I’ve recently started trying to revitalize a niche community (!journaling@sh.itjust.works) that had been silent for a year or so, simply by posting more content. I have been made a moderator by the instance owners (so I could do any cleaning/maintenance if that was needed).

I have been posting for almost a month and got my very first new post, by another user than me I mean, in the last 24h. That was so effing cool! And it also was real good content for our niche.

That said, I still want to post more stuff.

And I would like to also renew the old banner and icon which I think is meh. I even made a mock-up I wanted to put online and then see if members liked it. That’s when I started worrying it might be a very stupid idea.

I don’t want members to feel like I’m taking hold of anything. My sole objective is to encourage more people to post more, and to help make the community as welcoming and alive as I can. But by doing too much I’m afraid I would only make members feel I’m making it ‘mine’.

Instead of doing that, I considered asking all members their opinion about renewing the banner, and invite them to submit their own propositions. But, here again, I’m worrying:

1. They could feel bombarded by my too many posts and/or intimidated by my invitation to participate.
2. And then, if we were to organize some friendly competition, how would I (and why me?) pick the winning proposition? By a vote? Sure, but then I’m afraid people would encourage their friends to vote for them which would not be fair to people with fewer friends.

So, here I am. A bit naive and afraid I could do more arm than good.

What do you think? Do I worry too much?

Do you have any practical suggestion? Should I post less? Should I give up on that banner idea? (I really think a new and less serious banner could help but it’s also not an obsession, so…)