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Yes

16 (24.2%)

No

20 (30.3%)

I am not sure/ don't know

15 (22.7%)

Have not given it any thought

15 (22.7%)

Total Members Voted: 60

[DaisyCutter]

I believe forums have declined mainly due to the emergence of larger social media sites such as Facebook. I don't think it's due to the popularity of pellet pits, it's people go looking for information more quickly, as many already have a facebook account etc. Also, most manufacturers have their own facebook pages, which people are naturally drawn to.

[jdmessner]

I voted no. I have absolutely no data, facts, or insight to back me up. However, I would think forums would be in higher demand as there are more people purchasing pellet grills and usage is going up. The content and purpose of the forum may be constantly changing, i.e. going from techinical product reviews that can be found on other web sites to more Q and A about problems, tricks of the trade, recipes, etc.

No matter how the market changes, I think there will always be a need for a place to get and share information, ask questions, and be able to show other like minded folks what you have done. I feel this site is a place where I can safely ask questions, (even if they may seem silly to others) and know I won't get ridiculed, but I will get insightful answers. What is being produced in a forum like this probably has less to do with getting specific grill information and more about building relationships within a cyber community of people with a common interest.

[Chris__M]

In my experience, the biggest danger to forums of any kind is Facebook.

The British BBQ Forum seemed to be going quite strong, until they also started a FB group, which basically sucked all the traffic away.

For one of my non-BBQ fora, I was persuaded to start an associated FB group (and it was either I form it, or someone else would have - this way I kept control). A good 50% of our membership now don't bother to post to the Forum, and I think my Forum only keeps the traffic it does because I ensure that any discussion about meetups and the like is conducted over on the website (as I make the cross-posts, I can ensure they at least have easy to use links, and commenting disabled on FB).

What do I have against Facebook? Nothing, I use it every day. I think it is great for sharing with friends - things that you have done today, photographs, opinions etc. Ephemeral  stuff. But anything you want to be able to refer to in the future - advice, reviews, recipes etc., it is mostly useless after the post is a couple of weeks old.

[pmillen]

I really don't want to say what companies have been involved because I don't think something should be read into not participating since there could be many reasons not to participate.  And I really don't want manufacturers to think I am somehow blackmailing them into participating or otherwise I will tell the membership they did not want to.

That's a reasonable stance.

When you contact the companies, can you talk with or even write to a decision maker, like a CEO, rather than some middle management functionary who may see supplying and retrieving a sample pit as work to be avoided?

[Kristin Meredith]

I really don't want to say what companies have been involved because I don't think something should be read into not participating since there could be many reasons not to participate.  And I really don't want manufacturers to think I am somehow blackmailing them into participating or otherwise I will tell the membership they did not want to.

That's a reasonable stance.

When you contact the companies, can you talk with or even write to a decision maker, like a CEO, rather than some middle management functionary who may see supplying and retrieving a sample pit as work to be avoided?

Sorry, I did not modify or edit your post Paul, I just sometimes hit the wrong key when trying to quote a post.  In a couple of instances, I know I am dealing with a mid-level person, but in a couple of other instances, I know I am dealing with the decision maker -- and sometimes folks I have personally met!

[LowSlowJoe]

I can't really fully answer the question... not in 4 choices.

This is the age of social media... forums like this, are not as 'hip' ( or whatever the young folk say these days ), as the newer forms of media.  And, well honestly , the new forums of social media are not really quite as good for displaying the kinds of information that had been a part of the pellet forum now, or in the past.   Search functions are darn near non existent on places like Facebook, and all that. Yeah, well technically they do have search functions, but I've never really found them all that great.  It's very hard to find any information that's more than a few months old.

  Ah, anyway...   Seems with the more modern forms of internet media that are being used more frequently then these older style forums, the attention span is also growing shorter.   People ask the same question repeatedly, often people grow weary of responding in a thought out manner, because in the long run their comments fade way into swamp of older questions and such.    Yet, if you want the attention of most younger folk today, product marketers have to play that new media game... In some ways, the newer game is better for marketers , they can get their latest message out fast, and well, frankly if the old message didn't work, it fades into the distant past and largely becomes forgotten.

