Recent Profile Posts as Homepage?

[Bart23Sept]

Hi

I've been running Xenforo for a while now and I've considered revamping everything so that the Recent Profile Posts feed is the homepage, giving the site more of a Facebook-esque () stream-of-consciousness vibe with the forums as the deeper dive into the community.

Has anyone done this and would you mind commenting on how it's gone for your site?

Thanks!
Bart

 

[Bart23Sept]

If anyone hasn't tried this, would anyone happen to know of a site that is configured this way?

Thanks

 

[jeb35]

You'll find out that profile posts aren't used all that much. So why would you want to show something that may have only been used a couple months ago? We have over 56k members and it might only be used once a month.

 

[Bart23Sept]

What I've found as a host of forums vs a user of facebook, people lead with a photo when they post to facebook, they rarely post without a photo and it's the photos that make the experience stimulating. Granted, the photo isn't everything but photos help and no matter how much I emphasize for our small community that we LOVE photos, we don't see photos in posts as a site cultural standard.

It seems to me, for the lurkers and more casual users, starting a new thread is a big deal and most people don't seem that compelled to participate at that level. Profile posts, on the other hand, could be presented as a way to participate that is lower intensity, more fun, less serious, however you want to put it. If I could get a flow of profile posts going that, more often than not, include photos, it might lower the bar for active participation that engagement between members might go up. FB posts are mostly frivilous but there's almost always a photo and that gets attention and prompts replies.

Just wondering if anyone has gone this route. The Recent Profile Posts feed looks a lot like a typical FB feed and with a bunch of photos it might be enough to get things moving. I appreciate the positive aspects of a forums site over that dumpster of human effort called FB but they certainly have the edge when it comes to making people feel welcome to participate just for sake of participating.

 

[Bart23Sept]

Another option might be to require a photo in any first post of a new thread but then new threads would probably go to zero! lol