Are you going to ForumCon 2014?

[AdamD]

Can't say I ever understood the point of Forumcon, I mean nothing really new comes out of it, does it?
Everything seemingly discussed there, can be found online anyways, like at Theadminzone etc. or company forums.

 

[RickM]

I dunno, if you're a professional community manager, why not support one of the few CONs dedicated to your business? If for no other reason than to make it bigger and better.

I see a lot of nays, but no recommendation for alternatives. Can we get some of those? I truly am interested. Never been to one but plan to start going soon.

"The networking is the only part worth it" -- that is said about pretty much every CON I read about.

Out of interest, what can you think of that would make a forum confrence worth going to? I mean, something truely useful. All we know for sure about forumcon is that it's so far provided no helpful insight into running a community, as evidence by this thread, and that those that have been, have been spammed like hell.

Given Viglink are calling the shots, you know it's going to be heavily focused around monitizing your community, not building it.

 

[Alpha1]

Any useful forum event should have interesting lectures and serious Ask Me Anything with the main forum software producers(Kier, Mike, Charles, Bob, etc), Googlers, and latest news unveiled, new software startups, pros and cons of various hosting configurations and contemporary technology, UIX and community management strategies and most importantly the exchanging of approaches between community managers. I think the main value of events is that most people are reinventing the wheel by figuring community management on their own. Exchanging what you have learned could be interesting for experienced community managers and valuable to new community managers.
Yet, I do not see this happening. I will rather go to CEBIT and actually find out whats coming this year and find interesting products and technology.

 

[RickM]

Any useful forum event should have interesting lectures and serious Ask Me Anything with the main forum software producers(Kier, Mike, Charles, Bob, etc), Googlers, and latest news unveiled, new software startups, pros and cons of various hosting configurations and contemporary technology, UIX and community management strategies and most importantly the exchanging of approaches between community managers. I think the main value of events is that most people are reinventing the wheel by figuring community management on their own. Exchanging what you have learned could be interesting for experienced community managers and valuable to new community managers.
Yet, I do not see this happening. I will rather go to CEBIT and actually find out whats coming this year and find interesting products and technology.

Bingo. This is what a forum conference needs.

• Developer Q&A's with core members of the development teams of AT LEAST XenForo, vBulletin and IBP
• Presentations from community managers of well known communities
• Workshops on various community management subjects, such as;
  • Making your community more attractive to new users
  • Increasing posting activity
  • Combatting spammers
  • The technical side of running a community (e.g hosting, optimisations, etc)
  • Community security
• Maybe something like software-specific workshops too, where a group can talk directly to the developers, and discuss new ideas and features.

Sadly all organisers of such events focus on is the trade-show side of it, as that's what makes them cash.

 

[creativepart]

Been there done that. Waste of time and money. It's nothing more than a Viglink stroke session.

 

[munkeywr3nch]

What is forumcon? Sounds fun...

 

[Carlos]

Isn't most of the info disseminated at this type of conference already online and available?

Yeah, but ForumCon/Speakers post the content a day later to a week later. So, if you want to learn from the people who've "been there, done that." You'll have to be there to really understand how to make your forum big, more active, and so on.

The only advantage I can see is the networking opportunities and as others have noted, that may work in the conference exhibitors favor far more than individual attendees (e.g. they have something they want to sell you).

I disagree with this. Most of the Viglink staff members are really nice, and don't really try to sell you their product - they ask you questions in general - they want to make the conversations about YOU, not the other way around. Their shirts do all the talking. Hell, even the C.E.O of Viglink doesn't even try to "sell" Viglink to me. I'm going to talk to him this year about this - whatever you're saying. I think they un-intentionally gave you this idea, and I think it's worth looking into.

Developer Q&A's with core members of the development teams of AT LEAST XenForo, vBulletin and IBP

Ahem, um. Quite a typo in there.

Workshops on various community management subjects, such as;
- Making your community more attractive to new users
- Increasing posting activity
- Combatting spammers
- The technical side of running a community (e.g hosting, optimisations, etc)
- Community security

They already do this. Watch the videos on ForumCon.com Granted, while they haven't covered every subject in your list, but the programs are already in place to discuss most of what you're saying. For example, bolded was discussed (in some shape or form) by Nir, and a few others. Like Search Engine Journal.

What is forumcon? Sounds fun...

