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Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	7/30/2008 7:51:54 PM

Somehow, over the last few months, it went away?? I don't understand what happened.
Before, I could log in to get a sometimes heated exchange about a LM topic, or other "Stuff" that made it enjoyable to visit. Now, it is "have you seen my lost dog"?, or "my floating dock is missing".
References to HullTruth and SavingLM sites just do not feel right.
Can somebody explain to me what happened, seems like overnight, and why it happened?

Name:	JohnGalt -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	7/30/2008 8:19:51 PM

I agree I liked it when the jokes, sports etc where on one forum. I understand the need to seperate boat maintenance and fishing. Then there came the ability to rate a poster or ignore a poster or put a flame by their name. I think people just either look or don't post now. Bruce are there as many hits to this website as there was before the changes?

Name:	Maverick -	Reply
Subject:	Called Summertime
Date:	7/30/2008 8:23:53 PM

Every year the forum gets slow in the summer. Folks are busy vacationing, going to the lake, spending time with children, grandchildren and family, etc.

Once the water begins to drop and the weather begins to cool folks will become bored once again and the number of posts will begin to increase.

Want to see slow forums go to Logan Martin and Smith Lake Forums, now these are SLOW - LOL.

Name:	Webmaster -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	7/31/2008 2:03:43 PM

I think it is due to not having much to complain about right now. The lake level is not bad and the boat ban thing is not in the news for people to voice opinions. Some people check the forum by the hour, some every day or two and others not so much. I think the hourly checkers are having the content withdrawals.

I wish I had statistics on the forum itself, but when I put all this together I did not consider the forum to be much more than a playground. Forum data I'm looking to capture in 2009. Banner ad impressions are counted but it's not possible to separate the views by page (forum and non-forum). I do capture statistics on major pages like the front page, real estate, rentals, main navigational pages (top buttons) and some sideline pages.

As far as front page traffic for July 08 it is going to match July 07 very closely. I would normally expect an increase in year to year as I've never had a declining year. Last year there was more interest in the declining lake level and drought so that kept more people "tuned in". So last year's numbers were higher than they would have been with normal lake levels. However overall, LakeMartin.com is about to break 2007 traffic around the September timeframe. That's because the highest traffic month ever was March 2008 and that was because the lake level rose unexpectedly so fast...

Another interesting thing to note is that summer traffic on Saturday and Sunday is 60% of the weekday averages. I guess this is because many people use the Internet at work and are enjoying the lake on weekends.

Looking at months of the year there is always a gradual decline in traffic after July 4th. That's when the part-timers and vacationers decrease substantially and many except the hard core folks (people reading right now) loose interest in the lake. Also, It's just my opinion but I think when the water gets 3 feet down, it starts to affect many peoples usage of the lake. Some docks are not deep enough in water or it makes it difficult to utilize the boat at some docks. That's my personal situation at my cabin. December is extremely slow traffic because of the holidays. Things pick back up in January ever year.

If you want to know what I've seen substantial changes on it's been hotel bookings. Not necessarily from LakeMartin.com because rental homes rule here, but for several years I've had over 300 lake sites that focused on hotels when there were no vaction home ads. Through 2007 I made a small, but substantial sum of money from hotel bookings. Although site traffic on the hotel pages is 70% of last year's traffic, the actual booking of rooms is 30% of last year's bookings. I think that is directly due to people not travelling long distances because of gas prices. You see these news reports of "Staycations" and I'm seeing that must be true.

Lake map sales (printed maps) seem to be down too but not by as big factor as the hotel bookings... I just have not had time to analyze that. One of my map vendors (Fishing Hot Spots) contacted me and he said they are seeing big slumps in sales. They blame it on the economy. What else could it really be?

Name:	Pontoon -	Reply
Subject:	lol
Date:	7/31/2008 2:07:49 PM

Name:	JohnGalt -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	7/31/2008 10:42:02 PM

I think you have a great website and I am one of those who checks in at least twice a day. Thanks

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	8/1/2008 12:07:35 AM

Agree.

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	Maybe I'm just bored,,,
Date:	8/1/2008 8:53:28 PM

Just seems like in an ELECTION YEAR, and GAS PRICES, and the MARKET DECLINE, and LakeHome Sales, and Home Depot's INVASION, and a dead Goat, and already low water before Labor Day, and Dadeville is dumping "Slurry" in the lake, and , and, and.... Geez!!!
Gotta' be something there to cause some "Stir"? Even now!
Maybe not.

Name:	PC Al -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	8/2/2008 5:49:51 PM

Add me to the list that checks the forum several times a day, except when I am away from home and without internet service. But, I usually don’t post unless I have something that I feel needs to be said. I am very pleased with the way the forum is headed now. Very good information if and when you need it and if you have a question, you can always get some pretty good answers/suggestions. But, I too enjoy reading a little needling or jabbing from time to time – just keep the hatred out of it.

Name:	Arnold -	Reply
Subject:	What Happened to the Forum??
Date:	8/3/2008 10:43:19 PM

Thanx Bruce. Interesting and informative insights.

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