What makes some Threads better than others??

I want to write this and ask some questions so I can better myself with the threads I post that other members feel are more of a contribuation rather then a waste your time. I am not one that cares about stars or anything like that. If I get them for a post ok if not thats ok too. I just like to try to be contributor in any way I can. I know I sometimes find it to be annoying when I see actual news or something that I find to be important and that I think others should read,or threads that posters made in which they have done their research,took time in what they were writing about,adding their own points and opinions to it,and the general subject is of some relevant importance ad means something to the person posting being pushed down the list by other threads that are repeating the same story thats been posted a hundred times or when it has been proven to be a fake by other members already in other posts or when its just a copy and paste job that I feel shouldnt deserve the same interest as someones post who actually states facts,proves their points,and shows proof of their statements. Sometimes this happens faster than a person can read.

Strange, why is no one posting in here?

This is one example of a post on a thread that I saw that maybe shoulda got more attention than it did but got pushed down by others like things about cats and dead alien in russia found, gaining more attention

So,what I am asking sould be simple questions? What makes a thread mean something or you find to be important? Do most like the threads where there isnt much proof in what they write but has a catchy title? Do most like threads that have the same subject matter being repeated over and over again that come with little or no proof or threads that have been written a hundred times asking the same thing...like for example HAARP threads or What you would do in a Zombie Outbreak?...Just examples,not picking on any individuals..Are you looking for something that amazes you even if it doesnt come with any actual proof and are only someones opinions or thoughts? Is that what makes a good popular thread? Or are you looking for like what I mentioned before,threads that have actual facts and are put together well and someone takes actual time with?

I am just trying to figure some things out,so that any further threads that I post I can make sure that I dont waste my time or any of yours...I want to be able to post things that people find to be a contribuating factor to ATS...I dont wanna be labeled as someone whos thread posts are nothing but a waste of time...I wanna be able to know what I should look for before posting things that arent considered valuable contribuations to this site...I just hope nobody takes offense to this because Im trying to figure some stuff out and I mean no harm...

reply to post by gdaub23


Natural fibres.

Synthetic is just too "plasticy" (is that a word?).

reply to post by gdaub23


Some people lose credibility by being attention seekers by posting thread after thread each and everyday.
Thats why a thread on cats gets more hits then what someone thinks is soooo important that they need to post it....and then another an hour later and so on.

Being sensational is another one thats a hit or miss.
Some people are reeled in by it and some people are left with a bad taste in there mouths for being taken for suckers.

Thats my 2 cents.

reply to post by gdaub23


gdaub23 i've seen a few of your posts and i think you do okay. i don't like attention whore headlines that mislead you over to content that fails to deliver. your headline was spot-on to the subject matter. There is so much headlines abuse on ATS IMHO it makes this site like a National Enquirer / Daily Sun tabloid. it's like there will be a sweet prize for getting the most hits or something.

OP's that drag on incessantly tax my MTV three second attention span, if I can exaggerate. Brevity when possible is most admirable.

A thread I was just in was a great example of how valuable contributors are. Someone posed a question in an OP for discussion and it is categorized correctly. No matter, 2 or 3 trolls rolled in to insult the OP. Noobs wasting space in what could be a civil exchange. Maybe it would be nice if the thread OP was able to Delete the space wasters

Hope something i wrote might help. Please keep posting, i like reading your stuff.

Feelings... and personal interest

# Somehing that produce ALOT of laughter

# Out of this world ( new fresh pictures of UFO´s or ET )

# Sad + Anger ( children or animals abused )

# Anger ! perhaps even where people feel personal involved

# New tech that change the world ( relevant for you and me )

# Well documented prediction of impending doom

I like threads that open up conversations. And multiple people canhave different conversations going on in a thread. And what I dislike is when someone says in there thread no arguments. That will instantly piss me off. I'm sorry in my opinion this is the place for arguments. And thanks to you for doing this thread OP. I wanna get better to.

- sources cited and linked
- or, at least, common 'Google-able' information reference
- good structure: paragraphs, clear sentence structure, and transitions
- pictures/video when avail for the ADD folks
- etc...

Make it interesting/compelling/controversial. Make people want to read the rest, after the first 30 seconds.

so far to the people are replying with their post...i appreciate the positve feedback...i figured that some might take this the wrong way but there I go being an idiot doubting the intelligence that most have on this site and understanding what i was asking without taking it the wrong way...like another poster said,i just want to better myself so i can make my posts and threads more of a valuable contribuation to ATS..

Ive asked that same questions too. But I will give you my 2 cents on what I think might be happening.

Many people are used to seeing if a thread is worth the read by how many flags they have.

The time of day is will always effect the amount of responses. I am here very late at night, and I have seen some good stuff, but there is hardly anyone around, by the time the morning roles around its gone.

Eye candy is always good. I try when I can to add a video or photo to my thread as we are very visual creatures, and it can add a whole new dimension to a thread.

