Since the DOC facebook page has been up and running traffic on this site has literally died off
Have I missed something or is facebook taking over
I’m not so sure, Kiwi, there’s been quite a few posts on here the past couple of days. I think that a few of us on the CoM are trying to get people from the facebook page to source the DOC GB website … 
only 1 response so far
I could put the same post on facebook and get a lot more responses in a similar time period
which sort of proves the point, the website in its current format is not being used and has become a secondary means of internet communication for the club
Hi
The Facebook page is only intended to be a route to our website. We are currently updating the website to add more functionality and increase it’s value.
You cannot compare the number and speed of responses between a web site and a Facebook page. Facebook users tend 2 do everything on their phones and are hooked on instant replies whereas users of the web site and forum tend to log on once a day and do any updates.
Cheers
Steve
Firstly this is our forum, not our website, the website is under construction and has take a lot of time and effort, if there was a danger of the FB page taking over our website then it would be removed. FB is available on most mobile devices and can be accessed really easily during the day, you cannot usually sit at work with a forum or indeed website open.
Lots of talk on the page, notice the word page, not lots of club information, history, contact details, branches etc etc etc on our Facebook page, we are attracting none members from there to join the club, and also from the open discussions on there we have possibly set up a new branch, so really it is a tool for us to be shown that we exist. Yes, we are a bit behind with it but we are working hard at it, lots of people have ideas and plans to help and sometimes it does take time.
I hope that this clears up the distinction between our website and our forum, the more people use it the better but what we do not want is a blather pit of useless mis-guided information on there.
Finally got logged on again so I’ll reply to this here. It’s all very well when someone asks a question on the Facebook pag to simply tell them to ask on the forum, but if that was me I’d see that as very unhelpful! How many people have the time to join the club when their bike is broken, all they want is help to fix it. If all we do is say “Join the club and you’ll get an answer” then we will alienate people. If we help people out on the Facebook page I think they’ll be more likely to join the club after?
In the year since the Kent Branch has had its own email address linked to the club I’ve had 1 email on it! It’s a pain for me to keep logging onto it every few days or so to check for email which I know won’t be there!
Facebook is the way we keep in touch now, people log onto facebook all the time and can see if there’s any branch updates. My post about the Kent Xmas dinner has had 8 views, and I bet most were non Kent people as I’ve not had a message or even a reply!
So to answer the initial post, in my opinion yes FB has killed the forum, but lets face it, the forum was pretty thin on posts before then anyway!
If we use FB instead of Forum then it will be members only, if not then why should they join, information is given freely on FB, I never said we we would not answer, I said more technical people use the forum. This is true, we have a wealth of knowledge here, people that do not use and refuse to use Facebook. Again I will say we are working behind the scenes updating everything to be more user friendly, this does not happen overnight. FB will never take over, it is an addition to like most other clubs page. We are more than just a page, some clubs only have a FB page, nothing else.
Just my 10 penies worth…it’s about personal choice.
FB isn’t for everyone, nor is Marmite… 
, and not everyone has smartphones (I know crazy eh) i’ve got IT and media mates who wont use FB, security, malware issues and the like, yet FB works for some as its easy and accessible etc. like Matryn says.
Website, well when its up and ready and the forum is attached I reckon all will be fine with the world. Whether it’s for preventative or cure reasons you’ll always have people wanting answers on stuff when things have gone wrong. The latter being where I 1st started using bike forums years back.
So is it FB or Forum’s, ultimately its Omnichannel isn’t it, i.e. whatever way someone connects with the club we should be consistent and to me that is the true value of DOCGB, welcoming, honest and helpful people, with a love of the best bikes bikes in the world! So is it one or the other, personally I thinks its both and with enough members we can “all” add value to them and entice those uninitiated to join the club me thinks.
Cornish
Cornish, some good points raised there. 
Absolutely, by the way if you you look at the website home page there is a Beta version, have a look it is really good !!