Suggestion Feedback on keeping ScubaBoard members

[gypsyjim]

This question is directed at all members, new and old. It is actually a multiple part question, and is designed to get us all thinking about what ScubaBoard is, or could be for someone just discovering us today or tomorrow.

Two weeks ago on Utila Colleen and I were part of 4 couples with no previous contact who were diving on the same boat for a week, so we had lots of time to chat. It turned out that 5 (6 including myself) of the 9 divers including the DM, were all members of ScubaBoard at one time or another, but I was the only actively participating SM user.

A subsequent conversation with a friend who is also a moderator, has had me thinking about this, so here are my questions:

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1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?
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---------- Post added March 3rd, 2014 at 08:30 AM ----------

I will start by adding my own 2 cents.

I discovered SB while researching a dive trip back in '05, and was not a terribly active member for some time. I did though, find the info I was seeking.

I did soon after that did make some friends on the board, as both DeputyDan and Herman offered advice and invited my family to join their group for a trip to Bonaire.

I also later asked for underwater photography advice, and got a lot of help from such diverse members as ScubaSteve and DandyDon, who were more than willing to help a struggling novice.

I had a few conflicts in some of the threads along the way, especially early on, with some of the more vocal know it alls, but while that slowed me down a bit and kept me quiet, it did not scare me off. I just spent more time lurking till I became more comfortable standing up for my beliefs, and not afraid of the loud mouths. It just took me time to realize by lurking that they were a small minority, and not particularly as well respected universally as they might have thought, which made me feel less the outsider.

(Note) I think a lot of that 'know it all' attitude seems to have disappeared from the boards, or at least become far less of an issue. I heard a lot of feedback from non member divers between '95 and about 2000 that this "slamming of 'stupid questions' " was a big turn off, but I do not sense this same complaint from my more recent contactsd, when discussing SB. Now it seems more like SB is not supplying what divers are seeking, and they are just moving on to other sources of info.

I know many folks have moved on to FB, but while I enjoy FB a lot myself, I have never seen it as having the potential to reach as many divers, or to serve as a useful search base for dive related questions.

 

[raftingtigger]

1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

I was looking for local buddies after I got re-involved in scuba several years ago. This lead me to a local meet-up group and then to the FB based group of divers I currently dive with. It has turned out to be a goldmine of information and has expanded my understanding considerably. It is also fun to dive vicariously through other's posts. One of the more useful posts is "Monterey conditions, let's keep it going" one of my go to references for recent conditions -- also giving some chat time with people I might actually meet. SB (and FB) have opened up a whole new social connection for me.

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

No complaints, haven't really thought much about it.

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

Only a small number of people will continue with a forum once they get their original question answered. I have joined both the cave divers forum (to read a specific article) and the candlepower forum for discussion on some light issues. I do not frequent either as my interests are not strong there AND they are less active, so newer posts are scarcer.

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

No

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?

No, not sure anything needs to change.

 

[Wayward Son]

I have to admit that SB allows more un-evenhanded moderating than some other sites. I know for a fact that Howard has gotten away with stuff that would have -and would, if I did it now- gotten me banned from predator masters, despite all my contributions to that site since 2001 ( I started as a moderator, then added webmaster, then became a Director after we converted to a 501(c)4 ).

This can't help in the concept of increasing participation.

 

[Rich Keller]

1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

I was looking for some information about a reg I was working on, saw something on SB that addressed it but I had one question. I could not ask the question without signing up and once I got what I needed I started to have a look around and have been here ever since.

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

I have been able to find most of the information I wanted here and learned new things in areas I did not have experience in previously. Prior to this I had been diving alone for decades and had very little contact with anyone in the sport diving community.

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

There is no way for me to know why they left. Maybe SB should ask these people why they did not stay? Send them a simple survey about their experience on the site and see what you get back.

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

I would guess that most of the people who left did so due to the type of people they found here rather then the site itself doing anything wrong.

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?

Try putting together regional SB trips on a smaller scale in local areas in addition to the one yearly destination trip they have now.

PS: They could set up a canopy with SB signs at a popular dive site like Dutch Springs just like they would for any trade show. They could meet existing members face to face and attract new ones at the same time. Having a few cases of beer on hand for an after dive get together might not be a bad idea either.

