I think the new website is still work in progress.
By the way you bring up interesting subject which is important not just for Disapora but other platforms as well. We could use some sort of “instance recommendation service” which would provide not just technical information (e.g. uptime and number of users) but also some insights on moderation policy, if the instance blocks other instances (which ones, why), code of conduct, etc.
I have had little to no success in bringing people to Diaspora from the “evil” social networks. Not even my own family. The reasons people give are:
All my family and friends are on Facebook, and
I just don’t see any need for an alternative.
We might have better luck with people who are not on other social networks than with those who have been numbed by the Big Tech corporate-owned media.
Another thing is that some new “social media” platforms like MeWe and Parler (microblogging) are re-inventing the wheel instead of using this wicked-kewl free ready-to-go software!
Whatever you think of, let’s say, Donald Trump for example; if he started his own Diaspora pod it would be an instant success, maybe with more members than any other pod. I even suggested it to him in an e-mail (no answer yet, of course). Perhaps people promoting some niche market or cause would host a pod if they knew about it. Should we “aim” our onboarding efforts to specific niche groups?
Hello, now Sept 2021, and sadly I can only echo what you, the previous poster and +DC540 said.
I do not belong to a pod or any Fediverse as yet.
Reason: far too difficult to find any real, hard, useful info.
Especially Diaspora. And yeah the name is stupid really.
Every time I need to search I have to think- - err what was it called again? Mind you, Mastodon is no better.
It was my frustration in not being able to find anything about any pod and precious little about Diaspora that pushed me to join here.
There is no "Contact " or help or even a sodding robot chat form!
Guys, I earn my living marketing; trust me, even if you make a better mousetrap and are deep in the forest, people will not go looking for you today.
I also work a lot with tech and devs. Sadly many are too wrapped up in love with their creation and quite enjoy living deep in the dark forest.
But Mary Smith is too darn scared of the forest to even come within cooee of it.
If you want people to use a product first rule is: make it accessible to them.
Teach them about it. Sell the sizzle not the steak. What will it do to make their life better? Think from the UX perspective, not your dev position.
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You are currently fighting the same battle as Linux - people think about quitting Windows, look at the array of options on Linus and run back to mummy MS.
Signing up to Diaspora - about the first thing that hits a newbie is:
“First select a pod?”
Pod?
Isn’t that something to with peas or whales?
Use language the everyday bloke can understand - and above all, never, ever, ever take a superior stance and make your perspective customer jump through hoops. It wont; work today. You know what they say:
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if your website doesn’t load in a nano second they hit the back button.
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Few people are going to take time to join Discourse just to ask a simple question.
We live in an instant gratification era.
Ok, that’s my all, I will probably find my membership is cancelled now!