Is this forum stagnating

[schmokinn]

In my opinion constant failure of people to actually use the search feature and just simply repeat the, what new gun,which chokes should i use and the new favourite plastic wad pollution and what are peoples opinion on fibre are devaluing this forum.

It is obvious that some long time members rarely sign in let alone join in a thread.

POI,POA,etc have always been contentious and repeated occasionally but at least somewhat constructive but regarded as amusement and a joke to some.

This is not a rant against newbies just maybe a rant at people who are to lazy to actually look for content.

Looking forward to the possibility of some original post material...

 

[balltrap]

You may have a long wait !................wake me up when you get some !

 

[Iggy]

Don’t want to sound unimaginative but I suspect most of the questions that can be asked/topics covered already have been...although we may get a variation on a theme.

To prevent ‘stagnation’ I guess we can all play part to play in keeping the forum going, and have equal opportunity to raise any topics or issues we may be having with our own game. 

I do understand that it can be frustrating when it feels like the ‘same old’ questions do the rounds, and yes a search would save time....but we do have the option of just ignoring anything that’s been done before. 

There will always be new or maybe returning members who raise subjects that the regular viewers will find frustrating, but my view is (if you have the time) then why not reply and be helpful....you may be repeating what’s gone before, but at least it’s activity and folks might feel more included. 

Only my view of course, and we all have different ones. 

 

[SmeGHeaD]

And don’t I feel like a prize tw*t!

 

[Paul120]

And don’t I feel like a prize tw*t!

You'll have to expand on that.. 

 

[SmeGHeaD]

You'll have to expand on that.. 

I’m pretty sure the last two topics I posted are what prompted this thread. 

I am guilty of streaming consciousness, I don’t like the search function here as it’s a very literal thing. For example if you out in ‘fibre’ you get every post or comment with that word in it. I only use my phone so to scroll all the way through is laborious. 

I came here initially to learn as much as I could/can from the guys that know best - the experiences shooters - I’m assuming that a lot of people coming here are also new, so the same questions get asked all the time. 

I’m not sure how to fix it?

 

[Will Hewland]

Ages ago, I suggested a beginners q and a section, where all the basic questions could be set against the best (most repeated) answers. It would need somebody to do this of course.. Or maybe an easier way would be for admin to just have a list of the 10 or so threads that would most interest a newcomer. (So, do the search for them effectively).

 

[SmeGHeaD]

Ages ago, I suggested a beginners q and a section, where all the basic questions could be set against the best (most repeated) answers. It would need somebody to do this of course.. Or maybe an easier way would be for admin to just have a list of the 10 or so threads that would most interest a newcomer. (So, do the search for them effectively).

I think that’s a cracking idea! Maybe make the new members introduction link straight to it to make it easy to find?

 

[Garwood]

I think most forums stagnate due to the fact that there is only so much that can be said about most subjects after all !

 

[Hamster]

I've never understood the criticism aimed at newbies who ask questions, it's very simple, if you find the subject boring or beneath you then don't read it and most definitely don't comment on it especially with some sarky remark.

You might as well tell them to google their answer instead of bothering to even join a forum and besides how the hell would they even know if what they're asking is considered a "repeat" question ? 

The only thing I've noticed is that people seem less generous than before and seemingly reluctant to register their having read something interesting with a "like" here or there, I put it down to us getting older and grumpier. 

 

[MartynB]

If no one took the opportunity to answer repeat questions , then “ newcomers”  to shooting and  to the forum ) would never feel part of said forum . It’s also important that people who recently took up shooting share their experiences with absolute novices , so there will be a lot of repetition . Everyone’s views have a place and a point somewhere  , whether they come from a AA competition shot or a 50 a month hobby shooter .  

This might be a slow forum but at least it’s polite and refreshingly free from some of the rabid political views on the fly fishing forum. I also suspect that fora in general have been overtaken by other forms of social media such as Facebook , and will gradually die a slow and lingering death ..

 

[Will Hewland]

This forum has certainly slowed up since Facebook started. I have left Facebook shooting groups mostly, because I found that it was an overwhelming mass of opinion, much misguided or ignorant. Any newbie asking a question would just get 500+ answers with no way of deciphering which were informed or useful. Also, on FB people are happy to lurch into keyboard warrior mode. Personally I think for newbies this place is by far the better solution to seek out correct advice (but I do think the top ten repeated questions could be listed somewhere).

 

[Jeremy Baker]

All forums and Facebook pages are the same 

I am always happy to help when I can 

Some people think all the content should be new and interesting, unfortunately it will never be that way. 

 

[Will Hewland]

Don’t quite agree Jeremy. This place is definitely more discerning than the massive FB ones. The questions were so daft sometimes (and poorly asked) followed by a tsunami of meaningless responses, only broken up by some insults. 

“Wot cartrij for clays” and “Anybody like Barettas”? 

