Showcase gets it too!

and

My typing is crap... I do usability, not typing, so please excuse all the errors.

i think this is a very good point, the only reason i found advantage when i came on this site via a tutorial link from another is i am nosey and click on evrything i couldn't really find much about what the contests were or how people went about them.

i think if you just made the intial page more readable and explained some things somewhat you m ight get more intrested parties along that way.

i stayed on because this place was right for me and having never come across something like this it struck me as a great idea where people can see what others think of their work.

all in all great site just probably make the front page more user friendly and i think more people will join that way.

I just logged out to see what the homepage looked like. It's almost the same as when I'm logged in. How about a "Welcome to PhotoshopContest.com" banner in addition to re-labelled links and perhaps brief statements in some of that clear white screenspace?

Mainly, though, Here's an off-the-wall suggestion: How about adding a clickable, perhaps even navigable Flash-based (I bet a whole team of volunteer memebers would step forward to help!) TOUR of PhotoshopContest.com? If someone is so paranoid and/or unintelligent as to be afraid of us, we can offer to take them by the hand and walk them through highlights of the site. And it would be a simple link that wouldn't affect any user who didn't click on it.

How's THAT for getting a bit off-topic from a simple contest rating system for the public to use?

I'm too paranoid to even think about that stuff caf!

Yes there is no HEY ARE YOU NEW click here on the front page...In order to find the way to the goods you have to click on a button that looks somewhat like fag...faq

No wonder!!!!!!!

Besides thinking back I tried to have a friend join the site and it took days..

She tried to register and then she would e-mail me and I would e-mail someone from the site.

I couldn't figure out what the problem was besides no one would get back with her.

So I agree with Splodge.... Keep it simple...And Once you advertise get back with the people right away..

Catch them in the heat of the moment even if it's an automated response saying WE love you come back and join the madness.

Not a bad idea in my opinion!

YAY! I get it! See THAT all you nay-sayers!!

For the record, I still think the public interaction with ratings would help drag them in. I just wonder about the extra work and increased moderating required to allow and manage all that.

Maybe there should be a return to the old style front page where the latest contest was shown with current winners, a blurb about what PSC is regarding the starting image every day and then maybe a big links section titled "FAQs" with things such as "Privacy Policy", "Member Benifits", "Advantage", "Prize Contests", "Daily Contests", etc listed...clearly and up front. All of these links would point to a "PSC Insite" forum containing sticky threads associated with each link. Have a thread that outlines each area of PSC. Even if some of the information is redundant, make a thread for it. For example, Advantage would be covered under "Member Benifits" thread AND a thread called "Sign up for Advantage" or something like that.

Make some informative thread titles like "How do some people enter their image at 8:02am each contest?" or "Why are there 15 images already submitted at the start of each contest" and then explain advantage. "I just signed up, why can't I vote" etc. etc.

One thing about the forums is there is no exact place a new member can visit to get all the information.

Also on the front page, include links to brows by category, humor, originality, etc...There just isnt enough room to provide all the images and information on the same page.

a Flashy menu thing would just take up too much room on the front page IMO. Its a good idea but there is no other flash anywhere on the site. Keep it simple.

If you, JMH, are not a flash guru, Im sure you understand that every time you want that flashy thing changed, you'd have to go find someone else. That sucks as you try to make other changes.

The flash intro sounds cool.
In the old version where youre personal stats where there was a little text intro if you where'nt logged on.
maybe you could do something like that.

You could always have a "Psc Intro" page with a simplified FAQ,
a flash intro a site summary and stuff like that.

Some simple front page suggestions...
Active topics: while I love this and use it almost exclusively to trying to navigate and browse the entire forum, move it to the bottom somewhere. Maybe there could be a link to show this on a different page. Active topics seem to be of most interest to current members. I dont know.

add a new section called "PSC FAQ" in its place and list the top 10 questions and link to a forum thread. Provide a link at the bottom of this section titled "More FAQs.." and link the the "PSC Insite" or a "FAQ" forum. Maybe code this section to allow a member to hide it. Don't hide it from the start since the info will be handy to a new member.

put the PSC news section right below this.

I already said this...but make the front page, once again, about PSC and what it is rather than 30 thumbnails that dont explain anything to someone that happens by.

I'm sure I'll have more

You dont need another page...there is an entire forum to add this information into. Another page is just another link a prospective member wont find or wont click. Forget the flashy stuff. Keep them in the guts of the site. Once they are in the forums, point them to other forums like "Ask the Experts", "Brain Storm" and "Fun and Games"...carrots to entice them more.

Disclaimer: IMO.

Your thready method seems to have people clicking all over the place... a navigation nightmare...

I only suggested one link to one movie-type thing showing the highlights, but I kind of like the idea of an intro page, flash or not. Lots of sites have them... I just hate the ones that STILL give the intro page even after I've registered.

Simple, simple, simple... okay.....let's see... I think merely a more welcoming banner, relabled links at the top, and a slight tweaking of some of the FAQ wording to make privacy policy and membership/paid membership benefits clearer would be the most effective among "keep it as simple as possible" remedies to try. Basically... what the consultant Greg said.

Adding a 1-10 rating system for the unregistered public is almost a separate issue--it would give some more teaser interaction that could intice people to finally join up, but wouldn't solve anyone's concerns as mentioned by Greg.

ummm, that is what we have been talking about...

That is THE seperate issue and the one I hoped to address here. Thanks every one for your feedback!