Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave
You're absolutely spot on. I would love it if more people in the local scene used this site and contributed to it. I know for a fact that many local bands have members who look at it, although they don't necessarily register or post, in some cases for the very reasons you've outlined.
We've done our level best over the last few years to limit the amount of bonehead comments from people who have no interest in the site other than to stir up mischief and perpetuate their own online notoriety. You wouldn't believe the amount of the amount of negative and frankly childish nonsense I've had to delete from this site over the years pertaining to the efforts of others trying to make a go of things in Aberdeen. It's a culture problem, one that is slowly improving but still a long way away from being fixed.
There are many members who make a positive contribution here too, starting threads about bands and issues they care about in the local scene, but ultimately the success of those threads is down to the people who respond to them. If a user puts time and effort into creating a thread but gets little or no response from the community, then obviously they're going to be disheartened and dissuaded from doing so again. This is why we (the staff) are so proactive in ensuring discussions are kept friendly, informed and informative
Obviously we're never going to get everyone to sing from the same hymnbook, and argument and debate are always going to be a part of this site, but people have to take a reality check and realise that what we have here is a unique resource for bands, venues and promoters to communicate and interact with each other. We're not doing this for the good of our health, we're doing this for Aberdeen. There are people on here who still hark back to the AUBL days, and the times when people could basically run riot on here without fear of censure. All I can say to them now is grow up, times have changed, the internet has changed, and our role has shifted accordingly.
If anyone has any suggestions as to how we can persuade the people who look at this site, but don't post or register, to become more active, I'd be very interested to hear them.
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"The first step towards recovery, is admitting you have a problem" - As they say...
I would also love to see this site attracting music fans and bands from all over aberdeen, from EVERY genre, but don't feel there is a big enough draw to this site with it just being a forum.
I agree with the post regarding myspace having some involvement. Bands simply do not need this site as a marketing tool, as they can gain more exposure on the web by setting up a myspace page. When bands have nothing to come here for, i.e Theres no storys/info about themselves on here, they wont come. However, if this place was full of people, this would not be the case...and it would soon start attracting people on the outside!
I just had a quick look at the "Bands" section on the forum, I think this is in dire need of a revamp/update - I suggest getting in contact with "The Other Half" of bands/artists and asking them if they would like a forum on the site. Im sure Drummonds + The Tunnels will be able to tell you there and then who the popular acts are in the city...! And if they come, their fans will come...
I'd like to see Drummonds and The Tunnels getting more involved in this site also. I.E posting up gig listings as soon as they have them, and each one having a forum on the site...etc
Im just thinking of things on the top of my head here, but a big marketing campaign needs to be set in place...even if it involves having a AB-Music poster, and pinning it up on everyone in aberdeen's myspace! (Im sure you can search for abdn residents?)
Another big promotional tool would be to advertise the fact that people use these forums to buy and sell tickets. There is ALWAYS people looking to buy/sell tickets for gigs. Particularly gigs like the arctic monkeys and kings of leon at the AECC. AB Music could attract everyone that has to resort to Ebay, and have them browsing on here instead...And again, even if it's some chavy kids that are looking to buy 50 Cent tickets...it's still people isnt it?
Creating some sort of web ring with other websites in Aberdeen wouldn't do any justice...I.e Aberdeen FC website, or Donstalk, outagain, modern-image, belmont-street, has AB-Music got bebo??
If everyone contributed some ideas, no doubt you'd get some great suggestions!! Maybe it's time for an open-forum on the subject?