As usual I'm not delusional enough to think that I can prevent spam- of course not!
But I get so tired of seeing the same things over and over in my sasisho and then typing the same stuff over and over. Also people dont seem to grasp the use of maneno muhimu so maybe this will help some in that respect,too.

Now I know the searchbar is scary! I saw it for the first time myself when I was a new user and was reluctant to try it. Who knows what might happen when wewe click that tafuta button!?! But one siku I summoned all my courage I tried and it didn't hurt. Now there was a surprise! Back then there was only one..now we have TWO tafuta options and I know that is even scarier. But be assured I have been using the tafuta for ages now and nothing bad has ever happened to me.
Seriously I give wewe my word: IT WON'T HURT! PROMISE!!

Searching for content on this site is a little wonky at times I admit that. But over time wewe will learn how to get better results AND and this is the w.i.e.r.d.est part (I know its spelt weird but come on..nobody likes a Ted!) wewe will also learn how to label the content wewe submit so that other users can find it as well.

1) The tafuta across fanpop

On juu of the page on the far right end of the black bar of doom we have the tafuta for the whole site. This is a great tool wewe can use when wewe want to find spots already available. wewe hate repeats, wewe know wewe do, so before creating a new spot wewe will use this search.
Also wewe want to find all content on fanpop for something/someone in this example Katherine Heigl.
There will be content in the "Katherine Heigl" spot and the "Movies" spot but since she is both on TV and in sinema wewe will also find picha of her on the "Grey's Anatomy" spot and the "Television" spot. Maybe there is also content in places wewe hadn't thought of: the "Hottest Actresses" spot au the "Knocked-up" spot. So instead of going to all these spots separately and clicking yourself through all content wewe use: TADA!! The tafuta across fanpop!!
wewe type in Katherine Heigl click "search" and this will lead you- in theory- to all content imewasilishwa on fanpop concerning Katherine Heigl.*nods* I KNOW, RIGHT??
It has been neatly organized these days: wewe can filter your tafuta results kwa category so if you're looking for picha only wewe can even choose to get sub-results organized kwa image type (icons,wallpapers etc). ALL THAT with a few clicks!


wewe can also use the advanced tafuta to filter answers,links, forums, picks etc



So much for the theory of it.
What wewe won't find are picha ilitumwa but have no maneno muhimu and "KH <3<3" as the title. The searchbar is friendly but let's face it not very clever. It doesnt recognize Katherine on a picture..it will only give wewe results if the image is somehow marked with the words "Katherine Heigl".
That is the reason kwa the way why people keep moaning aboot keywords! Not to be bossy au rude but because wewe need to add maneno muhimu so your friend the searchbar can find things!
And wewe see in the image above that wewe get Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh results, too, when searching for Katherine Heigl..Why wewe ask? Because someone added the wrong keywords!

Also just putting "KH <3<3" in the title of the picture will not result in people being able to find the image when looking for "Katherine Heigl". It just won't! Now maybe wewe say: All mashabiki call her KH - like we call "How I met your Mother" HIMYM- but try that, type in KH, and wewe might get some Katherine Heigl pictures along the way- but mostly a lot of "Kingdom Hearts" ( I don't even know what that is to be honest) results to click through.
Wouldn't it be MUCH easier if all picha with Katherine Heigl on them would pop up when wewe want them to and NO Kingdom Hearts results? Isn't that what wewe would expect? Why on earth would wewe want "Kindom Hearts" results when looking for Katherine Heigl?
( I researched: Its a game..now the woman is busy but I'm pretty sure she isn't in that.)
That is why when submitting an image au any other type of content think of your fellow fans. Think of new users who come here and want to find things they are a shabiki of. Mark your content so it can be found with the help of your friend: The dense but well intentioned searchbar!


2) Searching on a spot

Now this tafuta hasn't been around as long as the other. On each spot on the juu right under the banner there is another tafuta one that is restricted to the club you're currently in. (if wewe accidentally use it to tafuta across fanpop wewe can alter the tafuta kwa clicking on "search fanpop" the f4 are clever like that and knew we get confused easily).
It's great for finding things that are restricted to a certain spot.
So for example: wewe want to make a REALLY original pick with awesome images.
wewe think for a while and come up with "Do wewe think Katherine Heigl is hot?"

wewe have become close Marafiki with the searchbar and want to see if anyone else was clever enough to come up with such an unusual question.
Don't try to tafuta the whole question, instead use the main words of your swali and type that into the clubsearch so in this case Katherine hot . wewe probably find *gasp* that 4 people before wewe had the same idea and wewe rest assured that great minds think alike. Normally wewe would leave it at that but that swali just HAS to be asked again so wewe go to the "Hottest Actresses" club and try again. Just for the sake of the example let's pretend wewe try the tafuta there and it brings back nothing (*coushyeahrightcough*).
So wewe post this swali and want some awesome picha to go with your options. Again wewe can use the clubsearch because most picha of Katherine will be in the "Katherine Heigl"spot and zaidi likely of Katherine alone rather than searching across fanpop where wewe will also get a lot of picha with her as Izzie (probably together with Alex who really has no business being on your pick.) wewe can filter your tafuta again kwa category and choose ikoni since those will already have the square format wewe need.

But what if wewe want to ask a zaidi specific swali aboot e.g. a dress she wore? wewe want to ask which dress looked better on her the one she wore to the "Academy Awards" in 2008 (no idea if she was invited to that but please play along) au the one she wore at the "Knocked up" premiere? wewe want your options and the picha to match of course since people might not remember them both. Also you're pretty sure pictures of both events were ilitumwa on the spot but wewe really don't remember when and don't want to click through endless results wewe get when looking at the picha section.
Wouldn't it be just insanely helpful if wewe got the results wewe needed when searching for "Academy Awards" au "Oscar" on the Katherine Heigl clubsearch? Just imagine the person who uploaded the picha was kind enough to put "oscars" "academy awards" "2008" "kathrine heigl" (and maybe some zaidi that fit like "red carpet")in the keywords! wewe would find what wewe need instantly!

So remember when adding stuff to fanpop: think aboot your friend the searchbar! Be kind! Help the poor thing to do its work. It doesn't only operate on maneno muhimu but also on titles so pay attention to both (for spots/clubs it also works with the submotto for some reason I can't quite grasp :S...just type in "love" and wewe will see what I mean.).
Don't PLEASE just don't tag stuff thats NOT in the image/video. If you're uploading "Izzie" ikoni to the Grey's Anatomy spot don't tag other characters.

Don't use all maneno muhimu available just to put some. Also and this might to news to some: wewe can type your own keywords! So wewe can actually type in "oscar" "academy awards" etc yourself separating them kwa commas! Bulk uploading kills maneno muhimu as Snerkie once alisema but I won't stop wewe from doing that anyway but please at least don't tag things that AREN'T in the picture. That is just frustrating to everyone else.


As for titles: its never a good idea to put "OTH <3<3" au "LYK OMG SO HAWT" au any other abbreviations au textspeak. Try to make the titles simple and "searchable" (why THAT'S not a word in the English language is beyond me..but wewe know what I mean). The "KH" example au putting "GG" which can be Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls au even GOLDEN GIRLS for that matter shows wewe how it might confuse things for people.

I think its fine to post "updated" repeats but be sure to mark them as such. So instead of asking "Is Katherine Heigl hot?" wewe could ask "After Katherine Heigl dyed her hair, got plastic surgery and is now a dude: Is she still hot? and it wouldn't really be a repeat.

So inayofuata time wewe want to add something to fanpop please do two things use a touch of common sense and PLEASE use your friend: The Searchbar!