Forum Traffic

St. Phatty · Mar 2, 2019

Chunkypigs said:
The latest info and best pictures are on IG now, there are also plenty of growers showing and describing their TEK better and quicker than ever happened in this style forum.

It also sucks because it's not easy info to search for and if you are not following along in real time you miss things but once you start following lots of different hashtags as well as accounts I find it pretty acceptable.

It seems like ICmag has turned into a place that gets more political posts than knowledgable growing posts anymore.

I'm certainly guilty of that - writing about stuff other than Growing & Enjoying Cannabis - but we do try to keep that in one corner of Toker's Den.

Also, I'm in a situation that hopefully doesn't happen to too many members - living with blood poisoning for the last 6 months ... surgery next Wednesday.

I think one of ICMag's greatest assets is the knowledge base of its members about subjects OTHER than Cannabis growing.

This is a great place to ask questions about fixing well, almost anything, or firearms questions (though we have to be careful, ATF scrutiny & all that.)

Compare the intelligence level on ICMag posts & threads, to Facebook, Craigslist, Disqus, etc.

ICMag compares favorably.

Why not leverage that & take a shot at creating worldwide, Cannabis friendly, forums - on almost all subjects ? Maybe leave the porn to the porn websites. :tiphat:

I know someone is going to out-Facebook Facebook soon, and eventually out-Craigslist Craigslist. Why shouldn't that be a Cannabis forum, like Overgrow before their apparent shutdown (?), or ICMag ?

aridbud · Mar 2, 2019

By far, this is the most informative cannabis forum website due to members and responses. I've made numerous friends here, and have supporters of our autoflowering strains.

Other forums "seem" cut throat or they are tied into their seed selling site. I've not felt comfortable at a few like here at IC. (Interesting, since I asked if people here frequent other forums).

Everyone wants instant info (not necessarily the most truthful)and graphics- FB, Instagram seem to be that instantaneous platform. That, in itself, offers more seedsters to sell their gear.

IC Mag was tied into Seedbay and Seed Boutique - a powerhouse, yet eroded away (Bay) after years of unique and powerful genetics developed by members dwindled.

Other sites lead members to selling their gear, but IC Mag is downstream at the moment. Unless it changes, opening up a net store for awesome genetics from members (other than commercial breeders, Boutique), I imagine it will become a large family, those who are regulars/supporters.

Retention is needed, a new chapter for Gypsy on web site for gear - what else can help IC? Is the reality that numbers, (guests/members) will continue to decrease because.........????

I certainly hope not. Being steadfast to ICMag, I applaud Gypsy, moderators, members/guests for their insight, knowledge contributions, experiences, humor, et.al thus, making this an extraordinary forum.

oldbootz · Mar 2, 2019

Howdy Gypsy, there are a lot of more advanced forum software out these days. I'm sure an upgrade would be possible with the same look and feel as the current site but much improved media uploading and mobile responsiveness.

Mikell · Mar 2, 2019

Embrace social media. Push IC there. Why?

Reasons mentioned here. Modern social media is great for marketing, new tek and networking.

What it doesn't do is allow a platform for longterm or indepth discussion. Many old wives tales long disbanded here take root on social media. The amount of misinformation is staggering. But as mentioned a lot of new information isn't even making it back here.

Nothing in searchable, everything is ephemereal.

And as chunky mentioned, IC is outdated and difficult to use. 90% of internet connections are made on phones or tablets and this site ranges from a pain in the ass to unfunctional on either. I browse the desktop version on my phone for better use than the mobile site and there are still functions I no longer use due to fucky programming.

Get on social media, do like they do, and upsell this place as a library of knowledge. Be a social butteryfly there and hit the books here.

At least that is my opinion.

Gypsy Nirvana · Mar 2, 2019

I have looked into trying to upgrade the site - but was told by Skip that it would be difficult/impossible to do - since the galleries and data might not migrate to a new platform.

What I could really do with is some sort of inventive, capable and dedicated webmaster <like ~shabang~ was on Overgrow, when it was arround> - since I'm not really versed in coding etc.

