View Full Version : Obvious Links!
Alison Boler
02-12-2005, 09:57
Hi Chaps,
How can we put hotlinks into the main TC forum "frame" in order to make it clear how to get to the main TC site? I notice that on some of the frame areas further up the forum hierarchy there are graphic hotlinks ie the one that says surf before you buy or something and that takes you to TC, the neptune on the top of the frames takes you to .org.
However, I would like to have a link on both the TC forum frames that is very clear ie it can be the surf one - I like it btw - but if it could say underneath it - Go To Travel Club Website or something.
I think its really important that we link these two areas much more tightly or we are going to have two distinct communities growing up - which I accept will happen to some extent anyway - but I would like to at least try to keep them together. It is really clear at the moment that many people have come to the new forums from YD and from a bit outside the BSAC community and they are not familiar with the TC website and the facilities there. Likewise there will be people who are on the TC website and are not familiar with the forum. The latter group have at least strong obvious hot links to get to the forum, however, once there, they may well struggle mightily to get back and this may put them off - not everyone is very computer literate ;)
You're probably going to tell me that I can do all this myself :D :p and if so, good, but :o I don't know how to, so advice please!!!
Fanx
Allie
Keith Lawrence
02-12-2005, 10:09
How can we put hotlinks into the main TC forum "frame" in order to make it clear how to get to the main TC site? ...
You're probably going to tell me that I can do all this myself :D :p and if so, good, but :o I don't know how to, so advice please!!!
Allie - you have Forum Admin permissions. You can do it by editing the description of your main TC forum category. If you go here http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode that explains BB Codes that you can embed into your Forum Description.
HTH
Keith L
Adrian Kelland
02-12-2005, 10:09
I think I can get a frame with a link to the TC site that shows only on the TC forums, although I do wonder if we should have it an an ad banner that might appear on the other fora from time to time.
Not today though.
Adrian
John Williams
02-12-2005, 10:51
[QUOTE][a link on both the TC forum frames that is very clear ie it can be the surf one - I like it btw - but if it could say underneath it - Go To Travel Club Website or something.
/QUOTE]
Where?...I tried everywhere on the screen and I could not find a link to the TC site from the forum
But ...what a good idea! We have already seen some heated discussion about how to encourage cross-over between these two communities - and this seems like a really good way to build a bridge between them. Good, obvious and in your face links from each section to the other.
When a new report goes on the TC site...a closed thread pointing to it should be generated on the BSAC Forum. Closed because it wont take up much room and will encourage a visit. Or perhaps open - with a link on the TC site that takes visitors there to the forum archives to explore the immediate discussion the article generated when it was new?
Nice idea Allie!
John
Alison Boler
02-12-2005, 11:11
Allie - you have Forum Admin permissions. You can do it by editing the description of your main TC forum category. If you go here http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode that explains BB Codes that you can embed into your Forum Description.
HTH
Keith L
Errr.... OK but where do I go to edit the description of the forum category?? :o I have looked everywhere but cannot find it - instructions please, suitable for a complete beginner!!!! I'm afraid to experiment too much in case I crash the forum!!
Have looked through all the other places and I can't see where the images are embedded in any of the forums. Is there a permission I don't have or something so it's hidden??
The only forum description I can see is a text thing that appears under the forum name but that's not it. I'm talking about the outer frame of the screen when you look at the forum. ie on the Home page where you have the TC Surf Before You Dive graphic link.
How and where do I do that?
Fanx
Allie
Alison Boler
02-12-2005, 11:13
[QUOTE=John Williams][QUOTE][a link on both the TC forum frames that is very clear ie it can be the surf one - I like it btw - but if it could say underneath it - Go To Travel Club Website or something.
/QUOTE]
Where?...I tried everywhere on the screen and I could not find a link to the TC site from the forum
Go to your Home page ie click Home right at the top and you will see some hot links. Unfortunately they only appear here and I can't find out how to put them on our main TC page.
