How Can We Engage You New Users?

springlering62 · July 2

so many times, regular users post advice and encouragement to new or returning users, who never reply, or apparently never even return to read the responses.

So asking y'all direct: how do we engage? Get you guys to return? Get you to participate in the boards? Excite you to the possibilities(

It saddens me, because when I started, the boards were a hive of posts. I got so much good advice, encouragement, etc here that the boards were a major factor in my own loss.

I want to pay it forward.

But frankly, it’s a ghost town, other than short “intro” messages. What does it take to get into your day and support you? Make you return to the boards?

Really wanting to know how we can make the boards better?

Weight loss isn’t exciting. It’s frustrating. But the results will exceed your expectations. How do we keep you on track?

StephanieLynne77 · July 2

yeah I’ve left a few comments onpost’s but haven’t gotten interaction back from poster. When you comment on someone’s post or interact with it, do you get a notification in app? That might help with someone like me that has their email notifications turned off on their phone. I don’t go to my Email to check it often. An in app notification would be great 👍

pony4us · July 2

I think it's a sign of the times. Most people use other types of social media, not old fasioned forums. I see this happening on other sites that I used in the past like tripadvisor and cruisecritic. Used to be full of interaction but now dead.

It is not the fault of MFP or the boards, it's just the way things are.

mar_sbar · July 2

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48671289#Comment_48671289

I agree with this. It's that, coupled with the fact that there are a ton of other apps and services competing for users' time and attention. People then decide what they want and don't want to interact with, and it becomes so unpredictable if they will respond to every post or notification. But yes, it's frustrating when we take the time to respond to a post but the person never replies or even returns. Why do they even bother to post in the first place?

Alatariel75 · July 2

It's really frustrating and I've stopped responding to the one liner intros. If someone can't be bothered to open with at least a little bit of thought and effort, I can't imagine they're going to come back and engage.

I think a lot of newer, younger users aren't familiar with the old school forum communities and treat it like other social media and when they don't get immediate engagement, they don't bother coming back. Other posts are definitely seeing this like Google and not actually considering that the people on the responding side are real people. You wouldn't walk up to a group of people at a social event and say "Best sources of protein?" but posters will put that and only that in a thread.

But generally, this type of forum is fading away, which makes me sad because MFP forums and other forums are where I got so much support and engagement over the years and I've made lifelong friends.

I don't think there's anything we can really do to get all those "one post and gone" posters back, they just dump and run.

AnnPT77 · July 3

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48671275#Comment_48671275

In the web browser version, the bell icon on the upper right of the Community page will tell you when there are new replies on a post where you've commented, with a number that tells you how many threads. In the phone/tablet app, you have to first click on your profile pic in the upper right of the Community page to see the bell icon.

Click on the bell, you'll get a list of threads you've commented on, the ones with new comments at the top. Click on "all notifications" at the bottom of that list, and you'll get a page where the individual replies are broken out in time order.

You can also bookmark threads you want to follow via notifications without having to reply on them. There are a few other things that'll show up in Community notifications, too, and a few other ways to return to some threads where you've commented, but that's the gist.

I don't recall whether you can get push notifications of that stuff on your phone, because I don't like push notifications and nearly always turn off apps' push notifications. Sounds like you may have a similar attitude to them. 😉

StephanieLynne77 · July 3

@AnnPT77 thanks for the info! I’m getting the hang of it so far, stumbled on to what you just mentioned and saw your reply!

NotForJustNowForever · July 3

I feel like sometimes it's not the right time, if that makes sense. I know in my case that the first time I posted on this forum, years ago, I thought I was ready but then… life got in the way. And I was still looking for a silver bullet that required little to no efforts.

There are so many instances where I started a weight loss journey but in a way, I wasn't ready (mentally). I would become ready, but not then. Before I entered my current maintenance phase, I went through a lot of false starts. I feel like weight loss is one of those things where you have to be ready (to do the work, to find what works for you, to find the path of least resistance based on who you are, etc.)

I still choose to answer when I think I may have something to share because I also know that I only posted once in a long time frame, but I still lurked the forum and read conversations. In a way, I guess I feel I'm answering a post, but maybe something (just an idea, or a way of looking at things, something…) can be useful and applicable to a lurker that will never interact directly or actively on the forum like I was.

yakkystuff · July 3

Agree, some posts evolve into interesting conversations despite OP not returning.

This is the kind of thing where people will engage when.... when something clicks, it suits them?

Found MFP for the trcker. Was not looking for the chat part.

I do not do any other social media things, but do enjoy the community and the wide, opposing/thought-provoking discussions here.

