Looking to the future, expanding horizons?

[sab]

My two cents… I don't agree with having all the other makes on here. Don't dilute Saab content by including heaps of other car makes... for me I have no interest to read about other cars on here. If I did want to find out about other cars I would go to a specific forum about them and I don't think you can compete with that. What I enjoy reading on SaabWorld is about Saabs. I know I don't post much but I do constantly read here. So thumbs down from me for including other marques.

[SaabScott]

I too would prefer Saab World to remain as is ... could there be other "worlds"? Sure ... but I have no real interest in interacting with those. I'm having a hard enough time staying focused on all the things Saab going on (hate it when life gets in the way of things you want to do ).

[nordwulf]

The idea is to set up the Saab section just like it is now. With this change, you just won't see the other sections like the Clubhouse, Tech Talk, Motor Talk, Regional and so on. For that, you have to go one level up to all the other sections. In the Saab section, you will just see the Saab World and Saab Workshop categories/forums like we have on the forum home page right now. If you just want to read about Saab, that's the only forums you need. Saab If you don't want to interact with the other brand worlds or general automobile sections, just stay in the Saab World section.

After 2 years of the site existence, we still have a very low number of regular participating members. The Saab forum community (SaabCentral, SaabScene, SaabLink) is commercially owned and we just don't seem to be able to compete with that. They won by buying these forums. There are many visitors and lurking members here but that doesn't make an active community. SaabWorld is 10 years too late and I doubt we'll be able to grow this place as is.

If I did want to find out about other cars I would go to a specific forum about them and I don't think you can compete with that.

Do you read car magazines and read about other cars? I don't even think for a minute we can compete with other brand or model specific forums and that's not the goal anyways. At least not for technical forums.

It is more about a community where it is about members and their cars and the general enjoyment of motoring. When I visit the big Mercedes forums (or other brands), there is no sense of community for me. What if you own other cars besides Saabs? I'd rather be part of a smaller place where 'everybody knows your name". While I may not own a Saab 1, 5 or 10 years from now, I still like to hang out with my friends here and talk about cars.

Case in point is Adventure Rider Motorcycle Forum. They are not specifically about one brand but more about the general enjoyment of travel, general motorcycle technical discussion and adventure / other types of motorcycles. 200K members, 500K+ threads and 17+ million posts shows such a place can exist besides all the other motorcycle brand forums.

There are too many Saab forums (english and other languages) as it is, not to mention Facebook being used as a replacement for clubs and regional events. As far as Saab communities go, perhaps there isn't a place for SaabWorld anymore.

[nordwulf]

Saab content can be found here: Saab

For all of you who just want to read about Saab, this is your new homepage. This subforum page actually has less forums because you won't see the other non-Saab forums we always had on the site. Now it is just Saab-related forums.

[ShaneB4Saab]

My 2¢. Would it be possible to focus on a few brands; i.e, BMW, Fiat, Volvo? Then add more as we go. This way it's more controlled and can allow members to adapt more easily. I believe if you throw too much at people, they react like plumbing and get plugged. Also, if there is an issue, Frank, you're going to react the same way. I recommend a brand per quarter and the brand is voted on by the members but approved by Frank.

[sab]

Do you read car magazines and read about other cars? I don't even think for a minute we can compete with other brand or model specific forums and that's not the goal anyways. At least not for technical forums.

Can't say I really read car magazines at all, although I am on a local Euro Car forum but that often has too many beemer fan bois on it so the interest for me isn't there.

It is your site Wulf and you can set it up however suits you, but I think for me introducing all these other makes gives a it a bloated feel… too many areas to search through. Looking at the site now it doesn't give you confidence to find info about Saab without clicking down multiple levels. Very confusing. For me it isn't what I want a Saab forum to be about but I will still probably lurk and check back here every few months.

Good luck with the new direction Wulf.

sab

[SPGreg]

This is my first post on the subject of expansion, having read several entries in this thread.

Firstly, I can appreciate why you would feel the need to make a change. Saab is changing. Its road would seem to be diminishing (notwithstanding the potential of NEVS).

I participate in some 3-4 automobile forums. They are all Saab forums. This is why I like them and return to them - because they are Saab forums. They are like houses with many rooms but most of the rooms belong to Saab & there's acknowledgement when they don't.

