I'm looking for constructive and honest feedback from our users. Why is the forum being used less and less?
- Too outdated / hard to use?
- It's easier to post pictures to FB?
- No meets last year?
What do you like? What don't you like?... I'm looking to take your comments and improve for our members, otherwise no sense in having something that doesn't get used =)
Imo everything you mentioned, fb is easier to use, and people just text now. Honestly Marc I thought this forum died forever ago until I got this email lol! I was never a big contributor on here in the first place tho
Honestly, i think the car scene just kinda died in TBay. That and usually people go on their cars more specific forums than come on here for advice. That and DMMR to EVO9 lost a lot of people. Then to TBM lost more people. I think you need to cater to a wider audience. Get some older classic guys on here. Nothing wrong with a little trash talk in good tase, allow that back as well. Just avoid the Ricer vs Muscle shit and you should be fine.
1983 Skoda 120 LS
1986 Skoda 120 GLS
2001 VW Jetta GLX VR6
2003 Saab 9-5 Aero Sport-Combi
There's probably quite a few factors but I personally think the fact that everyone is already on facebook quite a bit it's easier to post there and they get notifications when people comment or respond, although you can get that on the forum through Tapatalk. I know it costs money nut would it be possible to implement something where you put @username it notifies that person?
I think another big thing is that now anytime people post on Instagram or Facebook everyone just "likes" something and there isn't as much conversation. I know I've talked to a few people about it before and while I kept posting there were a lot of times I felt discouraged when no one would comment, but while some didn't comment they would still read the threads, or so I've been told. I known I've seen on certain forums they have a "thank" or "like" feature for individual posts, is that something you could do?
Posting pictures is definitely another thing, especially now that photobucket and the forum attachments don't really work. Not much you can do about that but posting from Tapatalk is an option.
I've always preferred the forum format over Facebook just because posts on Facebook can get lost super quick or it may not show up for you. I also like the thread format and being able to go back and see the progress on someone's car without having to search through individual posts in a group. Then again I'm one of the few people posting anything on here.
"Exhaust gases go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster"
///M3 Journal | E39 540i Journal | Turbo Install | Carbon Roof Time-Lapse Install
How to: edit posts | post pictures w/ browser | post pictures w/ tapatalk
Facebook is easier, everyone's already there, and the image hosting is so easy your grandma is probably doing it right now. It's not just this forum that's dying, it's EVERY FORUM. Hell, neons.org is only kept alive for archival purposes basically.
Nabs touched on the fact that the commenting isn't as verbose, but that's just a sign of the times. The community isn't as verbose. Hit like, release serotonin, scroll scroll scroll.
Dave and Mike pretty much summed it all up I think. I cant stand Photobucket now, so many pop ups and super annoying to even login now. Photobucket ruined it for all forums. Even now when you want to look at an old build thread, the pics are gone. Did I mention that I hate Photobucket now? lol
97 LS 240SX LS376/525hp
97 Supra 863whp 756wtq - 10.22 @ 142.9mph
90 Castrol Celica Alltrac 600awhp 571awtq (track car)
92 Toyota Pickup Lexus V8 supercharged 400hp? TBA
I think Facebook is the way to go. Most people are on Facebook and people who you haven't reached maybe there. Often people don't want to sign up for another platform where they have to check in and remember passwords etc.
Facebook you can add events (Car meets, shows, events ect.) so that people can invite others who may be interested and grow the community. By either having a Facebook Group or Facebook Page - which serve different purposes - but I think either will allow for you to grow. Facebook is easier to post/share photos.
Agreed also with the comment of allowing the community to grow. Get different people in here, allow for others to experience it, just watch it doesn't become toxic
If you're using Chrome look up the extension "Photobucket Hotlink Fix" if you don't have it already. It fixes Photobucket images so you actually can see them without having to do anything. As for uploading pictures, I've had really good luck with Google Photos, especially with being able to upload from your phone and then just go on your computer and share the links.Originally Posted by Yota
"Exhaust gases go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster"
///M3 Journal | E39 540i Journal | Turbo Install | Carbon Roof Time-Lapse Install
How to: edit posts | post pictures w/ browser | post pictures w/ tapatalk
Threads>Facebook but Facebook is just too damn large and in charge
A viral community requires that we affiliate (which we do by joining), participate - which only a few do, then it also requires validation (ie. someone has to validate what I say when I do participate).
This community is missing two parts of a social network that makes it work.
This shouldn't be facebook, nor photobucket or any other big social network. It is a Thunder Bay motoring enthusiast niche. And honestly I think you should shrink the focus and make it something that you can't find other places.
