Forum activity

[macmacman]

I'm interested in members compared to members online.

It seems that on this forum there is an average of about 35 members online at anyone time. Which is quite amazing considering there are over 200'000 members of this forum.

Do you think that is about right? Scroll down to the footer on the Forums page to see the stats now.

 

[NewGardenStyle]

I'm not sure what you are getting at? as I type there are 26 members logged in. 200,000 people have signed up since the forums were started x years ago. Clearly the vast majority aren't going to be active members anymore. What am I missing?

 

[Andrew Chambers]

I'm not sure what you are getting at? as I type there are 26 members logged in. 200,000 people have signed up since the forums were started x years ago. Clearly the vast majority aren't going to be active members anymore. What am I missing?

Advertising revenues, 200,000 members is much better than 30 odd users.

Simple.

I'll be banned now for stating that, no doubt. And this thread will no doubt be deleted.

 

[NewGardenStyle]

OP asked if 'that's about right'. I've no idea what that means. Your observations are of course correct, and you clearly understood the question better than I did.

Anyway, what a pointless thread.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

OP asked if 'that's about right'. I've no idea what that means. Your observations are of course correct, and you clearly understood the question better than I did.

Anyway, what a pointless thread.

I agree, pointless thread, but the forum is all about member numbers being sold to advertisers, I doubt they ever quote actual regular user numbers.

UKBF is a advertising forum, nothing more and nothing less.

 

[beasty]

I agree, pointless thread, but the forum is all about member numbers being sold to advertisers, I doubt they ever quote actual regular user numbers.

UKBF is a advertising forum, nothing more and nothing less.

UKBF is part of SIFT media, it is a useful platform that has doubtless helped thousands of businesses around the UK and is by far and away the best business forum in the UK.

Whether 50 are viewing or 500 right now, what difference does that make to YOUR experience?

If you are a potential advertiser ask the people who run the site, the point of this thread seems to be to put the boot in and nothing more.

BTW i have seen 500 online at once, members, which is a hell of a lot given people sign in and out.

So there is an interest in how members compare to online members, for what purpose?
Is this a study? Do you have improvements to offer?

Would you watch a great TV show and say, well not many people watched it today but lots of people HAVE watched it?

 

[Jeff FV]

I'll be banned now for stating that, no doubt. And this thread will no doubt be deleted.

Why?

 

[Andrew Chambers]

Why?

For saying the forum is for profit, which is bought about by "massaged" figures. The forum doesn't have 200,000 regular members, it has 30 odd, what number do Sift sell their advertisers?

 

[beasty]

Wow

For saying the forum is for profit, which is bought about by "massaged" figures. The forum doesn't have 200,000 regular members, it has 30 odd, what number do Sift sell their advertisers?

Do you know what Libel is?

 

[Andrew Chambers]

UKBF is part of SIFT media, it is a useful platform that has doubtless helped thousands of businesses around the UK and is by far and away the best business forum in the UK.

Whether 50 are viewing or 500 right now, what difference does that make to YOUR experience?

If you are a potential advertiser ask the people who run the site, the point of this thread seems to be to put the boot in and nothing more.

BTW i have seen 500 online at once, members, which is a hell of a lot given people sign in and out.

So there is an interest in how members compare to online members, for what purpose?
Is this a study? Do you have improvements to offer?

Would you watch a great TV show and say, well not many people watched it today but lots of people HAVE watched it?

I couldn't care less from my own experience, I was just saying why this forum is here.

 

[Thermodynamic Man]

Total: 587 (members: 21, guests: 497, robots: 69)

I get members... I get guests...but what are these robots?. I have a mental image now of the likes of C3PO and R2D2 swapping advice and ideas on here

 

[Andrew Chambers]

Wow



Do you know what Libel is?

Yes I do.

So Sift sell their advertising on 30 odd regular users do they?

Or 200,000?

If I'm wrong bring on the liable case.

 

[Shopclicks]

For saying the forum is for profit, which is bought about by "massaged" figures. The forum doesn't have 200,000 regular members, it has 30 odd, what number do Sift sell their advertisers?

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick on this.

I think the OP was just surprised by the stats. You don't have to be logged in to read this forum.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick on this.

I think the OP was just surprised by the stats. You don't have to be logged in to read this forum.

I agree, as a new member I was also surprised as to the number of logged on users to members. 200,000/30 isn't good!

 

[Deggle]

I check the forum daily, but only log in once a week or less to post. 500+ readers currently is quite a lot, that's the key figure not 30. Also, this is a very strange thread - is someone grumpy because nobody is clicking their crappy ads???

 

[beasty]

Libel

would be claiming in writing that a commercial organisation (Sift Media) massaged their figures to sell advertising space, this false claim (Unless you can prove otherwise) would obviously cause harm to reputation which means a financial loss and that would be libel, which i believe has no defence in court.

