[woodcote]

So we ALL seem to agree - FB is a menace  

How do we pull more people on here - any ideas??

Strangely, perhaps - but we pull a lot of people here from Facebook. Like any forum, most will read, some maybe join - and just a few post or start a thread. There has been a huge explosion of interest in the hobby over the past 18 months - and that has been reflected across all social media platforms, but especially Facebook and Instagram. Forums have gained a few new members - as have the NSCC - but it's the viewing figures that have increased, mostly driven by Google searches and people posting links on Facebook.

Although Facebook is a very convenient way to share pictures and answer questions, it is on websites and forums where the really meaty information resides. Unless you save a post, information on Facebook essentially disappears very quickly - and discussion are generally less than great (although that can be the case on a forum too!). Sadly, there's been a lot of valuable information disappear from forums and websites too, which is why - in the end - print magazines and books are so important.

I like how there is a symbiosis between the amazing website content here on SlotRacer - the Manual, the Library, the track plans, the weekly Digest etc - plus the forum itself and the SlotRacer Facebook page and associated group. Take one of those elements away and the overall package is diminished, in my opinion.

How to get more people here? Well, they seem to be coming. How to get them to join and participate? We can all contribute to the excellent content that celebrates the best of slot racing - and respect that there's no right or wrong way to enjoy our wonderful hobby. In my experience, it's not always easy to persuade people to step back to an 'old-fashioned' forum, but it is very easy to scare people off.