What has happened ?? We are not on the search engines anymore !!

[Skinny]

I googled antique questions forum and this one came up first. Of course, Google knows that I use this site so that may affect my results

[mart]

Well, i think this site is in SERIOUS need of updating!!! It's not 1995 kids, it's 2017! I just joined that forum i posted, did a post on the introductory forum thingy, posted a few pics of bird chest & already have 6-7 comments in LESS THAN AN HOUR!

LADIES!!!! you need to get off your stools/stumps and START YOUR ENGINES! you are being passed by in the marketplace on forums! MAKE IT HAPPEN!

I joined that forum a while back !!  Was seriously told I had no idea what I was talking about by more than one person !!  So now I just go read all the wrong answers !!

[jacon4]

Jeez, you got roughed up huh? Well, post to me i just got there on introduction thingy!

Still, i say if you want more traffic, you gotta compete for it, get off that stump and update this site! I predict you'll get more traffic if you do.

[Mat]

I think many people prefer to ask for help in facebook groups nowadays, there are many antique groups with thousands of members.

[KC]

All sites go through cycles.  I know this one has in all the years I have been on it!

I know we get lots of viewings every day from people reading posts but never posting.  Also, many like to read information and never join. 

If any of you have any suggestions/recommendations you can always send a message to Ed "dontbe". (Note:  He started the site and has footed the bill for the "FREE User" site since the beginning.)

As for the "old women" on here...not going to even get started on that one...  Like a prized fine wine...

[jacon4]

OK, i have done a little research & been emailing with the old woman! AKA Mart, over the holiday weekend and i'll post what i think is happening to this forum later today, gotta run a few errands first!

[jacon4]

OK my thinking on Mart's post, I don't really have a dog in this fight because there are few people that collect what i do and fewer still that post on forums. I have come round from thinking like KC says, it's just a cycle to agreeing more with Mart's, What has happened? I don't post everyday and sometimes not for weeks at a time but after looking into it a little bit, i am going with Mart on this one, Something has happened!
I would say without a doubt that antiquers.com has cut into your traffic a lot. I would say there are many reasons for this but the bottom line is, if this forum is not prepared to deal with that fact and make changes to level the playing field a bit, your traffic will continue to slide, simple as that.

My 2 cents!

[jacon4]

UPDATE: Right now, on home page here it say 2 members & 22 guests, me and ghopper, i would argue that half or more of those 22 guests are search bots, stats do not break that down, but should, between "real" guests & bots.

[cogar]

Still, i say if you want more traffic, you gotta compete for it, ......

What Jacon4 says is true, ........ but it's tuff to compete with Facebook.

The wife has a Facebook account or whatever and I think she is a member of this Facebook Group, to wit:

Early American Pattern Glass Society 

10,595 Members(53 new)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/146031692077139/?fref=nf

[ghopper1924]

OK my thinking on Mart's post, I don't really have a dog in this fight because there are few people that collect what i do and fewer still that post on forums. I have come round from thinking like KC says, it's just a cycle to agreeing more with Mart's, What has happened? I don't post everyday and sometimes not for weeks at a time but after looking into it a little bit, i am going with Mart on this one, Something has happened!
I would say without a doubt that antiquers.com has cut into your traffic a lot. I would say there are many reasons for this but the bottom line is, if this forum is not prepared to deal with that fact and make changes to level the playing field a bit, your traffic will continue to slide, simple as that.

My 2 cents!

Yep, I agree with this, more or less. What it all comes down to, of course, is money, i.e. the resources to change how this site operates and to "bring it into the 21st century." Posting photos, in particular, has been a notable problem all along. However, this site exists through Ed's largesse (right?) and I believe that we all know what a huge debt we owe him for the years of fun we've had.

But I think Jacon and Mart are right; this site will continue to slide into obsolescence, as we've seen, until it's just a few people knocking about in a big, empty "room." Jacon and I have already experienced this on a Victorian site that seemed to be abandoned, even by its webmaster, until it was just a stray person dropping in every few weeks. There was no point in even talking about anything, because hardly anyone was reading it. Very sad.

[jacon4]

Yep Yep, ghopper is correct, we both witnessed a furniture forum go kaput because of a lack of commitment, this sort of thing happens to a lot to blogs /forums because, let's face it, it's a lot of work frankly and needs constant attention.
Most forums/blogs that i visit that are successful over a long period, have some sort of way to raise revenue. Some have an Amazon button where posters can click & the forum gets a small cut of the sale for something they were gonna buy on amazon anyway, some have paid memberships, some seek donations, some allow ads, bla bla bla, to help defray expenses.
I would be sorry to see this forum go down as i have been a member since 2007, 10 years this fall but, i don't think it can be denied that on it's present course, that's where this forum is headed.