The quality of MVS users' posts is highest it's ever been. Take NorthernLights' post today Volvo 850 Outer CV joint interchange data. Damn interesting and highly applicable. If MVS helper-regulars -- I've always guessed to be about 5% of the users here -- held high political office, world hunger would have been solved yesterday.
I'll be honest: it's getting harder to make a living running this site. I'm getting squeezed on one side by pressure to lower ad rates driven by shrinking ad budgets, and on the other by the difficulty of getting new traffic. New users are harder to attract now that the car DIY Internet "revolution" is over. The segment of the Web is now mature, and new traffic falling into my lap is a thing of the past.
I'm working harder than I ever have to get new users because the number of new people seeking Volvo information has leveled, while the number of competitors keeps climbing... the traditional "barrier to entry", in this case installing a forum on a Web site, has become far easier than it was ten or twelve years ago. (Note: MVS traffic isn't declining, it's simply reached a plateau, a trend I started noticing 18-24 months ago.)
If I have to get a job again, MVS will still be here, don't worry. I ran it before when I had a 9-5 (that's 9am-5pm, not a Saab
), and I can do it again. The decision to get a 9-5 is a ways off, and is not a sure thing. There are many variables at play.The quest for traffic from search engines -- SEO -- is cutthroat, but thankfully great content is still the best way to attract users, and that's my strong suit here at MVS. I'm trying new things, like partnering with iPD to bring their specialized Volvo knowledge straight into MVS Forums. MVS is not standing still.
Thanks to everyone who has taken time to write DIYs and everything else that helps Volvo owners. It's what makes us stand out. And as always, a big thank you to the MVS Moderators, who do this for the love of Volvos and helping their fellow man.
