade]

Seems as if everyone forgot about this thread after the blockbuster announcement yesterday Or just given up.

What you said in the end

 

[CedricV]

What you said in the end

At one point or another, most will.

 

[Ludachris]

When a user visits for the first time, have an option for them to browse via two mode choices:

• Classic forum style
• New age social media style

We all already know classic forum style.

New age social media style means:

• All topics can be scrolled through on a single page.
• All topics can be interacted with (replied to, reacted to, etcetera) on a single page.
• A new topic can be created on that same page.

Don't have a heart attack. It's an option. Most people who find your forum for the first time will like it better than classic forum style.

And what does that mean? They will scroll through, they will react, they will post responses, and/or they will post a topic.

The only difference in posting a topic would be a drop-down to select the forum the topic best fits...

Done. Busy community.

A heavily configurable and expandable New Feed or Latest Activity page would be a great starting point for the New Age Social Media style main page. Some people like the ancient forum index page layout and the traditional table-style New Posts page that shows thread titles with thread stats to browse forum content. The masses like (and are drawn to platforms that display) all content on one endless scrolling page, with expandable replies/comments, so they can easily consume and interact with content on their phones. Reading through a thread on a phone is fine, but trying to digest the contents of a forum outside of a thread is still clunky for modern internet users.

As @Sal Collaziano pointed out, there NEEDS to be a "social media style" option to browse and engage with content in our communities (we need to treat them as communities, not just forums) to adapt to modern user expectations, so that more forums can survive and thrive.

 

[Seeker-Smith]

A heavily configurable and expandable New Feed or Latest Activity page would be a great starting point for the New Age Social Media style main page. Some people like the ancient forum index page layout and the traditional table-style New Posts page that shows thread titles with thread stats to browse forum content. The masses like (and are drawn to platforms that display) all content on one endless scrolling page, with expandable replies/comments, so they can easily consume and interact with content on their phones. Reading through a thread on a phone is fine, but trying to digest the contents of a forum outside of a thread is still clunky for modern internet users.

As @Sal Collaziano pointed out, there NEEDS to be a "social media style" option to browse and engage with content in our communities (we need to treat them as communities, not just forums) to adapt to modern user expectations, so that more forums can survive and thrive.

We are talking about doing something like this as an add-on. It's really just making the "What's new" a nested feed where the user can reply directly in the feed.

 

[Ludachris]

We are talking about doing something like this as an add-on. It's really just making the "What's new" a nested feed where the user can reply directly in the feed.

So long as the user can view the full content of the first post of the thread in that feed (maybe with a click to view replies), and engage with that post (reply/react/report/follow user), I think it would attract a lot of users who have become accustomed to the way social media platforms work. I'd say that it should also include content types from popular add-ons (like Bob's Showcase, for example) in that same feed. The current horizontal tabs for separated content is useless. It all needs to be in the same feed.

If you could make that a reality, I'd gladly pay you for that add-on.

 

[Seeker-Smith]

So long as the user can view the full content of the first post of the thread in that feed (maybe with a click to view replies), and engage with that post (reply/react/report/follow user), I think it would attract a lot of users who have become accustomed to the way social media platforms work. I'd say that it should also include content types from popular add-ons (like Bob's Showcase, for example) in that same feed. The current horizontal tabs for separated content is useless. It all needs to be in the same feed.

If you could make that a reality, I'd gladly pay you for that add-on.

We seem to have similar idea's. Why don't you DM me and maybe we could collaborate.

 

[Seeker-Smith]

So long as the user can view the full content of the first post of the thread in that feed (maybe with a click to view replies), and engage with that post (reply/react/report/follow user), I think it would attract a lot of users who have become accustomed to the way social media platforms work. I'd say that it should also include content types from popular add-ons (like Bob's Showcase, for example) in that same feed. The current horizontal tabs for separated content is useless. It all needs to be in the same feed.

