Calling All Newbies...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
May 25, 2008 8:03am CST
I had couple ppl contact me and I’ve seen a few discussions from newbies with the same problem. Their discouraged b/c they don’t get a lot of responses to their discussions. They feel left out and often end up leaving b/c they don’t know how to get noticed. So I thought maybe we could all give them some pointers and help them along. After all the more members, the more discussions, the more fun.
Personally when I joined I knew one person on MyLot, my Hubby, he was the one that introduced me to MyLot. I held off posting my first discussion for awhile b/c I was unsure how to do it. However, I did start posting responses to discussions…especially ones in my interest groups. I also watched members and saw the ones that I thought I’d have things in common with and liked their discussions so I added them to my friend’s list. I picked an avatar that I liked, made a siggy line and just responded to every discussion that interested me. I’ve always followed the idea of the more the merrier so I add friends quite a bit…mostly those that I like their discussions however I don’t have to agree with all of them, actually it’s rather nice to have some that I can agree to disagree with and still be friends with.
So my suggestion to newbies is to get out there and start responding to discussions, get noticed, let ppl start getting to know you. If you see members that you think would make good friends, send them an invite…the worse they can do is say no. If you have questions, ask maybe someone here can help you out. Maybe give yourself a cool avatar and a siggy that means something to you. Be yourself and before you know it you’ll feel like one of the crowd.
What’s your advice to newbies? Do you remember what it was like to be the new kid? How did you get used to it?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
6 people like this
25 responses
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
25 May 08
I've been a member for a year. I've been coming on regularly for a couple of months. I feel very new.
I started out the same way. I replied to discussions that interests me and still do. I start discussions when I have something I want someone to help me with or just want feed back on.
When it came to friends I didn't ask for any or get any until I read a discussion someone put up saying that he got no replies to his and one of his replies that he needed friends.
Well that did it for me, as new discussion was born. I went in a said I needed friends. I got about 15 from that. Which I am so pleased to have. I watch for their discussions and reply to the ones I can.
This however is all I know how to do at this time.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
25 May 08
Oh, and I added one person...cause it's the only person I know to add. Everyone else I know is already here. :)
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
25 May 08
You will probably do better responding to discussion for awhile before starting discussions. You do get lost in the crowd until you have a few people on your friend list. Respond to discussions of the people you would like as friends, then go ahead and request them. Some users are cautious and will not accept you until you do respond to their discussions. Then, once you are on their friend list, you can generally expect them to respond to you as well.
1 person likes this
@stvasile (7306)
• Romania
25 May 08
After a year and a half on myLot, I believe I can say that I'm not a newbie anymore. That doesn't mean I get more responses than I got when I joined the site.
I'm more of a responder, I don't care anymore if my discussions don't get any responses. Responding discussions and uploading photos earns good money too.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
25 May 08
LIke you I had only one person here the one that asked me to join that was way over a year ago. all I did was start responding to people and now I have about 90 friends altho I dont hear from them all and I think it is they dont turn the notify on when they ask you to be a friend and most of the ones I have have asked me cant think of any one I asked to be a friend but maybe 2 of them lol but if the newbies what friends ask and add then turn on the notify so the get resoponces to their posts from the friends they have soon they will get more asking to be friends but even with a newbe I look at profile and if we have nothing and I mean nothing in common I have to turn down for I wouldnt be able to respond right to their posts
1 person likes this
@Mirita (2668)
• United States
25 May 08
You basically covered everything except the fact that sometimes discussions are not going to be appeling to others. I have lots of friends ,but I have some discussions with no responses whatsoever. People who are controversial tend to get lots of responses. Sometimes something positive and unique for a change can also attract lots of responses.
@WindWhisked (147)
• United States
25 May 08
I qualify as a newbie! :) Very rarely can I say that so proudly, but I can now, because of this discussion. I was very timid starting out, making one or two discussions and writing mostly responses, but now I feel better because even people who have been here ages sometimes have trouble getting responses. Thank you very much for the heads up twoey!
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
26 May 08
Well, this is excellent advice for the Newer people here. I have also offered words of encouragement such as this to many a New person as well when they first come posting here, and if they learn from some of us who have been there and take heed to it, they will do well.
Also people need to realize if you want people to learn to trust you as well, when responding or starting New discussions on here, you need to have quality discussions or responses, and not everything you post here for New discussions will get 100 responses back to them as well. I as someone who has been here for over a yr. and a half now, have discussions with less than 10 responses on them all of the time. Does it discourage me? Sometimes, but then maybe people do not feel they are worth responding too so they never get noticed. All I can do is move on and start another discussion from there.
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
26 May 08
Like you, I started off responding to people in my interest groups. I would request friendships of people that I liked their discussions. I also accepted people's requests. I only posted a few discussions early on. I have posted a lot of discussions, but I've been here for over a year now.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 May 08
Wow that is very sweet of you to offer your time for free to "coach" the newbies.
Here's a free bump for your post. 