Ie. things going on in Tbay scene, then you have to hold events, get people to affiliate with tbmotoring, and then participate by stating how much fun they had. Then all the members here have to validate their participation, and continue to add cool things that get people coming back trying to post something cooler, and then having to check back regularly to see if their post got good validation!!!
So for us to post cool things, and get things going, you definitely need to fix up the posts for images,
you need to make information easy to find (like I got lost trying to find ice racing, and you can't find the start time without searching, so a major User experience review before changing anything)
make it more task focused, and easier to match the current participants needs, that way they participate and validate, helping make a better community.
just some verbal diarrhoea thoughts
t
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for instance last year I dyno hp at 144hp, 134 torque at the local dyno shop (everyone know who that is?) [insert my dyno graph photo here]
I just did some upgrades[pics here] which required me to find an O2 sensor plug which I found at this local shop in stock (which shop is this now?, link to shop) [pic of the part and the cool people I just met and spoke with about my mx5 for an hour)
I have to get on the dyno again [insert pic from last year] this year to see how much I've gained as I have a great seat-o-the-pants meter which states 100% gain in fun factor!
And I just blew the doors of an early 2000s Porsche, who wants to see my GoPro video (insert video here)
and yes I had the heated seats on, and the climate control going with my top down today [insert pics of everyone checking out my car as I drove through town]
and I saw Marc [@marc so he knows I am plugging him] today rolling over on his tires,[go pro pic] taking a turn into a grocery in some sort of Honda cargo van [maligning his vehicle choice for daily driving insert cartoonish character]?
'09 GT 6MT PRHT Liquid Silver Metallic
High Performance DBA Slotted rotors, Porterfield RS4 pads, Stainless Steel Brake Lines, RL-600 Full Synthetic Brake Fluid
I deff like the forum style alot more, making pics easier would be a plus. My main thing for not being on here more is time,any forums on my phone is such pain to use/read, so i only log on when on the desktop which is slim and desktop time is mainly WoW or Overwatch time, haha... I have just had some time to work on the Z so ill be updating my thread here in a lil bit.
2003-350Z
2005-Acura EL
2000-Maxima
2001-Elantra
1990-Spirit
Thanks for the feedback guys and girls! The new software is better integrated into Facebook (direct signup/one log-in, sharing posts/threads, etc.), is responsive and mobile friendly. I will be doing a full overhaul as soon as I have the time, and yes, it implements @tags and liking by default =)
When it comes to hosting pictures, local image hosting is expensive. I have 10 gigs of high quality storage. Plenty for a forum but not a lot when you're hosting high resolution images for a ton of users, so I ask people to use a 3rd party hosting site (excluding Photobucket lol... Google Photos, as David suggested, or Outlook Photos are good options)
...forums still have a huge benefit over Facebook in certain use cases...
For starters, some simply don't like social media and refuse to get on it. Certain links won't work if you don't have or aren't signed into a Facebook account. Others prefer to browse more anonymously. Being a forum member is low key and you have much less to fear in regarding data privacy and identity theft. Finally, for archival purposes (i.e. build threads, etc.) a forum is much easier to follow and go back in time.
To touch on what Troy said, if we can make it easier to use (sign up and post) then hopefully we can get members participating and more build threads! That's the goal.
Also, if someone would like to spearhead events (organizing weekly or monthly cruises and events like dyno day, etc.), I would be more then happy *cough* James*cough. I'm taking a few years off to decompress.
I agree with most responses. Not going to repeat to much lol!
I’m on another form for sports cards and one thing they do is little contests with prizes going to the winner. Gives a little more incentive and motivation to log on to the site. Not sure how to get funding for prizes but can be donations or whatever.
Somthing as simple as best picture of your car in a nature setting around town. Other members vote on the pic they like and let’s say a month you call out the winner. Prizes as simple as gift cards are tbmotoring clothing or whatever.
also I will do my best to get more involved, would like to see the site do great!
Have not really participated on the form to much as it is some what out of the way to get to and forget to check on it periodically. I find that with most forums that I look at end up that way, it's just me thought to lazy to dig into it.
I've been down this road for years trying to get the Duluth area people back on our forums but it seems that the simplicity of posting on Facebook outweighs the forum benefits.
Personally, I loathe Facebook and only keep it around because of the car club I run, media projects and my side business. It's almost become a frickin utility with how much it's integrated into the modern world.
I have experimented with Vanilla forums. What are you planning to use Marc?
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