 

[Jeremy Baker]

Don’t quite agree Jeremy. This place is definitely more discerning than the massive FB ones. The questions were so daft sometimes (and poorly asked) followed by a tsunami of meaningless responses, only broken up by some insults. 

“Wot cartrij for clays” and “Anybody like Barettas”? 

Less active members

Its user traffic simple numbers. 

FB is instantly accessible where here you have to logon etc 

 

[Will Hewland]

Less active members

Its user traffic simple numbers. 

FB is instantly accessible where here you have to logon etc 

Any moron filter is good..

 

[schmokinn]

Less active members

Its user traffic simple numbers. 

FB is instantly accessible where here you have to logon etc 

Rubbish.

You have to log on to FB same as here and if you leave yourself logged in it is just the same so this is just as instantly accessible.

You simply click on an icon.

 

[ExSCA]

All good comments... let me share a few pieces of data to act as facts in the debate:

Firstly - the number of members.  It's absolutely true that the rise of Facebook Groups has led to a slow down in members here.  I still approve 2/3 number members each day, but back in the heyday of the forum, it was probably 5/6 per day.   Here's what that looks like - new member registrations:



So, the new membership is healthy - but as with all forums, people leave or forget their ID and I don't run active email campaigns to try and remind people of the forum because I don't think people appreciate emails from forums. 

Then, activity - which I measure by the daily total number of people that start a new topic, react to something, follow a topic (so it excludes the 'browsers').  My stats don't go back quite as far, but the same 'slope' of decline follows there:



However -  that still shows a fairly healthy 120+ actions per day - so the forum is serving a purpose. 

The next data point is new posts - which has shown a really interesting trend over the last few months - spiking sharply since the spring of 2018.  I'm not utterly convinced of this increase, so I'll double check. 



What does this all mean? A few thoughts from me:

• The forum still serves a purpose - and as Facebook clamps down on Clay Shooting related groups, I'm happy to hang around and provide a home. 
  
• Traffic is not increasing but is relatively stable.  More traffic would increase the little money I get from the site, but as ever - I run ShootClay at a loss every month. That doesn't include any time I invest in it. 
  
• The quality  of the posts cannot be measured in a report - that's down to the community to monitor and deliver against.  If people want to flag posts that they think should be in an FAQ subgroup - then I'll happily do that.   If people want to write some 'getting started' guides or a guide to hitting edge on battues - then go for your life, tag the posts and tell me how you want to arrange them - I can advise as someone interested in that sort of thing. 
  
• I've given up shooting - so I'm really keeping this going because I like the project and enjoy the technical challenge of keeping it all going.  That's possibly why I don't dip into posts about shooting very much.  If anyone wants to buy the forum and social media channels (3500 FB / 9500 Twitter / 4000 email), then I'll happily listen to offers. 
  

Sorry I haven't been around the front end of this too much...

Love you all. 

 

[schmokinn]

All good comments... let me share a few pieces of data to act as facts in the debate:

Firstly - the number of members.  It's absolutely true that the rise of Facebook Groups has led to a slow down in members here.  I still approve 2/3 number members each day, but back in the heyday of the forum, it was probably 5/6 per day.   Here's what that looks like - new member registrations:

View attachment 7332

So, the new membership is healthy - but as with all forums, people leave or forget their ID and I don't run active email campaigns to try and remind people of the forum because I don't think people appreciate emails from forums. 

Then, activity - which I measure by the daily total number of people that start a new topic, react to something, follow a topic (so it excludes the 'browsers').  My stats don't go back quite as far, but the same 'slope' of decline follows there:

View attachment 7333

However -  that still shows a fairly healthy 120+ actions per day - so the forum is serving a purpose. 

The next data point is new posts - which has shown a really interesting trend over the last few months - spiking sharply since the spring of 2018.  I'm not utterly convinced of this increase, so I'll double check. 

View attachment 7334

What does this all mean? A few thoughts from me:

• The forum still serves a purpose - and as Facebook clamps down on Clay Shooting related groups, I'm happy to hang around and provide a home. 
  
• Traffic is not increasing but is relatively stable.  More traffic would increase the little money I get from the site, but as ever - I run ShootClay at a loss every month. That doesn't include any time I invest in it. 
  
• The quality  of the posts cannot be measured in a report - that's down to the community to monitor and deliver against.  If people want to flag posts that they think should be in an FAQ subgroup - then I'll happily do that.   If people want to write some 'getting started' guides or a guide to hitting edge on battues - then go for your life, tag the posts and tell me how you want to arrange them - I can advise as someone interested in that sort of thing. 
  
• I've given up shooting - so I'm really keeping this going because I like the project and enjoy the technical challenge of keeping it all going.  That's possibly why I don't dip into posts about shooting very much.  If anyone wants to buy the forum and social media channels (3500 FB / 9500 Twitter / 4000 email), then I'll happily listen to offers. 
  

Sorry I haven't been around the front end of this too much...

Love you all. 

Given up shooting....heathen!!