Do wish it was more active though. Not sure how that would happen.

anxietyfairy · July 3

I wouldn't make the assumption that newer posts on threads aren't being read. Sometimes people are busy or intimidated by the responses. People seem to be discouraged from posting new threads if they have posted previously.

If you want people to make new threads, don't criticise them for doing so. Sometimes we need advice in more than one area.

That being said, the challenge threads seem active, lots of reading to do there.

anxietyfairy · July 3

Another thing I will mention, is the world is in chaos at the moment. Wars starting, things crazy in the US. Weightloss is probably not at the front of people's minds as it was before, they are focused on surviving not goal fulfillment. (I am not in the US, but still scared about how things are going).

springlering62 · July 4

@AnnPT77 beat me to the bell thing (which looks like this in the apps, btw):

This is where you bookmark a thread:

And don’t forget, if you use the @ sign before a user name, that produces an automatic notification to that particular member, too, to get their attention, for example @anxietyfairy

Lots of good input here

sorry if I’m ever snarky, but sometimes the “quick weight loss hacks” and people wanting to lose 20+ pounds before the wedding next month make me want to pull my hair out in frustration.

There’s this mentality that people know how to do it, fast, but are too selfish to share. It’s like claim jumpers in the Good Rush era.

Man, don’t you know that if we knew that super secret fast successful method, we’d bottle it and make a mint?

Just seems like lately, that’s all people want to hear, and they drop out, literally in hours, if someone won’t spill the beans. It’s like social media has decreased our already shortening attentions spans to seconds

Engagement here was magical, useful, integral for me. Won’t lie.

yakkystuff · July 4

There are still... always crazy-making hacks and I wonder.... why bother?

Fast can be fun but who wants to yo-yo and keep going through the misery?

There are so many new ones but older ones family did - and failed at

Cabbage soup diet - did this many times.

Ski team diet

Eat 7 eggs only for the day, 7 oranges or 7 tomatoes only - broke out in hives.

Suppressants - the candy-like 'aids- chocolate or caramel squares kept in fridge, then raided and eat the box??? Lol

Craziest - teeth wired shut then go out for milkshakes!!!

NotForJustNowForever · July 5

I think in my case the big turnaround and the game changer was realizing how 'boring' ultimately weight loss is. How it's just about knowing how to feed yourself (in my case, ultimately, calorie counting) and moving for 30 + intentionally every single day. And doing it even when the scale wouldn't budge because ultimately, my body felt better afterwards 😅

But I also feel I learned things from "messing up" or with all my attempts at quick solutions. Keto made me crave fruits just because they were denied (and I hate fruits prior LOL). It also made me more intentional about incorporating more dark greens. General low carb and keto made me pay attention to my fiber intake…

So I consider that false starts and "failures" also have their places.

I definitely agree with the sentiment that people don't use forums like they use to as much. I know I don't. This one is absolutely the exception for me right now. I go on forums and use the search function (for example: how to figure out my TDEE 😭 I think I've figured out my way thank goodness), then never come back (or only do it when I have a new specific question).

Also, forums are like coming in a room with a common interest/theme, and talking to people. And people are just people. And some things may not feel applicable (right now or in general), or not be what we want to hear (or are ready to hear… I sure know I've heard calories in/calories out a lot throughout my life but only figured out how to apply it and make it happen with me later in my life).

I know I use to be told to eat 1200 calories when I was 100+ kg (~220 lb) while not eating my workout calories and although I had ample reserves… it made me so cranky…! Had I been told to aim for progressive reduction of calories or to aim for 1600 cals, it would have been a whole lot less daunting and I wouldn't have become obsessed with Keto purely for the appetite suppression effect…

And environment is so influential. It's sad to say, but my mom had to pass away for me to be able to lose the weight. Because both she and I were too similar and enabling, and I wasn't willing to fight her to do my own thing. I was recently watching a YouTube video by Tennyson (I think that's his name) and the most obese town in the world and he was saying how hard it must be when everything in your environment enables binging and not moving.

SafariGalNYC · July 5

great Post @springlering62 - it’s a 2 way street.

I see so many one hit wonder posts- I rarely engage if I see someone without a photo or if they have 1 post because they rarely stick around.

literally if I click on when a person was last active, many times they post and have not been active since that post. It happens so much- I actually question if there is engagement farming.

the photo below… I counted at least 3 dozen from the last few weeks… 1 post, no return after making an account. It’s consistent.

So even if there was group engagement- they don’t see it. Do that many people post a question and never check back for an answer?

