How valuable is chat room for forums

Ebla · Share | #1 (**permalink**) 06-23-2012, 08:52 AM

I currently have the chat room option turned off on my new forum. My question is do you think chat detracts from the community by encouraging people to post less, or do you think it adds in building a community by expanding relationships?

My current thinking is that it detracts by people not posting as much.

**snakeair** · #2 (**permalink**) 06-23-2012, 02:23 PM

I wouldn't use one on the forum. People come to the forum to talk already and yes people will post less if they using the chat system. Members can still use the PM system and also check the user's profile for there instant messenger screen names to chat.

**Jim Gillum** · #3 (**permalink**) 06-23-2012, 11:14 PM

I don't like chat rooms...
I believe that it would reduce the value of a forum....

Which as time goes by, becomes a huge reference library...

pwhrita · #4 (**permalink**) 06-25-2012, 11:27 AM

We enabled chat room but without using it for good purpose, visitors started to abuse other peoples in the chat room so eventually we closed it.

Amazing · #5 (**permalink**) 06-29-2012, 09:48 PM

I never add chat rooms or "shout boxes" to my forums as, like you said, it causes people to post less. Forums are for chatter amongst the members so there's no reason to add a chat room for them to chat in... That defeats the purpose in my opinion.

billzo · #6 (**permalink**) 08-01-2012, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebla

My current thinking is that it detracts by people not posting as much.

True. If people are communicating by private chat, that is less posts and less content, which usually isn't desirable. You want more activity in the forum, not less.

**snakeair** · #7 (**permalink**) 08-01-2012, 08:48 PM

On a free remotely hosted forum service I used to be a global moderator on way back in the day has a CHAT feature that can be enabled on there forum. Many times in the support board, people was complaining about how to stop the spammers from postiing in there and other stuff.

I'd say to disable it but that wasn't being a good support person.

Chat feature takes away from people actually posting in the threads which is that the search engines index. Keep the talking in the threads folks.

Ebla · #8 (**permalink**) 08-02-2012, 03:59 AM

I turned it off and have the chat button removed from the menu. I also decided against adding a shoutbox. Thanks for the input guys.

MrSS · #9 (**permalink**) 08-04-2012, 12:42 AM

I read intelligent answers, no need to add some more about the original topic. I wanna comment on the last message from the OP.

Consider this advice. Place a announcement or thread in your forum's bulletin board to have a formal declaration that a certain feature was removed. Of course the reason is needed for members might ask for the reason why a certain feature was removed / disabled. Do anything that will protect the best interest of your forum.

Ebla · #10 (**permalink**) 08-04-2012, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrSS

I read intelligent answers, no need to add some more about the original topic. I wanna comment on the last message from the OP.

Consider this advice. Place a announcement or thread in your forum's bulletin board to have a formal declaration that a certain feature was removed. Of course the reason is needed for members might ask for the reason why a certain feature was removed / disabled. Do anything that will protect the best interest of your forum.

Really good advice on keeping members informed as to why certain actions are taken.

In my case the forum is brand new, so I won't have anyone mad at me for making changes.

adsonmycar · #11 (**permalink**) 08-08-2012, 09:40 AM

Adding a chat is not as easy as just saying it. A lot of legal issues come after chat rooms. Here in the forums you can have the admins to monitor the site, so anything illegal or inappropriate can get removed. But in chat rooms, once one inappropriate thing is said, it's over. It has happened and you can not remove it.

hirelogo · #12 (**permalink**) 08-24-2012, 12:05 AM

I'm not sure I see the point of chat on forum. What are the the legal issues that you are referring to with regards to monitoring the site? Couldn't this be solved with a use at your own risk?

Learn · #13 (**permalink**) 09-01-2012, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeair

I wouldn't use one on the forum. People come to the forum to talk already and yes people will post less if they using the chat system. Members can still use the PM system and also check the user's profile for there instant messenger screen names to chat.

That's right! PM are enough. The chat rooms will decrease the possibility for more posts in the forum.

ramsurge · #14 (**permalink**) 10-28-2012, 04:33 AM

I agree with the general view of others. If someone ones to talk to someone, they can exchange instant messaging addresses. Adding a chat room will likely reduce the amount of potential posts on your forum.

Regards

concerto49 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-03-2012, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramsurge

I agree with the general view of others. If someone ones to talk to someone, they can exchange instant messaging addresses. Adding a chat room will likely reduce the amount of potential posts on your forum.

Regards

Never found chat rooms useful at all. Maybe in the past when instant messaging was not the norm. The issue is these chat rooms easily go out of control.