Visual cues upon logging in for the first time

[Jordan Miller]

Hey team, I had an idea for an application...

I would love for when a member logs in for the first time, or something is launched on your forum, to visually show some cues - literally pointing to important parts of the website.

For example, a member logs in, and most of the screen darkens except for the "Create" button at the top and a message pops up saying "This is how to create a new topic." 

Or "This is where to view your profile" or "This is where to leave a comment," that kind of thing. They can click "Got it" and the mini tutorial disappears. 

It would be useful for current members when rolling out a new feature, too. 

I find that new members are overwhelmed with the amount that can be done. I want to make it very easy and clear for them.

Thoughts?

Edited May 23, 2020 by breatheheavy

[Fast Lane!]

This is a GREAT idea.  I've seen it on other sites.   Heck even a landing page with helpful information or a youtube video would be nice.

[SC36DC]

This type of helpful welcome feature is utilized in so many different types of products, from when you first turn on a new phone, when you launch Photoshop or any Adobe application for the first time, in video games, and so much more. Sometimes their interactive, and sometimes they just highlight 1 feature at a time, explain what it does, then you click next and it highlights another feature, and you always have the option to "Skip", "Skip Tour". This would be incredible if it was built in to IPS, but if someone could make it a plugin, I'm sure something like this would (or at least should) sell like hotcakes. 

[Eudemon]

2 hours ago, SC36DC said:

I'm sure something like this would (or at least should) sell like hotcakes.

welp, depends how hot it is 😎

I can make visual cues with default and custom cues text and steps you can add based on current app and target element

Edited May 23, 2020 by Eudemon

[SC36DC]

44 minutes ago, Eudemon said:

welp, depends how hot it is 😎

I can make visual cues with default and custom cues text and steps you can add based on current app and target element

This would be incredible. 

[Joel R]

Tagging @Daniel F, he's talked about a 'tour' before.  

The difficulty with these kinds of systems is that every community is different.  You may launch with the forums, but another community may launch with a custom homepage.  I think the best thing you can do within the ecosystem are things like a slider, profile completion, or info boxes that only show to new registrants.  

 

[Jordan Miller]

6 hours ago, Joel R said:

Tagging @Daniel F, he's talked about a 'tour' before.  

The difficulty with these kinds of systems is that every community is different.  You may launch with the forums, but another community may launch with a custom homepage.  I think the best thing you can do within the ecosystem are things like a slider, profile completion, or info boxes that only show to new registrants.  

 

Hey @Joel R. 👋 

Maybe this potential plugin has 25 default options. 

You can show different options based on Group.

You select Option 1, 2 and 3 for newly registered members with 0 posts. 

Example ideas: 

Option 1 is: Highlight the create button

Option 2 is: Highlight the navigation menu

Option 3 is: Show them where the Forums are located

It tells the system, OK, when the member logs in, show them Steps 1, 2 and 3.

If the steps are default for everyone, maybe it gets rid of the complicated part of all of us having different communities. Someone will likely build an app extension to it which could feature more dynamic steps, but starting somewhere with this idea would be great. 

[Fosters]

1 hour ago, breatheheavy said:

Example ideas: 

Option 1 is: Highlight the create button

Option 2 is: Highlight the navigation menu

Option 3 is: Show them where the Forums are located

It tells the system, OK, when the member logs in, show them Steps 1, 2 and 3.

We did exactly this for a client😂 I'll see if I can make it general usable and also modernise it with some further enhancements for a MP release once my personal corona stress is over.

[Davyc]

This has already been done in Xenforo by a contributor called Dadparva for 1.x ans 2.x versions and it is incredibly flexible and works in any theme or customisation; you basically decide what to highlight and add your own descriptions; I'm pretty sure that something can be done in a similar way for IPS, it just needs the right developer with some forethought and imagination. 

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/xp-tours-and-hints.7483/

This could be a deal breaker in encouraging signups for those who are entrenched in social media and are not confident enough to use forums.  I did a survey on Twitter and added this to another post, I can't remember which one and the result was this.

Those percentages of confusing and don't like are quite revealing - so a tour guide that holds their hands first time around would be very useful.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Davyc

[newbie LAC]

8 minutes ago, Davyc said:

 I'm pretty sure that something can be done in a similar way for IPS, it just needs the right developer with some forethought and imagination. 

I have similar application

[SC36DC]

I had someone who recently said that they did not know how to add a image to the Gallery. They have been a member of my forum for years. 😕

I planned on adding Help Guides to my forum, but I held off in creating them, as I am waiting for 4.5 

I know once the Help Guides are in place, there is not guarantee that people will even utilize them. 

We must "hold their hand" so they understand how to do the basic things. 

