Can you (a creative administrator) give me some ideas for some poll questions. My goal is to get my fellow classmates to participate more in the site.

it depends on what you are trying to acheive

serious, fun, entertaining, silly, nostalgic

i have done them all and i find that is one of the best places
to add humor

search the net for ideas, i found this site and it is off the charts, the circus poll i just put up, however our traffic on our site is slowly building and the direct correlation between the closer the big dance gets is when the traffic will really pick up...
Totally Absurd Polls
good luck

Hi David,

The mistake it's easy to make is expecting everyone to log onto the site every day. It's frustrating but the reality is people don't have the time and, in my particular case, we're of an age group that just doesn't spend that amount of time on the computer. It's also probable that the school site is just one of many that they'll visit. Once they're over the initial excitement of knowing your site exists, keeping them coming back is the problem.

If you're fortunate enough to be of a young age group that makes use of Facebook, instant messaging and the like then I think making a site chat room, if you haven't already, will get people onto the site, at least in the evenings and week-ends. What you need is something that keeps them there and keeps them coming back. Traffic certainly increases on my site when an old school event is about to happen but I can't keep arranging things just to keep that happening!

I haven't used polls or surveys yet as I'm going to have to e-mail everyone first to tell them there's a poll on the site - they just don't drop by often enough to notice. At least if you include a poll in a class e-mail you're guaranteed some response. With a poll, not only do you need to tell them that it's there, you also have to make it meaningful and that the results of your poll are going to make a difference. I've never been a lover of polls unless the successful opinion is likely to change something. The chances of that happening are extremely unlikely so the absurd polls idea is a better way forward once you've got people on your site used to them appearing and realising that they are for fun. Again, I think it works better with a young age group.

Whatever you do to increase traffic the problem is always going to be getting classmates to know that there is something new or different for them to see on your site. The only way to do that is to e-mail the whole class every time it happens. It doesn't take long but you'll get some positive response.

I'm always changing and updating my site. If you don't, you have to ask yourself why anyone would want to come back to the site on a daily basis just to re-read the things they've already seen. Once they get used to an ever-changing site it will make them curious as to what they'll see next time.

Sorry to be long-winded but the problem of increasing site traffic is one I struggle with most days. Good luck with your efforts but don't set your sights too high.
All the best,
Mark

Thanks

On my site I created more of a survey, than a poll....it seems to pique interest.

The topic is "A Travel Club?", and I've asked the classmates if they would be interested in forming a traveling group, as we get older...this year is our 35th, and I see this as being a way to 'stay connected' over the years, as well as offer a unique form of entertainment. The survey asks for ideas, what they would participate in (i.e. cruises, etc.) and where they would consider going (Vegas, Cancun, or Texas Hill Country)....it also asks for them to choose their preference for frequency of trips..(ever other year, every 5 years, etc.) I also asked if anyone was involved with a travel agency, (one of our classmates family use to own one)...a Bed & Breakfast, etc.- Ideas for travel.

I had heard of a Class Cruise from another high school, and it prompted me to think of this idea.

A good way to increase interest is with photos and music... when they find out there is a group photo of the 'good ole' days' on the site, the class is pretty quick to check it out!
Just send the class a blanket email of what's new.....If you've used all of your 'Customizeable Pages", why not take one down that's been up for awhile, and re-do it with something new?

If you've used all your customizable pages, just start using Survey pages but you don't need to put an actual survey on them. I do have a survey on one of them, and it automatically appears at the bottom of the photos and text I have on that page. Using survey pages for extra pages works great, though there are a few drawbacks:
- The title at the top of your screen will still say Survey instead of the title of your page.
- If you don't include an actual survey on the page, "Survey not available" will appear at the bottom of the page. I just add a lot of white space with the Enter key between my page text and "Survey not available" so most readers probably don't even know it's there.
- You must be logged in to read survey pages, even if you don't password protect them. However, I see this as an advantage as it means my classmates must log in to read them!

As to polls, I've done several, but never received a huge response. I have one survey going, too, and only have 4 responses so far. The polls I've done to date are:
- Which non-academic subject was the most useful to you as an adult: Sports, Shop, Typing, Band or Choir, Clubs, Plays & Operettas.
- Which internet browser do you use: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Other. (I had switched to Firefox and wanted to be sure my site was still readable to classmates using other browsers.)
- Which school logo do you like better for our site (our mascot logo changed since we graduated). Interestingly, the class chose the new logo instead of the one we knew in school!
- What will you do to prepare for the reunion: Lose weight and/or get fit; Color hair or add hair; Face lift or other "enhancements;" New clothes & accessories; Practice my social skills; Nothing! I'm perfect already.

my class loves my polls, and since you are about the same age as my friends...here is what I have used.
1.favorite street game
1.hide and seek
2.ring a leevio
3.red rover
4.tag

1.favorite dance show
american bandstand
clay coles disco
lloyd thaxton
hullabaloo
shin dig

1. favorite animal show
lassie
fury
flicker
flipper
rin tin tin

1. craziest teacher

great ideas all.

polls are primarily for entertainment and some view them as a waste of time etc.

on your site:
music: you have to have it in some fashion to entertain them
photos: you have to let them reminiscence
do your own you tube video or get some vintage HS footage and post it there for others to see and make them smile
connecting: i find the more i personally e-mail individuals and have our committee do the same (if you have a large class...you need a large committee, unless you are up for the work, albeit fun work)...

the more the site picks up, it's that personal touch, mass e-mailing is good, but a small 'hey, remember that time....' or small informal get togethers, go a long way

reunions are the people, after its done and over, they will remember the classmates and the things you did, dedications etc. they will not remember the food, the music you played, the foo-foo, they will remember the reminiscing, faces, fun and laughter they were able to share at the event

i really like the travel club idea!
i am having a hard time getting them to post some photos on their own profile. i think like any big vacation ,trip or event ...the closer it gets will have a direct correlation to the activity on the site!

although the current poll on our site is 2 days old and borrowed from 'absurd polls' i thought a fun one would be related to your former HS and that is:
What really scared you about our high school?
a) the janitors
b) etc., etc

did you get the ones I emailed you?

Yes, thanks.