I would not attempt to make a forum of automobile forums. From a user perspective there's no uniting passion. It would be a sub-division for sub-division's sake.

How many forums does Verticalscope own now? They could easily create a splash page for all of their forums & make their users go down a list & choose which specific forum they're searching for. But they don't do this - they know it would endanger the sense of community enjoyed by individual forums. It would also highlight the unimportance of the user's beloved brand. Passion may be an illusion but it's passion that keeps people coming back.

My advice? Find an angle. Pick a region, pick a theme - something to unite interest and galvanize community. Stick with what harnesses passion.

Saab's journey is not over. Why not stick with Saab?

I wish you the best of luck.

[nordwulf]

How many forums does Verticalscope own now? They could easily create a splash page for all of their forums & make their users go down a list & choose which specific forum they're searching for. But they don't do this - they know it would endanger the sense of community enjoyed by individual forums. It would also highlight the unimportance of the user's beloved brand. Passion may be an illusion but it's passion that keeps people coming back.

VerticalScope : Automotive Vertical

The thing with so many forums is all have their different feel, members, software, layout, attitude and sense of community. Besides the die-hard fans that will never buy anything else than the brand they support, there may be new and existing members that just enjoy any automotive in general. So yes, we may loose some die-hard Saabers who don't want to have anything to do with other brands. But we also may gain others with different perspectives. The online Saab community is pretty small and perhaps we can convert more people to owning Saabs. See it as an opportunity to grow the community!

It is your site Wulf and you can set it up however suits you, but I think for me introducing all these other makes gives a it a bloated feel… too many areas to search through. Looking at the site now it doesn't give you confidence to find info about Saab without clicking down multiple levels. Very confusing. For me it isn't what I want a Saab forum to be about but I will still probably lurk and check back here every few months.

Good luck with the new direction Wulf.

It is not just my site. I think I made it pretty clear from the beginning this is everybody's site and we (the moderator team and long-term active members) decide on the future of the site. And that's what this thread is about. To get some feedback. So far we have 14 votes from 2,500 members. It seems not many cared about this new idea so far.

The site name and forums haven't changed, only the forum home page was changed and some forums added. Nothing is set in stone yet. I just happen to be the captain of the SS SaabWorld and try to steer the site forward to the best possible direction according to my and the team's best judgement. In the end, it is just a pretty insignificant place in the big sea of online forums.

I am just trying to figure out why SaabWorld is not performing as we hoped in the beginning and why there is such limited member participation. Both of you signed right at the start of SaabWorld but maybe made only 2 or 3 posts per month. Why is that? Are there too many Saab forums already?

While I consider myself a pretty big Saab fan, I sometimes get bored with the brand as well. I think it is a nice change to talk about other brands and more general automotive stuff with the people I know and many consider as friends. And perhaps make some new friends.

[sab]

I understand Wulf but still respectively disagree with adding extra marques to this forum (what no Holden section? ). And yes I joined very soon after you developed this new forum as want to support you/the forum (as can't stand VS and their takeover) and I know I don't post much. In fact I don't post that much on the other main Saab forums anymore either, but do help out when I can. I guess for me it is finding time to check all the forums whilst running my own business (the usual three main saab sites which I have been on for years: TSN since 1996; SC since 2002; and TSL since 2006). I usually scan the model areas that interest me and post if needed. Most times what I want to say has already been said, so no need to post but I still monitor them all. I do post pics from our Club events which hopefully are enjoyed by all.

I just think if you wanted to include discussion about other marques that this would be done in off topic. There will always be a need for a singular Saab forum as people will still buy them second hand. However a Saab forum will never have the same scale as a VW vortex or any other major car brand… they just didn't sell as many in comparison.

I also run our own Saab Club of Australia forums and that doesn't get too much traffic either, but the posts made are often good ones.

I too am a massive saab fan… I have been to three USA Saab Owner Conventions… flying over just to attend! I also attended the 2007 Saab Meet in Trolhattan with 4 other die-hard Aussie saabers. I am also a life member of the Saab Club of Australia. That is dedication!

Cheers from down under…

Steve B

[Golfhunter]

If you have the will and strenght to do it Frank , go ahead .
But I don't really understand the reason why you want to expand SaabWorld.