I think it’s possible attention span is low, people download MFP for free use it and then never come back.

if I look at forums that are highly active like Reddit - it’s all about engagement and conversation. I just don’t think MFP curates or highlights the forums. 🤷‍♀️ 🤷

…but most importantly- appreciative of committed, repeat users who engage.

SafariGalNYC · July 5

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48672150#Comment_48672150

Im currently in Europe… I don’t remember a time when a part of the world wasn’t in chaos. Point of view is everything and - when in the US… doesn’t seem chaotic or scary to me. POV

lynn_glenmont · July 5

I think if you're responding to a lot of first-time posts, they're going to reflect the reality that the percentage of people who stick with an intention to pursue a particular approach to losing weight for more than a day or two is pretty small.

springlering62 · July 5

I find it rather sad that the only people engaging on this thread are already regular posters.

pony4us · July 5

But it's not a chat room, like the younguns' are used to. Just like the newsfeed only impacted people who wanted MFP to be social media. Many people are like me, use it for tracking. One post wonders try it for a second. it's too much work and leave. There are many threads that are active and have continued for years, mostly by people who find their tribe and stick with it.Why is it sad? Find your tribe or make your tribe. Round up your lost "friends" from your newsfeed, life is too short to worry about a newbie who won't respond back to your seeds of wisdom.

springlering62 · July 6

it’s sad to me because people are clearly looking for a way out, find MFP, post “Hi 👋🏻” and never come back. So many people, whom, if they weren’t unhappy about their weigh, would never have googled and taken the time to download and at least set up an ID, if nothing else.

No motivation to go further, learn, or even make the faintest attempt. Or if they do, it’s like a user who posted recently that they were FRUSTRATED (their caps, not mine) that they hadn’t lost in three days. WTF? Had they taken an hour to read the boards, they’d see that this is unreasonable. But no, they are swept up in quick! fast! easy! magic! loss like they see on 30 seconds videos.

I’m sad for these floundering souls.

And my personal experience with MFP was engaging on the boards was helpful, and, yes, I loved the newsfeed as well. It was a happy median between too and not too personal. Unless you PM’d someone, your post was visible to all, which kept some potential clowns in order, I suppose, as opposed to true social media where all filters are off. My experience with newsfeed was that it was an extra courteous bunch of people with a single goal, and maybe a meme or two or three on the side.

I know a lot of people who relied on the newsfeed to stay in line simply because sharing and being shared with helped them feel they weren’t alone in the battle.

AnnPT77 · July 6

@springlering62 wrote:

it’s sad to me because people are clearly looking for a way out, find MFP, post “Hi 👋🏻” and never come back. So many people, whom, if they weren’t unhappy about their weigh, would never have googled and taken the time to download and at least set up an ID, if nothing else.
No motivation to go further, learn, or even make the faintest attempt. Or if they do . . . .

Are they looking for a way out, or feeling like they should look for a way out? Commitment, or sense of obligation, maybe because of pressure from others?

I "wanted to lose weight" for years. Sometimes I made vague gestures in that direction. But I didn't commit. I didn't mean it, really. I don't know what flipped the switch. If I did, you'd better believe I'd bottle it, sell it, make millions.

I'm going to quote something I posted this on another thread, slightly edited here to the point:

It can take some exploration and wishfulness at first, before finding the right way to commit, and that's OK. Yeah, sometimes people get stuck.
There's a thing called the "transtheoretical model" about how people change. It rings true for me. This is just a good overview graphic from a random site, not an endorsement of the whole site. The basic model is discussed in many places.

Random source for this specific diagram: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/eduweight/0/steps/256186

If people aren't at the right psychological threshold, they're not going to proceed to the next phase. Even when they proceed, it's normal - part of the process - to relapse.

People who aren't the OP read posts. Some benefit. Some don't. But personally, I think it's inaccurate to consider only the OP.

Me, when I post, I'm just hoping for some positive impact sometimes, for someone. If I'm only motivated to post/reply when someone is explicitly grateful or responsive . . . well, that wouldn't work for me.

I also agree with the point that long-form text-based online interactions like this Community are shrinking for cultural reasons, along with other things like serious long-form news media. Short perky videos are the medium now.

We can maybe give a little help to people who do still use text-based social media, and who are at the right step in the change process. That's it. It's inherently low yield.

I suspect short socially-affirming answers to more of the posts in Introductions section might have some beneficial impact. Still low yield, though.

But I'm just being more depressing to our OP here by writing yet another post from a regular poster.

How Can We Engage You New Users?

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