If you could make that a reality, I'd gladly pay you for that add-on.

Something you may be interested in is our user sortable forum index. This feature in not fully implemented yet but a early sample can be "guest" tested here. If you click the Up/down arrows you'll see that you can drag forums into the "My feeds" and "Hidden" categories. This lets users clean the forum index to personalize.

 

[Ludachris]

Something you may be interested in is our user sortable forum index. This feature in not fully implemented yet but a early sample can be "guest" tested here. If you click the Up/down arrows you'll see that you can drag forums into the "My feeds" and "Hidden" categories. This lets users clean the forum index to personalize.

View attachment 321856

This might get some use by a small contingent of members, but I've found that most members go straight to the New Posts or Latest Activity to browse threads in most forums, not the forum index - basically the same way everyone uses FB and other social apps, they browse a "feed" with all the categorization stripped away. The algorithm mixes it all in for them. Our lack of tools and features to build out an effective News Feed/Latest Activity page that isn't broken out by tabs, and doesn't just feature a list of thread titles, with no ability to engage directly with the content on that page via replies and reactions, is something that puts as at a severe disadvantage in today's world of scrolling user standards.

Question on your infinite scroll add-on - can it be enabled/disabled for certain usergroups? For example, let's say I only wanted to allow the functionality for logged-in users, not guests.

 

[Seeker-Smith]

This might get some use by a small contingent of members, but I've found that most members go straight to the New Posts or Latest Activity to browse threads in most forums, not the forum index - basically the same way everyone uses FB and other social apps, they browse a "feed" with all the categorization stripped away. The algorithm mixes it all in for them. Our lack of tools and features to build out an effective News Feed/Latest Activity page that isn't broken out by tabs, and doesn't just feature a list of thread titles, with no ability to engage directly with the content on that page via replies and reactions, is something that puts as at a severe disadvantage in today's world of scrolling user standards.

Question on your infinite scroll add-on - can it be enabled/disabled for certain usergroups? For example, let's say I only wanted to allow the functionality for logged-in users, not guests.

Agreed. This little mod is another step for us working toward a more unified "What's new" where forums, and threads will all be nested with the feed.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Something you may be interested in is our user sortable forum index. This feature in not fully implemented yet but a early sample can be "guest" tested here. If you click the Up/down arrows you'll see that you can drag forums into the "My feeds" and "Hidden" categories. This lets users clean the forum index to personalize.

View attachment 321856

You should add me into this conversation. I've been advocating for this for years and will surely have crucial input to add.

Thread 'New “What’s New” Layout'

Jul 16, 2021

Why not make a new “What’s New” layout, at least available as an option, where instead of simply scrolling through topic TITLES, actually seeing a few lines of the first post - with the ability to “see more”, see comments, and reply - without leaving the “What’s New” page?

Facebook works this way because it draws people in to either react (like, etc) or comment. They have spent a lot of time and money on researching what gets people motivated to add DATA to their system.

The “What’s New” area is very old school since UBB. It’s time for a change.

• Sal Collaziano
• Replies: 25
• Forum: XenForo suggestions

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• 

XF 2.1 Thread 'Has anyone made Xenforo look like a social site yet?'

Jan 9, 2020

I'd like to have a setup that mimics the look/feel of Twitter/Facebook, so newcomers are familiar with the site and can figure it out.

I think it's possible if you skin/style the threads and give it a general timeline/newsfeed homepage, rather than a listing of forums/threads.

We already have the ability to do a quick post and tons of features for posting - it's just that the forum "look" is so outdated, that so many of the newer users are not figuring it out, or don't have the attention span to do so.

Xenforo software in general is just so damn good that I don't want to try any of the...

• drastic
• Replies: 127
• Forum: Styling and customization questions

• 

 

[Alvin63]

I didn't know what or who IPB was and had to look it up. What I read was that it sounds like pros and cons to both, with IPB being much slower in a number of areas in the admin section (eg batch updates and other functions) and a bit more "corporate".

