Forums and Facebook, The Old and The New
Hi CCC!
There has been an ongoing discussion thread on our “Recipe Contests” forum and since there were a lot of questions, I figured it would be easier and faster to address you all in a blog post!
The discussion began in regards to the amount of “chatter” on our Forums and why it seems a bit quieter than it has in the past. Many seem to think that much of this talk has moved to Facebook and I tend to agree. Other community based websites have seen discussions move to Facebook as that social media platform has grown and expanded over the past several years. I can understand the “ease” of a conversation on Facebook and why many would choose to ask questions, announce wins, request votes and connect with cooking friends in that space.
That being said, I would like to make the case for more of these conversations coming back to the CCC forums! Here at CCC we have an amazing community. This talented group is simply the “best of the best” when it comes to recipe contests. We always have and always will be here to support one another and welcome new members into our online family. Anyone who is a current subscriber can log in and access these forums. This is a privilege of membership and you can feel safe speaking in this private space. In addition, our numbers are much stronger than some of the private Facebook groups. This provides a broader base for others to answer questions or support one another in voting contests. In addition, I personally find it frustrating that Facebook is always changing its terms of service and what you see and don’t see on your newsfeed. Facebook is a great tool (I use it every day too!) but I feel that CCC has been and always will be the trusted resource that you can always depend on.
Now, let’s talk format: the old and the new. Several of you asked questions about the new look and navigating the new format. If there is one thing that’s for sure when it comes to technology, is that it is always changing! The “old” website was built many years ago on a very old platform with very little options for growth and development. It was around for a long time and it was what we were all used to seeing when we arrived at CCC.
After I took over ownership of CCC last year, I knew the first thing I had to do to keep our website current was to change platforms. I knew going in that there would be growing pains as we all adjusted to a brand new look and a whole new way to navigate. I worked long and hard to research the most user-friendly options and the results are what you see today on the site. Some like the new format, others prefer the old. I am dedicated to listening to any questions and responding to any concerns. I am also always striving to make CCC bigger and better than ever before. As new technology rolls out, I will keep my eyes peeled to see if it might help improve the member experience. I am always open to hearing your ideas and suggestions. If it is possible to achieve within the parameters of the current technology, I am more than happy to see what I can do!
As for access to email addresses and contacting members privately. The new format does not allow members to click on a name and access their personal email address. This is first and foremost an online privacy issue. Many members do not want their information shared publicly and I want to respect each members decision as to what they share online. That being said, if you want to email a fellow CCC member directly, just ask! I am sure they would be happy to oblige.
Moving forward, let me outline our Member Forums and help you understand the best way to use this format.
Recipe Contests Forum: This is the best place to ask questions, get advice, and share knowledge regarding cooking and recipe contests. If you are new, introduce yourself here!
Voting “One and Done” Forum: This is where you can post requests for voting support in a contest where only one vote is allowed.
Daily Voting Forum: Some voting contests allow one vote per day. This is where you can look for support in those contests.
(Note: These two forums were recently created to help navigate the often frustrating world of online voting. I believe this is the number one resource available to request support in these contests. No one likes to have their Facebook newsfeed cluttered and overflowing with vote requests. Here is it organized and neat for those who choose to participate. This portion of the website is not any form of “vote swapping” or other disputed ways of obtaining online votes. It is simply a forum to ask for support from your fellow cooking contest enthusiasts.)
Off-Line Forum: This is where you can chat and connect with friends about topics outside the realm of cooking contests.
Winner’s Circle: If you won a contest, tell us about it! Don’t ever feel like you are “showing off.” We want to hear and give you a pat on the back for a job well done.
Sweepstakes: On the “old” site sweepstakes were under the same umbrella topic as online voting. As this aspect of contesting has boomed in the past few years, I figured it would be best to give each their own space.
Help and How To: Do you have any general questions about how to navigate our website? This is the place to ask!
Food Blogger Connect: I just added this space very recently. There aren’t any topics yet, but will be coming soon! Stay tuned to find out how to use this great resource moving forward.
Finally, if you ever have any questions or concerns you can email me anytime. Kristina {at} CookingContestCentral {dot} com Feel free to leave a comment below and I will check back to answer any other thoughts or suggestions you have concerning this topic. I am always here to help!