  I do prefer forums like this from a technical point of view... but I fear this type of site , is getting closer to the ways of full service gas stations.

[yorkdude]

  I do prefer forums like this from a technical point of view... but I fear this type of site , is getting closer to the ways of full service gas stations.

Boy I hope not.

[Kristin Meredith]

Interesting points on the social media issues LSJ. I have no real understanding of social media beyond Facebook and I am only on that because of the puppy raising so really don't know all the things it is used for.  Twitter and Instagram are just names to me and I have read some additional names of social media sites recently that I have no clue what they are about -- except that they all seem to be based in a "live in the moment" "look at me" crowd" which is not what this forum is about.  Also goes a bit hand in hand with some "elitist" thoughts I have been having more and more. 

I have begun to think it is fine and wonderful if the whole world wants to read this forum and learn from it.  But I am starting to feel that "membership" should be more exclusive and limited to those who are at least checking into their accounts -- and I would probably go even further and say you need to have at least one post every six months.  I would like to limit members to people who are contributing some content.  I guess I think membership should carry a bit of responsibility and also be an indicator of a bit of distinction from folks who just casually drop by to read every week for a few minutes. I guess I also feel that if we are maintaining this forum for true members who appreciate what is happening here, then there is a point in continuing. So, you all may see membership numbers going backwards and become part of a smaller group which may become more difficult to join! (Also, if someone is trying to join and having issues, they need to email Bent directly -- I think he is somewhat burned out on the screening process.  We have days with 20 to 25 registrants and not one is legit and I think it irritates him to the point of not caring if he approves anyone.)

[Mikro]

As some have mentioned FaceBook and other social media has pulled many from what we have considered traditional methods of attainable information. I have been a member of other forums ( not cooking, grilling or any related). The same problem is exhibiting itself. The use of a cell phone to be in contact, the speed in response from members, all of this is contributing to the decline.

Social media is the dominate direction unfortunately. One problem with Social media is the search function sucks, period. So this lends itself to having a static website so one can research a product from the manufactures or the sales site. A forum is not a product, but it is a means for people to communicate with others in a larger context than one on one using chat in Social media. That to me is a plus.

I have just about given up on traditional websites as a means of selling a product. ( I build electric guitars ) and currently do not have a website at this time. That does not mean I don't need one. Since the ability to Showcase the product is very important.
One thing I have noticed on Social media vs Website Forums, Post on forums has declined by 95% where on Social Media it has exploded exponentially.

Somewhere there will be a balance, what and when that is an unknown.

Just my 0.02cents.
Mike

[glitchy]

I voted no, because I don't believe it's pellet forums that are in a decline, if anything I think they'll continue to rise in popularity, it's forums in general that are in a decline.

The issue as other have mentioned is that Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have taken over. They are one stop shops for everything and are hard to beat. You can look at what people are cooking and cooking on at the same time you can share with your friends thoughts about the concert you are going to tomorrow, etc. Over the years, I've visited all kinds of forums from slot cars and RC, to cooking, to tools and project related. Today, this is the only forum I visit regularly. Some of that is that kids have limited my other hobbies. I think forums are dead yet, but all are likely moving that way eventually. However, I'd guess you'll still see a good forum following for a while, especially around pellet grills since they continue to grow in popularity.

Personally, I'll miss forums if they truly ever all die. It's nice to relax, read and interact about an interest without having to wade through a bunch of other xxxx I'm not in the mood for sometimes.

[LowSlowJoe]

I only do two forms of social media... One Facebook, the other Discord   

Facebook is 'king' for the moment in social media,  but as any of us who watch the news recently, there's potentially a big problem with Facebook and other forms of this type of social media.. that is, who keeps track of what's true or not.   

I know one pellet group on Facebook , where you'll get banned if you say anything remotely negative about the brand being discussed... well, in fact there are more than one group like this.   Other groups, darn near anything goes...   But nothing is organized very well really.   

