Xenforo Cloud + Xenforo App as a benevolent Tapatalk

[Digital Doctor]

Could Xenforo Cloud become a Tapatalk that actually helps forum owners ?

The idea being, there is strength in numbers. You would be less reliant on the whims of Google to drive traffic. Essentially Xenforo Cloud could help drive traffic to you as well.

What if there was a universal login and app as well ?

The idea is kind of maybe not Tapatalk, but more Reddit. Xenforo is Reddit and the forums are subs.

Here's how it rolls out.

1) Start with Xenforo cloud. New forums are a part of "The Xenforo Network" by default but they will start as individual forums for a few years of course (the current plan).
2) Xenforo creates an app that works with Xenforo Cloud. The app is a free download from the app store.
2) Individual forums on Xenforo Cloud can choose to be a part of the wider Xenforo Network and they receive extra traffic as a bonus. Their users can just download Xenforo App and use the app for forum browsing. Individual forums can still earn Google Ad money themselves. Once the app is downloaded, users can also sign up to other forums, just like on Reddit you can follow many subs.
3) Xenforo destroys Tapatalk
4) Other forums (current standalone Xenforo customers) can migrate their forums to Xenforo Cloud if they think it makes sense for them. Really large forums might need to make individual deals with Xenforo as a bonus from bringing so many people to the Xenforo Network.

The idea is that non-social media forums need to band together to keep eyes away from social media.

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Spoiler: Forum traffic down

So lets say Google really decides to down rank personally owned forums soon. Traffic dries up badly for an otherwise successful forum owner. The strong will survive, but Xenforo's customer base really shrinks. The golden age of forums weans over 10 years, and then it's done.

 

[Anatoliy]

right, band together tape players and you can fight dvds.

 

[djbaxter]

Your premise is flawed:

So lets say Google really decides to down rank personally owned forums soon. Traffic dries up badly for an otherwise successful forum owner.

Google doesn't down rank platforms. It down ranks or ignores certain types of content based on what real world users enter as their search queries. Where that content comes from is irrelevant.

The main problem is that the content on most forums is chit chat that no one is searching for. As someone above said, that may be mixed with useful content but if it's on the same page with off topic chit chat it can get watered down into invisibility.

That's one reason the Question-and-Answer forums are an advantage, as long as the moderators keep on top of off topic posts. It poses a question about something other people are also asking and keeps the replies and potential answers or solutions on topic so the original thread doesn't get watered down.

 

[djbaxter]

1) Start with Xenforo cloud. New forums are a part of "The Xenforo Network" by default but they will start as individual forums for a few years of course (the current plan).
2) Xenforo creates an app that works with Xenforo Cloud. The app is a free download from the app store.
2) Individual forums on Xenforo Cloud can choose to be a part of the wider Xenforo Network and they receive extra traffic as a bonus. Their users can just download Xenforo App and use the app for forum browsing. Individual forums can still earn Google Ad money themselves. Once the app is downloaded, users can also sign up to other forums, just like on Reddit you can follow many subs.
3) Xenforo destroys Tapatalk
4) Other forums (current standalone Xenforo customers) can migrate their forums to Xenforo Cloud if they think it makes sense for them. Really large forums might need to make individual deals with Xenforo as a bonus from bringing so many people to the Xenforo Network.

Except those who opt for Xenforo Cloud don't get extra traffic. Xenforo Cloud gets extra traffic.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Except those who opt for Xenforo Cloud don't get extra traffic. Xenforo Cloud gets extra traffic.

That would be a problem.

Surely there would be a way to benefit both content creators (forum owners) and the platform (xenforo network).

How about this:

Xenforo is the network, the forums have owners and users. Revenue is shared between them all.

 

[djbaxter]

Why would I be interested in a sharing revenue with forum which is poorly managed, has few members, and gets few visitors (which arguably describes most of the forums that are currently struggling)?

Answer: I wouldn't. Not for a second.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Why would I be interested in a sharing revenue with forum which is poorly managed, has few members, and gets few visitors (which arguably describes most of the forums that are currently struggling)?

You wouldn't.

I don't know of a way to make it work for YOUR great forum.

My only thought would be Xenforo would need to pay larger forums a share of the company.

Ideally forums would be able to leave easily as well.