Date:         Fri, 5 Jun 2015 08:20:27 -0500
Reply-To:     Abel Longoria <houstonphotog@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Abel Longoria <houstonphotog@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: End of the list?
In-Reply-To:  <DBCAB432-F877-44D4-8E7C-F4D5C8407871@NBNet.nb.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

On the topic of the decline in traffic...

I built a Texas based photography forum back in 2004. In 2011 we had up to
30,000+ members. Tons of advertisers, tons of traffic, things couldn't be
better! Then Facebook really took off... most people began spending their
free time at work and at home on Facebook and then area photography groups
started popping up there. Our traffic dropped like crazy. sponsors dropped.
etc etc

This year I pulled the plug on the forum. Closed it down. It was too costly
to operate without any financial backing... ~$400 a month.

Would I open another forum? No.

The samba and other massive niche forums survive and I'm glad to see it...
I support them because i know even though they're huge they've probably had
some drop off as well. It sounds like this list has also lost some steam
over the recent years since as I mentioned social sites like Facebook &
Instagram are taking the majority of users free time. Including my own.

As a former forum admin I don't like the Facebook group method since
nothing gets indexed by google, nothing is categorized, nothing is in order
etc. It's just there and free flowing. But what can ya do... Just learn to
go with it since its what gets the traffic. I've learned to adapt.

I recently created a Club/Group/Gang whatever named TexasVanagons.com in
order to gather up what little amount of Vanagon owners do reside here in
the state. We can keep in touch with each other, sell items, help each
other, plan area camp outs etc. When the time came to figure out how to
communicate, starting another forum was never a legitimate option for me. I
chose a Google Groups email list similar to this one and a Facebook Group.
The Facebook group is pretty active and the Email list was done so that I
can have members who don't have Facebook accounts (gasp! yes there are
those people that do exist hehe) can still remain in contact and up to date
on our outings etc.

I was told by a couple of our members "Why are you using an old fashioned
email list for communication? That's a bit archaic!" my response was...
"These vans we drive and love are a bit archaic as well so look at it as a
"period correct" form of communication." =)

Abel Longoria
TexasVanagons.com

On Fri, Jun 5, 2015 at 7:53 AM, Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

> No, why would you sell your vanagon? ;-)
>
> On 05-Jun-2015, at 09:33, Lovemyairedales wrote:
>
> > Please don't end the list before I get a chance to sell my vanagon
> > Thanks
> > Linda
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Jun 4, 2015, at 6:50 PM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM> wrote:
> >
> >> This sort of knee-jerk response has been an issue for as long as I've
> been involved with this crasy bunch. I believe that even the most
> mechanically inept is really trying to be helpful when he responds "Vanagon
> syndrome", even though the question was about a clicking noise from the
> radio.
> >>
> >> I love you all; even those I really dislike!
> >>
> >> Karl Wolz
> >> Sent from my electronic umbilicus
> >>
> >>> On Jun 4, 2015, at 10:44 AM, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> it seemed to me that
> >>> people would hastily post solutions like "fuel pump", "AFM", etc.
>