:D
Allie
Keith Lawrence
02-12-2005, 11:39
Errr.... OK but where do I go to edit the description of the forum category?? :o I have looked everywhere but cannot find it - instructions please, suitable for a complete beginner!!!! I'm afraid to experiment too much in case I crash the forum!! OK - time out :) I've PM'ed you with info about the test forums, go and have a poke around there. I know what you mean now, it's done with Styles, Mike B may be able to guide you through, but you may have to negotiate with the overall Sys Admins if you're talking overall frame changes :rolleyes: It is all possible BTW. This might help http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/ I've got a copy on my desktop! We are Version 3.5 BTW.
Don't ask the Sys Admins too many detailed questions, we're only just sratching the surface of the potential and we're still finding our way around ourselves! :o
Keith L
Alison Boler
02-12-2005, 11:44
Fanx Keith. Sorry to bug you.. :)
I's just about come to the conclusion myself that it was either a style thing or possibly I needed to set up a "page" option.
Will have a poke about and also speak to Bus when he is back from DOC next week.
Allie
Keith Lawrence
02-12-2005, 11:57
Fanx Keith. Sorry to bug you.. :)
Will have a poke about and also speak to Bus when he is back from DOC next week.
No problem Allie, as I said in my PM you can do what you like over on test. All that will happen if you crash that one is that the other Sys Admins will have a good giggle (we've all done it!) whilst we dig you out :D
Keith L
Quite honestly you sort of look at the logo and then usually dismiss it.
You might hover over it and find a link, but chances are you wont bother.
So IMO as well as the logo etc. you need to put a line somwhere where users
will read and link.
The one place I will go if I'm looking for travel stuff is here:
http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/
Followed by a scroll down to:
Dive Trips in the UK
Dive Travel Overseas
Why not just add another line that looks like another forum that says
BSAC Travel club
Soon as you click it, it links to the TC.
Very simple and IMO should be as effective.
Tel.
I hope they don't do it that way Terry.
It used to really annoy me on the old forums when I would be clicking the links at the top of the page scanning the different forums only to end up waiting for the Travel Club to load.
Personally I would prefer links that take you off the forums to be very obvious and not 'disguised' as forum links.
I hope they don't do it that way Terry.
It used to really annoy me on the old forums when I would be clicking the links at the top of the page scanning the different forums only to end up waiting for the Travel Club to load.
Personally I would prefer links that take you off the forums to be very obvious and not 'disguised' as forum links.
Err if we put the words "press here to get to the travel club" would that
make you happy?
Travel club was a fledgling operation and is now getting its act together.
Unless every avenue is expored to ensure links from this site, it is IMO akin
to a kick in the teeth.
TerryH
The top forum nav bar has a 'Take me to' option which drops down a list. Links are one of the two options on that list with the TC within that area, IMHO it's not that obvious to find but it's there.
The way that area is set out (http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/links/) looks just like the main forum and, if I understand Terry correctly, he's is suggesting one of those type of links in the 'Dive Trips & Travel' section of the main forum - making three options there.
Given how specific that is I'm inclined to agree if it's possible. However the danger is that the temptation will possibly be to incorporate links in every sub-section rather than just restrict them to the actual links area in the top nav bar and that would be very messy.
It's a balance of functionality against screen space...........
Adrian Kelland
02-12-2005, 16:36
I know one thing that will never happen here, we will never make you ALL happy :D
Most of what has been suggested is technically possible, but just because it can be done, does not mean it should be. We need to make things clear for members and help them as much as possible, yet aboid a lot of clutter created by lots of links.
I think evolution, rather than revolution is called for. And a little rest to see what new members suggest, not just the more expperienced forum/web users.
Adrian
And a little rest
You newlyweds!
Rest indeed........... we'll see terms like 'a period of quiet reflection' next........ pipe and slippers anyone? :D
Point taken.
The way that area is set out (http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/links/) looks just like the main forum and, if I understand Terry correctly, he's is suggesting one of those type of links in the 'Dive Trips & Travel' section of the main forum - making three options there.
Given how specific that is I'm inclined to agree if it's possible. However the danger is that the temptation will possibly be to incorporate links in every sub-section rather than just restrict them to the actual links area in the top nav bar and that would be very messy.
It's a balance of functionality against screen space...........
