Forum activity statistics
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Forum activity statistics
The following google spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...VEMHc&hl=en_US
computes posts per day for all non-discontinued FT forums over the past 45-day period. I have compiled this data for the TalkBoard to use in its annual evaluation of forums for possible closure. Internet Brands was unable to compile any customized statistics, but this data derived from the public Forums list views should be sufficient.
In my opinion, speaking only for myself, the only marginal forums are Thrifty and Toronto. In those cases the content has a reasonable alternative place (Other Car Rental and Canada, respectively). For some other light forums, like Antarctica and Cuba, the content is sufficiently specialized that a separate forum makes sense to me.
I'd like to hear what our members think about the utilization of the current forums. When I look at it, I see a structure that is well adapted to menbers' needs.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...VEMHc&hl=en_US
computes posts per day for all non-discontinued FT forums over the past 45-day period. I have compiled this data for the TalkBoard to use in its annual evaluation of forums for possible closure. Internet Brands was unable to compile any customized statistics, but this data derived from the public Forums list views should be sufficient.
In my opinion, speaking only for myself, the only marginal forums are Thrifty and Toronto. In those cases the content has a reasonable alternative place (Other Car Rental and Canada, respectively). For some other light forums, like Antarctica and Cuba, the content is sufficiently specialized that a separate forum makes sense to me.
I'd like to hear what our members think about the utilization of the current forums. When I look at it, I see a structure that is well adapted to menbers' needs.
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicagoland/ORD
Programs: UA Million Miler (Gold), Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,458
I've mentioned this before, and I still think Cuba should be merged into the Caribbean. I don't understand why it has a separate forum.
#3
Ambassador, New England
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maineiac, USA
Programs: Amtrak, WN RR, Choice
Posts: 2,655
Do any FT historians know approximately when the Cuba forum was opened? I tried to search back in the TB Topics forum and the earliest mention of Cuba is 2004, and back then it was already formed and it was (again) brought up whether to keep it open or close it. I know there are posts in the Cuba forum since 2001, but I don't know if those were started inside that forum or moved from another one. But I agree that it looks like it's underperforming and should get merged into the Caribbean.
I'm okay keeping Antarctica since it is such a different character than the others. And I think the debate would take forever to determine where to put those posts if it did close.
Other ones that jump out to me as needing possible closure:
Scandinavia - But I think putting them in the Europe forum would make Europe awfully bloated, so I'm not sure what to do about it.
Toronto - Ditto Scandinavia - yes, we could put them in Canada, but I think that would bloat the Canada forum
Religious Travelers and Travelers with Pets - 6 and 8 new threads, respectively, in the last month and a half?
Central America - I'm really not sure where the posts here would go if it were closed, but it certainly seems to be underperforming.
iDine - I'll admit I know next-to-nothing about this program, so I don't know how loyal a following it has or where the posts would go if it were to disappear.
In fact, I think my own personal rubric for closure might be to consider any forum with less than 2 posts/day or less than 10 new threads in a month and a half.
I'm okay keeping Antarctica since it is such a different character than the others. And I think the debate would take forever to determine where to put those posts if it did close.
Other ones that jump out to me as needing possible closure:
Scandinavia - But I think putting them in the Europe forum would make Europe awfully bloated, so I'm not sure what to do about it.
Toronto - Ditto Scandinavia - yes, we could put them in Canada, but I think that would bloat the Canada forum
Religious Travelers and Travelers with Pets - 6 and 8 new threads, respectively, in the last month and a half?
Central America - I'm really not sure where the posts here would go if it were closed, but it certainly seems to be underperforming.
iDine - I'll admit I know next-to-nothing about this program, so I don't know how loyal a following it has or where the posts would go if it were to disappear.
In fact, I think my own personal rubric for closure might be to consider any forum with less than 2 posts/day or less than 10 new threads in a month and a half.
#4
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
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Posts: 47,843
Westjet seems a fair way behind most of the other airline forums, particularly for an airline from an english speaking country. Is there a justification for keeping it as a separate forum?
Also, it strikes me there are probably more posts per day in the Tesco thread in BA than there are in the iDine forum. My impression is that the iDine programme has reduced in size - does it really still warrant its own forum?
Also, it strikes me there are probably more posts per day in the Tesco thread in BA than there are in the iDine forum. My impression is that the iDine programme has reduced in size - does it really still warrant its own forum?
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,657
No real reason why Westjet forum exists other than an old history, the threads should be happy in other North American airlines forum. Toronto also has no business being a separate forum either....back to the Canada forum those threads should go (and I don't think it would bloat the Canada forum at all).
