Automated Welcome PMs: Are They Effective for New Member Engagement?

[Altair]

I believe welcome PMs can be a valuable tool for making new members feel welcomed and informed about your forum. They provide a consistent, personalized introduction that helps guide newcomers through their first experience.
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Do you find them useful in welcoming new members? If so, how do you ensure they are engaging and helpful? Are there any specific tips or strategies you use to improve the effectiveness of welcome PMs?

 

[Blueflame]

Of course, they are better than the admins manually welcoming each member that signs up. That can be draining!

 

[Nomad]

I think these are useless. In this age of short attention span, who goes long message and links? I never reach those messages. It is better to welcome member when he posts an intro topic

 

[King Belieal]

Not every member would even bother to post a intro topic after sign up. For a new member that has been familiar with forums in the past, a welcome PM might have no effect. But for a new member on forums like I was two years ago, that welcome post is so valuable and would help in adapting to that forum.