Do you think forums are dying?

[Shawn Gossman1]

Some people think forums are a dying breed.

What do you think about them?

Did you run forums before the social media boom? Did you feel like they did better then?

Do you think forums are dying?

 

[Dilip]

Yes, it is a fact that a lot of people do not want to accept. Don't stick to Windows XP, that ship has long sailed.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

Yes, it is a fact that a lot of people do not want to accept. Don't stick to Windows XP, that ship has long sailed.

I wonder though if they might have a comeback with the constant social media drama.

 

[ZandraJoi]

Forums are dying off. I honestly don't know why. Even with Social Media out there, the two are very different. But people prefer Social Media & scrolling one post at a time. When I had a forum 15 years ago, most of my members didn't have their own. Now, "everybody" has a forum. Some have several different niches they run. Others open & close forums repeatedly.
I tend to be on others' forums more than my own lol I like posting on forums. Learning new things. Making friends. But it can be tedious at times.

 

[Dilip]

Possibly true. But the fact that a lot of " not very serious " people are investing in forums is probably killing it.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

Possibly true. But the fact that a lot of " not very serious " people are investing in forums is probably killing it.

What do you mean by "not very serious"?

What do you think we [forum owners] can do to help make forums, live?

 

[Dilip]

What do you mean by "not very serious"?

After being so long in the forum scene and seeing what forums are these days, it hurts me when people ask how to make money or put up ads within hours after setting up a forum. They don't understand that a forum is more than an XF license.

Unless there is anything useful, no one is going to be on your forum.

What do you think we [forum owners] can do to help make forums, live?

Provide something useful. Forums have a good chance to come back with people having a lot of hate for toxic social media. Social media is no enemy. Use TikTok, Google Shorts, Reels and more to promote your forum.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

it hurts me when people ask how to make money or put up ads within hours after setting up a forum.

I agree with this 100%.

I might eventually put ads up, I have a page for people to contact me about it, but I'm not really focusing on marketing for ad sales right now.

I just want to grow the forum right now, get a taste of the old AAF

 

[Dilip]

AAF was fun. I really loved that forum.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

AAF was fun. I really loved that forum.

I did, too. I wish I'd kept it. We had loads of good times.

But I think we can do the same here, even if the community is smaller.

A small community isn't always a bad thing.

I have a Facebook group with over 20K members. It can be difficult to manage at times!

 

[Dilip]

But I think we can do the same here, even if the community is smaller.

FAF is a nice place to be. I am sure it will always be a positive vibe.

I have a Facebook group with over 20K members. It can be difficult to manage at times!

How do you manage real-life job and forums without hurting each other?

It is wonderful that you have such a huge group.

 

[Heatman]

To be very honest with you on this, it's the reality. Most people are more comfortable with being on social media sites more than they do on forum. They have maximum freedom on social media platforms, so it makes them drift to it more.

 

[Henrywrites]

I don't think that forums are dying. There have been a lot of forums recently which shows that a lot of forum owners enjoy owning one too.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

How do you manage real-life job and forums without hurting each other?

It is wonderful that you have such a huge group.

My phone lol, smart phones have made that possible.

To be very honest with you on this, it's the reality. Most people are more comfortable with being on social media sites more than they do on forum. They have maximum freedom on social media platforms, so it makes them drift to it more.

But do they really? My girlfriend got put into FB jail for posting a meme saying people should stay out of other people's business. Nothing profane at all. If you did that here, I'd respond with a meme or gif myself.

I kind of see social starting to dip downwards to be honest but it's a waiting game.

 

[Elseb1]

Forums have been dying since around 2006-8 in my opinion. The relatively quick growth of social media really started to hit forum popularity, I saw so many big forums during this time become ghost towns and eventually close down, it was actually really sad. Over the last ten years I've also seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of free forum providers, they've either closed down or been taken over. This certainly will have had an impact as the majority of people won't pay for a forum. I remember thinking that MSN Messenger would be around forever. How wrong I was!

I can't see there being much of a change. For Forums to have a future, younger people need to use them and I'm not sure they are. Social Media is king.

We're a dying breed folks!!

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

I remember thinking that MSN Messenger would be around forever. How wrong I was!

Oh that brings back memories! MSN Chat, too. And Yahoo Messenger. AOL CDs at Walmart

You might be right about forums but I still think there is a group of people who still enjoy them. But social is the winner for the younger crowd for sure. But the older crowd is always looking for a way to get away from the younger crowd. It might forums for them.

 

[Dilip]

Forums will survive if there are more social features in them. Competing with social media is not a good idea. Offer something different and people will accept it.

 

[Kris P. Bacon]

The consensus on the Internet is that forums are declining. I think the answer is creativity, otherwise referred to as originality, or a lack of it. If we do what everyone else does and complain like everyone else we’re lacking posters/readers, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise we end up in the same position.

I give an example of trying something different in #4 post here. It worked for me.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

If we do what everyone else does and complain like everyone else we’re lacking posters/readers, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise we end up in the same position.

I think you're right about that.

Too many are in complaint-mode and not focusing on being creative or just enjoying the community they currently have.

If all we have here is all we will have on FAF, I will focus on strengthening this community.

I don't make forums to be the biggest forum on the block. I make them make friends and build a community.

And because I really really really like to write