*Feedback Request* Making the Female Forum more user friendly [Poll]

[Botika]

The purpose of this thread is to seek your feedback on options to make the Female Bodybuilding Forum more user friendly.

Please vote on the poll and/or provide feedback in the thread below.

In its current configuration the Female Bodybuilding forum consists of the following seven forums:

• Female Bodybuilding - Main
• Nutrition and Supplements – For losing fat or gaining muscle
• Training – Weight training and cardio questions
• General Chat – For other topics or to just meet other people!
• Journaling - Keep your journal here for others to see and comment on!
• Fat Loss – A section for talking about fat loss
• Female Misc – A Misc. section for women!

Following comments from users it occurs to me that this setup creates duplication and may benefit from being simplified. For example: Female Bodybuilding (Main) and General Chat both have bodybuilding related questions; General Chat and Female Misc. both have miscellaneous and chat threads; Nutrition and Supplements and Fat Loss both deal with diet and fat loss questions.

With that in mind, here are some options which may assist to simply the format.

Option 1 – Remove General Chat

Remove General Chat and relocate threads to Female Bodybuilding – Main.
This will reduce the number of forums to six. Future bodybuilding questions will go in Female Bodybuilding – Main and miscellaneous/chat threads in Female Misc.

Option 2 – Remove Fat Loss

Remove Fat Loss and relocate threads to Nutrition and Supplements.
This will reduce the number of forums to six. All fat loss (and muscle gain) questions will now be in one spot under Nutrition and Supplements.

Option 3 – Remove General Chat and Fat Loss

This is a combination of Option 1 and Option 2. This will reduce the number of forums to five.

Option 4 – Do Nothing

Do nothing and retain the current seven forums.

I would appreciate if you could please vote for your preferred option. Please give any additional feedback in the thread below. The poll will be open for 30 days, thank you in advance for your contribution!

[superja]

I think option 1 makes the most sense- Fat loss section is a little different than Nutrition and Supplements, while there is a lot of overlap between general chat and fem misc.

[Botika]

I think option 1 makes the most sense- Fat loss section is a little different than Nutrition and Supplements, while there is a lot of overlap between general chat and fem misc.

Thanks superja. I've seen mentions before that we don't have a bulking section, only a fat loss section. Thanks for your comments!

[anonymous]

Option 3 - more streamlined........I would think bulking questions could go under Nutrition, along with Fat Loss

[itsagoodday]

Option 1. From the day I showed up here, I never understood the difference between F Chat and F Misc. I still don't

I'm not sure it makes sense from a business perspective to get rid of the fat loss forum. Just the fact that they have that probably drives new female traffic to the site, since that seems to be the absolute #1 thing that most women are interested in when they get here.

[megdaig]

I was actually thinking we need a forum for bulking/gaining muscle!! Maybe this way newbies could find info better and not get stuck in the mindset that fat loss is the only answer to achieve their goal physique.

But ... I'm more confused as what to consider a misc topic and what is general chat. To me those can be combined and general BB questions end up in the main forum.

[medjen]

Option 1. From the day I showed up here, I never understood the difference between F Chat and F Misc. I still don't

I'm not sure it makes sense from a business perspective to get rid of the fat loss forum. Just the fact that they have that probably drives new female traffic to the site, since that seems to be the absolute #1 thing that most women are interested in when they get here.

If the losing fat section wasn't there, maybe they'd look at the description of the nutrition & supplements section and see that their fat loss questions can be answered there?

[vhenley164]

Option 1 - general chat and misc are pretty much the same. Replace it with a bulking/building section

[itsagoodday]

If the losing fat section wasn't there, maybe they'd look at the description of the nutrition & supplements section and see that their fat loss questions can be answered there?

I meant more along the lines of getting traffic in here from places like Google. I mean, I assume bb.com always wants new people coming in here, yes? I should think a dedicated fat loss section would rank higher in results for people looking for fat loss.

