Post by bp2go on Apr 12, 2016 10:30:40 GMT -8
Seems time for another progress report, so here goes:
Promoting the Forum
The forum grows slowly, with a strange limit of about one new member every day. One! After asking grace how she found us (a simple search!) I tried a simple search myself, trying "backpacking forum" but not "Backpacker magazine". I of course found several options and was at least glad to see this forum listed in the top 10 or so hits. But what I discovered was that in putting this together, I failed to think about adding the meta tags to give search engines a better description rather than a snag of random text from a Home page. The resulting info just shows the first few lines from the How To section! Hardly inspiring.
So if you were to write the meta tag, using about 150 characters, how would you describe the forum to inspire people to tap the link and come look? And while I would probably mention Backpacker magazine, I'm also sort of wanting not to! Don't ask.
Advertising?
Maybe. I keep thinking about HQ's strange requirement to see the potential for a "revenue stream" before putting "resources" into the forum! I think that means promoting, and the link added to Facebook is long gone into the past. Other than paying me and a small fee to Proboards to block ads for razor blades, I can't imagine where any other costs are involved. No servers, no support team, no nuthin'! But in a bold move, I have opened a conversation with a gear company to see if we can test a banner ad for them? No details yet, but the idea is to test to see what response would be generated. The forum gets 80 to 100 return visits every day; not huge numbers, but that's all interested gear users. This conversation is just getting started, and HQ is not yet involved. I'm tired of waiting.
A Radical Idea
Once upon a time, a rep from MSR used to keep an eye on the Gear forum, offering frequent help with questions about water filters and stove. It wasn't pushing sales, it was explaining how things work, Of course I'm sure sales resulted, but that was a forum member's decision to make.
In thinking about a way to revive that idea, I realized that HQ has a slew of experts who go hiking and testing and announcing Editors' Choice items. The new Gear issue just arrived. So what if an editor or two were available to jump in and answer Gear questions? One or two could register a username ("geardude") and set their prefs to get an email when the name is tagged. Then somebody could ask @geardude a question and the email shoots to HQ. The unbiased info could be helpful. What a concept! Connect the forum with the magazine. I know, it's crazy, right? But seeing that there is time for them to write articles for Facebook actually discussing taking your cat on a hike (I'm not kidding), or how to use a frozen Snickers bar as a snow anchor for a guy line, there ought to be some time to share knowledge in the Gear Closet, right?
Now somebody say it: "There's a magazine?"
Promoting the Forum
The forum grows slowly, with a strange limit of about one new member every day. One! After asking grace how she found us (a simple search!) I tried a simple search myself, trying "backpacking forum" but not "Backpacker magazine". I of course found several options and was at least glad to see this forum listed in the top 10 or so hits. But what I discovered was that in putting this together, I failed to think about adding the meta tags to give search engines a better description rather than a snag of random text from a Home page. The resulting info just shows the first few lines from the How To section! Hardly inspiring.
So if you were to write the meta tag, using about 150 characters, how would you describe the forum to inspire people to tap the link and come look? And while I would probably mention Backpacker magazine, I'm also sort of wanting not to! Don't ask.
Advertising?
Maybe. I keep thinking about HQ's strange requirement to see the potential for a "revenue stream" before putting "resources" into the forum! I think that means promoting, and the link added to Facebook is long gone into the past. Other than paying me and a small fee to Proboards to block ads for razor blades, I can't imagine where any other costs are involved. No servers, no support team, no nuthin'! But in a bold move, I have opened a conversation with a gear company to see if we can test a banner ad for them? No details yet, but the idea is to test to see what response would be generated. The forum gets 80 to 100 return visits every day; not huge numbers, but that's all interested gear users. This conversation is just getting started, and HQ is not yet involved. I'm tired of waiting.
A Radical Idea
Once upon a time, a rep from MSR used to keep an eye on the Gear forum, offering frequent help with questions about water filters and stove. It wasn't pushing sales, it was explaining how things work, Of course I'm sure sales resulted, but that was a forum member's decision to make.
In thinking about a way to revive that idea, I realized that HQ has a slew of experts who go hiking and testing and announcing Editors' Choice items. The new Gear issue just arrived. So what if an editor or two were available to jump in and answer Gear questions? One or two could register a username ("geardude") and set their prefs to get an email when the name is tagged. Then somebody could ask @geardude a question and the email shoots to HQ. The unbiased info could be helpful. What a concept! Connect the forum with the magazine. I know, it's crazy, right? But seeing that there is time for them to write articles for Facebook actually discussing taking your cat on a hike (I'm not kidding), or how to use a frozen Snickers bar as a snow anchor for a guy line, there ought to be some time to share knowledge in the Gear Closet, right?
Now somebody say it: "There's a magazine?"