@littleowl (7157)
•
27 May 08
Hi Twoey-when I first became a member I was nervous of what people might say and what they were like would anyone respond to my discussions but eventually they did and I had quite a few friends plus responding to other peoples discussions i saw my earnings going up more-as I replied to my own dicussions I found new people were answering slowly I added a few and felt at home with my virtual friends my advice to newbies is carry on writing answering others discussions and like you said Twoey the newbies will soon get known-littleowl
@Insung001 (740)
• Philippines
25 May 08
Thanks twoey. This is a good thread that you've started. I still consider myself a newbie, but let me share here my experience. I started here without knowing anyone, really. I don't even remember who referred me to this site. I think I've seen the link in some forum or something, that says you can earn by just joining the discussion, and so I did. I registered, but i didn't get into the discussion for a while, I'm just reading.. for the first day and the following, and the following. So i didn't get any points or reward, But then since I began enjoying the discussion, eventually, I responded, and responded, and before I know it, I'm already participating actively, and even have the guts to start a topic myslef. It may take a while, but I think if you enjoy what you're doing, you'll be there in no time, you might not even noticed it. ;) my advice to newcomers, and newbies like me.. just keep on posting and sharing your thoughts, it's worth it. Soon enough you'll gain not only money reward, but knowledge and a lot of friends as well. Cheers!
1 person likes this
@teena22 (422)
• Italy
25 May 08
i am still new here at myLot. my friend invited me here. he told me you can carry all the discussions out here. so i did signed up but not yet read or post discussions. i was worried i may not be able to think of what topic to discuss. so he said, just think of anything, then you'll get used to it. so when i got the chance one weekend, i slept in here. after 2 or 3 hours, i got my first white star with number 7. i didn't mind it and never asked. so my friend said, hey...you're doing great! continue posting and responding. now i got that red star with a 9. i still don't know what that means though.
but anyway, to some newbies like me, just be comfortable posting your own ideas. don't try too hard though. people are more interested in basic questions that are sometimes neglected during our daily lives.
good luck to newbies. thanks Twoey!
1 person likes this
@roanne05 (1290)
• Oman
26 May 08
thanks for starting this topic..it really hels alot for the newbies like me. at first i just signed-up and did nothing about the discussions..but i like the site and the discussions here so i started to give my opinions...now i have more than a hundred posts here..all on my interest...
@syeryn (573)
• United States
26 May 08
Hi twoey
I'm new here and you offer good advise in your post. I respond more than anything and have only started two topics. Both topics received comments, one more than the other, but that was okay.
I really enjoy commenting on posts started by others and will always stop by the "discussions with no responses" link when I am here to see if there is a new post that is of interest to me.
I'm here for the discussions though. If I pick up a few pennies each day that is cool but it is not why I participate here.
@lingli_78 (12821)
• Australia
25 May 08
woww twoey, i think you had given a very good advice to the newbies because those are exactly what i did when i just first join here... i just response and try to make friends with the people here before i start to post discussions... take care and have a nice day...
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
26 May 08
I think that is the reason myLot has a special link for new user discussions. I've never considered that to mean that only newbies should go there, but also a place where we can go to show support and encouragement to new users.
Another way to be supportive is to reply to some of the discussions that have no responses. There will usually be a lot of newbies there. Although some of them have no responses because they are redundant or just silly or even incomprehensible, many of the discussions with no responses are quite interesting.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 May 08
I just answered discussions for a long, long time. I got a friend here and a friend there. I really didn't worry about it too much. I came from Helium where it took me months to get a few pennies, so making pennies a day was downright exciting. Also there, you feel alone, here, you don't. So I guess it's all relative. Take care
@Adelida2233 (1005)
• United States
26 May 08
I still am a newbie I suppose(despite my ridiculous number of posts, I've been here less than a month).
I went through the interests section and checked every single one I was interested in, even if there were multiple avatars for basically the same thing, everyone chooses different ones, so this helps to get the maximum amount if discussions that would interest you.
I also only respond to things that I feel that I can add something to. I usually have something to say about a lot of subjects, so it's not that hard to do, just get into a talkative mood, and go for it.
I did post a fair amount of responses before I posted my own discussions. In the beginning, I posted stuff I knew I would get an answer to, like pets and food. Everyone likes both of those topics. Now I jut post about whatever I want, if I only get 2 responses, so be it, if I get 50, cool.
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
26 May 08
Thanks for the thought regarding us the newbies. Honestly I find mylot really interesting even if few people respond to the discussions I've made. I understand the situation because of course I'm new, hadn't had many friends and virtually unknown.I guess I just have to work hard and be patient and even without people responding to me, I find it more enjoyable in reading my fellow mylotter's discussion and responding to them.
@heleni0 (322)
•
25 May 08
As a noob myself I would like to say thanks for starting this discussion. I only joined on Saturday and right now i'm just replying to any discussions that interest me, having a look around trying to get to grips with the place and mostly just keeping myself to myself. I wouldn't even be brave enough to send anyone a friend request just yet!
