Three Qualities of a Good Guild

by Tilcup The Lord of Ebony

Okay, there are three major things people look for in a guild. They can be classified as Looks, Content, and Goodies. I will tell what each of these are and how you can use them to get people to join your guild.

LOOKS: First Impressions are EVERYTHING! Especially for people who are just quickly going through guilds looking for one that fits them. Remember, They can't get to your message boards or may not know your guild web site address (you don't necessarily need one, but it helps if your guild page is filling up) and so rely on what they first see when they go into your guild page. There are three things under looks that also can help or hinder your guild.

When I go into a guild, the first thing my eyes snaps to is THE LOGO! If I see a YOUR LOGO HERE sign - I am not sure I want to join the guild. The owner looks like they aren't responsible enough to take the time to make or acquire a logo. Hey maybe you don't have a good graphics program or you're having a contest for the best logo for the guild. That is perfectly reasonable. However, you should stick some sort of picture there in the meantime, even if it's just a happy face or something silly. It could even advertise your little logo contest! Have a little coloured background square with the words LOGO CONTEST in front of it. It's up to you! It is your guild after all...

Also under looks - I guess it could go under content too, but I'm sticking it here - is the Name of your guild! Here's my hint to you: SHORT AND SWEET! The shorter often the better - within reason. My guild, 'The Hidden Hierarchy', is two words long (if you don't count the 'the'). It's often easier to remember, "I'm a member of the Hidden Hierarchy Guild," rather than, "I'm a member of the Help the Sick, Needy, Helpless, Abandoned, Cutie, Swashbuckler, Poppinfresh, Garbage Patrol, Anti-Scammers, Neopian Guild!."

Hey that took me ten minutes to think up and 20 minutes to say!! (Okay maybe a bit less than that, but you get the idea.) Just for sanity's sake I'm wanting to add that your name and where your guild is situated should make sense. My guild is the HIDDEN Hierarchy therefore it is a bit of a mystery as to where it is so it is hidden on MYSTERY island. Makes sense! Don't be the Friendly Faeries and be in the middle of MARAQUA!!!! Come on! Be on the Faerie cloud! Sorry, I'm going a little off topic. Back on to the topic.

The last thing with looks is the main guild viewing area that anybody can see. First of all, PLEASE DO NOT HAVE CLASHING COLOURS!! I've gone into many a guild where there was BLUE AND PINK! or GREEN AND ORANGE!! or REALLY DISGUSTING COLOUR SCHEMES!! Sorry, but it's true. Second of all the color scheme should allow people to read what you're trying to say. Don't have a light pink background with a white font! I use a black (or green in places) background with a yellow font. The yellow stands out against the black. Where it is green I've tried to make it red so it once again can be visible. Thirdly, (I like threes, they work well) avoid HUGE pictures on your guild page. Save them for the guild's separate Web page. It's frustrating either waiting for the huge pictures to load (not everyone has a fast connection) or scrolling down the landscapes of pictures to see your message that only says 'hi'!

That's pretty much it on looks, now on to Goodies.

GOODIES: People like GETTING stuff! It is as pure and simple as that. Humans are naturally greedy and caring. Confusing isn't it? See people sometimes want to help others because it gives them a feeling of making a difference. I just want to point out the "GIVES THEM a feeling of making a difference." I'm sorry to say but everyone has at least a little bit of greed in them. Anyway, the point. Everyone wants something out of the guild. It could be that they want to help abandoned pets. Maybe they just need Neopoints so they want a guild that gives them Neopoints (personally I do not like or approve of those greedy-ish guilds). They may have many reasons (show status of wealth, get back on feet from being scammed, contests galore, freebies, TV show they like, cartoon character they like, etc.). In either case you will need to offer SOMETHING. My guild gives out freebies occasionally and holds many contests. Although, I forget what my original idea for my guild was... anyway that is irrelevant. Once again there are three things that, in general, are offered.

First off, free items. Everyone likes free items, so that's sort of self explanatory. Just every week or so give out an item or two. Make sure they are not always HORRIBLE and give away your junk!! Sometimes give out something useful like a paintbrush or piece of map. Also, free health care could work, but I've never tried it.

Secondly, contests. Personally, I LOVE contests. I like to let the members of my guild stretch their brain muscles to either solve a riddle or use their contacts in Neopia to get an item I need. Sometimes I don't need the item and a week or so later give it away as a free item. It's great because I've awarded the receiving of the item and so made one person in my guild happy, then gave it to somebody else and they got a free item! EVERYBODY'S happy! It's great! Yes, my members may read this and go, "HEY!" But it works. It's not BAD! Even when they do know. It may be that a richer Neopian in my guild has given me the item and I gave it to a poorer Neopian and so helped someone in need all because the rich one wanted to win a contest!

And to finish off Goodies is the Guild council positions. When just starting out these are great A) contest prizes or B) snares to bring people into your guild. I always see at least 2 or 3 messages on the guild message board asking for a guild with guild council positions left! Say that they are going fast and when people join make them do the contest to get the positions. These positions can be great and even if I don't see the reason for their greatness I've used them in my own way that is unique to make them special. I sometimes have guild council giveaways for only the guild council. As a note on positions, they are mostly the name that matters unless you use the rankings as a measure of power in the guild (like I do). But I saw an interesting technique used for a Harry Potter Guild where the rankings were actually your house. You would join not as trainee, but as newbie. Then when you Neomailed the owner and did a test you would have the sorting hat send you to your 'house'. Your rank would become Griffindor or Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. It was quite neat! Anyway use the rankings as you wish.

Now on to Content.

CONTENT: A very important part of the guild, but I have written a lot so will try to be brief. Try to have a theme with your guild and have different events to keep your guild exciting! Have meetings, or and a guild Web page. I have found them very useful. If possible ask for help from your members. I had a very helpful member (THANK YOU POPMACHINE!!) do some stuff for my guild and I am in his debt. And lastly under content is ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE! POST messages on the guild board 6 hours a day (come on other people need to use it too!) and have a catchy paragraph or small blurb about your guild with the guild address at the end. Just copy that and paste it on to the boards when you wish to advertise.

I thank you for reading this lengthy document and hope you will be successful in your guild making.