Boonex hard is not user friendly?

Hi,

My website is now reaching 6000 members but a high percentage are not returning to the site, i believe this is because they find it hard to navigate, has anyone got any tips to make it more user friendly?

Russell

Tutorials might help.  I explain to members that the menu bar on their profile page is the menu to use to reach their content if they are viewing the page and other members content if they are viewing a profile not their own.  I hid the Dolphin main menu bar and replace it with a custom menu to a few of the main areas of the site.  I use the quick menu in the member's account page for them to reach site content and set up a quick menu for them to add content to the site, add a blog post, add a video, add a photo.  However, I still think my site could use some improvement on navigation.

Yes, my members (from my phpbb3 forum) also said navigation on Dolphin is very confusing for them. We talk about regulars internet Joe here.

especially 7.09 or earlier versions, it's so hard to upload a video or picture. you have to browse and click a few times to get to the uploader (if you understand the tech term and click the right places).

Yes, this is why I put in a quick upload block with direct links to add post, video, photos.  I need to expand on it since I have other content as well.  I placed it on the profile page and the account page.

Done the video tutorials and link to them from landing page and still people complain its not user friendly, i think its easy to use but i imagine as i built it i would!

 have you ever thought about putting them in the market?

Russ, you are not alone in your thoughts. I have tutorials and continue to add more. From login to general sharing must become a one button process if possible. The friendlier the site the more users will return.

I agree, I didn't like the default menu system (D7.0.9) and spent a lot of time trying to simplify it to make it easier to use... with mixed success.  I have an FAQ system to help members use the site but adding a Tutorial system (providing more detailed info) makes good sense.

I think it's hard to direct members to upgrade their membership and use paypal payments. I feel like I have to create a banner that explains the process step by step like where to find the membership buttons, etc.

Take a look at my site. Vunderba.com I used a HTML block on top of the Homepage and placed the explanation that you see on top. All my videos are available on You tube. My template is different then yours, most likely. If you want a free screen capture software I use SMRecorder for these videos. Then created the you tube account and then uploaded them to you tube then to my site. I linked to them using the VMan image in the text telling members to look for him in each page for a tutorial of that page. I did these tutorials myself, like to get a better voice and smoother better planned tutorials, but I am critical and my members are probable okay with my voice and my stumbles. LOL

Just my five cents.

My website has 70k+ members who never returning to the site, all of their emails are on aol.com or yahoo.cn or some other  free suspicious mail service. They are spammers who is trying to get there to post some ads.

FIrst of all make sure your members are real and not spammers. I would recommend to split your join form on 2 or 3 parts, so spammers will never get in, but real users will join.

I've had a customer who asked me to move his old database with 80k+ members, I was like "wow! that's quite a lot!", but when I got in, they were just spammers...

Take care.

I'm just using facebook connect and that's it. People may not want to sign up, but at least there will be less spammers. My method is to let people use the site for free and get paid for the ad clicks. I'm not doing memberships.