Is this Site Declining and losing Members?
In just the past week I have read probably 10 comments among different threads all claiming that this site is going downhill, is losing members (or chasing them away)and generally ailing by reason of ...
Forum Discussion
I think there's alot of 'diversity' in terms of visitors on the site. I believe there's no one size fits all. There's some diehard visitors (I include myself in this), that visit the site multiple times a day, doesn't matter what Im doing.. I even check it while Im camping.
Then there are those who use it for a source of information or assistance, WHEN they need it, and see little or no need for participation beyond that.
Then, there's some probably in between those two extremes, who check maybe once or twice a day, and that's about it. They look for something that interests them, and then move on with their lives.
The interest is so varied and I think there's some folks who are interested in modding their trailers, customizing to meet their needs etc.. and then there are some (like myself), who want to keep on top of everything it takes to maintain them, but other than some tweaks here and there, don't have much interest in ripping out the bathroom and replacing it with regular household items etc..If I lived in it full time, I might think differently, but I don't.
Whenever we go RVing, on our way back, or when we get back, wife and I already say to each other 'when is our next trip planned?'. I use this forum, and others, to keep me entertained until my next trip.
At the end of the day, without specific stats from the website, I think there's just conjecture on if the forum is 'dying' or losing members. Alot of folks think it is based on 'gut feel', or the number of pages returned when they hit active or newest posts. I can tell you (and its no real secret), that when one hits newest posts it still pulls up alot of stuff that has not changed at all from the last time you logged in. So, to base the feeling on the number of pages displayed is probably not a good benchmark.
I say just enjoy it for what it is, don't make it more than what it is, and if it ebbs and flows, so be it.
Mike
Then there are those who use it for a source of information or assistance, WHEN they need it, and see little or no need for participation beyond that.
Then, there's some probably in between those two extremes, who check maybe once or twice a day, and that's about it. They look for something that interests them, and then move on with their lives.
The interest is so varied and I think there's some folks who are interested in modding their trailers, customizing to meet their needs etc.. and then there are some (like myself), who want to keep on top of everything it takes to maintain them, but other than some tweaks here and there, don't have much interest in ripping out the bathroom and replacing it with regular household items etc..If I lived in it full time, I might think differently, but I don't.
Whenever we go RVing, on our way back, or when we get back, wife and I already say to each other 'when is our next trip planned?'. I use this forum, and others, to keep me entertained until my next trip.
At the end of the day, without specific stats from the website, I think there's just conjecture on if the forum is 'dying' or losing members. Alot of folks think it is based on 'gut feel', or the number of pages returned when they hit active or newest posts. I can tell you (and its no real secret), that when one hits newest posts it still pulls up alot of stuff that has not changed at all from the last time you logged in. So, to base the feeling on the number of pages displayed is probably not a good benchmark.
I say just enjoy it for what it is, don't make it more than what it is, and if it ebbs and flows, so be it.
Mike
