Any Effort to increase Match responses?

[djknox]

We all know that getting a response from a match you've sent an email to is quite unpredictable.... maybe a 50% success rate. But is FTDNA doing anything to improve this?

for example:

1. maybe the user has changed their email address and in the interim has since become disinterested in this website? Maybe FTDNA should require subscribers to confirm (authenticate) once every 2 years... and try to follow up with those that don't. Afterall, it is one be happy family right?

2. maybe the user has passed. We leave information for inheritence but does anyone follow up at FTDNA? I mean how would FTDNA know to transfer email accounts to a son or daughter if they don't send our an authenticating message periodically?

In a similar vein, I would like to see certain data being mandatory before one's account becomes active. I just don't get why so many test kits have no names list or gedcom? I know its unreasonable to force people to reveal what they consider personal information, but I am wondering in how many cases its just an oversight, or maybe even a technical difficulty with the user? Why not make this data mandatory and then allow the user to lock it after account activation if they so choose. Or better still, do not allow the locking of surnames. I really don't see how a testkit with an anonymous user name showing a list of surnames is an invasion of privacy? Why not make an entry of surnames mandatory?

I would love to hear from those who feel listing surnames somehow invades their privacy?

dna.Ancestry.com is verging on completely useless because so so many of the trees are locked, revealing no hint of where to start with the thousands of matches being generated at the "disant cousin level."

If this field is ever going to live up to its billing, there has to be more effort in the "proving matches" aspect, not just in selling more kits.

[Swennilsson]

I remain baffled why so many people are willing to spend money on DNA testing, then fail to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with apparent matches. It really seems rather stupid, if I may be blunt. As for submitting gedcoms, I would like to see more of it, but actually deleted my own submission (but left the surname list) to see if I would get a better response rate. My thinking was that if there was full access to all of my pedigree information, people would see no need to respond to my emails. The deletion did seem to increase the response rate some; not dramatically, but some.
I wish there was an easy way to encourage people to respond to inquiries. Those of you familiar with EBAY know they have a ratings system for positive transaction between users. FTDNA is not likely set up for that sort of thing, but if they were, perhaps they could offer a discount coupon or something for users that submitted gedcoms and responded promptly to inquiries. Again, I realize there are likely some technical and logistical barriers to this, but some type of incentive would perhaps help.
At present, all I can suggest is that those reading this forum follow the Golden Rule, and reply (at least briefly) to inquiries of fellow users, and be generous with their pedigree information.

[PDHOTLEN]

I am mostly looking for matches from a couple of centuries ago, in order to buttress my maternal line. One surname given in FF that interested me recently was "Wood". My original Wood was from Buckinghamshire. But the Wood that popped up recently goes back to Yorkshire. Hmm... So that name can be set aside, ha ha. Another name that popped up is "Strong". My connection to that surname was back in the 1600s in Dorset, England. She would be a common ancestor with several others downstream , I suspect. In my case, that line alternates between the sexes; female to male, and eventually back to female.

[emyr]

I think people test for different reasons, and some just aren't interested in genealogy. It can be frustrating for sure, but I've found different ways to research a match. I'm not always successful, but I can sometimes find information just from a match name and email address.

My dad has a new match who has an interesting way to keep people from contacting him. His listed email address is [email protected]. I'm not quite sure how even FTDNA will contact him!

Emy

[sspeters41]

FF and resonses

I had my FF DNA test over 2 1/12 years ago. Initially I e-mailed everyone trying to find a common link. The response back was very low. I continued until a few months ago. I decided that I would not e-mail anyone. Since then I have only received a couple e-mails directed to me. I have my GEDCOM file and surname list posted. I can assume that maybe some look at my GEDCOM and then decide that there is no apparent link and think it a waste of time to send an e-mail. I would hope if this is the case, that they would reconsider. I am retired and have a lot of time to do research. While they may not see an apparent link, a little digging may turn up something.

Two days ago, I received 14 new matches. None of the 14 posted a GEDCOM and only two posted surnames. Even their profile gave no hint as to their pedigree.

I doubt that it will do any good, but here goes.

PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE, PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR GEDCOM FILE AND A LIST OF SURNAMES!!!

In your profile, please let us know a little more.

I understand that many of you don't have much information to share, but please share what you can.

If you have privacy issues, please go somewhere else for your DNA testing. Without sharing information, nothing can be learned.