Here ya go, straight from the ForumCon site:

ForumCon is an opportunity to connect with and learn from the world’s leading forum owners, technology partners, and community managers. Companies that attended ForumCon 2013 include Vertical Scope, Huddler, Zynga, Flipboard, Livefyre, Twilio, CBSi, Google, CNET, Disqus, Greylock, SmugMug, 99Designs, Adobe and many, many more. From niche forums to global communities, ForumCon draws a diverse and engaging group. It’s the ultimate event for anyone involved in creating communities.

 

[wedgar]

I truly am interested. Never been to one but plan to start going soon.

"The networking is the only part worth it" -- that is said about pretty much every CON I read about.

I personally don't have the time to participate, but wonder if there might be some interest in live webinars about various aspects of community forum operations and.or even best practices.

I've got a GoTo Webinar subscription that will accommodate 1,000 participants and would be glad to host webinars like this without cost.

That way people don't have to travel.

 

[digitalpoint]

You couldn't pay me to go there.

 

[EQnoble]

You couldn't pay me to go there.

Would you do it for a klondike bar?

 

[Kevin]

Will the attendees this year be actual forum admins' instead of the bloggers & other misc. non-forum people who 'tweeted' about the event last year? It seemed like it was more of a SF area social party for 20-somethings who work in various tech industries than an actual event aimed at people who work with forums.

 

[Carlos]

Will the attendees this year be actual forum admins' instead of the bloggers & other misc. non-forum people who 'tweeted' about the event last year? It seemed like it was more of a SF area social party for 20-somethings who work in various tech industries than an actual event aimed at people who work with forums.

Yes. I've met my share of forum administrators at ForumCon for the past two years. I don't know where people get the idea that ForumCon doesn't have forum administrators "go there." They do, and just because the speakers are from blogsphere, doesn't mean that they're NOT trying to make this a convention for Forum Admins.

The reason why bloggers are speakers is because they're just trying to build a base for speakers. In fact, the C.E.O. himself says there isn't many forum conventions out there in an interview with @The Sandman here... Interview with Oliver Roup

Are you involved in any other projects or ventures?
In 2010, after realizing that no in-person events existed to support the forum community, I co-founded ForumCon with several other members of the VigLink team. The annual conference brings together around 200 forum owners each year, and has been a really fun side project to spend time on outside of VigLink.

I even talked to him about ForumCon and why I'm there. He goes on to say there isn't "investors" for the Forum space. Which I disagree with, because I keep seeing companies building a network of forums - like Vertical Scope, and Internet Brands. And they're not alone either. Ientry, CraveOnline, Curse, and more.

 

[agison]

I may ...

 

[RickM]

They already do this. Watch the videos on ForumCon.com Granted, while they haven't covered every subject in your list, but the programs are already in place to discuss most of what you're saying. For example, bolded was discussed (in some shape or form) by Nir, and a few others. Like Search Engine Journal.

Well you can hardly blame me for coming to that conclusion The website is dire with little information on what they actually do, other than plaster sponsors and bloggers on everything. The agenda and piss poor speaker list says it all: http://www.forumcon.com/agenda/

All I know from the website is that all the attendees listed are sponsors or are paying for a booth, and that whoever manages their website needs replacing.

Then the videos. The first one that came up about forum monetization really was awful, and had exactly the problem I've already mentioned. It's all based on how to monetize your forum, but ONLY by using the sponsors of the conference. Fat lot of good that is.

The only really interesting talk I saw on there was Jeff Atwoods.

Clearly I'm not alone here. You've seen this thread. I've got no problem with people defending the conference, but from what I've seen and heard of ForumCon, it's not a forum centric conference, focused on community owners. It's a marketing driven event, focused on a very broad usage of the term 'community', to the point where they are using bloggers, not forum owners as their speakers. So to many people here, it's quite simply yet another cash driven conference.

 

[Kevin]

.... I don't know where people get the idea that ForumCon doesn't have forum administrators "go there."

Because last year nobody except for you were actually talking about it from the perspectives of forums. The young folks who went last year though and tweeted pictures from happy hour seemed to be having a good time though.

They do, and just because the speakers are from blogsphere, doesn't mean that they're trying to make this a convention for Forum Admins. The reason why bloggers are speakers is because they're just trying to build a base for speakers.

Huh?

In fact, the C.E.O. himself says there isn't many forum conventions out there in an interview with @The Sandman here... Interview with Oliver Roup

Well, there is one called "ForumCon" but apparently they can't find any forum people for speakers and most of the people who attend don't have anything to do with forums so, yeah, I guess he is right, there aren't too many forum conventions out there.

