Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-168424-20190130223012/@comment-36009152-20190209195943

Brandon Rhea wrote: I don't think it would be a good idea for me to make the first post.

I can't get into details about what the new approach will be yet but I can tell you that one approach we're not eager to continue is random drop in posts like we've done in the past. So much staff interaction in the past has been through auto-welcome messages, or random (and not particularly meaningful or relevant) posts asking for community input on something that they generally don't care about because it has way more to do with Fandom than it does with them.

That's had the adverse effect of creating a pretty ignorable staff in a lot of ways (with a number of individual exceptions, of course). There have been many times we've posted messages on communities in the past that because of the subject of the message and the tone of the message people have literally thought they were automated messages that they could ignore. I can't say I blame them either. Communication-wise we've had a really robotic approach, and the things we've approached communities about haven't been of interest to communities.

That's why I don't think it's a good idea for me to create the first post on Discussions. I don't know the subject matter, so it would be my first and only post there. I don't know the community, so there's nothing I can say that would feel relevant to the community beyond some general tips about Discussions. I don't think a post I make would resonate. It would be a very ignorable post.

You are in a far better position to make the first post on your community. You can welcome people into Discussions, explain what it's all about, talk about how it can connect to how your community works, and more. Other users are much more likely to be receptive to that. This is a case where I would much rather you feel empowered to take the lead than rely on a random drop in post from a staff member those users may never interact with again on that community. Hi there, thank you for your reply. Must respectively dissent, it’s a great idea working on a case by case basis that’s helpful for me and the Maiden Rose wiki. I am sorry to hear other wikis have viewed messages as ignorable, simply won’t do and for what it’s worth I would answer all messages so take part in nice Fandoms (that's now a term).

In any case no one could be expected to know the subject matter of every wiki. The introductory post, robotic or not, is to break the ice and is all that’s required, not asking staff to say add to the article pages or anything. It is also not about an only post, it is a helpful one for new people. You do not need to know the community - I don’t know the community they’re on Discord and Tumblr, but don’t be a stranger to the unknown just invite yourself in, all communities are nice. Help me show there’s activity on the wiki if that encourages people to take part. General tips about Discussions is all that’s needed, I can take things from there after like I’ve done for Banana Fish.

Empowered, led the way I’ve already made the first post on wikis so I would like to try this method of staff doing what they have done for other wikis. Showing that there is staff is Fandoms strength as well, rather than other sites that are run by random people.

Didn’t you want to dispel the concerns of this thread by showing staff are taking part more in communities and being more helpful? That’s what I don’t get either, when it comes right down to it I’m trying to meet you half way and would appreciate help in this matter of adding the first post as the best foundation to Discussions.