New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
With over 13,000 Facebook followers, the New Bedford Guide Facebook page can get busy. The only problem is that there is only so much information I can post on our page without angering all the followers. It’s simply not feasible or wanted to post something on Facebook every 30 minutes. Also, Facebook really doesn’t allow non-page owners to contribute in a major way. I set up a community forum for the Greater New Bedford area so everyone can contribute in a meaningful way by starting your own discussion threads. Here are 10 reasons why you should become a member of the New Bedford Guide Community forums.
1. It’s a great source of news and information for the Greater New Bedford area.
2. You will get rewarded for contributing to the community – NBG forum users earn points (coming soon!) and reputation for contributing to the site. These points can be turned into extra features on the site and eventually can be turned in for REAL items like gift cards, iPads, etc. If you are going to spend hours on the internet, why not earn real things you can use? Details on the program and becoming a sponsor here.
3. You can register in 10 seconds with your Facebook Account! I’ve added a Facebook Connect to the forums. This allows you to register in just a few seconds. Our system will pull basic data from your Facebook account to save you time while registering.
4. The discussion forums are broken down into categories! This allows you to read and post discussions in relevant areas. Are you an artist? Discuss the New Bedford art scene in the Art forum. Looking to find a pet or a job? Check out the “I Need a …” section.
5. There are multiple ways to rate posts – Facebook allows users to like, share or comment on posts. That’s it. Haven’t you ever want to “dislike” a post? Or mark something as “funny”? On the NBG forums, users can like, dislike and rate posts in various ways. This will allow users to build reputations.
6. There is an improved event calendar! For those interested in what’s going on in the area, or those that want to add their events, the NBG community calendar will be a great tool. The system will allow for discussion, RSVP system, Google Maps integration, and more!
7. There will be a classifieds and feedback system! The classifieds area will allow people find jobs, pets, homes and more. It will also allow users to buy and sell items, and give feedback. Unlike Craigslist, you can see if people have positive or negative feedback.
8. It’s a moderated community! Staff will be around to moderate the forums and answer questions.
9. The Forums are mobile friendly! The forums show up well on all computers, phones and tablets. Preview here.
10. You can invite your friends with our Friend Invite System.
