Hello Everyone!
I noticed that our message boards have slowed down a lot and I'm wondering why. Granted, I've been gone a lot over the past year, and my moderators have been holding us up. But I'm wondering how the FB, Twitter & Myspace have impacted our time and efforts. Give us your opinion

For me personaly, I have a morning ritual where I log on, check my local forcast, my FB and then here. Does not take a long time and it keeps me current on all events.

Just slowing down forum posts or hits here and on the F&E main page too? I wouldn't think Twitter/Facebook/MySpace would be taking too much away from here though. I see this forum as something completely different. I mean, I don't think I'd be discussing/publicizing a lot of what I read/post here to my Twitter/FB pages. I mean, Tweeting "Just got a new cockring!" might not be interesting to some of my "followers." If anything, the popularity of these "new" sites are increasing saturation and possibly leading people to spend less time elsewhere on the net. Between news, photos, videos, social networking, blogging, etc. it's becoming increasingly difficult to stay on top of your favorite sites and I know whenever I have time I usually have multiple windows open to try and multisurf. Unless you increase your internet "time," something's got to give. The forum could be getting lost in the shuffle.

If you want to increase traffic on the forums, I might suggest making an icon/picture or something that stands out on the home page. Bolded text does have a tendency to get lost when the page has a lot of text to begin with. I'm not sure the forums are being publicized/highlighted as well as they could be to maximize their potential. JMTC.

If I can ask, how are you guys marketing F&E? I do see the site pop up every now and again in Google when certain keywords are used, which is good. Also, how long has it been since you've updated the main page design? I'm not saying it's bad or anything, but if I can be truthful it does seem to be a bit "older looking" amongst other web pages out there these days. That's probably just a personal thing and shouldn't have much bearing on the traffic I wouldn't imagine. I mean, the volume and quality of items/reviews/etc. remain top notch.

Also consider you're spreading yourself out being on Twitter and with the podcasts. I think they are great additions, but those also have the potential to drive traffic away from the forums (though likely not too substantial because, again, the features and intent are distinct). The more time people spend elsewhere on the 'net, the less time they spend on the F&E message board.

Also, if the forum slowly has decreasing new posts over time, it has a rippling effect. Fewer posts results in fewer replies, and repeat. Or when there's no Eddy posts people get sad and leave.

Another possibility could be that with the great archives here members/guests are following the rules and using the search function with more frequency, leading them to find their answers without needing to post a new topic. I'm sure very few sexual topics remain un-posted about. It's quite comprehensive.

Summer is also upon us. Perhaps people are just not on the computer as much.

Sorry for the novel.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bad_IDA,

I know I'm on here like all the time I login many times through out the day.
Bad_IDA has alot of good ideas, the Main page is a twee bit cluttered in my humble opinion.
I PM with some and it takes alot of time that isn't going into actual Forum Topics but also....

As far as Posting any new Topic I never have. I force myself not to if it's already been talked about somewhere. Which most anything has been somewhere . Some people tend to get snippy like your rehashing old news to them. Which I don't really get exactly because it's one thing to read about a topic and see all the responses it got at the time. But sometimes you'd like people to give you advice on your own thing that falls into that category. I think there's enough "new" people that old topics can be relived for the most part.

Sometimes I'm not sure about comments either, and I would love to comment on everyone's stuff but since your name goes to the "highlighted" part by the title I don't want to look like an attention whore. It's like the comment takes precedence over the subject. Does that even make sense?

Just my $.02

yea. i gotta agree. i have my slot on facebook and i still have no trouble checking f and e a few times a day. i like the community im dealt with here, as well as the one im creating on facebook. and some are the same people

not alike. very different. and thats what makes it great

I use Facebook for friends, Twitter for communicating with my professional peers, and LinkedIn for Professional Advancement.

F&E is a special place with a specific purpose. I am much more comfortable posting here than in the other areas.

I do not think the others take away form F&E except that people have only a certain amount of time and these other social media outlets use F&E time.

Bad_IDA does have some great ideas.

MJ

Lovely! I'm just glad to be reconnecting with you all again. Thanks for all the good "02. cents". Bad IDA, I will send all your good ideas back to the main man, Freddy. Yes, we would love to do a whole new look, but it takes some moolah and we are trying to get there. All in good time....

A good portion of the people I know have become Facebook junkies. I guess I'm I must be missing something? I'm here pretty much daily, even if just to check what Ian has posted in :"made me laugh".

i'm like CG....i'm here most every day whether i post or not.


i think sometimes the moderators come down a bit hard and tend to stunt the growth of some good citizens.

I have to agree with Jill's comments:

"As far as Posting any new Topic I never have. I force myself not to if it's already been talked about somewhere. Which most anything has been somewhere . Some people tend to get snippy like your rehashing old news to them."

As a new person to the forums, I check once a week or so, but it kinda seems like it's all been said. It seems a little awkward to revive a thread from 2004. You could try deleting some old stuff, even if it means that the topics will get rehashed. At least then there will be some "hashing."

quote:

You could try deleting some old stuff, even if it means that the topics will get rehashed. At least then there will be some "hashing."

well said.....

except. you have a significant amount of knowledge to look back upon and reference. its not all stale and certainly isnt insignificant.
and sometimes things get rehashed. not everyone will search or dredge through old posts. others certainly will.

old posts are an asset.
best!
N.

Reviving an old thread is pretty cool. We have many new people and new points of view.
Also I love to hear how funny and worldly I am.


So someone explain the whole Twitter, Facebook thing...I don't get it.

quote:

Originally posted by CuervoGold:
Also I love to hear how funny and worldly I am.
So someone explain the whole Twitter, Facebook thing...I don't get it.

You Are, You Are My Dear!
Here's an explanation I just heard this weekend:
Some time, in the near future, Facebook, Twitter and You Tube will undergo a corporate merger and become--- YOU TWIT FACE .com ------

Stay blissfully ignorant and keep your free hours/days posting jokes for us, Don't become a "Facebook junkie"!

New People Revolt!
Let's start HASHING, HASHing, HAshing, ha......shing!

Let's Post like it's two-thousand and four!

OK , I'm not a

quote:

"Facebook junkie"!

But it is pretty cool. I've found all kinds of people from my past.MAN did they get OLD!!!

I have only contacted 2. And a few have found me....but where is that girl w/ the lisp?