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I have just started an online writing community.

The community has nearly 30 members. Only 2 or 3 of them are talking. Is this the typical ratio?

Because I manually approve registrations, I see people register, then never post a thing. I don't understand the dynamic behind it; I am the other way around -- I see a forum post I just have to respond to, then I register.

How do you get people to become active and stay active, especially when a community is so small and new? I have many tools at my disposal, since I'm running Tiki Wiki -- forums, blogs, articles, chat, newsletters, you name it.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by cashmirrors

Dani AI

Generated

Most small communities have far more viewers than posters. Participation inequality (the familiar "90-9-1" pattern) explains that only a tiny fraction will create most content while many remain lurkers; this is common and normal for new sites (Participation Inequality: Encouraging More Users to Contribute).

Practical steps to move lurkers toward a first simple action: make that action tiny and specific (a one-line intro, a reaction, or a single-sentence answer to a prompt); seed regular, low-effort rituals (weekly writing prompts, short critique rounds, or a single-question discussion); send a short automated welcome that asks one concrete next step; spotlight and thank first-time posters publicly so others see social proof; and run occasional scheduled events (30-minute chat or live critique) to create urgency and habit. Measure small metrics: percent who post within 30 days and posts per active member, then iterate on what nudges work.

On earlier suggestions: is right that growth helps social proof, but quantity alone won't change activation unless newcomers are prompted to act. ' incentive idea can jump-start participation, but prefer reward structures that encourage useful behavior (peer feedback, quality posts) rather than only volume. A caution: avoid heavy gamification or contests that attract one-off entries—focus on simple onboarding, visible social proof, and repeatable rituals that make posting the easy next step.

Member Avatar for fizankhan

yep thats annoying i ahve seven members including my self and there is only one other member who really posts others sign up and sometime post agin if i am lucky.the best advice is to get more members somehow to make your site seem more attractive apart form that theres nothing you can really do

Member Avatar for cashmirrors

Maybe offer a "newbie post of the week award" people love prizes.

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