And most important of all, your credibility as a writer. Sure ATS can be forgiving at times, but if you bring civility, intelligence, and thorough research to the table, your almost always going to be guaranteed a successful thread.

BTW, many should know that bumping your thread is not a crime here. Just save a little if you can that you can later add, and it will show up in recent post.

I hope I helped a little.

Peace, NRE.

reply to post by gdaub23

...like another poster said,i just want to better myself so i can make my posts and threads more of a valuable contribuation to ATS..

And this type of sentence is what will keep you in good standing, it says more about your character and what you can bring to the table, and as far as I am concerned that says alot. In of course a very good way

Peace, NRE.

When I peruse the forums, depending on my mood, I will skip over the thread titles that have more than one exlaimation point. I skip over ones that are spelled wrong, call me snobby but seriously, if they can't take the time to spell words correctly in the title then I don't have time for their thread.

When I do finally decide on a thread subject matter hasn't been beat to death, resucitated and beat to death again, the source is acceptible, and the OP's lay out. How the information is portrayed. If it is easy to read and I'm not being punched in the face with a wall of text with no paragraphs I will finish reading.

It also has to have some sort of conversational quality to it, more thought prevoking rather than HERE'S MY INFOS OK BAI!!11!!ONE!

I can't stand reading posts where people say the same thing over and over again. "it's dumb to think we are alone in the universe" or "HAARP IS TAKIN MAH BEHBEHS" yada yada yada.

Good thread title, not sensationalistic or misleading
Good source
Information is portrayed in a aesthetic manner
Thought provoking
and last but not least, intelligent repliers is what makes a thread good.

Originally posted by gdaub23
so far to the people are replying with their post...i appreciate the positve feedback...i figured that some might take this the wrong way but there I go being an idiot doubting the intelligence that most have on this site and understanding what i was asking without taking it the wrong way...like another poster said,i just want to better myself so i can make my posts and threads more of a valuable contribuation to ATS..

Obviously, threads that create some sort of thinking on the part of the reader, supply information about a subject that may be new, something like the compass or rumble sound threads a few weeks ago are a good example of this.

One item that turns me off personally is a thread that just begs for argument - "Christians are wrong" "God exists and I have proof" and the whatnot. Remember, this is Above Top Secret not "Who Can I Bash Today" (WCIBT - I want full credit if you use it!).

Spilling Misteaks will kill a thread in short order.

I agree with the visual evidence, however I've been seeing lately a lot of people not liking the YouTube videos as evidence. Most of the stuff there is utter crap anyways.

What really sets most of these threads apart is humor and ones that don't devolve into a catfight/rant/troll festival, which is what the mods at ATS are so good at.

Plus, if you have one of my pithy posts, you can't go wrong.

Here's a few things I think make a difference:

1. Great title

2. Unique content...could be a new discovery or idea, or a fresh perspective on an old conspiracy...

3. Timing (!!!)

I have an elaborate theory on the best time to post a thread to get the most lookers...I still believe that magic time to be around 1:30 PM CST...just trust me on that one

4. Try to answer most questions, try to ignore trolling...but sometimes it's hard.

5. Pics and/or video clips are a must!

6. Run a detailed search (especially now that we have upgraded search) always, always before posting a new thread...even if you think it's new information!

reply to post by LargeFries


I`ll just stop reading right here... When you mentio "space wasters", it makes me think of my theory of why some threads get more attention. All it takes is 3 or 4 of "them" to fill up the 1st page of posts with something designed to make people disinterested... Likewise, other threads could be filled with purposely interesting content. I think that the comments on the 1st page could be what is the deciding factor for people who are "on the fence" as to whether or not they will participate. And some, especially those with slow connections or who post from a phone, will not star or flag something they didn`t participate in because the loading time is too long and their time would be better spent looking for the next peice of vital information to absorb. I`m speaking mainly about people using a phone. Even if you use ats mobile to save on loading time, flags/stars are bnot available on atsmobile, among other things. I like that it makes ats available to a wider audience, but it would be nice if they had a few more features, like search, or seperately catagorized forums . Anyway, the posts on the 1st page could influence a thread`s popularity, whether it is planned that way or not. The number of flags a thread is given in the 1st few hours could also have an effect. it wouldn`t be too hard to make a thread sensational to the average person. Remember, with an influx of new members, the average person here is only slightly different than on the streets. And until mobile users can flag, none of us will truly have any justice!

Reasons for a thread to get a lot of replies.
1) catchy title (silly, but true, and one of the biggest factors)
2) controversial subject (this means lots of people arguing = posts)
3) in a popular forum (has to be in an area people will see it)
4) an issue with many different viewpoints = even more replies
5) constant influx of new information (like a news event, etc.)

Reasons for a good thread to go dead
1) Blah title
2) Great info, but little that can be disputed (no dispute = little discussion = few replies)
3) check the views, may be SEEN a lot, but not replied to
4) duplicate thread took off instead
5) little visited forum

Don't feel bad. Some of (what I feel are) my best threads don't have near as many replies as some crazy abduction story, etc. C'est la vie....