Enjin has over a million and a half registered users browsing different guilds and clans on a daily basis. There are easily many more unregistered players who are looking to join your community.
The question you want to ask yourself is this: How streamlined is the join process? We’ll go through the entire theoretical process step by step.
Main page
The home page should be the first page that most recruits will see when they come across your community. This is the prime location to place your call to action. In this case, your call to action is going to be "Join us”. Place the link to your application somewhere on the front page above the fold. In other words, that join link should be immediately visible to the user without them having to scroll down. Even a simple HTML module with a centered text link that says "Join Us” linking to your application will work. Try to be more creative. Modules such as our SWTOR Recruiting module already have built in links next to classes that guilds are looking for. Check out some of the Enjin sites below for examples.
I personally advise against using drop down menus, but it depends on how the structure flow is laid out. If your community has multiple teams, then one method could be the creation of a drop down box labeled "Join” with links to separate application forms.
Rules and regulations
Organized communities typically have their own set of guidelines that players must adhere to. Some are age restrictions. Others might include loot rules or policies for behaviors. Try to summarize the important ones as best as you can and place links on the application to the rules instead. It’s not necessary to force the user to read a 20000 page thesis essay. Cover the basic outline and direct them to other policies as needed. Applicants don’t really need to know that Friday is no pants raiding or that its karaoke night on Mumble on a Saturday. Use the HTML module to write out your rules and policies before including it on a separate page.
Instead, highlight your scheduled events if they occur regularly. List any behaviour policies or age requirements up front any information that applicants absolutely need to know.
Another possible aspect you can consider including is what players can gain from joining your community. Access to specific features or knowing that there is a regular scheduled gaming event can be a big boon.
Application questions
It's a good thing Enjin has an awesome recruiting and application system you can use to customize the experience for potential recruits! You can find it under the Modules tab under Recruitment.
The questions on the form should be pertinent to the main focus of your community. You might want to know what a player’s PvP rating or scores are if your community is PvP centric. Clans revolving around shooters might want to know what the user’s preferred roles and kill to death ratio are. MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) teams want to what strong characters you can use. Don’t drag out the application process too long with convoluted questions.
That being said, the occasional insight to an applicant’s personality isn’t always a bad thing either. Depending on the focus of your community, sometimes you need to screen applicants thoroughly before they even get the opportunity to be given the chance. But be sure to walk that line carefully.
Look for ways to cut down on any excess actions that prospective players have to go through. Don’t make users jump through hoops or participate in a scavenger hunt for the elusive join link.
The longer the joining the process, the greater the chance the user simply gives up and decides to go elsewhere. It’s up to you to find the right balance between screening the application and reducing any time wasting questions.
The question you want to ask yourself is this: How streamlined is the join process? We’ll go through the entire theoretical process step by step.
Main page
The home page should be the first page that most recruits will see when they come across your community. This is the prime location to place your call to action. In this case, your call to action is going to be "Join us”. Place the link to your application somewhere on the front page above the fold. In other words, that join link should be immediately visible to the user without them having to scroll down. Even a simple HTML module with a centered text link that says "Join Us” linking to your application will work. Try to be more creative. Modules such as our SWTOR Recruiting module already have built in links next to classes that guilds are looking for. Check out some of the Enjin sites below for examples.
I personally advise against using drop down menus, but it depends on how the structure flow is laid out. If your community has multiple teams, then one method could be the creation of a drop down box labeled "Join” with links to separate application forms.
Rules and regulations
Organized communities typically have their own set of guidelines that players must adhere to. Some are age restrictions. Others might include loot rules or policies for behaviors. Try to summarize the important ones as best as you can and place links on the application to the rules instead. It’s not necessary to force the user to read a 20000 page thesis essay. Cover the basic outline and direct them to other policies as needed. Applicants don’t really need to know that Friday is no pants raiding or that its karaoke night on Mumble on a Saturday. Use the HTML module to write out your rules and policies before including it on a separate page.
Instead, highlight your scheduled events if they occur regularly. List any behaviour policies or age requirements up front any information that applicants absolutely need to know.
Another possible aspect you can consider including is what players can gain from joining your community. Access to specific features or knowing that there is a regular scheduled gaming event can be a big boon.
Application questions
It's a good thing Enjin has an awesome recruiting and application system you can use to customize the experience for potential recruits! You can find it under the Modules tab under Recruitment.
The questions on the form should be pertinent to the main focus of your community. You might want to know what a player’s PvP rating or scores are if your community is PvP centric. Clans revolving around shooters might want to know what the user’s preferred roles and kill to death ratio are. MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) teams want to what strong characters you can use. Don’t drag out the application process too long with convoluted questions.
That being said, the occasional insight to an applicant’s personality isn’t always a bad thing either. Depending on the focus of your community, sometimes you need to screen applicants thoroughly before they even get the opportunity to be given the chance. But be sure to walk that line carefully.
Look for ways to cut down on any excess actions that prospective players have to go through. Don’t make users jump through hoops or participate in a scavenger hunt for the elusive join link.
The longer the joining the process, the greater the chance the user simply gives up and decides to go elsewhere. It’s up to you to find the right balance between screening the application and reducing any time wasting questions.