 

[MrChen]

I'm definitely seeing some trends, such as the social aspects of the site and the desire for more localization.

 

[KevWind]

I think it's a natural progression and has nothing to do with what on SB could be improved.

My guess is that, like me, most divers initially registered on SB because they were looking for an answer to some specific question. Some of them might become intrigued and frequent SB for a while, but only a small percentage end up becoming regular posters. Newly certified divers might stop by now and then for a few years as additional questions arise--probably mainly relating to trip planning, etc.--but after a few years the majority of them will either be settled in their dive travel routines or will have dropped out of diving altogether. I know a number of divers who just aren't the types to hang out on on-line forums of any kind (other than general social media like Facebook), even if they might have stopped by SB once or twice to ask a question when they were less experienced. The divers I'm most closely acquainted with are content to take their annual dive trip, content with their gear and other aspects of their diving, at that's that as far as they're concerned.

I would agree with this, it happens on all forums, that a number come look and eventually leave, sort of a (been there done that, thing) particularly those folks who have heavy work schedules

 

[RickyF]

I visit SB several times a day. I almost always leave with some good information. There are many conflicting views on many subjects and over time you learn to glean good information from all the bantering back and forth from different personalities. I don't always enter the conversation especially on some of the more controversial subjects, but I look at the different viewpoints and try to take the good from it. SB has been a great source of information that if nothing else, made me do my own research to find good answers.

 

[Wayward Son]

To add a bit on my prior comments:

Moderating is a thankless headache that most people don't understand. Mods aren't perfect, they're people who have good days & bad, who make mistakes as well as getting things right. They're volunteers that agreed to take on one or more forums with the goal of keeping things working as the site owner desires. Sometimes there are actual abuses, more commonly it's really a matter of perception more than reality.

Back to the OP:

I don't think there's anything unusual or out of line in the observation that most members don't actively participate. I've seen this over & over with other web sites, people register & then most of them never make even a single post.

At predator masters we're about to hit 47,000 members. We did just shy of 40 million hits this january. But our max online, ever? Max Online: 3771 @ 02/03/14 09:55 PM

When I started moderating there in 13 years ago it was a new site, we had about 1000 members & 100 of them did all the posting. I think the ratio is about the same today. Most people lurk. They read, but don't post. I don't think it's a failing of SB or any other web site, I think it's just how people are.

 

[Mike.D]

Hello my name is mike and I'm a scubaholic
Im the same as RickyF, I'll visit multiple times a day just to read up on some of the more active threads, and if I ever have any ideas/questions/thoughts Ill come on sb and search the topic (see if someones already started a thread first) otherwise I'll chuck a line out and hopefully get some bites.
SB is perfect the way it is and I'm actually surprised at the amount of traffic it gets.
Helps me meet new divers in and around my area which is very handy.
Sooooo much good info on here, and some ripper stories from some of the old timers.
As for members only staying active for a short while, I think it's totally down to the individual. Some people have more addictive personalities than others, and more of a passion for this wonderful sport.
Some people just crave information and there's a abundance of it here.
Cheers!
Mike



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kr2y5]

Personally I think too many of the Moderastors on Scubaboard, are destructive to the final result.....While there is a real need for moderators, too many use personal agendas to determine their moderating behaviors---and too many of these agendas are detrimental to SB.

Take a look at the mass moderation system employed at Slashdot, which is very effective at preventing the sorts of problems you described: Slashdot Moderation

 

[TSandM]

What got me to SB? A nice lady I dove with told me to check it out. I did, and found a fantastic source of information -- like drinking from a firehose. I asked lots of questions and got useful answers.

Does the board meet my needs? They've changed over the last 8 years. Now, what I come to the board for is the opportunity to share what I have learned, here and elsewhere, with other new divers who are like I was in 2005.

What do I think of people who were members and have left? I know several who simply drifted out of diving. The longevity of people in this sport isn't great, and once folks no longer dive, the board doesn't have a lot of appeal. Others have had life changes that stopped them from having large amounts of time to spend on line.

Do I have any idea of how to attract new members? Those of us who have contact with new divers should do what my friend did, and pass the word.