Author Topic: Facebook Group  (Read 1781 times)

Offline Markee

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Facebook Group
« on: 09 April 2022, 09:29 »
Apologies if this has already been asked, i've had a search but couldn't find a definitive answer, only references to Facebook but does the forum have a dedicated Facebook page?

Social media (Facebook in particular) has seen the demise of many forums, not just in the car world but across many hobbies and interests, and as much i detest FB there are elements that makes me keep it. Personally i prefer the forum format, they are a great resource for knowledge/information, they don't seem to bring out as many wallies/trolls, you meet some great people and there's an almost exclusiveness feel about being in a 'club' (you don't get that vibe in a Facebook group). On the flip side i get why FB groups are so popular, ease of access (most people have smartphones/tablets), uploading/posting pics is quicker, etc. 
A chequered previous car history (mainly blue oval, sorry) prior to owning Golf's.
2001 mk4 TDI - died at some traffic lights due to someone not stopping!
2000 mk4 GTD - a dog of a car, sold to WBAC in limp mode!
2000 mk4 1.8T - most fun i've had in a Golf (until now) but nearly cost me my licence!
2020 mk7.5 Tornado Red TCR - current ride.

Offline SRGTD

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #1 on: 09 April 2022, 11:07 »
I’m pretty certain that this forum doesn’t have have a dedicated Facebook page. I’m a member on a few VAG forums but not a member of any Facebook groups; car-related or otherwise. I agree, social media does seem to have had an impact on forum activity over the years, and this forum doesn’t seem as busy as it was a few years ago.

From a personal perspective, I get the impression that the demographics of car forums such as this one and Facebook groups tend to be different - younger age profile on Facebook groups with discussions focused around elements of car ownership I’m not particularly interested in (apologies if my generalised assumption around demographics of forum and Facebook group membership is incorrect and causes offence - no offence intended). Agree, the knowledge of forum members is a really valuable resource, and because of the (assumed) more mature age demographic, I can relate to - and hopefully contribute to - many of the issues discussed. There’s also lots of friendly banter on this forum and IMHO very little - if any - trolling.

No doubt that both forums and Facebook groups have their place. I will continue to be an active member on this (and other) forum(s) I’m a member on, but I’ve no desire to join a car-related Facebook group.

2020 Polo GTI Plus; Pure White, DSG (because they all are)
Gone but not forgotten;
2016 Polo GTI; Blue Silk
2011 mk6 Golf GTD; Carbon Grey
2007 mk5 Golf GT (2.0 170bhp TDI version); Deep Black Pearl
2002  mk4 Golf GTI (the 150 bhp diesel version); Deep Black Pearl

Offline Exonian

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #2 on: 09 April 2022, 22:45 »
 
You’ve hit the nail on the head with your observations and opinions as far as I’m concerned. You’ve pretty much said exactly what I would have.

There is no FB group directly associated with this forum. It would be an impossible task with eight generations to cater for.
FB groups tend to focus on one generation of model or even specific models (Ed40, Golf 7R etc) and work better for that.
Demographics of Facebook groups are fairly wide, one might assume a younger base but in fact that’s not the case.
Facebook being all-encompassing has largely been dropped by youngsters with those people generally preferring Instagram, TikTok and the like as it’s up to the minute and fast moving, without them having to answer questions about their lifestyle posts from their grandparents, aunties and even bosses who “just don’t get it”
Youngsters do still keep Facebook accounts for the more general watered down stuff and random memes but I’d say from my experiences (two sons in their 20’s and younger work colleagues) that it’s older people who use Facebook more.
Facebook groups for hobbies and interests do attract people of all ages for forum type information sharing as well as proud photos of their car (or whatever) but it’s a different feel completely to a full forum like this.

When forums became a thing after early internet bulletin boards most people accessed the interweb via sitting indoors with a desktop or laptop computer. Thirty-ish years later the online world has changed a lot.
Forums nowadays seem to give a less reactive and more considered platform where FB groups are repetitive, fast moving and quite often downright rude.

I am a member of Facebook car groups but don’t contribute. I find them a useful tool for learning about things like EV’s as I feel it’s important to know about them and to appreciate their positives and negatives (excuse pun), plus a few VW related groups but to be honest I almost never bother to look at the latter as we have a much better medium right here. Quality rather than quantity.
I did myself bin off Facebook for a number of years as I found some of my relatives annoying, but returned to it a few years ago for a laugh during the Euros as my work colleagues had a Facebook group around a sweepstake they were running. As I always have crap luck drawing a team I let one of the lads pick mine out of the hat and drew Germany. I thought I might win a few quid and have a laugh in the process; Germany bombed and the laugh was on me!  :grin:
So I kept the platform on for car groups - which I very seldom actually visit. And I still find some of my relatives annoying.
‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline Snoopy

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #3 on: 10 April 2022, 11:02 »
Im on a few facebook pages. Mk1 owners and mk6 but don't contribute much. I mainly use it to keep an eye on what issues are happening in my local village, town and neighbourhood.
« Last Edit: 10 April 2022, 11:08 by Snoopy »
Mk6 GTI  &  Mk1 GTI 
34 years of GTI ownership.

Offline jv

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #4 on: 10 April 2022, 16:58 »
We did have a page many years ago because apparently you had to. In fact we had 2 pages, one official type thing and another for people to moan on when the forum was going slow/offline. It's a total nightmare though as you get all obsessed with adding content on Facebook (who in turn own all of it but that's a side issue) when there's no real point. You also get people messaging you directly all the time with their high priority requests to fix their old GTI when really you want them over here finding the existing answers.
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Offline Markee

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #5 on: 10 April 2022, 20:58 »
I would imagine running a FB group would be an absolute nightmare with all the FB policies, content control & policing, it would almost be like a full-time job! I could 90% easily give it up but the 10% does prove useful at times, like when i'm having a quick vape at work and i want to have a nosy at something. I tried Instagram and Twitter, didn't get them so deleted them, well my life is not that interesting to be posting loads of different pics  :grin:

As i said i do prefer the forum format, it's just a shame that other social media platforms have made forums quieter (not saying that's the case here but on another forum, not car related, mine was the last post in 2019!). For me being on a forum is a bit like being in a club (without sounding like a kid), almost an exclusiveness, instead of just 'clicking 'join group' and you're on a page. I also prefer dipping in and out of various topics having a nosy and picking up some tips along the way, instead of scrolling and scrolling until something catches my eye.     
A chequered previous car history (mainly blue oval, sorry) prior to owning Golf's.
2001 mk4 TDI - died at some traffic lights due to someone not stopping!
2000 mk4 GTD - a dog of a car, sold to WBAC in limp mode!
2000 mk4 1.8T - most fun i've had in a Golf (until now) but nearly cost me my licence!
2020 mk7.5 Tornado Red TCR - current ride.

Offline JSYGTI

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Re: Facebook Group
« Reply #6 on: 30 June 2022, 06:35 »
I personally find it very refreshing not to have a Facebook page for this site. I’ve seen a few good forums die due to Facebook and lose a wealth of knowledge and information.