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Yes, bottom line is how do we get the members to vote. As it stands now, only one cache gets nominated in each area, some times none. Those caches then automatically win. Not really what I think the COTM should be.
Geocachers travel, so I don’t think because there is a higher amount of cachers in one area, that necessarily means they will only vote for caches in their area. If there’s a good cache, regardless of where it is, I’d nominate it.
~ **~ All posts are my opinion and do not in any way reflect the opinion of the WGA Board of Directors ~**~
Perhaps the COTM page should be prominantly placed on the website and advertised on FB.
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
Perhaps the COTM page should be prominantly placed on the website and advertised on FB.
It is on the front page of the website and has been promoted on fb
Perhaps the COTM page should be prominantly placed on the website and advertised on FB.
It is on the front page of the website and has been promoted on fb
Now I see it on top of the website. If I would have seen it, I so would have voted for I Think I Spy A Monster for COTM in the Northern region.
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
I think the hardest thing about positing photos in the forum for POTM would be how to tally “likes.” Any ideas?
Over the border in Minnesota, we started a geopic of the month contest. Participants submit a picture taken while geocaching in MN during that month by the 25th. From the 1st to the 7th of the following month, members vote on their favorite pic. Our intention is to create a 2019 calendar of the winning pictures. If your forum format doesn’t allow polls, you could conduct one with google forms and post a link to it in the forums. Here is a link to our January voting thread: http://mngca.freeforums.net/thread/223/january-vote
I think the hardest thing about positing photos in the forum for POTM would be how to tally “likes.” Any ideas?
Over the border in Minnesota, we started a geopic of the month contest. Participants submit a picture taken while geocaching in MN during that month by the 25th. From the 1st to the 7th of the following month, members vote on their favorite pic. Our intention is to create a 2019 calendar of the winning pictures. If your forum format doesn’t allow polls, you could conduct one with google forms and post a link to it in the forums. Here is a link to our January voting thread: http://mngca.freeforums.net/thread/223/january-vote
Thanks! I follow your page as well and have seen this.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
-Henry David Thoreau
This seems like a viable option.
The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.
I think the hardest thing about positing photos in the forum for POTM would be how to tally “likes.” Any ideas?
Over the border in Minnesota, we started a geopic of the month contest. Participants submit a picture taken while geocaching in MN during that month by the 25th. From the 1st to the 7th of the following month, members vote on their favorite pic. Our intention is to create a 2019 calendar of the winning pictures. If your forum format doesn’t allow polls, you could conduct one with google forms and post a link to it in the forums. Here is a link to our January voting thread: http://mngca.freeforums.net/thread/223/january-vote
Thanks! I follow your page as well and have seen this.
There is always the chance too for someone to develop something for the site as well <_< >_> <_< 🙂
Climbing To New Adventures
**The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.**
The thing, but I understand that I find hardest and has probably cause lack of involvement from myself in the past (especially then when I had a thousand or two less finds) Was that I could never vote for any of the nominated caches that were listed. Since I think there has been once or twice when I have looked that I could. That left me with either not voting, or having to go and search and decide on one to nominate. Sadly have picked the easier route most of the time in the past. Every once in a while I might add a nomination, but my lack of interest died when I could never vote.
Now I understand why the rule is in place to have to have visited the cache in the past so you can have an opinion and not saying to get rid of it is the answer but when you look at the numbers. For a high Favorited cache that has been in existence for a year maybe more in a well visited area might have 100+ visits, but could be less, could be more. If out of that 100, how many are WGA members as you always have out of state/town people visiting, and not all WI cachers are WGA member. So what 50% maybe 33% or even less, nothing scientific just thinking it threw. Then out of that remaining population, how many visit the website, then even from that small pool how many will vote/nominate. So with that rule in place there is already a very small selection to potentially vote on the cache. Just a thought throwing out there but no answer 🙂
Tying in with that and with previous comments, I lean both way to merge to one a month or leave as is with the quadrants. I think with the above thought and if we have only one to vote one. We may end up with a large number to vote upon each month as they are all nominated into one pool now, but how many could get multiple votes from others or are all nominations going to be just the nominations with no additional votes. I like leaving as is with all the sections due to the ability to see and showcase more caches throughout the state with the COTM rating and see that grow.
From a management perspective, it seems it was previously shared that there was a bookmark list out there that is out dated, keeping that list updated and promoting it in addition to just voting might encourage seeking which then hopefully encourages voting. (We can talk about seeing if we can automate that step 😉 ) Also I know when I recently won a COTM, I know I saw it announced in a FB group that I had won but never was sent (to my knowledge unless I missed it) the COTM banner information to put on the cache page 🙁
Also what could help encourage voting is that when a cache gets nominated to add a “note” to the cache page stating that it has been nominated for ___ month for WGA COTM with a link. That way those that may be watching see the note and go vote, following cachers might see the note and might go and either vote or at least have now become aware of the COTM if they weren’t before if its to late. As well as I think in the past on past winners I have seen a note also stating that they may of won the COTM. (There might be potential to try and automate that step as well 😉 one or both of those ideas mentioned)
Sorry for the longer post, but a mix of thoughts, some with answers.
Climbing To New Adventures
**The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.**
I believe that notifying the CO that the cache was nominated is something that is being done. It has in the past but may have gotten overlooked.
If you didn’t receive the banner art contact the admins. That shouldn’t be hard to rectify. (Though there were some dates that just don’t seem to work with the script).I would be in favor of dropping the “cache can only win cotm once” and setting a period of time between eligibility. This could help newer catchers who wouldn’t see any notification from years ago and unfortunately, some COs never add the banner art.
Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.
There is always the chance too for someone to develop something for the site as well <_< >_> <_<
I know someone that is good at it!!!!
One of the reasons I’ve never nominated or voted on a cache, is that I don’t know that much about COTM. Obviously the issue here is to get more people familiar with it. For those like me that didn’t really know about it, and had just a little curiosity, how about someone makes a how-to video? Something similar to what is found on YouTube. We could even have a link from the COTM page to the YouTube page. Personally I don’t think I have the voice or wisdom to explain it nor the wherewithal to get it to YouTube. Thoughts?
The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.
COTM is placed right on the home page and is explained thoroughly on the site. I think we just need to promote it more on FB and in person.
Disclaimer : All posts are the opinion of the poster and do not in any way reflect on the WGA Board of Directors
In person, yes. The COTM committee this past year has done a great year at promoting it on social media. Keep up the good work everyone 🙂
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
-Henry David Thoreau
John said great things. I would like to say, why not reduce the 5 regions to the now clearly defined 4 Quadrants? This would slightly reduce 5 to 4 regions and still give representation to the 2 Northern Quadrants. At least this would give conformity to how the state is divided into the regions for our definitions and COTM being the same. “Up North” with less dense population would be hurt with less than 4 regions for nominations and representation. The Wis State Park Series and rotation of the Campouts and Picnics to the 4 Quadrants have been “priceless in value” to create a “statewide caching experience” for all the WGA members. WGA is for the whole state and encouraging cachers to this experience, not just caching within 15 miles of their house!
I think over the last year the facebook posting emphasizing the COTM have been awesome. I have monitored the COTM nominations and there have been greater numbers. Continuing to post to the cache page that this particular cache has been nominated for COTM had slipped a bit. I think this is a good move to put notice to the cachers finding the nominees and the redirect to the WGA Website to vote for it. I hope this would continue. The posted winning banners are also a continued way to keep our WGA in the forefront and encourage others to hide caches. COTM is about promotion of cachers and encouragement to cache hiders and ultimately get the WGA out there for cachers to take notice.
Tweak it and Keep it!
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
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