Liable, well this is a different word.

I would block you but I want to see what might happen

 

[Shopclicks]

There is a constant stream of 'guests' who read this forum (currently 488). They aren't the same 488 that were viewing/reading yesterday. They all see the advertising.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

Total: 587 (members: 21, guests: 497, robots: 69)

I get members... I get guests...but what are these robots?. I have a mental image now of the likes of C3PO and R2D2 swapping advice and ideas on here

Robots are self joning and posting software. Google "Ashley Madison bots" to find out exactly what this software can do. Most forums use it to look busy, hence the numbers on this forum.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

Libel

would be claiming in writing that a commercial organisation (Sift Media) massaged their figures to sell advertising space, this false claim (Unless you can prove otherwise) would obviously cause harm to reputation which means a financial loss and that would be libel, which i believe has no defence in court.

Liable, well this is a different word.

I would block you but I want to see what might happen

Ok, if Sift can prove they sell their advertising to 30 odd regular users they have a case. I'm on about logged in users, not "hits" or "views".

 

[Andrew Chambers]

The number of bots vs users kinda says it all, doesn't it?

 

[Deggle]

No.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

There is a constant stream of 'guests' who read this forum (currently 488). They aren't the same 488 that were viewing/reading yesterday. They all see the advertising.

Hoe many are then? 50%, 5%?

 

[Jeff FV]

For saying the forum is for profit, which is bought about by "massaged" figures. The forum doesn't have 200,000 regular members, it has 30 odd, what number do Sift sell their advertisers?

We've had posts like this before, I'm sure will have them again in the future.

In the post for which you'd said you'd be banned you didn't break any rules, so you wouldn't be banned for that.

Even if you did break a rule in a post you'd probably receive a warning and maybe some points, but unless you were spamming the forum we'd be unlikely to issue a instant ban. We're quite tolerant, really.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

No.

We've had posts like this before, I'm sure will have them again in the future.

In the post for which you'd said you'd be banned you didn't break any rules, so you wouldn't be banned for that.

Even if you did break a rule in a post you'd probably receive a warning and maybe some points, but unless you were spamming the forum we'd be unlikely to issue a instant ban. We're quite tolerant, really.

Thanks Jeff

I've said all I have to say. But will end with if anyone thinks this forum is here but anything bar profit then they don't understand business. I'm on SIFT's side here, just don't get why people don't understand how the numbers, and advertising, works.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

@Andrew Chambers take off the tin foil hat man ;(

Robots are things like googlebot, MSN bot etc. NOTHING to do with your wild accusations of manipulation of posts or autoposts.

You joined yesterday and start a thread like this today, and expect to be taken seriously.

The paranoia is there for all to see when you wrote "I shall be banned for saying this"

Get a grip, and do yourself a favour, download the media pack and see what and how space is being sold.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

@Andrew Chambers take off the tin foil hat man ;(

Robots are things like googlebot, MSN bot etc. NOTHING to do with your wild accusations of manipulation of posts or autoposts.

You joined yesterday and start a thread like this today, and expect to be taken seriously.

The paranoia is there for all to see when you wrote "I shall be banned for saying this"

Get a grip, and do yourself a favour, download the media pack and see what and how space is being sold.

I didn't start the thread as it happens!

And if you are so into software I suggest you do a little more research, Ashley Madison proves what bots can do, widely reported in the media, surprised you missed it. Prove against the dismissive of mods on forums when the subject is raised.

Thread took my interest as it happens to be something I know about, and I was simply trying to explain to the op why there was such a vast distance between the supposed number of current users and those registered. Advertising revenue, am I wrong?

 

[macmacman]

Wow and I was wondering if anyone would reply to my thread! Thanks everyone.

It was just an observation really. I'm interested in forum communities and how people use them. I know Xenforo which this site is part built on. And I think it's fair to say that 200k registered members with an average of 30 logged in members is pretty low. But remember that 200k is over maybe 10 years. On the flip side those 30 users are certainly active as there are plenty of posts going on.

Because this forum is open and you don't need to be logged in to read it, then from an advertisers point of view it doesn't matter there are only 30 members online, the total number online of 500 is the better figure. You could argue that the 30 users are of higher value as they are more into UKBF and trust it more and so trust its adverts.

Looking at the media pack I think the advertising rates are pretty good and I'm sure they give alright results for the money.

But back to my OP point. So yes the stats in the footer are accurate I was just questioning them because they are below typical for a forum. Sweeping statement I know, but you know what I mean.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I didn't start the thread as it happens!

And if you are so into software I suggest you do a little more research, Ashley Madison proves what bots can do, widely reported in the media, surprised you missed it. Prove against the dismissive of mods on forums when the subject is raised.

