Why is my game discussion thread getting so much negative feedback?
Hi, I put up some suggestions for playing casino games on my forum; they are being slammed. Is it me? Is there something wrong with the game? How do I get better feedback?
4 Answers
But the way I hear it, it’s not so much that your ideas are no good (or wrong) and that it’s your fault, but rather that it’s the way in which they’re presented (and, possibly, the culture of the site). Strategy is a touchy subject and if you don’t believe that, just ask anyone who’s ever given an opinion on a video poker or slot machine.
You could try softening your language – for example, “this might help” rather than “do this. ” You could also make it clear that you are listening to the community’s issues. Try starting a topic about what other players recommend.
Consider also the time of day and depth of thread. Readers respond to content differently, based on when it appears and where. Peak usage hours could create a perception of incivility.
Then again, maybe your post is stepping on a few toes. When you’re offering advice that contradicts the mainstream view, people tend to become territorial. Maybe you’re throwing around too many acronyms or appearing arrogant. Style is important when addressing gamers. To elicit more useful responses, make clear that you’re proposing experiments, rather than stating facts. Respond politely to skeptics, inquire as to what works for them, and maintain an informal tone. Don’t take yourself too seriously – that’s how you gain traction.
Is your advice being downvoted? Make sure you’re not being too negative or off-topic. Are you offering advice, or just venting? People want practical, brief content – so if your post isn’t helping, they probably won’t care about it. Perhaps change your approach – include examples or mention your own successes/failures. Don’t worry about fitting in; just observe how other posts fare and try again.
Perhaps your advice is viewed as too obvious, or perhaps people perceive you to be pushing a casino agenda rather than helping the players. You need to prove you are providing genuine value for your community. So try being more explicit in your advice (for example, offering specific numbers and figures related to return-to-player percentages or wager amounts), including personal experiences, sharing whether you have actually tried out some of the ideas, and being clear about your motivations. In short, make your posts accessible, offer proof that you know what you are talking about, and look at the most popular threads for ideas on what works.