I even talked to him about ForumCon and why I'm there. He goes on to say there isn't "investors" for the Forum space. Which I disagree with, because I keep seeing companies building a network of forums - like Vertical Scope, and Internet Brands. And they're not alone either. Ientry, CraveOnline, Curse, and more.

So at a convention called "ForumCon" that is supposedly about forums the person in charge of organizing the event was basically talking about the negative aspects of forums?


Carlos, I truly do appreciate your enthusiasm for the event because it reminds me a bit of when I used to go to various shows & events, but in this case "ForumCon" is not in the interest of the forum community.

 

[Carlos]

Because last year nobody except for you were actually talking about it from the perspectives of forums. The young folks who went last year though and tweeted pictures from happy hour seemed to be having a good time though.

Um. More than a few were outspoken about ForumCon - elsewhere. You guys take the silence around ForumCon on this site as a sign as to "why everyone doesn't like ForumCon."

Huh?

I was going to make another response to this, but then I realized what you were questioning at. lol. Fixed below. I'll fix after I finish with this post.

So at a convention called "ForumCon" that is supposedly about forums the person in charge of organizing the event was basically talking about the negative aspects of forums?

I donno. He says it's content play like it's a negative. I can't really rebut that because his company is hovering around 12 million a year. Who am I to tell him different.

Carlos, I truly do appreciate your enthusiasm for the event because it reminds me a bit of when I used to go to various shows & events, but in this case "ForumCon" is not in the interest of the forum community.

Thanks for the kind comments and trying to be civil as possible! I wish I could debate with people like this on xenForo. But I seem to have a lot of haters. A lot of people who don't believe in my comments or believe in me as a person.

Well you can hardly blame me for coming to that conclusion The website is dire with little information on what they actually do, other than plaster sponsors and bloggers on everything. The agenda and piss poor speaker list says it all: http://www.forumcon.com/agenda/

I don't blame you at all, but I think you're not really understanding where ForumCon is coming from when putting bloggers in there - I explain it later in this post.

All I know from the website is that all the attendees listed are sponsors or are paying for a booth, and that whoever manages their website needs replacing.

I disagree with the "paying for booth gets you speaker spot." Search Engine Journal didn't have a booth there last year, they were called there because they're friends with Murray Newlands (who in turn is Oliver Roup's best friend). The only reason why familiar sponsors are on the speaker panel is because of the relevance of the subject at hand, that's it. If what you were saying were true - It'd be like cheating the system.

Then the videos. The first one that came up about forum monetization really was awful, and had exactly the problem I've already mentioned. It's all based on how to monetize your forum, but ONLY by using the sponsors of the conference. Fat lot of good that is.

I've already explained this, so I'll just move along...

The only really interesting talk I saw on there was Jeff Atwoods.

I felt that it was a bad speech, but that's just my opinion.

Well, there is one called "ForumCon" but apparently they can't find any forum people for speakers and most of the people who attend don't have anything to do with forums so, yeah, I guess he is right, there aren't too many forum conventions out there.

from what I've seen and heard of ForumCon, it's not a forum centric conference, focused on community owners. It's a marketing driven event, focused on a very broad usage of the term 'community', to the point where they are using bloggers, not forum owners as their speakers. So to many people here, it's quite simply yet another cash driven conference.

I already explained this:

They do, and just because the speakers are from blogsphere, doesn't mean that they're NOT trying to make this a convention for Forum Admins.

The reason why bloggers are speakers is because they're just trying to build a base for speakers.

Not everyone has "friends" that are forum owners. Oliver is a C.E.O. of a technology company. So, naturally, he starts with bloggers because that's where he can start with. Maybe if like... The Sandman, Shawn Hogan (whom already said he wouldn't go), Stuart Wright, and other big-board owners were on-board to travel and speak at the event to cover topics you want... That'd be the path he would be on, but right now not a lot of people know about ForumCon enough to get in and speak.

 

[JordanH]

what exactly is so convincing about it?

No, I'm not.

Much smoke, no fire there.

There is no point.

I can't think of anything useful they might say there that forum owners don't already know. Even if they do think of something useful, its not worth that fee.

Saw the video of last year, was not impressive at all to be honest. Definately not worth the asking price.

Agreed. And to think to actually charge for something like this? Insane.

 

[oman]

Honestly, you learn a lot from reading posts by others here and on Admin Forums.

I wouldn't personally attend ForumCon, even if I lived near it.

 

[OSS 117]

I'd rather shoot myself.

 

[Brent W]

This poll is one of the more lopsided ones I have seen in awhile.