Back in the day, a popular discussion forum for Land Surveyors used to have branded forum areas. As I recall, they were fairly well-received and seemed useful. For example, XYZ Company had their own forum where users could specifically discuss XYZ's products. However, my memory of those is a bit cloudy, plus times have changed, so I thought I would put this into a poll to see what all ya'll think of it.
To be clear, these branded forums would NOT replace the existing forum structure. These new forums would not be riddled throughout the "Surveying & Related" section of the forums. I would create an entirely new section in the forum tree, likely called "Branded Forums" or something similar. You could still browse the regular forums like you always have, but now you'd have some specific options for branded products. An example of how it might be structured in the existing forum tree (bolded text for emphasis on the possible new stuff):
- Surveying & Related
- GNSS & Geodesy
- Software, CAD & Mapping
- etc...
- Branded Forums
- XYZ Company
- ABC Company
- FNG Company
- etc...
- Marketplace
- Public Enquiries
- Non-Surveying
- Help & Information
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I'm riding the fence right now. On one hand, it could be a great way to keep specific questions and support on-topic. I can see how it might be useful and possibly even serve as an extension of support for various brands. On the other hand, I don't necessarily want to dilute the overall forums, but keeping it separated might be okay (?).
And to be totally transparent: It could possibly open up some advertising opportunities. My overall goal in regards to advertising is to not make advertisements so cumbersome that it irritates people, but also to keep the website going. Having separate branded groups makes it possible to approach various companies to offer sponsorship for these new forums -- however, they may not be interested anyway. But I like to try to find new ways to encourage advertising without making this website a pain in the butt for users to navigate -- plus I'm not about to EVER sell or give away your personal information, so selling mailing lists is totally out of the question.
All that said, I've not settled on actually doing this yet. Hence why I am here, asking the collective surveying brain. What do you think? Is this useful or does it just unnecessarily complicate the forums?
Years ago I use to frequent an Ashtech?ÿforum that was really useful.?ÿ Your idea is probably a good one as long as you keep out the riff-raff.?ÿ Question is: are you up to administrating (policing) more posts and replies?
In regards to moderation, it really doesn't make it much different (if at all). Much of our moderation relies on user reports (which are kept anonymous). But even then, think of the posts as one long list that we have to review and the specific forums they are posted in are simply a setting associated with each post.
If you had some support from expert level users with some connection to the company I could see that being useful. I miss Survey the Mark for Leica and always feel that Ladd chiming in is a big selling point for Carlson.
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If it were just to make buckets for people to talk some brand specific I do not think there is the traffic to support further dividing of topics. Another forum I frequent added a bunch of divisions a few years ago and as participation has slowed it really makes the place look dead to see topics with no new posts for months and months.
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What is impressive are expert surveyors, I want to hear about how they do it overall, not that the equipment is an afterthought but it does stand second to the task.
It could possibly open up some advertising opportunities.
I support this notion.
I like it the way it is now.?ÿ When someone asks for opinions on brand XYZ I usually read the replies, especially if I never heard of brand XYZ.?ÿ If there were a separate forum for brand XYZ I probably wouldn't ever go there, especially if I've never heard of them. The variety of posts on this site is the spice of it.
Hmmm, that's a really good point. The topics would still show in the Recent Posts list, but I totally get what you are saying. It certainly makes me re-think this whole concept. Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Excellent points. Thank you for the descriptive reply. This really helps a lot. 🙂
I??m with Dave. What I remember about those ??brand? sub-boards was that if you were OK with getting a response within a few days , you posted there. If you wanted something hurry up quick you posted to the main board.
if the brands in question were willing to provide financial support and monitor their sub-board, that would be different. But that would cut into their for a fee support services. So I don??t see that happening.
Yeah, you guys are making a compelling point that I hadn't considered. I truly appreciate the very helpful feedback. 🙂
As I remember... and I see it on a couple of other forums that I frequent, I dont think you are going to get much posted directly into those forums.?ÿ And then you will also get posts in the general area which should maybe have been in a specific forum.?ÿ And then you will have a post in a specif forum that goes off track, and or branches into much more which is more of a general benefit.
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Generally I am one for keeping things divided and organized.?ÿ In this case I more think it will divide a small amount of traffic, and die a slow death and you will want to roll everything back in at some point.?ÿ I strong search engine will sort everything out when you are doing research.
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No harm in trying if you think it is of benefit, but I personally don't see a bunch of upside when I am willing to guess the vast majority of us click on 'recent posts' everyday.
click on 'recent posts' everyday
Yup. ?ÿThat is me too. ?ÿBut, keep the excellent brainstorm ideas coming. ?ÿI for one, at least, sincerely hope that you guys can at the very least earn a decent living from this most valuable resource you provide to us bums.
If I was you: only have them for brands that pay you and agree to have a rep monitor the posts to provide response. I don't mean get greedy, but even a nominal fee would keep you from feeling like you are doing free advertising.
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Yes, this. I mean you/someone could move posts around as needed but I don't think you're going to want to do that. You might also get people double-posting trying to get an answer as quickly as possible.
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Edit: If you do decide to have them, Manufacturer versus Brand?
Thanks to the excellent and very helpful responses in this thread, I'm leaning pretty heavily the other way now. I don't think I'll create branded forums. But also because of excellent feedback in this thread and the other poll, I'm pretty set on doing the sponsored forums.
Thank you!! I knew I could count on this group to steer me the right way. 🙂
I used to read, love, and devour POB magazine. Informative articles. Good advertisements. Overall, great content. I don??t really know what happened to them. But, sometime several yrs ago, it just was not as good.?ÿ
But, an idea comes to mind. Dig up some of those old pob mags. Find all the advertisements in it. Contact them. Offer them a month or 2 free advertising. Then, offer it to them on this forum. We all need stuff, flagging, pk??s, poles, general field supplies.?ÿ
Well, my idea was free!!
M
A significant issue I had with POB was many of their articles were little more than free advertisement for the same products their advertisers were showing.?ÿ If you don't plan to buy a drone or scanner, all of those pages can be torn out of the magazine and used in the outhouse.?ÿ Got to the point there was very little information that was of direct benefit to me.?ÿ That's why I was thrilled to find the first predecessor to this site and have hung in ever since.?ÿ One can definitely learn much more from their peers than some flowery prose from a journalism major.
Just as an aside, I've discovered that you can vote more than once - I voted yesterday and when I looked to see the results this morning they were not visible, so I clicked a vote and they appeared.
