Forum / social media

[karl_b]

The forum has become a really inactive place over the last year. I assume that's for various reasons, the prevelance of social media, older members that traditionally used the forum moving on, etc.

Do we need to do more? Less? Use social media better? Or does what we already do work ok?

[Ianm]

I still look at the forum. But I think a cause for less use from me is whats app groups as its easier to chat direct.I am in 3 campaign games so if i end up playing them all once a month there is only one spare week left.
I can imagine it's the same for others

[RikTheChief]

The forum has become a really inactive place over the last year. I assume that's for various reasons, the prevelance of social media, older members that traditionally used the forum moving on, etc.

Do we need to do more? Less? Use social media better? Or does what we already do work ok?

I know a few of us use the forum but a lot of members don't. I've put links to it on Facebook and I usually encourage people to go online to the forum and introduce themselves or ask to play games. As you've probably noticed, I am being more active on Facebook, posting links to Kickstarters, original content etc. When I'm better I would like to put some videos up and even more original content, and start using other platforms like Instagram and YouTube a bit more.

There isn't really any chat on Facebook, people respond to the events but don't really engage much. Facebook Insights show that the photos of games at our meetings are the most popular posts. We have over 400 people following us on Facebook now.

I think as long as people can find us online, and get an idea of what we do, then we are doing OK. There's always room for improvement and I'm open to suggestions of how we can do things better.

[PaulC]

I think Ian has hit on a very relevant point. I'd guess that around 80% of forum activity in the past was arranging what games were going to be played on a Tuesday. I'm not a great indicator, as my Tuesday night gaming has mostly been kyboshed by other commitments, but I genuinely can't remember when I last played a non-campaign game at the club, and these games are invariably organised directly with the other players rather than in the forum.

Personally, I don't think the forum is obsolete, I still check it regularly and occasionally post. Right now, I'm the only member online, but there are 4 other users showing. Of course, we don't know if these are real users or content scrapers etc, but it's possible that many people use the forum as a source of information without necessarily signing up for membership.

We could send out a Social Media Survey, asking how people engage with the club and how they would like to engage with the club to get a true answer to the question?

[DaveB]

I agree with Paul and Ian - a lot of previous use of the forum was booking games, a lot of which these days is indeed campaign games via WhatsApp.

Personally I barely look at the FB/Twitter stuff - I look at the game pics, and thats about it - I don't see that changing regardless of what happens here. I do wish/hope we can find some way to reinvigorate the forum though - its a shame that its withered over the past 18Mo or so, but I have no idea what we can do about it

[Lizzy]

Not everyone plays campaign games though. I'd say these days there's usually two tables of people playing campaigns and then another fourish of random games. It's interesting that the other games aren't organised here either. I think some are groups who've never used the forum pre-planning in other ways, or people turing up and deciding what to play at the time. It's useful that some people do that as it makes it easier for new people to turn up and play something. So I don't think it's a problem that people aren't using it much, as long as people are aware it's an option.

Would it help to make sure there's a thread each Tuesday? People might be more likely to post on a thread than make a new one.

I definitely think the forum is still useful and we should make an effort to point people here. FB is great for people to find us and get an idea of what we do, but this is way better for communicating with each other. I think Rick's doing a really good job of giving us more of a presence and personality on FB.

[DaveB]

Not everyone plays campaign games, but I'll bet there is a strong correlation between those that do and the most active posters on here

[Lizzy]

Absolutely! I wonder why the newer members haven't started posting on the forum in the way that we used to?

What I miss is more the general discussion about games and random crap

[PaulC]

What I miss is more the general discussion about games and random crap

Me too. I will endeavour to start at least one discussion about games and/or random crap per week!

[Samuel_C]

Not everyone plays campaign games though. I'd say these days there's usually two tables of people playing campaigns and then another fourish of random games. It's interesting that the other games aren't organised here either. I think some are groups who've never used the forum pre-planning in other ways, or people turing up and deciding what to play at the time. It's useful that some people do that as it makes it easier for new people to turn up and play something. So I don't think it's a problem that people aren't using it much, as long as people are aware it's an option.

Would it help to make sure there's a thread each Tuesday? People might be more likely to post on a thread than make a new one.

I definitely think the forum is still useful and we should make an effort to point people here. FB is great for people to find us and get an idea of what we do, but this is way better for communicating with each other. I think Rick's doing a really good job of giving us more of a presence and personality on FB.

Yes I agree with all that. I think it would definitely help to have a thread each week, maybe with an encouragement (aimed more at newer members) to post in it if you want to play a particular game and that that's always an an option each week.

I wonder why the newer members haven't started posting on the forum in the way that we used to?

Maybe it's a knock-on effect of the lower usage of the forums - because it's used less, they're less likely to check it/use it themselves, and as a result of that and the fact that they're able to just turn up and find a game (though as you said Lizzy that's no bad thing in some ways), they check/use the forum even less, but still get a game each week, and so that cycle continues.

I know I've been starting/posting in less Tuesday threads than I used to. Part of that is precisely because of the fact that forum use has declined, so I would only expect some of those that will be around on the night to see it beforehand, and those that aren't on the forum at all might not see it, and they certainly wouldn't be able to reply in order to get a spot in advance. Admittedly, part of my posting less is also due to me being in David F's Friday games group, for which there's a WhatsApp group, so sometimes Tuesday games do get prearranged on that, which is not helping the forum's cause... I'll try and avoid doing that!

Overall, I'd say that to boost the use of the forum we perhaps ought to encourage people to post on it for the Tuesday/Sunday sessions and in particular try to create (or recreate) the idea that it's a key part of the club and the sessions, as in it being the primary way for members to see, ahead of time,what might be on the table (ahem) for each session, and to suggest what they want to play (campaign games aside).

[karl_b]

What I miss is more the general discussion about games and random crap

Me too. I will endeavour to start at least one discussion about games and/or random crap per week!

So, where is it, eh?

[PaulC]

What I miss is more the general discussion about games and random crap

Me too. I will endeavour to start at least one discussion about games and/or random crap per week!

So, where is it, eh?

The week's not over yet!

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