[TheAdminMarket]

Yes they're dying but slowly. On the same way that BBS and Newsgroups died before. On the same way as Facebook, Twitter etc will die later than the forums. People tend to look for new ways to use Internet.

[webmastersun]

Originally Posted by TheAdminMarket

Yes they're dying but slowly. On the same way that BBS and Newsgroups died before. On the same way as Facebook, Twitter etc will die later than the forums. People tend to look for new ways to use Internet.

I don't know or i don't think so, how is dying, my forum traffic is increasing and increase x2 times if compared to years ago.

[TheAdminMarket]

Originally Posted by webmastersun

I don't know or i don't think so, how is dying, my forum traffic is increasing and increase x2 times if compared to years ago.

I'm not talking for big sites and never try to understand how things are going seeing big sites. I'm talking for the average sites. Those ones with 1k members or less.

Last year (2015) I've spent a week just looking the websites from my clients last 10 years. So:

• ~65% of those sites are dead.
• ~15% changed to Wordpress
• ~5% changed forum software
• ~15% are still on vBulletin

So, after all, ~80% of the old forums died. And be sure that I'm talking for more than 10.000 websites that I tested.

When talking for forums we don't mean those "big bosses". It's a mistake to get statistics only by counting the proccess of big sites. It's a big mistake to say "My site increased" while, on the same time, another 100 closed.

--------------- Added 26 Dec 2016 at 11:35 ---------------

Originally Posted by webmastersun

.... if compared to years ago.

As I seen in whois database your site is 4 1/2 years old. You can't count it as an old site as it was not operating on the forum's "Glory days".

I'm coding for forums since 2006 (or since 2003 as Forum owner), 9 years earlier than you in forum market, so I can have a better idea on how things are going. For the same reason that older than me (not in age), forums owners here, can have a more stable and clear opinion.

[MarkFL]

It's my perception that not only has the quantity of forum users declined, but so has the quality. Years ago, users took it in stride when they had to investigate the forum software to discover how to make things happen. Now, users have trouble figuring out how to post and blame the site for being "unfriendly."

Back then, a user might ask what they needed to do on their end if the forum didn't display correctly in their browser. Now, users demand that the site be rewritten to accommodate their gadget of the day and their lackluster browsers.

Maybe I'm just an old fogie shaking my fist at the kids, telling them to get off my lawn, but that's the way I see how things have changed in the last 10 years.

[In Omnibus]

Originally Posted by MarkFL

It's my perception that not only has the quantity of forum users declined, but so has the quality. Years ago, users took it in stride when they had to investigate the forum software to discover how to make things happen. Now, users have trouble figuring out how to post and blame the site for being "unfriendly."

Back then, a user might ask what they needed to do on their end if the forum didn't display correctly in their browser. Now, users demand that the site be rewritten to accommodate their gadget of the day and their lackluster browsers.

Maybe I'm just an old fogie shaking my fist at the kids, telling them to get off my lawn, but that's the way I see how things have changed in the last 10 years.

It isn't only your perception. There once was a time when I knew precisely what made forums successful. There was a formula. I spent the last several years floundering with trying to help others become successful with their forums, only to realize everything has changed but me. I'm not doing it a different way because I've been doing it the same way since 1991 and this old dog isn't learning these new fangled millennial tricks.

Social media is the bane of my existence. I loathe it. It has created a lazy, entitled society whereby everyone expects everything immediately and with no work on their part. If they have to do more than click and type 140 characters of blather about themselves they have no interest. We're officially in the "Me" generation.

In a way I have adapted. I've abandoned all forums whose primary purpose is to get large (or even small) numbers of people to talk about unimportant nonsense. I now run a coding and programming forum for my own pleasure. I also have a full-time job so I don't have the time to run a forum, a facebook page, a twitter, an instagram, a youtube channel, etc. and even if I had the time I have no interest in gouging people for ad money every time they view content.

Perhaps I've lost my mind but I still believe that social media will run its course and people will begin looking for alternatives. Will those alternatives include a return to forums? It's impossible to say but if forum software developers figure out how to take what people like about social media and eliminate what they hate about social media I could easily see forums making a comeback.

[TheAdminMarket]

Originally Posted by In Omnibus

if forum software developers figure out how to take what people like about social media and eliminate what they hate about social media I could easily see forums making a comeback.

This is what I'm working on right now. That's why the name "forobook". A forum with Facebook style (functionality). Don't know if it will succeed or not. But I'll try it as last project in my life. In a short term: "you'll love it, or you'll hate it".

[Replicant]

Originally Posted by TheAdminMarket

This is what I'm working on right now. That's why the name "forobook". A forum with Facebook style (functionality). Don't know if it will succeed or not. But I'll try it as last project in my life. In a short term: "you'll love it, or you'll hate it".

I have a similar project in the works for vb5. A couple of my users have looked at what I have so far and liked it, but it is a huge undertaking for me being a novice coder and I doubt it will ever get finished between work and other more important projects in the works.

My forum has dwindled to 10-15 active users 20-30 and while I was ready to shut it down in September due to lack of activity, an influx of cash donations and a unanimous vote from those active users to keep it open made me change my mind.

New users seem to join, find what they are looking for and leave without ever engaging in a conversation. I know this to be true as my son does it all the time when he is working on his car. He always hits the forums for answers but never engages the community since he finds what he is looking for without having to put forth much effort. What bothers me about it is sometimes the info is flawed or incomplete and he never goes back to discuss the wrong info or add what is missing since his problem is already solved.

[rockerzteam]

Everything is on facebook pages now! Everything you had to go looking for including craigslist,car questions,etc are now on facebook pages..... I buy,sell,trade through facebook.... If one day facebook integrated a store like amazon I would order from there too. Youtube and Facebook are now the main go to resources...... I used to visit many car forums, Hunting forums, now I use facebook groups.... I'm all about a one stop shop! Just like the forums that charge for lifetime memberships to access private sections of the forums that you can now discuss on facebook groups for free...... These pay to play forums are the poison that's killing those particular forums.

[durham]

Forums are brilliant. I'm always amazed at the quality of freely given information and community spirit shown by our members (with the odd exception!). Facebook is not the same.

But is it not Google that dictates our decline or rise? We have seen two or three dramatic declines in visitor traffic. We changed nothing - but Google certainly did - for us! Member numbers have been growing fine in the meantime.

[X-or]

Obviously yes. I hope it was a false question, otherwise you're blind my friend.