[VO2Maxima]

I vote option 3. More streamlined, and I think the more subforums there are, the less people will be likely to click through all the subforums, and the more likely topics will get traffic and replies. There's a lot of overlap between Nutrition, Fat Loss, and bulking anyway.

Is there a way to somehow have a redirect in the women's Nutrition & Supplement forum into the company promo subforum? Some fresh blood in there would be nice, and I feel like a lot of people who stick to the women's forum don't even know it exists, yet might benefit from being able to sample some stuff.

[sy2502]

I definitely feel Chat and Misc are redundant. As for the Fat Loss, how about renaming it Bulking/Cutting? I am going to sound like a real bitch, but it may cut the number of people coming in asking how they want to be skinny, don't want to get hooge, etc. Bulking and Cutting are more bodybuilding terms, and maybe women not interested in bodybuilding will head for other forums.

[LunaLifts]

I think option 1 makes the most sense- Fat loss section is a little different than Nutrition and Supplements, while there is a lot of overlap between general chat and fem misc.

I agree with this.

Thanks superja. I've seen mentions before that we don't have a bulking section, only a fat loss section. Thanks for your comments!

What if we made it for both, a bulking, and cutting forum in one?

*Edit* Whoops, Sy beat me to it.

[Botika]

Thanks for all the comments! Sounds like there is appetite for some simplification and making the forum easier to use. I am also mindful there there is a lot of information/stickies so reorganising that may help the noobs get the information they are seeking. The poll is open for 30 days. Keep the ideas coming and in a month or so I'll chat with Admin regarding the results and your preferences.

[kimm4]

Option 3 - more streamlined........I would think bulking questions could go under Nutrition, along with Fat Loss

Agreed.^^

[pUniCepts]

Option 1. From the day I showed up here, I never understood the difference between F Chat and F Misc. I still don't

I'm not sure it makes sense from a business perspective to get rid of the fat loss forum. Just the fact that they have that probably drives new female traffic to the site, since that seems to be the absolute #1 thing that most women are interested in when they get here.

I meant more along the lines of getting traffic in here from places like Google. I mean, I assume bb.com always wants new people coming in here, yes? I should think a dedicated fat loss section would rank higher in results for people looking for fat loss.

yep, I don't think they will consider getting rid of it, for that reason. Even in the main sections, Losing Fat is it's own section.

Option 1. but I would move the GenChat threads to FemMisc (not FemBB Main). There are a good many that belong in the Main section, but it would be better to move these as/if they get bumped up, IMO.

[pUniCepts]

Is there a way to somehow have a redirect in the women's Nutrition & Supplement forum into the company promo subforum? Some fresh blood in there would be nice, and I feel like a lot of people who stick to the women's forum don't even know it exists, yet might benefit from being able to sample some stuff.

there is a sticky in FemBB about the supp section promos http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=149752683. I just added a link to the forum in the OP. I will ask Admin about the possibility of having a redirect from Fem Nut and Supp (without breaking the delicate forum).

[Botika]

yep, I don't think they will consider getting rid of it, for that reason. Even in the main sections, Losing Fat is it's own section.

Option 1. but I would move the GenChat threads to FemMisc (not FemBB Main). There are a good many that belong in the Main section, but it would be better to move these as/if they get bumped up, IMO.

That all sounds sensible!

there is a sticky in FemBB about the supp section promos http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=149752683. I just added a link to the forum in the OP. I will ask Admin about the possibility of having a redirect from Fem Nut and Supp (without breaking the delicate forum).

Could this be achieved with a sticky thread that redirects?

[oregonchick76]

I would like to see a forum for fat loss, and a separate forum for muscle gain. I think a forum rather than a dedicated cutting/bulking thread would be more user friendly.

Removing general chat seems to be logical.

[rockangel]

Option 1 - general chat and misc are pretty much the same. Replace it with a bulking/building section

Agreed. I was considering writing about the bulk/cut cycles so I can stop typing the same stuff and send them to one thread

[EPolis13]

I voted for option 3 before I started reading the comments. Often I see identical threads pop up in the fat loss section as the main section. Then the General Chat seems to just be a cluster. The fewer options, IMO, the better. If you end up keeping the fat loss section, I would agree that a bulking/muscle building sub-forum would be a needed addition.

