Friends, Romans and Countryman. Also forum members

[cookie1]

I am sure many of your have realised that the number of posts on the forum is dropping. The Moderators have been in deep discussion with MM over this. We feel the forum has perhaps become a bit "old hat" and nowadays it has to compete with many blogs, Facebook, twitter, Instagram and goodness knows what else.
This is one of the reasons we have initiated the challenges. Thanks Gert for starting one before we did. 

We fully understand that everyone leads very busy lives and appreciate all the regulars dropping in when ever they can.

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas to stir up the forum please?  We'd love to hear about them. 
MM has mentioned that the forum will have a makeover, but that may be some time away.

Judy and CC please add in anything I haven't mentioned as I didn't save the preview I sent you. 

[Jamberie]

I thought numbers had dropped....I recommend www.forumthermomix.com to all my thermomix friends, they have found that it takes a little while to learn to navigate.
If members mention and give links to the website when viewing (appropriate) Thermomix posts on Facebook pages (Skinnymixers, Thermobexta, 12wbt and I'm sure there are heaps of others with lots of followers...).
I really think a "pin it" to Pinterest would be great as it would enable people to both save and share recipes with a wider audience (killing two birds with one stone).
I know I don't post as much as I used to either but always pop in as I get so much inspiration from all the wonderful people here!!!

[cookie1]

Thanks for that. I will give this link to MM so that he can read forum members ideas.

[Cuilidh]

I also realised that the numbers of posts have dropped off, as have the recipes, which were the lifeblood of this forum when I joined.  I think the recent challenges have been great and inspirational in this respect and hope they grow and grow (maybe we should link the challenge recipes into the various categories so that they don't get lost???)

I am one of the ones who doesn't always post as much as I should, but I hope that will change soon with the advent of a new staff member in the near future (which will allow me to sneak away and check the forum more regularly)!

The moderators do a brilliant job and I hope some great ideas come from the brainstorming on this thread.  I would be so sad if the forum deteriorated to such an extent that it was no longer viable.  If I can help in anyway, please let me know.

[cookie1]

Please don't feel guilty anyone, you are all so important to our forum. That is the last thing I wish to do. You are very busy people and we understand.
Hugs to everyone.

[stacelee]

For me it would be great to see some sort of recipe formatting template so that recipes could be automatically imported into the many recipe programs and apps that are around now.  If there was a way of tagging the posts so that you know if it has been saved/read/favourited would be helpful as well.

The only other thing is whether the forum is staying very thermomix centric or interested in opening up to other thermal blenders.  The reality is that there are many on the market now with more arriving all the time...there seems to be an image problem with the forum amongst a few people I have spoken to who feel that the forum is unwelcoming to people who have other machines.  I don't know that it is even the amount other forms of social media that is the major problem as it is that the site can be a little intimidating...I'm probably not expressing myself well but reading back through some of the posts, it gives the impression that if you don't have a thermomix, you don't belong here, and don't discuss other machines because that isn't allowed.

I think that this forum has lots to offer everyone and it still is my first port of call when I'm looking for information or recipes...I would love to see the forum grow even better.

[gertbysea]

I have joined the Bellini Addicts page on FB these gals seem to mainly be young mums and really could use some help using their machines. We all know what we think  of the Bellini but they are selling a zillion of them. Seems that the feeling is when they break down just go get it replaced and Target. Fine if you do not value reliability and it seems they don't . Anyway they are struggling so I joined to se if I could help in a small way. I think they would be intimidated by this forum as well.

Anyway I digress , I post a lot of links to this forum.

And I have  to say that Vorwerk is finally waking up to using social media as well.

Oh boy my beet bread is sooooooooo good.

Gert.

[achookwoman]

Has there been a gradual decline or just recent?
I have noticed that a lot of new buyers  in our area are young people with families.  Many of these woman work.  They have very little time for the Forum.   When I was working I would not have had the time for the Forum. 
ES has a different machine but is a valued member of the Forum and a very good baker.  She post adaptions for TMX recipes. 
Also,  the Community has improved their site and although I find the recipes there sometimes unreliable,  it must still collect people who would otherwise join the Forum. 
I agree that the increase in TMX related sites are competition , and must take away from the Forum. 
What to do about it, I don't know.    Perhaps informal group meetings in our own areas. 

[cookie1]

I'm so glad the bread is nice Gert. I am pleased with my paler version.

I see what you mean Stacelee. Quite a few people on here have other thermomix machines. Obbie has several, ES has a thermochef, Emme a HMP and I think a thermomix I have a HMP. You do have a valid point though. I'm sure MM will see it when he reads through this thread. ( I have sent him a link).

All thoughts and hints are gratefully received. Thanks.

[Jamberie]

I'm thinking maybe highlighting the unique strengths too....
*help usually within hours of asking a question
*One thing of particular mention is the review section where there are reviews of every recipe from every thermomix book....

Also with the 'time' issue, I know it can be time consuming to trawl through posts.
A superior search function may assist.

[cookie1]

I must agree about the search function. I have spent ages looking for a recipe that I know is on here somewhere. I now use Judy's strategy. I google the recipe with thermomix after it, that usually gives me the link. 

[judydawn]

Marina, we will put TMX recipes into their respective categories once this challenge is over and we move onto the next one.

That's the way to go Cookie, if it's there Mr Google will find it. 

Thanks for those positive remarks Jamberie.

[EmeraldSue]

I love this forum. It's my first port of call in looking for a recipe, although I use google's search function to find recipes by typing in what I'm after, followed by "thermomix forum"
I've always felt welcome here although I don't have a thermomix, and I've had very few failed recipes cooking forum recipes in my ThermoChef.
This forum doesn't have all the bells and whistles of other social media sites, and it is a little clumsy to navigate, but the recipes are first class and the conversations are friendly and supportive. There is always a ready answer to a problem and members readily share information. 
I admit that my posts have dropped off in the last few months because I have been busy on another project that has taken a lot of my time and energy. That project is now up and running, and I now have more time to spend here

[Bedlam]

I know I don't post many recipes, I think that is because this forum has so many to offer.  I love the feedback from everyone on all the recipes and how fine tuned they are because of this and  I love the contact with like minded people. 
I know because of this forum I use my machine constantly and cook heaps of things I wouldn't have tried otherwise. 
Even a wonderful holiday in Adelaide all because of this forum.
I imagine the new machine release will prompt many new and varied conversations.
I love this forum the variety of wonderful recipes and the three wonderful moderators and wonderful members, perhaps it's just a natural ebb and flow!

[Bonsai]

When I first joined the forum there were a lot of recipes being converted and cooking advice/chat galore (just look at how many pages the bread and yogurt recipes generated). I wonder if some new forum members or guests are put off a bit as the most active threads now seem to be 'chit chat' about pets, shopping, what we had for lunch, what the kids are doing etc. the forum seems to be gradually moving away from the original intent as the most active members are thermomix veterans who know so much about their machines that discussing exactly how to make good icing or mayonnaise is 'old hat'. Whilst this is not a criticism as many members obviously enjoy the social talk and conviviality, I wonder if those looking for a purely cooking focused group go elsewhere or fade away?