[travers]

I don't have anything to add as far as getting a better response rate but just have a couple suggestions.

1.) I know it is easiest for people to send a generic email to many people at once. But if you have ever received such an email you feel less likely to respond to such a person (though I do anyways to be polite).

2.) Please list the name of the person you are matching in your email, many of us manage multiple profiles and do not want to go through all the matches of all the accounts looking for you.

3.) If you send an email to somebody on your match list and that person takes time out of their day to respond to you, it is polite to thank them. I don't know how many emails I've received where I have written back to someone who contacted me first for info, then when I respond with all the info I can provide I get no response back. Makes one feel less inclined to offer any information to future matches.

4.) If you email somebody asking for their family info please provide your family info first (unless you are adopted etc. but tell this upfront). I have had many contact me saying they spotted a common name or location in my pedigree and ask me about it but provide no info on their family and after I write back to them I never hear from them again.

[tomcat]

I think people test for different reasons, and some just aren't interested in genealogy. ...

On 23&Me the low response rate is usually credited to user's exclusive interest in Health. I suppose one might test with FTDNA out of an interest in Ancestry (although the ancestry services at 23&Me are far superior).

Judging by the threads on this and other boards, there is a lot of retail interest in ancestries including Neanderthal, Denisovan and Sasquatchian.

One of my interests is American Indian ancestry (and I have the DNA to prove it). That is also an ancestry of interest to quite a few others, but I very rarely receive any inquiries regarding that ancestry on AncestryDNA, 23&Me or Family Finder.

If Ancestry is of compelling retail interest, FTDNA could stimulate sales by improving and expanding their ancestry services but, based on my experience with DNA testing over six years, Ancestry alone will not stimulate widespread collaboration between users.

I am inclined to think all this non-communication might be attributed to illiteracy, loss of civility, and under-development of the imaginative muscle needed to inhabit a digital life.

[djknox]

I don't have anything to add as far as getting a better response rate but just have a couple suggestions.

1.) I know it is easiest for people to send a generic email to many people at once. But if you have ever received such an email you feel less likely to respond to such a person (though I do anyways to be polite).

2.) Please list the name of the person you are matching in your email, many of us manage multiple profiles and do not want to go through all the matches of all the accounts looking for you.

3.) If you send an email to somebody on your match list and that person takes time out of their day to respond to you, it is polite to thank them. I don't know how many emails I've received where I have written back to someone who contacted me first for info, then when I respond with all the info I can provide I get no response back. Makes one feel less inclined to offer any information to future matches.

4.) If you email somebody asking for their family info please provide your family info first (unless you are adopted etc. but tell this upfront). I have had many contact me saying they spotted a common name or location in my pedigree and ask me about it but provide no info on their family and after I write back to them I never hear from them again.

GREAT SUGGESTIONS - I still think FTDNA could do more on this matter... make some information mandatory, make people read an introduction about how networking is important and how privacy is still protected... and trying to revalidate emails every 2 years etc etc etc.

[djknox]

i remain baffled why so many people are willing to spend money on dna testing, then fail to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with apparent matches. It really seems rather stupid, if i may be blunt. As for submitting gedcoms, i would like to see more of it, but actually deleted my own submission (but left the surname list) to see if i would get a better response rate. My thinking was that if there was full access to all of my pedigree information, people would see no need to respond to my emails. The deletion did seem to increase the response rate some; not dramatically, but some.
I wish there was an easy way to encourage people to respond to inquiries. Those of you familiar with ebay know they have a ratings system for positive transaction between users. Ftdna is not likely set up for that sort of thing, but if they were, perhaps they could offer a discount coupon or something for users that submitted gedcoms and responded promptly to inquiries. Again, i realize there are likely some technical and logistical barriers to this, but some type of incentive would perhaps help.
At present, all i can suggest is that those reading this forum follow the golden rule, and reply (at least briefly) to inquiries of fellow users, and be generous with their pedigree information.

also a great suggestion!

[MoberlyDrake]

[QUOTE My dad has a new match who has an interesting way to keep people from contacting him. His listed email address is [email protected]. I'm not quite sure how even FTDNA will contact him!

Emy[/QUOTE]

I got THAT new match too! Disgusting, isn't it? But, as I only share a 7.85 cM segment with him, I probably wouldn't get very far.