[anonymous]

Are there any specific General Chat threads you want retained in Female Misc? I was just planning on moving the first page of threads to F.Misc and deleting General Chat afterward.

[LexiHexi]

Option 3 is the best in my opinion. I don't think it's possible to totally avoid duplication, but it can def. be improved.

If you draw up the forums as a venn diagram, option 3 would come out the cleanest in terms of overlapping. Adding a Bulking/Cutting forum is an interesting idea. There's no doubt that the Fat Loss forum is where many new women head to first, and it might be confusing for them to find what they're looking for if "cutting" means nothing to them.

[medjen]

Option 3 is the best in my opinion. I don't think it's possible to totally avoid duplication, but it can def. be improved.

If you draw up the forums as a venn diagram, option 3 would come out the cleanest in terms of overlapping. Adding a Bulking/Cutting forum is an interesting idea. There's no doubt that the Fat Loss forum is where many new women head to first, and it might be confusing for them to find what they're looking for if "cutting" means nothing to them.

Call it "lose fat or gain muscle" and they'd probably figure it out.

[VO2Maxima]

I voted for option 3 before I started reading the comments. Often I see identical threads pop up in the fat loss section as the main section. Then the General Chat seems to just be a cluster. The fewer options, IMO, the better. If you end up keeping the fat loss section, I would agree that a bulking/muscle building sub-forum would be a needed addition.

Agreed with bolded x10000.

Also, thanks a lot for taking the link to promo section under consideration! Just saw it was added to the Nutrition and Supplements subforum.

[peasandlove]

I think Option 3, as I dont think there is enough difference between 'chat' and 'misc'

[anonymous]

Moved the last 7'ish months of posts from general chat to female misc and removed GC.

[Botika]

^
Thank you FS!

Agreed. I was considering writing about the bulk/cut cycles so I can stop typing the same stuff and send them to one thread

I'm in the process of writing a comprehensive beginners sticky. It will cover everything.

[anonymous]

Still interested in additional consolidation if it would work better. E.g. what's the difference between female bodybuilding main and training? Maybe add fat loss and bulking subsections to nutrition? Keep up the feedback.

[sy2502]

Still interested in additional consolidation if it would work better. E.g. what's the difference between female bodybuilding main and training? Maybe add fat loss and bulking subsections to nutrition? Keep up the feedback.

II think training should be just about that, training: exercise choice, splits, critique my form etc. The main for all things bodybuilding, including "I have been at it for 2 weeks and don't see any difference", "I have been training for 3 months and think of competing", "how do you get motivated to stay on track", etc.

[Botika]

It's debatable whether the fem section needs a separate nutrition, training and fat loss forum at all since the main forums also contain/duplicate this information. Further, other "Specifically for You" forums such as Over35 and TeenBB only contain "Journal" and "Misc" sections in addition to the main section.

Do you consider there is benefit in retaining these additional female specific nutrition, training and fat loss forums?

That said, should the current structure be maintained for a while... I have a few suggestions to update the remaining forum names and titles. I think the purpose of each forum could be clearer. For example, presently "Nutrition and Supplements" and "Fat Loss" both say that they are fat loss forums. With that in mind, I've highlighted in red some suggested titles:

Female Bodybuilding - Main
Nutrition and Supplements – Discuss all your nutritional needs
Training – Weight training and cardio questions
Journaling - Keep your journal here for others to see and comment on
Fat Loss and Muscle Gain – Lose fat and get lean
Female Misc – For other topics or to just meet other people

With this configuration the popular bulking and cutting chat threads could be relocated under "Fat Loss and Muscle Gain". Recipes, supplement questions, calculating calories thread under "Nutrition and Supplements". The more general newbie guides etc would stay in Fem Main.

Thoughts on the updated names and titles?