Yep thats about it.
Way I look at it is that the TC used to be on the old forum navbar. So it was seen as part of the main site. While I wouldnt want to see a proliferation
of such links, I dont see this as being any different to the old method and
think this is the one exception.
T.
Keith Lawrence
03-12-2005, 00:53
Yep thats about it.
Way I look at it is that the TC used to be on the old forum navbar. So it was seen as part of the main site. While I wouldnt want to see a proliferation
of such links, I dont see this as being any different to the old method and
think this is the one exception.
Hi Terry
You used the two words 'proliferation' and 'exception' there in the same sentence, within the context of the overall family of BSAC web sites the two words are mutually exclusive. I'm not going to be making exceptions for anybody on this one - this week it's TC, but what about Snorkelling?, then there's the Members .org, Oh - and what about the new Resorts web site, then of course there's the regions... So whilst Allie and TC are very welcome to their own section of the forums (which themselves are just another BSAC web site...) we've got to come up with a better solution than just one link to one site. I've got a couple of solutions for this problem in the pipeline, by that I mean weeks and not months.
The first thing we're going to do is create a "BSAC Index" page that lists all of our web sites in one place, TC and the Forums will of course be on that index page. Then we're going to create a common linking protocol across all of our web sites so that you can easily find that index, that bit will take a bit longer, but we need to establish the principle of that one common index page.
What I would then like to do is include in each site itself (as part of the main navigation ideally) further links to the other BSAC web sites. By doing that, with the common index page, we solve the problem of inter-site linking for all BSAC web sites. The idea is that the sites feed each other, they all drive traffic around the BSAC family of web sites, it will become much easier for you to find where you need to go. For the forums we're thinking of extending our 'Site Navigation' to include those links, TC will be in there, as will every other BSAC web site.
I hope you can see where I'm coming from with this Terry and why I'm so reluctant to make an exception for TC. Rather than just solve the problem for one site I'm trying to solve it for all of them :)
HTH
Keith L
I hope you can see where I'm coming from with this Terry and why I'm so reluctant to make an exception for TC. Rather than just solve the problem for one site I'm trying to solve it for all of them :)
Hi Keith,
Yes I can understand that you might get a bit of earache from those with
vested interests, but way I see it is that the TC was the one and only
"other" site that was on the navbar. The precedent was already there.
So its not an exception, but a continuation of an existing policy.
Think we need to be a bit careful here that the success of the TC isnt
affected by the makeup of the new fora. Might be worth checking the stats.
T.
Keith Lawrence
03-12-2005, 01:32
Hi Keith,
Yes I can understand that you might get a bit of earache from those with
vested interests, but way I see it is that the TC was the one and only
"other" site that was on the navbar. The precedent was already there.
So its not an exception, but a continuation of an existing policy.
Think we need to be a bit careful here that the success of the TC isnt
affected by the makeup of the new fora. Might be worth checking the stats.
We had far fewer forums on the old system, TC was in there with along with all of the other forums. That top navbar on the old forums is replaced by our overall forum index on www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/ (http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/), vertical instead of horizontal, TC have their very own section in there! Or might TC be detracting from all of the other BSAC web sites? :rolleyes: In fact look on the TC home page itself, I see no links to the other sites but everybody links to them :)
I am watching the stats very carefully indeed Terry. These new forums have driven up forum traffic immensly, it's too early to say about overall traffic but it's looking very good! We are driving more people to the TC forums, Allie is looking at stuff within that section to drive them over to the main TC web site, then we're going to have the overall BSAC index that links everything to everything else.
So rather than just one link to one site what I intend to do is use all of the sites to drive traffic to each other. With the ever increasing numbers visiting the BSAC web sites (*) I want to create a "sticky" environment that keeps traffic within the BSAC and drives it around all of the BSAC web sites, for everybody.
Which is why I want a proper solution and why I'm not going to make an exception for TC :)
Cheers
Keith L
(*) Over 3M hits, nearly 0.75M pages and over 70,000 unique visitors each month, with bandwidth usage increasing by over 75% per annum - and those stats are about 4 months old!
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