Thank you for all this great info, I needed to be reminded of all the great services CCC provides it’s members.: )
I will try to use the Forums a bit more, although I find it somewhat cumbersome compared to the “old” simple forms. I certainly wouldn’t want CCC to go away.
out with the old and in with the new–I love how my brain must keep learning–hopefully it will keep this old-timer from getting old <3
Kristina, I certainly appreciate your taking the time to address some questions. Honestly, I really like the new format–it is clean and organized. While it does not let you look at a glance at what is being posted, you can easily go to the section you want.
This is a great supportive community and the BEST source of information on cooking and recipe contests around! Good work, Kristina!
I like, I like! I am happy!
Love the forum and appreciate all of the effort, dedication and hard work that you put into this. I especially appreciate the amazing level of support from fellow CCC’er… touched my heart!
Thank you,
Marla
How about an email database that members can choose to add their emails to if they so wish? Certainly there are times when a private, personal comment is more appropriate than posting it for all to see on the forum. If you don’t want to add your email “for privacy issues” then you wouldn’t be forced to.
Edited: an email address database. 🙂
Maybe we can just make a space for that on everyone’s profile page. It could be an optional field.
I think Deb has a great idea. I would love this as part of CCC.
Good idea, Kim.
Kim – That does sound like a perfect compromise!
Even without a separate field, you can always include contact information in the “bio” field. I would just suggest using the Name {at} gmail {dot} com format so bots don’t scan the site for potential spam.
Kristina, thanks for everything. I was under the “old system” for about 2 years before the change. I have to admit that I enjoyed that “home-spun” feel. Technology is not my thing. I do miss the chatter, but that is an easy fix if we all begin to “chat” more! I think navigation is easier if you scroll down to the recent topics area and actually past the top portion of the topics. This shows you the most recent chatter. That’s what I do. I figure if I check in once a day (maybe twice if there is a lot going on), I’ll see what is new. I really like the new site and you have obviously worked hard at it. One feature I have seen on some other sites (Pillsbury being one) is that on the main page there is a sidebar that shows what is going on on the associated Facebook page. That may be something to try in an attempt to connect the 2 worlds with ease. Just a thought.
Yes, I know what feature you are talking about. That is an easy plug-in to add, but I am not sure how effective it will be. Much of the conversation that is happening on Facebook is occurring in “private” groups, not through the public CCC Facebook page. This is another reason I want to encourage important conversations to return to our forums. It reaches a broader audience and does not get filtered as is possible with the Facebook newsfeed.
One thing I’ve always wanted Kristina, could you come up with an icon you can put alongside the contests (like the checkmark for voting contests) that would signify contests that are cook-offs (where contestants travel to a destination to cook their recipes for judges)? I know some contests call themselves “cook-offs” and they are not situations where contestants win a trip and cook for the judges, and then it just gets confusing. Thanks for considering it! ~Deb
I will see what I can do!
One other idea!
Would anyone out there be interested in serving as a “Community Manager” here on CCC? You could monitor the forums for conversations and questions, while initiating conversations and keeping the energy alive. If anyone out there is interested, email me and we can work something out!
Thanks for all your efforts, Kristina, and for this current blog post. Now I understand why CCC feels so different . Please keep in mind that some CCC’er (I doubt I am the only one) are NOT Facebook members and rely on these Forums and CCC site for all our contesting news, support, and encouragement. Try to imagine that you’re not on FB for a few weeks, then you’ll see how all this looks to me I really hope I’m not the only FB-adverse member .
One more request: On the Newsletter you send out, where you list the new contests, could you indicate there if the contests have V**ting, photos, videos, or is FB only, as you do in Deadline Contests? Often I’ll see a contest that seems great; only to discover after checking the Deadline List that it has V**tng or is FB only, unfortunately,
Thanks
Perhaps you could offer incentives for people to post on the CCC forum more. I am part of a jewelry forum that gives away prizes at Christmas to certain random posts. For example, the 50th person to post a comment for a certain week wins a prize. Not sure if you have the funding or prizes available for that sort of thing, but you could also give away free memberships, etc.. Just an idea! I’d love to see more people posting on here!
As a member since 2005, I really wish more would come back to the CCC forum. If you are really having a problem with entering a recipe or understanding what the rules are, there is no better place to be than CCC. So many of us became friends through CCC. I can see why all the private groups on FB because you never know what News Feed you will be getting. Likewise I get tried of all their suggested News Feed and would rather just see my friend’s post. Change is what keeps you younger. I surely understand members adjusting as I’ve had but technology just gets better and better.