User blog:Dopp/Meet More Wikians with Improved Profiles

Whether we’re new or existing members of a wiki community, we rely on our profiles to help us share information with others. We want fellow Wikians to know who we are, where we’re coming from, and what we care about. Profiles also help us make friends; we use them to meet people with similar interests.

With that mind, we’re excited to announce that we're adding a new profile feature that will make it easier for you to meet fellow Wikians. The new feature will go live in about a week or so, and we’ll make a site-wide announcement when that happens. So, let's talk about what's changing.

Introducing a new profile section A few weeks ago, we expressed some of our concerns about the current profile layout, and opened the issue up for discussion. Many of you agreed there are too many blank profiles on Wikia. We also know that it's tiring to create a new profile on every wiki you edit, and there’s no easy way to ask members to share specific info. Also, there are two different profile styles right now. That’s just confusing.

To solve some of these issues, we’re adding a new section of basic information to the top of your profile. This section will display on every wiki you edit. There, you'll be able to share your real name, location, hobbies, favorite wikis, other websites, and a few more details.

How it will look Here's the new profile section in action:







What this means for you The new profile section is simple and attractive. It will be consistent across all wikis, so you'll always know where to find basic information about a member. It's also quick, easy to edit, and flexible &mdash; you can keep your info simple, or you can go nuts and be creative!

While this new section will look the same across Wikia, the rest of the content on your existing profile won't change, and it will continue to be different on every wiki you edit. Also, adding content to this new section is voluntary. If you leave it blank, it will only display your username, avatar, total number of edits, and date you joined the wiki. This is also how your profile will appear on a wiki you haven’t edited yet.

The improvements will be live in about a week, and will include a few other light changes, like a new design on tabs and a more consistent sidebar. When you see the changes take place, simply click the "Edit" link and fill out the information that you want to share with others

Please leave feedback

We received a ton of great feedback on our last post, including many ideas that we weren't able to work into this version, but hope to include in future improvements. So, keep the feedback coming! Do you have any questions? How do you think these new profiles will improve your wiki? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.