Actually, that might not be the worst idea - recruit people from offline, not from other sites, since people who are on a ton of social media sites already might be less inclined to really get into a place like this than people who don't actually spend a ton of time online yet.

that's also a great hooking line to use in general instead of promoting kofk like 'omg guys check this out!' cause people see that all the time from everyone. A more casual 'hey anyone here on kofk.de by chance? I have some cute things there I want to trade/I am looking for' might pique people's interest more! c:

That's a good idea!

I was thinking (for the contest, since I'm otherwise usually shy about posting things like this on there) that I could make an instagram post not about kofk as a site in general, but about my hangout thread - like, post the picture of the skirt I'm currently making once it's finished (which is hopefully tomorrow) and link people to the hangout thread directly with a "hey, if you're interested in my sewing projects and want to talk about them and see wip pictures, too, I do that on this forum site over here". That might be a more concrete incentive to actually go and take a look than just saying "check out that site, I like it a lot"... What do you guys think? Good idea? Or will people then at most look at the thread once and never look at the rest of the site?

I say its definitely worth a shot! c:

I entertained some thoughts in the past of advertising my contests on other sites, but I always felt it wasn't worth it in the end. the prizes are always site currency and I don't want anyone putting in effort to make an entry for site currency if they're not even familiar with the site/may end up leaving and then they basically worked for free

I think it is a good idea! If you're worried they might not check out the rest of the site, maybe add a parenthetical "(I use that site a lot, too, btw, so if anyone joins and needs help/tips just send me a message there)" or something like that? Then it leaves it open for them to explore while feeling like if they do, they'll know someone there so it won't all be entirely strange, that sort of thing.

I'm glad you think so :)
And yeah, Akili, I'd probably add something like that. Maybe even put an avi of mine or something as a second picture to give them more of an impression of the site as a whole? If that is ok to do, I might need to check what Firn has said about using art offsite like that.

Yeah, site currency of a site you don't really know and don't know if you'll end up liking and staying on is not really the most exciting prize... Although I guess, if you did win a bunch of currency just as you were new to the site, that would be a good start and might make you stay at least for a while... And people get to decide for themselves if they want to give it a shot and are interested in a contest like that. So the ones who do end up making an entry might stay on the site regardless? Or at least give it a shot, otherwise they probably wouldn't bother working on a contest like that...

I was just trying to remember how I found kofk myself way back when. It was through a knuffle I saw in someone's signature on gaiaonline. Its a pity other sites don't really do the signature thing much (except Flight Rising I can't really come up with one) cause that'd be an idea c':

I was actually referred to the site by a real life friend...

I convinced my bff to join kofk back then haha!

Maybe that is the way to go, just talk to real life friends about the site :D