Site revamp, aggressive marketing, etc.

[jeff88]

X3

Good to know I'm not the only one!

----------------------------------

I agree though that some updating, without changing the overall useability or 'feel' of the forum, is necessary in an ever changing world. I know that much like cbaber, including myself, there are many who would be willing to do whatever it takes to make sure 'there isn't a drought at our lake' as well as bring more horses to join us. Our water is indeed pretty pure!

Metro, you have on the homepage things that are currently happening. We could easily incorporate that into FB, just like Vekke has done with 3L --> 2L project. I'm sure you don't want to be throwing the administrator title out to just anyone, but maybe "promoting" some members to a more official role.

I don't see starting accounts on social media as bringing more horses, I look at it as expanding our ever growing reservoir. Somebody might google something and find us, but not be convinced to join based off of one thread or whatever they found. From personal experience, it took finding this forum multiple times from a couple of different Google results to finally decide I should join. If somebody really likes one form of social media, but not another, it would just make it more likely for them to join.

[Smurf]

I have a personal Twitter account, due to boredom on work breaks, etc. The Twitter application I use (TweetCaster) supports multiple accounts, so I could easily switch between being "me" and then update Ecomodder's feed.

Throwing my hat in the ring, if deemed necessary.

[Xist]

Can you imagine me limiting my deep and random thoughts to a hundred and forty characters?

Okay, apparently I can!

By the way, I recently went on a road trip with my sister and her sons. The three-year old really likes dropping things in the car and begging us to retrieve them for him. One time he dropped his happy meal toy and kept asking for his "nerf." When I realized that was three-year-old for "smurf," he helpfully clarified "It's the blue one!"

[YukonCornelius]

As far as wanting more exposure and membership, be careful what you wish for. That's when the community becomes a forum. If I was a site owner I'd want the most traffic possible because that ='s revenue. But as a user this is a very healthy size with organic growth.

[slowmover]

On classical music radio stations was the change to no dead air a few years back. Apparently the morons were confused by the cessation of sound down to complete stillness. And the marketing majors, the MBA's and other detritus of our society helped force the move to the announcer immmediately speaking before the last notes died. None of them, it seems, ever played or performed music that requires talent, much less discipline or skill. Or, a mind. I am certain that no new listeners are attracted, it just lessens (in some cases, ruins) the experience desired. (One is patient with audiences at a performance who applaud at the end of a movement versus the actual ending . . they'll learn. They've given time and effort to be present after all).

Attacting the ignorant has ruined more than one site at which I used to read or participate . . the lack of any search of previous posts on a subject tends to be the marker: "Hi, it's ME, Me, me, me, meeeeeee!!!" The original participants who made the site so interesting often fall away after The Deluge.

Responding with "Do a search" falls on deaf ears . . as does providing links to same all too often. I am surprised, as one usually (though not always) can find the more interesting and knowledgeable participants. I can switch my search to one combining a key word and their screen name. This has taken me direclty to my area of interest any number of times . . and I an PM those folks as well. I've directed others on other sites as they come across my posts. Etc.

Anyone with a mission to convert the heathen has best wishes. On their own dime & time. After all, it isn't hard to find this site.

I am not arguing "no changes", I leave that to the owners, thank them for their effort (and hope it is rewarding) and extend best wishes for the future.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by slowmover

The original participants who made the site so interesting often fall away after The Deluge.

The Deluge here was the spike in U.S. gas prices to ~$4 in ~2008. Since then, we've had a handful of mini-deluges, but things have generally been calm. The forum has been holding steady on an even keel for ages.

I don't expect that giving EM a presence in other social media will lead to anything comparable to what a sudden $0.50 increase in fuel prices would do.

[sheepdog 44]

Whether there are more members or not, i think it's important to spread the word. Before i joined here, ecomodding and hypermiling were complete mysteries to me. I thought it was impossible to beat the epa rating of my car. I had no idea that I was the major factor in my gas mileage.

I would see it as a public service to enlighten others on the topic.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Lbar

But as a user this is a very healthy size with organic growth.

Actually, the number of "active users" -- defined as having visited in the last 30 days -- has shrunk to well below average in the last couple of months. And the general trendline for "number of new users" each month has been on the decline for about 2 years now. Just FYI.

(Forum stats are available for anyone to monitor at the bottom of the forum index, as they are on most forums. EM is doing well relative to a couple of other forums I follow that deal with similar subject matter, but "growth" isn't a term I'd use to describe the overall picture!)

It's mostly attributable to relatively stable U.S. fuel prices -- it's gone up & down a little, but they're at the same place now they were 2 years ago. Result: habituation & apathy leading to fewer people searching for solutions to a perceived problem.

That said, I'm not particularly alarmed by the current state of the forum. Activity ebbs & flows for a variety of reasons. It will flow again, and ebb again.

[jeff88]

Metro, you've mentioned oil prices being a major factor, have you noticed anything else contributing to new membership? (Obviously you need to write big oil and tell them to raise prices )

You say you and the other admins are satisfied without social media, but it seems some would like to pursue it nonetheless. Would you be willing to let a select few create a social media portfolio on behalf of EM (either with or without collaboration with the admin team)?

We have all benefited from this community and I think some of us just want to show a token of our appreciation as well as showing other people the 'light'. (Send us on our mission )

[Frank Lee]

Once upon a time the Gassavers site was good but then the HHO idiots took it over... they're gone but it's still on life support.