ATS could use some innovation

You know that feeling when you go to ATS and click on the 'New' tab and that you find nothing that interests you and that you close off ATS? As a daily visitor, I know that feeling... There are somedays when ATS is the place to be and some days that ATS is as dead as a doornail.

Instead of whining about it, I have come up with a solution to solve this 'problem' for once and for all.

I introduce you ....



The repost tab allows you to repost threads! Not any thread, only thread that received 10+ flags ...

And only threads that were created in these forums:
* Conspiracy theory forums
* Mysterious subject forums
* Science and Technology forums
* General off-topic chitchat forums
* Entertainment and sports forums
* Computers and internet forums

An extra rule: Threads can only be reposted 1 month after the original creation date.

This repost tab allows visitors/members to look for reposts of subjects that spark their interest. The repost threads are duplicate of the original one with the option for the reposter to modify their thread with new info. This means that the repost thread will become a new thread with zero comments/flags/stars where a new discussion can be started.


Benfits for ATS:
* Members/Visitors spend more time on ATS because they have a new place to 'hang out'.
* Content on ATS will become better since you give members the chance to modify their threads.
* More time spent on ATS = More potential ad revenue.

Benfits for ATS Members/visitors:
* Some spend a lot of time to make a decent thread only to see it dissappear from the "new" tab after 2 days and while it also doesn't appear on the homepage! This "Repost" tab allows you to repost your updated repost thread in the repost section, so this option gives you a chance to make your thread even better and to still make it on the homepage.
* As I said earlier, we all almost all know the feeling when there's nothing being discussed of your interest on the "new" forums which makes you leave ATS after a short scroll. This "repost" tab will give you a second forum to check out before leaving.

We can make some extra rules like for example max 20 repost threads per day etc... But I'll leave that to the staff to decide. (If they go through with this idea of course)

This isn't the first time I came with a solution where I wanted some change:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
I wanted a 15+ flag tab which allowed users to look for threads that have gotten 15+ flags. This would allow that some threads would get more 'time' to be read than threads that've gotten less than 15 flags. This thread got 23 flags and was ignored by the owners of ATS.

This thread is one of our last chances to make ATS a much more interesting place, this place needs a little bit of innovation if you ask me. ATS needs a place that allows contributers to repost their threads that have gotten 10+ flags in a repost forum so that they will be more motivated to make new threads knowing they might get a second chance to repost their thread.

23 flags for my 15+ flag forum didn't work to open the eyes of the owners/staff so that clearly wasn't enough.
- I say give this thread 50 flags and they must consider this idea.
- 100 flags and they MUST go through with this idea.

I give the mods the permission to delete the flags that are given to me for this thread, I could care less about those flags. All I want is to make my favorite conspiracy site a more interesting place.

[snipped]

Good idea.

a reply to: WombRaider69

I'm not what you can consider a contributer but I very much like your idea.

I agree that ATS could use some added functionality and read this thinking that you had a different definition of repost. What I thought you meant was reposting on another site or social media for example - which would be an example of whats called "earned media".

What you are suggesting is more like a "bump" where old thread topics are crowdsourced to the top. ATS does have the "TOP" filter which somewhat highlights the highest activity thread but I understand your ask is different.

Here is the issue.. If you can repost duplicate threads you run the risk of negating the search function and siloing and orphaning discussions. I have to believe ATS would not want this as they already police duplicate topics in breaking news for instance.

An alternative would be to add a visual flag (that is sortable) to highlight activity level. Think like a heat map blotch, or a colored bar where high activity topics are easily identifiable and sortable. Again I am no expert but this may exist in the :firehose" functionality - if that is still a thing here.

One suggestion I would have is a monthly, quarterly, annually "BEST POST" award or something, to incent people to have thoughtful posts. Than place those posts in a curated section called "Best of" or something.

My true fear for ATS is that may not be leveraging paid media to actively attract more of their core audience to the site.

While I am sure the admins work very hard, I have not seen much that resembles the ATS of old and everything is skewing politics now. They run the risk of losing the sites identity, along with its core users.

I really think this could be remedied by capitalizing on their deny ignorance slogan and becoming a repository for intellectualism and deep discussion - having an award that will attract the right posters and giving us users the sense that we are not just adding to the noise, that our voices mean something in this forum.. Likely they dont care because its all about ad revenue and with the influx of the political demographic likely offsetting any long time member attrition, things look good to them on paper. WHAT THEY MIGHT NOT REALIZE IS THAT AN UPTICK IN MEMBERSHIP DOES NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL AD IMPRESSIONS AND PAGE VIEWS, AHEM ATS.... ALSO IF THEY ARE MONETIZING US USERS - POLITICAL AFFILIATION IS TECHNICALLY WHATS CALLED PII AND CANNOT BE MONETIZED ON AN EXCHANGE LIKE OTHER LIFESTYLE CATEGORIES.

Basically I think they are shooting themselves in the foot and really need a digital marketing expert to consult with them.

I just know that if things keep slipping downhill, I personally will launch that forum mentioned above.

We already have this with political threads.

You have to have a degree from MIT to correctly operate the tools we already have.
I do not see a need for more innovative technology that would just confuse and frustrate users more than they already are now.

KISS

Buck

UPDATE: I just did a cursory analysis of their site analytics. There is a LOT they can be doing to improve things if they cared. A LOT!

Moderator pass along that I am happy to help with a consultation at no cost simply because I care about this site.

My TLDR background: 3 startups acquired. 1 by Oracle (ad-tech), 2 by Salesforce.com. (Ad-tech, social media).

originally posted by: flatbush71
You have to have a degree from MIT to correctly operate the tools we already have.
I do not see a need for more innovative technology that would just confuse and frustrate users more than they already are now.

KISS

Buck

RIght but that is fixed by whats called UX or user experience.

Ats used to be the most innovative forum. Then the owners started cheating on it in secret. Nowadays they dont even hide the affair, and when ats complains they slap it around and kick the dog.

originally posted by: mrperplexed
UPDATE: I just did a cursory analysis of their site analytics. There is a LOT they can be doing to improve things if they cared. A LOT!

Moderator pass along that I am happy to help with a consultation at no cost simply because I care about this site.

My TLDR background: 3 startups acquired. 1 by Oracle (ad-tech), 2 by Salesforce.com. (Ad-tech, social media).

slightly off topic but salesforce is my bffffffff at work.

On topic, I like where this idea is going of a repost feature, but I'm not sure i'm totally on board.

-Alee

originally posted by: IgnoranceIsntBlisss
Ats used to be the most innovative forum. Then the owners started cheating on it in secret. Nowadays they dont even hide the affair, and when ats complains they slap it around and kick the dog.

At least they cant complain when the dog bites them in ass.