Thread took my interest as it happens to be something I know about, and I was simply trying to explain to the op why there was such a vast distance between the supposed number of current users and those registered. Advertising revenue, am I wrong?

yes, you are wrong

 

[Cromulent]

Robots are self joning and posting software. Google "Ashley Madison bots" to find out exactly what this software can do. Most forums use it to look busy, hence the numbers on this forum.

Incorrect.

In this case robots are used by search engines to index and update their cache of a particular website. Google and Bing use these all the time to keep their search index up-to-date and that is what the robots number is referring too. Of course there are numerous types of robots out there for all kinds of different purposes but it is NOT referring to the automated spam robots you seem to think it is.

 

[Ian J]

I've said all I have to say.

I'll drink to that

 

[estwig]

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”

― Kurt Cobain

 

[MikeJ]

I heard that in 1983, so pretty sure it's not Cobain's original.

 

[beasty]

It is a line from one of my favourite books Catch 22

 

[swankypants69]

As a side not, obviously I can't say this for sure, but that figure of 30 users logged in COULD be 30 different members say every 5 or 10 mins, so that COULD be 180-360 individual members in the space of one hour

You cannot view one figure like that and say that only 30 members view the site a day etc

 

[macmacman]

You cannot view one figure like that and say that only 30 members view the site a day etc

True. I think it clocks the last hour of user logins.

It's interesting, if you look at other big forums in the UK.

https://forums.digitalpoint.com/

Discussions:2,300,394
Messages:17,289,446
Members:770,647

Total: 1,529 (members: 89, guests: 1,294, robots: 146)

https://www.avforums.com/
Discussions:1,761,717
Messages:21,501,459
Members:319,474

Total: 2,139 (members: 531, guests: 1,538, robots: 70)
UKBF
Discussions:263,569
Messages:2,324,497
Members:
200,625

Total: 756 (members: 32, guests: 648, robots: 76)
On these figures Digital Point has the fewest members online compared to its number of members registered. Then UKBF. Then AV forums beats both hands down.

 

[Ian J]

True. I think it clocks the last hour of user logins.

I used to be an Administrator on one of the three forums that you linked to and the default within the forum software for counting members online was half an hour after they have logged out.

I also used to keep an eye on new user registrations and a huge proportion of people registering never actually posted anything

 

[movietub]

Yes I do.

So Sift sell their advertising on 30 odd regular users do they?

Or 200,000?

If I'm wrong bring on the liable case.

what are you on about!?

Why on earth would Sift sell based on either of those figures? You're in the realm of libel to make statements about Sift selling based on either of those figures as they almost certainly don't. Niether figure is relevant.

It has no bearing how many people have signed up on a forum this old and it matters very little how many are signed in at one time.

Just like cars are bought and sold based on things like headline price, mpg, speed and comfort, online advertising is sold based on unique visitors, page views and time on site/page views.

These are standard markers of performance and value. To suggest a high ratio between registered and logged in users would have any bearing on advertising revenue is crazy.

And also, there is no connection between 'logged in' users and active users. out of the 200,000 registered users it could be that 10%, or 20%, or 40% are 'active'. Just not often or for very long each session.

 

[BustersDogs]

Having worked for community websites in the past (both non-commercial and commercial), the commercial companies I worked for didn't count members, they counted visitors to each page and numbers of pages. One of the companies I worked for only put one comment per page, so lots more page hits to read each thread...

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Dont forget the quality of the readers is also very important to the advertiser, cloud accounting software seems to have been very strong advertisers in the past

Advertising on the forum seems to be a relatively new thing anyway its not long ago that there was only the odd advert on here, if memory serves me right about under 3 years

 

[Andrew Chambers]

what are you on about!?

Why on earth would Sift sell based on either of those figures? You're in the realm of libel to make statements about Sift selling based on either of those figures as they almost certainly don't. Niether figure is relevant.

It has no bearing how many people have signed up on a forum this old and it matters very little how many are signed in at one time.

Just like cars are bought and sold based on things like headline price, mpg, speed and comfort, online advertising is sold based on unique visitors, page views and time on site/page views.

These are standard markers of performance and value. To suggest a high ratio between registered and logged in users would have any bearing on advertising revenue is crazy.

And also, there is no connection between 'logged in' users and active users. out of the 200,000 registered users it could be that 10%, or 20%, or 40% are 'active'. Just not often or for very long each session.

Funny, Sift find it relevant. Their sales pitch is:-

Unique page views
Unique visitors
Profiled Members
Visits from mobile devices.

All pretty standard really, but they do make a big deal (well equally big with the other three!) about the number of members.

Apparently 25% of "users" access the site 11-30 times per month. Not sure if that's members or simply unique visitors, couldn't find the details.

Again, my point was the number of members is there to aid advertising revenue, and apparently it is, along with three other bullet points.