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,449
FWIW since we're on the topic I've never thought Antarctica required it's own forum and the traffic statistics bear out how little it is used.
The justification for the WS forum may lie in the increasing number of interline agreements the carrier has signed and are in use with the likes of CX & AA to name a few. There are, I believe, enough WS & WS Vacations topics to warrant it's own forum but YMMV. If we're going to shutter lightly used forums to me the list should begin elsewhere than the WS forum.
The justification for the WS forum may lie in the increasing number of interline agreements the carrier has signed and are in use with the likes of CX & AA to name a few. There are, I believe, enough WS & WS Vacations topics to warrant it's own forum but YMMV. If we're going to shutter lightly used forums to me the list should begin elsewhere than the WS forum.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
Sure, an Antarctica forum is going to get a low level of activity.
But, who cares? Closing the forum makes things better for whom, and why?
The concept of "underperforming" (not sure who said that) is a bit odd.
But, who cares? Closing the forum makes things better for whom, and why?
The concept of "underperforming" (not sure who said that) is a bit odd.
#9
Ambassador, New England
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maineiac, USA
Programs: Amtrak, WN RR, Choice
Posts: 2,655
I said that and it is my own terminology, not a term that I've seen used by any TB members. It is simply my own way to characterize the (apparent) little activity on the Cuba forum vis-a-vis most of the other destination forums.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
For example, if people were posting questions about Cuba in the Cuba forum but no one was bothering to come around and answer them, then closing the Cuba forum and merging it into the Caribbean forum might make sense, as there's much more activity in the Caribbean forum and questions about Cuba would then more likely to get seen and answered.
That doesn't appear to be the case with the Cuba forum, though, and given the special nature of travel to Cuba, I am entirely unopposed to leaving the Cuba forum right as it is.
In the case of the Antarctica forum, closing that forum fails the second part of the test above: where would discussion be moved to that would increase the quality of that discussion? As discussion about Antarctica has no logical other home, it would be spread out into various other forums, from TravelBuzz to Cruises (um, yeah, that seems logical) or even perhaps the South America forum (since Argentina is where most of the Antarctic cruises depart from). In that case, discussion would be fragmented and less likely to be answered well by knowledgeable experts on the subject.
When closing forums, we need both evidence that the current forum structure does not best serve the quality and quantity of discussion as well as a clear definition of where that discussion is going to head to.
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,449
In the case of the Antarctica forum, closing that forum fails the second part of the test above: where would discussion be moved to that would increase the quality of that discussion? As discussion about Antarctica has no logical other home, it would be spread out into various other forums, from TravelBuzz to Cruises (um, yeah, that seems logical) or even perhaps the South America forum (since Argentina is where most of the Antarctic cruises depart from). In that case, discussion would be fragmented and less likely to be answered well by knowledgeable experts on the subject.
When closing forums, we need both evidence that the current forum structure does not best serve the quality and quantity of discussion as well as a clear definition of where that discussion is going to head to.
When closing forums, we need both evidence that the current forum structure does not best serve the quality and quantity of discussion as well as a clear definition of where that discussion is going to head to.
You've already mentioned one possible location for cruise based Antartica topics, the Cruises forum, so as you rightly have noted there are IMHO clear choices for future discussions already in place.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
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It's not like the Cuba case, where the clear destination would be the Caribbean forum.
That's all my point is.
#13
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,449
Yes I believe it is as clear as another quick check finds all of the activity in the last year is related to cruising to Antarctica.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
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My first inclination would not be to visit the Cruises forum. To me, the Cruises forum conjures up images of palm trees and buffets and swimming pools on the top of a Princess megaship.
I'd probably post in TravelBuzz, and my question would probably either go unanswered or get a cursory "Huh, interesting, but no idea" post from one or two other people.
Is that the best FlyerTalk can do?
But at this point, no one has seriously suggested closing the Antarctica forum, so we're sort of arguing semantics here. I was simply using it as an example.
#15
Ambassador, New England
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maineiac, USA
Programs: Amtrak, WN RR, Choice
Posts: 2,655
My first inclination would not be to visit the Cruises forum. To me, the Cruises forum conjures up images of palm trees and buffets and swimming pools on the top of a Princess megaship.
<snip>
But at this point, no one has seriously suggested closing the Antarctica forum, so we're sort of arguing semantics here. I was simply using it as an example.
<snip>
But at this point, no one has seriously suggested closing the Antarctica forum, so we're sort of arguing semantics here. I was simply using it as an example.