Ringodoggie · Mar 2, 2019

If you want to see some general info about icmag traffic, there are tracking sites like..... https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/icmag.com

I was surprised to see such little UK traffic. Australia is second to USA.

AgentPothead · Mar 2, 2019

If it's like it used to be, alexa only keeps track of people who actually use the alexa plugin and extrapolates # from there. I don't know if they still use that metric though.

theJointedOne · Mar 2, 2019

2010 was the height of rezdog seed sales hence the highest traffic then...that whole drama show turned a lot of people off, and others simply didnt feel safe here anymore for a while after gypsy went down.

art.spliff · Mar 3, 2019

I'm not arguing with Chunkypigs, following more sources of information can be a good thing, but there is no guarantee that anything is accurate. It seems to be just the place for hype marketers and salesman pitching their latest scheme. This site remains the best source of information in my opinion. Years ago I watched a gardening website devolve into an industry-shill shell of its former self, where you could not navigate forums anymore without being subjected to ads and shill articles written by sales people. It was palpable, the change from a community forum of gardeners to a blog-advertising-sales website with forums and discussion topics, nearly hidden under the advertising. Since I enjoyed the website in its original form and we often discussed our dislike of chemical fertilizers and the motives of those companies, the change in the website was decidedly against this type of discussion and instead promoted weed-n-feed (tm) martha stewart magazine garden pictures, the opposite of the reason I participated in that forum. So it was purchased and ruined as a forum, for my purposes, in my opinion. The redesign may have made some people some money so they might like the change. The point is a group of us always called out big ag on their lies and propaganda and then the site was redesigned to make it more difficult to chat.

IC Mag has archives and up to date topics. Other sites much more obviously have something to peddle which invariably gets in the way of sound knowledge and advice. Other forums (not IC Mag) have pretty translucent sponsored industry shills and employees for moderators admins owners etc. A knowledge site is a good thing, but if it's a sales site then the knowledge is unable to be trusted, which is evident.

There are so many seed sellers and breeders, it can be difficult to choose, but at the same time it's pretty easy to see what's what in my opinion.

Raho · Mar 3, 2019

Mikell said:
Embrace social media. Push IC there. Why?

Reasons mentioned here. Modern social media is great for marketing, new tek and networking.

What it doesn't do is allow a platform for longterm or indepth discussion. Many old wives tales long disbanded here take root on social media. The amount of misinformation is staggering. But as mentioned a lot of new information isn't even making it back here.

Nothing in searchable, everything is ephemereal.

And as chunky mentioned, IC is outdated and difficult to use. 90% of internet connections are made on phones or tablets and this site ranges from a pain in the ass to unfunctional on either. I browse the desktop version on my phone for better use than the mobile site and there are still functions I no longer use due to fucky programming.

Get on social media, do like they do, and upsell this place as a library of knowledge. Be a social butteryfly there and hit the books here.

At least that is my opinion.

You hit the nail on the head Mikell and Chunky!

Use Instagram to publicize ICmag.
There is no point in competing with them at what they do best, but IG is really a completely different experience than ICmag.

Gypsy, you may not realize the cache' that ICmag has on instagram. All of the main influencers there have a history with your site, and their connection with/experience here is sometimes used to validate their street cred.

ICmag is "old school" but weed is one world where old school has always been cool.
You need to leverage your strengths and understand/don't try to be what you are not.

The platform you are running on needs a serious upgrade that would extend the lifespan of your business.

New functionality, integration with social media sites, performance, security and compatibility with mobile devices would all help you drive some ad revenue here.

Any good web developer should be able to do the DB work needed to retain/migrate the links to old album content.
If your current admin can't, find somebody you can.

Your historical traffic stats are the dashboard for your site and every hosting company in the world provides tools to view that data.

I don't understand how you sold advertising without having at least some of that info in the past, but it may help you sell more in the future.

I know you are focused on rebuilding the seed store part of your business, but the forum is the foundation and strategic advantage you have over all those other EU seedbanks.

All the best, and thanks for keeping this place alive for us all these years.