I like Xenforo. And what is "up to date?" You can add different styles.

 

[Ludachris]

You should add me into this conversation. I've been advocating for this for years and will surely have crucial input to add.

Thread 'New “What’s New” Layout'

Jul 16, 2021

Why not make a new “What’s New” layout, at least available as an option, where instead of simply scrolling through topic TITLES, actually seeing a few lines of the first post - with the ability to “see more”, see comments, and reply - without leaving the “What’s New” page?

Facebook works this way because it draws people in to either react (like, etc) or comment. They have spent a lot of time and money on researching what gets people motivated to add DATA to their system.

The “What’s New” area is very old school since UBB. It’s time for a change.

• Sal Collaziano
• Replies: 25
• Forum: XenForo suggestions

• 
• 

XF 2.1 Thread 'Has anyone made Xenforo look like a social site yet?'

Jan 9, 2020

I'd like to have a setup that mimics the look/feel of Twitter/Facebook, so newcomers are familiar with the site and can figure it out.

I think it's possible if you skin/style the threads and give it a general timeline/newsfeed homepage, rather than a listing of forums/threads.

We already have the ability to do a quick post and tons of features for posting - it's just that the forum "look" is so outdated, that so many of the newer users are not figuring it out, or don't have the attention span to do so.

Xenforo software in general is just so damn good that I don't want to try any of the...

• drastic
• Replies: 127
• Forum: Styling and customization questions

• 

Sal, you and I have had some pretty similar ideas on the car enthusiast social network front. I actually built something out using a FB clone script a long time ago, but the script was buggy. I REALLY wish XF would prioritize an updated Latest Activity feed page layout with interactive/engagement features (reactions/comments) and configuration options that make it way more usable and powerful. It's such an obvious need and a clear evolution for the forum experience.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Sal, you and I have had some pretty similar ideas on the car enthusiast social network front. I actually built something out using a FB clone script a long time ago, but the script was buggy. I REALLY wish XF would prioritize an updated Latest Activity feed page layout with interactive/engagement features (reactions/comments) and configuration options that make it way more usable and powerful. It's such an obvious need and a clear evolution for the forum experience.

Yes, what we're looking for as an add-on or built into the script/software would open up a tremendous flow of activity for forum owners. It's almost shocking to see how some people would actually reject this type of solution - even though it would only be an option for those who find the site and prefer the new age layout and functionality. This type of thinking is how and why forums are now the lowest form of interaction in the social media food chain.

 

[Ludachris]

Yes, what we're looking for as an add-on or built into the script/software would open up a tremendous flow of activity for forum owners. It's almost shocking to see how some people would actually reject this type of solution - even though it would only be an option for those who find the site and prefer the new age layout and functionality. This type of thinking is how and why forums are now the lowest form of interaction in the social media food chain.

I've been running forums back before vBulletin was even available, when they were called message boards/bulletin boards, with some of my early forums running the wwwboard script and other cgi message board scripts. When vB2 hit in 2001 it was clear that it was a big jump in forum technology (at the time) and we were able to leverage the vbulletin.org add-ons to customize the user experience, which allowed us to build huge communities. That was 24 years ago.

We're at a point now where the traditional forum system is widely seen by the masses as outdated and obsolete compared to newer social network apps, which have completely changed user behavior and expectations. Even the better executed forum software options, like XF, are seen that way. It doesn't help that forums look and function a lot like the way they did back in 2001 in the eyes of the average user.

Focusing on some new approaches to how forums are used, like through a revamped Latest Activity feed described above could help change that perception. Like you said Sal, these pages can be optional for those forum admin purists who do not believe in that approach and don't want to use it. But for those who run larger forums and are looking for more ways to connect with the growing contingent of people who don't understand how to use forums, this is something we absolutely need. Because it makes it easier for those users to engage with our forum's content in a way they've become used to in other social networks.