A suggestion for Digests 3.0: The admin may disagree, but it seems like the recent revision to the digests is a flop. So, how can we improve it? How's this: Give us an option to get a...

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

The admin may disagree, but it seems like the recent revision to the digests is a flop.

So, how can we improve it?

How's this: Give us an option to get a separate email for each section we receive digests on. There's never been an obvious order within sections, so I don't know if I care what order they're in, but if each digest is a separate email then when I want to see birds, I can open that email, when I want to see macro stuff, I can open that email, etc.

If people want to receive a random melange of posts, they don't check the 'separate emails' option. Simple, no?

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Maybe you should read this: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-786682-1.html

.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

I did read it, but I think it is misguided.

I've been a web admin for 30 years, you have to pay attention to your audience or it goes away.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

mikenolan wrote:

I did read it, but I think it is misguided.

You could send a private message to Admin.

User name = Admin

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

mikenolan wrote:

I did read it, but I think it is misguided.

I've been a web admin for 30 years, you have to pay attention to your audience or it goes away.

So, lets say, 50 out of how many users rule?

(I've been a web admin/developer for about that long also, but only did a dozen or so sites for select businesses/organizations since it is a "hobby". Been programming (in some manner) for about 50 years now.
No complaints/comments for the four I currently administer, yet...
But none of them have a forum.)

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

mikenolan wrote:

The admin may disagree, but it seems like the rece... (show quote)

That capability is really already there if one takes the time to view options in 'Digest' - read the stickies.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

fredpnm wrote:

That capability is really already there if one takes the time to view options in 'Digest' - read the stickies.

Not all will do that. They see a difference and, well, .......

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

fredpnm wrote:

That capability is really already there if one takes the time to view options in 'Digest' - read the stickies.

If you're referring to the filter option, it is better than nothing, I guess, but not really the same capability IMHO. YMMV.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

Longshadow wrote:

So, lets say, 50 out of how many users rule?

(I've been a web admin/developer for about that long also, but only did a dozen or so sites for select businesses/organizations since it is a "hobby". Been programming (in some manner) for about 50 years now.
No complaints/comments for the four I currently administer, yet...
But none of them have a forum.)

How many active posters are there and how many are complaining? And what about lurkers who don't post, they just quietly go somewhere else?

I'm officially retired, but the company I used to work for changed its forums in early June (due to security issues with the previous platform) and 3 1/2 months later traffic is still a third of what it was. It's slowly growing, but it might take a year to get back to the old level, though organization membership is at an all-time high.

In April I changed two other sites I have run as a hobby for over 30 years, one of them rebounded quickly, the other one appears in danger of dying out, though they're similar communities.

pmorin Loc: Huntington Beach, Palm Springs

mikenolan wrote:

If you're referring to the filter option, it is better than nothing, I guess, but not really the same capability IMHO. YMMV.

Try thinking of it this way. Let’s say you were the moderator of a website and you wanted to drive traffic to more than just one area. The more areas that people visit, the greater exposure to ads they see and possibly clicking on one would add revenue to the site. How would you do that. It would seem to me the admin has made a decision that’s a business oriented one. Don’t you think you would’ve done the same?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

mikenolan wrote:

How many active posters are there and how many are complaining? And what about lurkers who don't post, they just quietly go somewhere else?

I'm officially retired, but the company I used to work for changed its forums in early June (due to security issues with the previous platform) and 3 1/2 months later traffic is still a third of what it was. It's slowly growing, but it might take a year to get back to the old level.

Who's voice is more important, regulars or lurkers.

So if a "lurker", which we never knew/saw, quietly went somewhere else, how would we know?

I would imagine that site traffic always goes up and down, people come and go, maybe the phase of the moon also affects it.

Now you have to ask Admin, is it about metrics or how he wants to build the site.
For me it's how I want to build the site...

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Longshadow wrote:

Who's voice is more important, regulars or lurkers... (show quote)

Perhaps the advertisers on UHH?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Curmudgeon wrote:

Perhaps the advertisers on UHH?

Oh, I suppose the advertisers read The Digest daily also.

Like I said, down 50-100 out of how many viewers?
Including NON-members?
I'll bet they are counted also.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

Longshadow wrote:

Who's voice is more important, regulars or lurkers... (show quote)

I don't have metrics that allow me to answer those questions. Is the site profitable, or is someone bankrolling it out of personal funds? It appears UHH is hosted at AWS. I know from experience that AWS fees can add up quickly.

How many digest subscribers are there vs how many people who actually post, and how many of those post frequently? Are regular posters more likely to click on ads than casual visitors? (The answer on that varies from site to site, at least according to Google.)

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

mikenolan wrote:

I don't have metrics that allow me to answer those... (show quote)

Very thoughtful post.

It’s always struck me that the advertisers seem to be at the low end of merchandisers rather than camera supply or related companies as one might hope for on a photo forum. In my 8+ years on the forum, reading the (old) digest every day and posting 20K times, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one I’d click on. Maybe that’s the issue admin hopes to address - just a guess.