Xenforo 2.2 release

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Taylor J said:
Actually I'd say 30-50 are on FB. 30 is even stretching it. With how things are going FB won't be around for much longer. Most kids (if not all) prefer Twitter over FB and even say FB is for parents and old people.
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FB is here to stay. And they keep making improvements to their groups. It's been easier to get users to join and engage on FB. I see a lot of adults on Twitter too. Twitter is not better than FB in terms of engagement. Its better for those that don't like conversations and prefer to whine and complain and argue. The kids that say FB is for parents or old people are clueless. Those are the same ones that think apps like Tik Tok are just for kids too.

So yeah, there's a lot wrong with your statement. Twitter has been struggling. FB, not so much.

FB and other social media are the more immediate threat to forums. Ease of use, low to no overhead costs for owners, immediate member bases, etc. are all part of why they do so well. Forum creators haven't really found a way to get people to engage on them anymore. Going the route of more of the same old same old doesn't seem to be working anymore either.

If forum creators like Xenforo or IPB want more member engagement they need to simplify some things. Strip out a few extra steps. Make things more front and center. Or at least give options to. They also need to be less reliant on plug-ins and be more pro-active in the features they add. Plug-ins are not reliable and not trustworthy.

And what do you do when the creator of that plug-in no longer supports it, it isn't compatible with new forum software, and the software you are on reaches EOL, while your members really like and use that plug-in alot but there is no comparable one for it, and you can't transfer anything to an alternate one. You've painted yourself into a corner. Get rid of it and you have unhappy members that now move elsewhere or stop all together.

They say people don't like change. And maybe some don't. They'll grumble and complain when something new happens. But then they eventually get use to it and prefer the new way.

FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc aren't going away. Ignoring their presence and effect on forums is a big mistake.

Ask yourself this question. "What do forums offer me that FB, Twitter, and Instagram don't? Why would I choose forums when it's significantly cheaper to build up and run a group or service on one of them. You don't see people or groups getting popular on forums. But you do on one of the other social media. Why is that?".

I've created FB groups and even a few Twitter accounts that I got members on considerably faster and cheaper. I'm reaching more people on social media than on forums. Why is that and what are forum software creators doing to help level the playing field?

Forums are generally on the decline and have been for some time. Some still try, but look at the threads where people promote their site. Many of those are gone now. Even recent ones. It's disheartening. Some still try, but clearly many give up. Social media and its effect on forums can't be ignored or downplayed.
 
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This is not really on topic.
It will make XF more modern and advanced.

But we all need to accept that individal forums are up against Youtube, Quora, Redit, Facebook, Wikipedia, all internationally known websstes.
 
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Yeah, I think there's a bigger picture here: little folk having a harder time than ever, no matter what software they're using, competing against multi billion dollar companies, and in the end the internet will largely resemble the brick-and-mortar world, with the biggest spoils going to the biggest players, and a relative handful of monopolies running most things online, just as they do in the mundane world. Think of yourself as a mom and pop corner store trying to make a go of it while sandwiched between two super Walmarts and a handful of dollar stores. :eek:
 
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I think there is a point: Whats your strategy? How do you manage your community?

I don't actually agree with everything you guys said here. For example forum have content "persistency" so you can create Guides something that Facebook, Reddit (they have Wiki but no one uses them), Quora lacks. Forums are flexible and you can adapt them to your needs with plugins or custom tailored features. You can monetize more easily and engage more with your "users" through emails for example something you can't do with Facebook or Reddit or Quora.

The big tech is actually struggling, and people doesn't like Facebook anymore. Google is under scrutiny in the US and Europe for their anti-competitive behavior (data-scraping sites, they dont like people going outside "Google" sites, 0-click search).

Your staff should be more professional than reddit moderators, your forum should be more attractive than a Facebook group (Privacy, Features, Content). Don't downplay what you can actually do and change. What i see (at least in Forum showcase in critiques) community far than perfect platform wise. And without a clear strategy. Running a forum isnt a child game anymore, you need ideas, staff and content and some money. Then you will gain users slowly. Or you can stay here, whining about Capitalism and stuff.
 
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