[Davyc]

1 hour ago, newbie LAC said:

I have similar application

Link please - I've looked through your contributions and can't seem to find it, unless you have not made it available yet 🙂

57 minutes ago, SC36DC said:

We must "hold their hand" so they understand how to do the basic things. 

I agree, for those who have been nurtured on forums most things come easily, but if you are attempting to open a new forum and are looking to get the Social Media savvy bunch on board then there is a real need for some kind of tour of the main functions they need to be aware of.

[Maxxius]

I'm all for it! Would love to see this sort of thing made.

[Eudemon]

I have an idea, but since IPS and other dev are interested in it, not gonna waste my time making something duplicate

[Jordan Miller]

8 hours ago, Fosters said:

We did exactly this for a client😂 I'll see if I can make it general usable and also modernise it with some further enhancements for a MP release once my personal corona stress is over.

Omggggg 👏

This is AWESOME news!! 

Time to set aside that stress my friend cause the IPB community needs you now 🤭 😇 

2 hours ago, Eudemon said:

I have an idea, but since IPS and other dev are interested in it, not gonna waste my time making something duplicate

Two heads are better than one! Perhaps a little collaboration? What are your ideas @Eudemon? The more input we all give the better we can make this in my opinion. 

Honestly, I see it easily becoming one of the most downloaded apps in the marketplace. 

6 hours ago, Davyc said:

Link please - I've looked through your contributions and can't seem to find it, unless you have not made it available yet 🙂

I agree, for those who have been nurtured on forums most things come easily, but if you are attempting to open a new forum and are looking to get the Social Media savvy bunch on board then there is a real need for some kind of tour of the main functions they need to be aware of.

Yes 💯 

It's not that new members aren't savvy, it's just not "comfortable" to have to figure things out. If there was something that easily and efficiently guided them through a few "need to knows" - visually - this would be a tremendous step forward. It also shows that as community leaders, we care about giving them the best experience possible, and that starts from the first moment they login.

If they want to skip it the can just click "dismiss" or something and no harm no foul. 

Edited May 24, 2020 by Jordan Miller

[Jordan Miller]

7 hours ago, SC36DC said:

I had someone who recently said that they did not know how to add a image to the Gallery. They have been a member of my forum for years. 😕

I planned on adding Help Guides to my forum, but I held off in creating them, as I am waiting for 4.5 

I know once the Help Guides are in place, there is not guarantee that people will even utilize them. 

We must "hold their hand" so they understand how to do the basic things. 

Yep same. I created a FAQ. You can see mine here:

https://www.breatheheavy.com/exhale/index.php?/faq/

 My advice is not to wait for 4.5. There's no telling when it comes out, and members need help now 😊 🙏 

I imagine it will be generally the same for the basics, like how to create a new topic, make an image gallery etc. I can't imagine 4.5 will be SO drastically different in those areas that it will ruin your tutorial/FAQ.

[Jordan Miller]

8 hours ago, Davyc said:

This has already been done in Xenforo by a contributor called Dadparva for 1.x ans 2.x versions and it is incredibly flexible and works in any theme or customisation; you basically decide what to highlight and add your own descriptions; I'm pretty sure that something can be done in a similar way for IPS, it just needs the right developer with some forethought and imagination. 

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/xp-tours-and-hints.7483/

This could be a deal breaker in encouraging signups for those who are entrenched in social media and are not confident enough to use forums.  I did a survey on Twitter and added this to another post, I can't remember which one and the result was this.

Those percentages of confusing and don't like are quite revealing - so a tour guide that holds their hands first time around would be very useful.

Very interesting stat.

It's our job as community leaders/builders to minimize that "I don't like them at all" stat. People don't like forums IMO because they just don't know enough about them and can appear to be confusing to use. Thing is, if you use any social media app for the first time, it's confusing, too. 

I'm pretty tech savvy, but I joined Tik Tok for the first time just to see what the fuss was all about, and at first I had no idea where to look, what to do, how to make on etc. It took a little while to play around. 

If we can minimize the overwhelm with visual cues and a great onboarding process (which I am doing with Auto Drip campaigns firing off as soon as they validate their account), it'll outperform social media.

I think there's a bit of social media fatigue going on in the world. There's a lot of negativity and competition for likes and not much opportunity for discussions. This is great news for IPB communities. There's an opening to reclaim some of this traffic right now, so implementing visual cues for example is important now more than ever. 

[Eudemon]

19 minutes ago, breatheheavy said:

Two heads are better than one! Perhaps a little collaboration? What are your ideas @Eudemon? The more input we all give the better we can make this in my opinion. 

Honestly, I see it easily becoming one of the most downloaded apps in the marketplace. 

like i said in previous comment, user define custom action based on the app and target html, for example you can target create post button and supply your custom text as a step, you can rearrange your steps

current 3rd party marketplace ain't structured for collaborative development of multiple dev per resource, if i am going to implement it i rather do it on my own