[djknox]

I remain baffled why so many people are willing to spend money on DNA testing, then fail to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with apparent matches. It really seems rather stupid, if I may be blunt. As for submitting gedcoms, I would like to see more of it, but actually deleted my own submission (but left the surname list) to see if I would get a better response rate. My thinking was that if there was full access to all of my pedigree information, people would see no need to respond to my emails. The deletion did seem to increase the response rate some; not dramatically, but some.
I wish there was an easy way to encourage people to respond to inquiries. Those of you familiar with EBAY know they have a ratings system for positive transaction between users. FTDNA is not likely set up for that sort of thing, but if they were, perhaps they could offer a discount coupon or something for users that submitted gedcoms and responded promptly to inquiries. Again, I realize there are likely some technical and logistical barriers to this, but some type of incentive would perhaps help.
At present, all I can suggest is that those reading this forum follow the Golden Rule, and reply (at least briefly) to inquiries of fellow users, and be generous with their pedigree information.

I too did something similar at ancestry.com - if you make your tree public with all your documentation attached, people due tend to copy what they need and not bother to contact you. So it is correct that making people contact you for information is a good strategy to having a more engaged experience. HOWEVER, with dna matching, it is ESSENTIAL for one to compare surnames and localities as a starting point. Having one's tree locked at dna.ancestry is tantamount to not participating. So what I did is produce a 2nd pedigree tree that is fully public. So any match can browse my pedigree to see what opportunities may exist. Then, if they're still interested, they contact me for details.

In my opinion, FTDNA needs very strongly encourage people to post a surname list.... and that each name should be associated with a region... whether it be a town or a country or a continent.

I really think however that many people don't post genealogical information for two main reasons:

1. concern for privacy (although I don't quite get the privacy concern)

2. sheer selfishness - they like to extract data from others but don't want to share their own research freely - I lived a lot in the far east and this is a common mindset, especially in China: "I'm not going to volunteer information that may help you because what's in it for me?" But frankly, if you're researching genealogy, one must get over this urge to be selfish.

having said all this, I also suspect a good number don't answer because their emails have changed.... or your mail is flagged as spam... and yes the more elderly generations are not, on average, so techically saavy. I think FTDNA could encourage improvement in this area... but I also think they are much more focused on selling tests to feed the lab than they are on providing tools and services that yield genealogical success. Its a dangerous strategy as it could backfire - so many people lose interest due to a lack of meaningful results.

[emyr]

I got THAT new match too! Disgusting, isn't it? But, as I only share a 7.85 cM segment with him, I probably wouldn't get very far.

Unfortunately, he is one of my dad's closer matches: a suggested 4th cousin with a longest block of 25.47 cM and total shared cM of 44.27. I did find a match who overlaps with his longest block (exactly I think), so I'm hoping I might can learn something from the other match. Wonder if we have any other matches in common?

[MoberlyDrake]

I'd like to see all the DNA companies restrict the viewing of Gedcoms and ancestral surname lists to those who agreed to participate by likewise displaying surname lists and agreeing to answer email. Those who don't agree would see the names of their matches, but none of their genealogical info.

Those who are adopted or for some other reason don't know their parents or grandparents, etc. could still participate by agreeing to answer email. All they would have to do is state the fact that they were adopted in their replies. They could also put that info in their profile.

[MoberlyDrake]

[QUOTE My dad has a new match who has an interesting way to keep people from contacting him. His listed email address is [email protected]. I'm not quite sure how even FTDNA will contact him!

Emy

I got THAT new match too! Disgusting, isn't it? But, as I only share a 7.85 cM segment with him, I probably wouldn't get very far.[/QUOTE]

Emy and I compared info by private message and our new matches using the address [email protected] are two different people!!!

[khuebner]

I got THAT new match too! Disgusting, isn't it? But, as I only share a 7.85 cM segment with him, I probably wouldn't get very far.

Emy and I compared info by private message and our new matches using the address [email protected] are two different people!!![/QUOTE]

Two people administered by the same oddball?

On the original topic, even people who try to respond in a timely manner sometimes fail to. If an email doesn't require a lot of thought, I usually answer immediately. If it's something I need to pay more attention to, or that requires looking something up, and if it comes in when I'm swamped with work, it's likely to get lost (even in my To-Do folder), and I feel very bad about that. However, I try to let people know that I got the email and that it is okay to get on my case if they haven't heard back in a reasonable period.

So... sending a reminder email doesn't hurt.