Mr. Greengenes · Mar 3, 2019

This weekend in Maine there is the regenerative Cannabis event and I never saw it mentioned here on ICmag.
https://www.regenerativeorganiccannabis.com

Thanks for mentioning that Chunkypig, those are my friends. I wasn't sure if I could talk about it here, but I guess it's cool. Gypsy was a guest on our podcast Growing With Fishes. He was awesome, that episode was our most viewed ever. The regenerative cannabis conference(s) in Northern Cali had huge attendance. I couldn't make it, but I hope to if they do more, which I think they will.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG8zMXMhbSc

That's the GWF episode with Gypsy. He was an excellent guest as you might imagine.

On the subject of forum traffic, I was absent from ICMag for couple 6 years and came back because...well, because I MISS you guys! I'm an old Overgrow user and when that site went down there was nothing. ICMag is the only place lets face it. As Raho points out, people refer to it on IG, we mention it quite a bit on GWF, I mention it on Reddit.

connection with/experience here is sometimes used to validate their street cred.

That's it, ICMag gives you street cred. I don't see it getting less popular in the future. I think there's been a recent down turn, but I predict things will change for the better.

Gypsy Nirvana · Mar 3, 2019

Nice words Greengenes - and many other members on this thread ;

Now where can I find an accomplished, dedicated and trustworthy webmaster to do all the things you suggest?

CannaRed · Mar 3, 2019

I lurked and learned for years before joining. Other than the famous grow books, for years this was the only place I ever learned about cannabis. It's hard to get good knowledge in the middle of prohibitionland, when I didn't know any growers.

I tried lurking on other forums, but when I got used to the layout of this site, the others felt foreign to me.

The thing I love about icmag is all the other members destroying you if you're wrong.

If I ask a question, and someone answers, usually another poster will cite a scientific study proving or disproving.

I went on a Facebook cannabis growing group a while back. When someone post some bullshit that is obviously wrong, you get 200 people agreeing with the bullshit. Most of them couldn't last ten posts on icmag. Sign out crying with boo booed ego

theJointedOne · Mar 3, 2019

Regen conferences are cool but the info they give u isn't worth the price they charge imo. If anything the cost is worth the networking that goes on more so than the speakers, whom I have tons of respect for but even they look like dang how many times do I repeat same info

art.spliff · Mar 3, 2019

There were lots of pictures on Overgrow back in the day. The FBI raided Overgrow servers it sounds like.

The newest websites that maybe paid for search engine optimization look like they are there to funnel people into buying their own particular brand of stuff. With no rant or tangent, open source communication it is not imo.

Some Youtubers get a paycheck making videos with commercials watched mainly by babies and toddlers. Explain that one (varying audience and market I guess).

Douglas.Curtis · Mar 4, 2019

CannaRed said:
The thing I love about icmag is all the other members destroying you if you're wrong.

If I ask a question, and someone answers, usually another poster will cite a scientific study proving or disproving.

I went on a Facebook cannabis growing group a while back. When someone post some bullshit that is obviously wrong, you get 200 people agreeing with the bullshit. Most of them couldn't last ten posts on icmag. Sign out crying with boo booed ego

Very astute observation.

I like to believe instead of :fartyparty:

and

, like you find on other boards, ICMag fosters more of a :snap out of it:

,

,

type atmosphere.

Of course, diplomacy break downs (who me??) and miscommunication issues do tend to heat things up at times. lol It all works out in the end, because the majority here have very good intentions. Greatly appreciated.

Keep BEing Awesome!

CannaRed · Mar 4, 2019

Douglas.Curtis said:
Very astute observation.

I like to believe instead of and , like you find on other boards, ICMag fosters more of a , , type atmosphere.

Of course, diplomacy break downs (who me??) and miscommunication issues do tend to heat things up at times. lol It all works out in the end, because the majority here have very good intentions. Greatly appreciated.

Keep BEing Awesome!

like 80% of FB posts (back then)

No matter what, the answer was CalMag.

Lost in a SOG · Mar 4, 2019

CannaRed said:
like 80% of FB posts (back then)

No matter what, the answer was CalMag.

And the real answer was ICMag

Douglas.Curtis · Mar 4, 2019

LOL

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