Reel Boating visits per day

[wiley]

Thanks for the impromptu marketing thread!

Using our server stats as a guide ReelBoating's average daily visitor total is about 1850 visitors per day. Which is pretty good for an upstart in a very niche genre. Don't be fooled by when people advertise how many thousands of "hits" they receive. If we use that method then RB is recording about 200,000 daily hits.

As far as registered members, RB is actually ahead slightly of registered members from THT when I started that site in 2001.

What is needed more on RB is participation. However we do have things working against us. Facebook has taken a lot of active participation away from web forums. Although about 85% of FB posts are really of no interest to other people in this world, people are still posting like mad since they have no fear of being moderated, having their views opposed, or even having to remain on a topic. I posted some info on Facebook a while back that had to do with specific boating news - got one reply. Then to test, I made a post something to the effect I put ice cubes in my coffee that morning - I got 5 replies within 15 minutes. It's just fun there right now posting babble, playing Mafia wars and finding old school friends - but it takes away from other time people spend on the internet.

Facebook has also taken many advertisers away from web forums as they are mistakenly thinking FB is an effective advertising tool - since it's free. I will debate any of them to that effect and would challenge them to show me actual leads and sales generated by a Facebook page. FB is great for networking within the industry, but for actual sales? Companies who used to use spam tactics on web forums are now doing so on their own FB pages without fear of being deleted, banned or labeled as a spammer.

But, as with many new internet fads Facebook will eventually lose it's newness appeal and I feel it'll soon generally be used to share photos and notes between friends and family. I use FB for ReelBoating and like it. I find using ReelBoating for ReelBoating however to be way more effective.

Not to mention the boating industry is in the tank... but we'll leave that to another discussion.

THT participation. WOW! I rarely go back to THT anymore and don't like to criticize a forum I created or the members who are my friends, but on a recent visit there I could not believe the replies to some serious questions asked. So many replies of one-liners, inside jokes, better than thou etc. Maybe this was happening when I was owner and I was blind to it but if that level of participation brings you an extra 5000 members and 20,000 posts then I'd rather not have it. I'm all about having fun but every thread there seems to go the same route. This is a reason why ReelBoating will soon stray a bit from being a 100% web forum to becoming a community where we all benefit from the industry - still waiting to get 10,000 registered members before I really begin to push that though.

At the past 2 major Boat Shows I attended many CEO's, owners of boat companies etc told me they refuse to have their employees post to THT, that's just a shame. These companies have much to offer even if their info is one-sided. They are welcome here on RB. The internet has changed. When I opened THT in 2001 there were very few boat companies using the internet in their marketing plan - so it really became open season against them from the general public who were embracing the internet. We need to use the information they provide and come to our own conclusions, not chase them away when they arrive on the scene.

[OReely]

I visit just about everyday. I read certain forums that hold the most interest for me and post when I have something I think is "important" to say (so listen, dammit ).

As far as other sites go, I visit several of them and contribute a little to them as well. I try to give information that I've learned from my years in the business. When I see bad info (and there is a lot) I try to give the correct info. Some people confuse opinion for fact and have a closed mind, those I ignore.

Some of the animosity you see on those sites is truly amazing. Small men with big keyboards. I just take it with a grain of salt. And I've been know to take a poke or two at the real jerks.

What is Mafia wars?

[crash1371]

To reiterate about the boating and fishing community here I have made lots of great friends that share the same interest as myself and I have been invited all over the world to hang out with them, doing what we love boating and fishing and when it comes to the more serious stuff a lot of people here will stand up and help you out on how to fix it our what to do to help save you money and time. Because if you own a boat there is nothing new as to what can go wrong or how to up grade. For me it has been a extended family that don't ask for money just good ol boys and gals and we enjoy each other

[one4water]

I am normally in and out 4-5 times every week day. Not so much if at all on weekends.

FB definitly has taken advertisers for exactly the reason stated, it's free, and no one can bash your products on your page. But is is a false sense of accomplishment in my opinion(which is to be taken with a grain of salt).

My company spends a lot of money being advertisers on the automotive performance web forums and we have pretty much everyone in the company making posts all day every day. Yeah, we get to play on the forums all day and get paid to do it!

We welcome all posts, good and bad and will engage in discussions with both. Plus we have a great following with our customers and fans so it is never one sided like other companies are afraid of. I think a lot of companies fear being slammed and have no defense so they stay off the forums. For any that are reading this and have a good product, get involved in the forums!! We get and can document a huge percentage of our sales that are directly brought in from forums. Both click overs and phone calls. Facebook, no sales that can be documented, Twitter and MySpace, same, nothing. They are just a way to get your name out and give product updates but nothing to rely on as actual revenue gererators. At least not in my business.

[davepen]

Don't get me wrong--I like it here.

I guess I am partly to blame, I don't post all that much.

[DJWILLIAMS]

I visit 10-15 times a day.... Mainly while multitasking at work!

I try to post what I can, when I can; and mainly learn! I love boating, and am trying to repair mine using the information found here.

Also I love this place versus the other b/c there is not bitch$ng and complaining here.'

I think Wiley is headed in the right direction, and once he gets the manufacturers in here things will be awesome!

[Rusty]

I'm back

[Shock Treatment]

I think once it warms up and more people get back to fishing and boating there will be more chatter.