Total number of active members

Yes, for awhile the boards were VERY active and it was sooo much fun! Unfortunately, once Dawn sold the site it quickly starting diminishing and now there are very few of us that still frequent the boards. I have been a member for something like 10yrs so it is habit for me to still come here daily. :)

I think a lot of those people are actually spammers.  I would say FB and Twitter are killing the message boards, but I belong to another message board site (not for parenting) that is very busy.  Once Dawn sold the site, things went downhill fast.  The first new owners put non parents in charge who thought they knew everything about parenting.   They turned the site to Easter colors and decorated it in a style my four year old would like then told us that's what we wanted.  It looked terrible, plus it was impossible to read.  A lot of people left then.  Since then, we just sort of been ignored, but at least everything isn't Easter pink with lots of baby chicks around.  I have no idea what chickens have to do with parenting, but that was them.  They knew everything and we knew nothing. 

We get a lot of people who just join to ask a question then we never hear from them again.  Or they want us to vote for their baby in a baby beauty contest.  I basically consider most of that spamming - especially the help me with my research or vote for my baby stuff.    I don't know how to bring people back.  People really like FB even though they data mine you and use your name to sell stuff to your friends.  I just like more privacy than FB will ever allow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wardcosbyson 

Now I understand. So what can we do to invite more to join to this forum? There is a new person who joined babyU last March 3, posted 3 comments and never came back. Does that means that that user was actually just spamming us. I think the technical problems like trouble in replying to threads has also something to do with discouraging people from coming to this site.

I agree, I think that the site changing owners so much and all the technical issues has really pushed a lot of people away. Honestly though, I think that sites like FB make forums kinda obsolete.

Yep.... unfortunately, the interest in the site died after it was sold.  I think had the new owners done the things they promised to the original owner and kept things rolling it would still be a busy site.  But the changes they made, and the technical difficulties and the amount of spam and such up for a while drove people away.  I talk to a lot of the former members on FB and for the most part they aren't interested in coming back.  It's just not the same.

Some people have problems on FB, but a lot don't.  I don't know... I still pop in over here on a semi regular basis because of Lenora... but to be honest.  At this point for me if she was on FB, I don't think I would bother checking on here at all anymore.  I blog what I used to journal, and I keep in touch with all my Mom friends on FB.  I'm not willing to part with Lenora though, so I will keep checking in. :)  The life went out of the site after the first sale, and never really came back

Ahhh....  Thanks Heather.  I stay hoping one day things will be different, but at this point, I think it's just going to fade away.

It would be nice if more would come... I'm just not sure how to draw people back in. If you have any ideas I'm all for hearing them.

I keep hoping people would get tired of all the security issues at FB, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

Lenora.... I know you got burned by FB.  I don't know of anyone else who has had the problems you have had there... I don't think they are as common as you think.  Hugs

I've met several people IRL who have had the same thing happen.  It doesn't get really bad unless you quit.  Once your two weeks is up, then it really starts with the spamming. 

i still check in every few days but don't have alot to say..  it used to be so much darn fun.  i love to keep up with what is up with those that still post on here especially lenora.  :D