If you haven't yet read this month's magazine editorial about some of the difficulties of running this website you might want to take a look.....

Maybe this (important) thread should not be in the HU Bar as some people think all thats posted here is utter tosh and not visit the bar.
Thanks Denis for bringing this to everyones attention, perhaps people should know who the pannier supplier is that gets custom on the back of HU, others may not be aware about 'hit counters' and search engines when it comes to blogging, I certainly didn't!.
Perhaps people do not post pictures on the hubb due to relevent difficulty re sizing, I know I have a problem and have only ever posted a few pictures, a site run by friends seems to only accept photos via 'photo bucket' (should be fcuket as I 'lost a batch of pictures trying it, never again). HU needs our support especially from UK and European members, as I find ADV, although a good site totally blows my mind!.

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Thanks D

I didnt know where to post it so I stuck it in the bar. I dont mind if it's moved.

Being more specific it is the April 2010 issue.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/new.../2010-04.shtml

Yeah !! I think there are many people who benefit greatly from the info they get on the hubb so a few subscriptions would be only fitting !

The more venenue, hopefully less advertising and maybe keeping the event costs from going up too much.

Hopefully




So people, get your memberships in. $20 isn't going to hurt most of us. You couldn't even buy a 3 pack of Touratech zip tie for that !

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/mem...membershipfees

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

This comes up every year and the same ideas come up. In the end Grant is doing his job it is the people on the Hub that need to step up.

For example the HU meeting in California for 3 years we talked about it. Till some one steps up and said I will do this it did not get done. I did now we have a California meeting.

If we want more ride reports looks like some one needs to post them and dam it when some one spends the time to post give them some positive feedback. Want HU to grow we need to start building it up. It is not like we do not have or know the people to do that. We know or sometimes are the who is who in world adventure travel not some second hand "I was told by some one who saw some one riding the world" OH NO we did it, do it and wrote the dam book.

Look at all the bogger and other places people post up on there is a Horizons Unlimited posting some place. Even the long way down got info from us and the other people that helped them? They got it from HU as well.

But enof of my ranting down to some ideas. Well we have many blueprints of what we can do to make some money. Some off the top of my head.

1. Some HU synthetic shirts on the backs of more people allwas funny to see them on the other web pages. Grant may need to give some away to people who are ridding the world so long as we get some advertising it may be worth the price.
2. Top bag and or dry bag, got to be made good S.S. net around that a HU item and recommended.
3. A HU Al. panniers HU logo with the globe it can be pressed in to the Al. before the box is made. A few in picks of bikes doing the world with a some vary well known people and we are gold.
4. Hate to say but print magazine may well help. Many have come hear asking for a storey or two we can do that but a HU magazine may well do better. Along with how to guides and where to go. Some times this will sell more ads than a web page.
5. Grant may need to brake down and get some help from someone in marketing.

Just make most of the forum viewable to paid up members only leave a couple of bits open for everyone as an appetiser then all members on here would contribute like a big club really. Just my thoughts.

__________________
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

That would probably see the hubbs effectivness as a traveller resource PLUMMIT !!!

The stength of a forum and the information available on it is in the diversity of it's members.

People just stopping by from following a link and then adding a snippit of information or the occasional member who doesn't use it enough to subscibe but will sign in every few weeks on the road whilst sitting in an internet cafe and adding valuable up-to-date info !

The hubb is unique in the way that is has a broad membership of people around the globe who contribute on a regular basis to other members. These people often don't need any help from the forum, info wise.

They share info and tips out of kindness and willingness to help fellow travellers.

Imagine asking them to pay to use the hubb ! My guess is that they would just find another site. ADVrider etc !!

Having a members only "club" would just lead to the same people chatting between themselves until they eventually get bored of the same info being repeated over and over until they find another site.

Many sites who go for compulsury membership for features see member numbers drop dramatically.

I used to read and post workshop info (im a moto mechanic by training) on xrv.org.uk (africa twin site) until they demanded I subscribe just to ask on the board what they thought my bike was worth. I now avoid that site and from what I've heard, it's just the same 20 subscribing members talking between themselves now.


Forum subscriptions are a great idea, and i'm a firm believer of contributing.

But not if i'm forced to.


Just my thoughts

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

That's probably the most efficient way to decrease page-hits and the income from sponsors.

It sounds great, but as noted - that would be the end of the HUBB as many other boards that have tried subscriptions have discovered, and even newspapers are in the throes of discovering.

Just so anyone wondering is clear:
We have never been interested in charging for content, and have no interest in ever doing so. Naturally the thought has come up, many times in fact, but the decision is and will always be no.

Remember this all started as our personal website and trip story, and when we were asked many times about how to do it, we started the HUBB and the ezine, and is just our way of helping other travellers help each other. It's supposed to be a sharing site where we all help each other and become friends and meet on the road or wherever.

The reality of it's growth has been that we need to make money in order to eat. HU stopped being a part time job for me 10 years ago, and is now full time for both Susan and I, and we could use a couple of staff full time, but we can't afford to pay them. Hopefully we'll get there and take some of the load off so we can get some travelling in again!

Memberships, buying our DVD's, tshirts etc, coming to a Meeting, all helps and is much appreciated.

Remember too that when you see an ad, especially a new and major advertiser, it really helps if you click it and check it out and see what they have to offer - advertisers track the number of hits they get via HU to decide whether they will renew.

Thanks to all for your comments, support and interest!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Some good ideas, thanks! And thanks for stepping up and helping with the California Meeting especially!

Especially 5: Marketing - yep, we're crap - anyone out there want to work cheap?

We're at the point where we can pay reasonable but can't pay the big bucks. And we really don't have the time- we're very much in a "too busy fighting alligators to drain the swamp" situation. With luck, after the 5 main titles of the DVD series are done in the next couple of months, the worst pressure will be off and we'll have time to catch up a bit, but as many of you know, it's a very very busy summer for us - we'll be on the road or in the air - for 2 1/2 months straight. Plus trying to do all the usual admin on laptops in a hotel. We probably know the bulk of what we SHOULD be doing - it's a matter of manpower and time to get it done.

Post on the HUBB "Ride Tales" forum YOUR travel stories - yes please! I was asked recently if a three day trip was ok to post - of course! No matter where you are, it's exotic and interesting to someone on the other side of the world, and they will be delighted to read about the interesting places you know about in your own backyard.
Print magazine - yep - thought of that - sounds great - love to - no time. Any printers / publisher types out there we can partner with?

Tshirts - yep - wear those shirts, they're great quality and fantastic travel wear. And stickers too!

Hope all that make sense!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com