Permission Settings for Guests

[Mel]

What have you guys found successful for attracting members (in terms of vB permission settings)? Require registration to read threads? Members only search functions?

 

[Ogden2k]

I allow guest to view threads and search, that's it. It seems to work for me.

 

[Ryan Crocker]

I allow guest to view threads and search, that's it. It seems to work for me.

Yes, I do the same as Ogden2k.

 

[wizard1974uk]

I let guests view all of my forums and have a special forum where they can post suggestions on what would make them sign up and participate, unfortunately it hasn't worked so far.

 

[Wayne Luke]

I have always followed a path of allowing guests to view and search but not participate. As an incentive to get them to signup, consider adding additional topics that are for members only. However never close the entire forum to guest because unless you offer something else, they won't waste their time to register just to get a peek.

 

[The Sandman]

What are the out of the box default usergroup permissions?

 

[Wayne Luke]

Oh man... Ummm... I would have to map it out completely for each usergroup. I do know that out of the box that guest can view, search, read calendars, and email to friends but they cannot participate in polls, post, create calendar events, or use PM's.

 

[raxafarian]

We have a few public article forums that anyone can view. The rest of the forum is closed to guests. We prefer it that way for several reasons:

They need to signup, and therefore agree to the rules/TOS before viewing. It's a technical scubadiving site.... so this may protect us from liability.

We don't want most threads spidered... we do not moderate lanquage and some feel we could get blacklisted because of that (whether true or not, I don't know). The public forums have enough articles with keywords that people seem to find us. Most members list word of mouth. The next largest attraction is links in signatures on other diving sites .

For our type of site, this seems to work... but we really do NOT want every tom dick and harry to sign up.

 

[eva2000]

closing forums to guests also generates alot of unwanted registrations of new members... idle accounts from those that only want to see what's inside..