I do Discord , only for a Playstation Car racing game I've become heavily into.   The two groups I belong to get a lot of action, but again , not much organization to them. If I were to go away for a week, and come back, it'd be darn near impossible to catch up on what I missed.  I'd basically just have to start from the new messages and just sort of ignore that I lost a weeks worth of discussion/context.

 Anyway,    I'm about ready to pull myself off of all social media, just because it can be such a huge distraction from life.

[dk117]

I also voted no.   So many reasons.  The general public is absolutely clueless when it comes to BBQ and pellets.  I'm mid 40's and maybe I'm the younger side here, but we'll be discussing our cooks for decades yet .... right here on PF.  Facebook has nothing on this forum.   

My father stopped by for lunch yesterday.  He spoke of his friend getting this amazing pellet cooker (Timberline 1300) as if it were the best thing on the market.  I showed him my Gator.   It took a good 10 minutes to explain that the Traeger was an inferior product.     He was absolutely certain that the Traeger was the pinnacle of this industry.  Frankly his friend who spent $1800 on the Timberline felt same.   

Maybe we're a niche hobbyist group.  That's ok, but I want to add another thing:  let's not diminish the value we're providing to the lurkers.  I went from Bradley puck and gasser hack, to BBQ pit master because of PH and PF.  I've actually got some skills now!  Let's not talk about the past, but look towards the future.

DK

[Bentley]

This to shall pass, but thanks for your comments! 

The Performance Tests I believe have run their course.  I think that the manufactures may have thought about it and said...look, do I really want a PT that is 5, 8, X years old out there when my new line is so different.  Larry and I had agreed just before his death that it was time to contact the Manufactures and explain that is how Pelletheads.com felt.  Ask if they wanted to submit a new unit, and if they did not, we understood, but that any PT over 5 years old would be taken down.  Their Manufactures section would stay intact, but we saw a great disservice to them by leaving a PT that old up on the site!  But, Larry passed and the rest is moot for me.

I would like to continue the Product Reviews.  Whether Members want to do that or not, I guess we will have to do a poll after the Camp Chef SG is finished and see what the community thinks and let folks through some items out there they would like to see a Reviews of!

Sorry to hear you're burnt out Bentley because you have built a very friendly and helpful meeting place for pellet grill users.  I hope you find some help to ease your burden.  Do you really need to invest your time in laborious product reviews?  Am I the only one that thinks the site would still be great without you busting your butt doing them?   
   

[TechMOGogy]

Forums in general are in decline for all the reasons already mentioned - Social Media, Facebook, Instagram etc.
I like forums as they are easily searchable and do contain historical content.
Good luck searching FB for a post you saw 1, 3, 6 months ago!
Its just the current way of sharing information that has/is changing.  Kind of like all the young people at work want chat
because they hate email?!?! Basically the same thing to me but they want it so they get it and now everyone has to search
2 things (email box and chat) for important messages!

Just my rambling thoughts

[texasbrew]

I don't know if forums are over or not.  I can tell you that I am a member of some various pellet grill Facebook groups and for the ones that I belong they are all wash, rinse, repeat:

1.  I just got my new grill so how do you cook a brisket?  This one gets asked a couple times a week.
2.  I am having an issue with my grill.  Either you are advised to call grill manufacturer's tech support or you get banned from the group.  There is actually a banned certain grill manufacturer Facebook group. (can't call their baby ugly)
3.  Look at the 1000th picture of grilled wings or ribs

I find myself only in FB about once per week as it gets kind of boring.  I much prefer a forum like this one with honest dialogue where you can do research and learn/share information over extended periods of time (some topics can last over several days whereas on FB it has a lifespan of about a day).  Lastly, many of the members on the forums are veterans of pellet cooking and not some Johnny come lately Youtube star trying to sell some half-baked cooking theory as well as pushing some free item that they were given to review.

I am sorry if some of my comments come off as cynical but I am just a bit jaded on social media bbq.