I REALLY wish I had an idea how much traffic the quotes, charts, and portfolios get. I was shown the data in Seattle and I thought also prior, but can't find it, and am not tracking it.
Would rather do a survey, but of course we're not set up for surveys. Although maybe I can do one on the new site before too long.
So for now I'm just going to watch and weigh the feedback and chime in from time to time. It's common knowledge that I'd just as soon drop them, and will if they don't put money in the coffers directly or indirectly.
On a side note, I was hoping to invite everyone to the new site today to check it out, but I got pulled away from development the past couple of days for other fires that needed putting out. I've got a contractor starting Monday who will be addressing those other "gotta have a geek's attention, but doesn't have to be this geek" items so I can focus more on the new site.
Despite having missed a couple of days of work on it, it's coming along. Those who've been invited to check it out should hit it extra tonight and see what you think. The Subject/PeopleMarks routine is coming along.
Another reason I can't throw the doors open on it yet is that I've added something to it that's being provided to us on a trial basis to see if I like it enough to include it, but it's with the understanding that it'll have very limited use until I make the buy/don't-buy decision.
So hopefully sometime next week I'll be able to comment out that particular feature and throw the doors open to see what everyone things. The feedback so far has been largely positive, even from Classic users.
Oh, and Doug? That was one of the most comprehendable posts I've ever seen from you. But have to agree with Tom in that we don't need to really argue with the pro-quotes folks. Keep in mind that though the writer doesn't "contribute" much as far as content goes, the fact that they wrote a message means they've contributed in a monetary sense or are a long-time (read "devoted") user of the site.
That said, with the feedback received so far, I'm still not swayed any more or less toward or away from my original position on quotes, charts, and portfolios.
However, one of the ad agencies did contact me today to tell me that a brokerage firm who had been advertising here and on iHub isn't going to do so anymore because they have a policy against advertising on message boards. Specifically, I was told that I couldn't have the ads anymore unless I put them in a "content" area rather than on the forums.
Imagine my reaction. I get a little nasty when I'm offended, but was relatively kind in my reply. I did start it with the requisite "Ummmmm...." I like to include when I'm incredulous about the message I'm replying to, such as when it includes something I think is really stupid. But I followed it up with "The forums ARE the content" and left it at that, telling them I'm not going to segregate the sites into different "types" of areas for the benefit of a single advertiser.
But their point is still well-taken. The advertiser, who pays well, would advertise on quotes, charts, and portfolio pages, but not message pages. I don't think they'd take enough advertising to offset the cost of providing those pages, though. |
