Restructuring the Marketplace

[Artashes]

Sssup, community!

I've been toying with an idea to restructure the Marketplace a little to make it cleaner and I need your feedback.

The idea was to separate all hosting offers by type. Each will have its own dedicated forum.

However, while it is a big change, keep in mind the volume of activity overall to see if it warrants such segregation. For example, an option would be to first separate VPS, Dedicated & Colocation offers into two: (1) VPS, and (2) Dedicated & Colocation.

Shared & Reseller are natural fits that often get presented together and we get very few Colocation offers (in my estimate, less than Cloud). VPS, out of all solutions, have grown into its own very distinct and popular offering, so it makes most sense to give VPS and Dedicated/Colocation its own separate life. We just need to make sure that whatever we are separating into its own dedicated forum is backed by healthy activity in that forum.

My wish was to always keep this community interesting and fresh when it comes to discussions. I realize that commerce is an essential part of why companies participate in communities such as ours, but I also don't want members to add more advertising content without proportionally contributing to conversations. I think you can understand this concern.


The existing Marketplace structure is as follows:

Shared & Reseller Hosting Special Offers
VPS, Dedicated & Colocation Server Special Offers
Cloud Hosting Special Offers

The proposed new Marketplace structure:

Shared Hosting Offers
Reseller Hosting Offers
VPS Hosting Offers
Dedicated & Colocation Hosting Offers
Cloud Hosting Offers
Other Hosting Offers (email, storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, etc.)


Please cast your vote, let me know what you think or propose a new idea not covered by the poll.


PS: One extra question: should we allow free hosting offers anywhere in the new Marketplace, or is it just asking for trouble?


Thanks everyone!




EDIT: JULY 27, 2016:

I wanted to address something that might be a matter of interest to companies that advertise in the marketplace through stickies as it might impact the way they vote.

Here is what to expect if the Marketplace is restructured:

- Targeting will increase
- Prices for sticky ads will decrease
- Existing clients will double exposure at no price increase


What happens to my sticky ad?

All existing clients' sticky ads will receive a second one without a price increase. If you have an active sticky ad in the Shared & Reseller hosting offers forum, you will receive a sticky in both Shared offers and Reseller offers forums without any price increase for you. If you have advertising running in the VPS, Dedicated and Colocation hosting offers forum at the time of marketplace changes, you will receive a sticky in the VPS offers forum, Dedicated offers forum and Colocation offers (only if you offer such a service).

 

[vladimir]

The proposed new Marketplace structure:

Shared Hosting Offers
Reseller Hosting Offers
VPS Hosting Offers
Dedicated & Colocation Hosting Offers
Cloud Hosting Offers
Other Hosting Offers (email, storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, etc.)

PS: One extra question: should we allow free hosting offers under "Other Hosting Offers", or is it just asking for trouble?

I think the new proposal looks awesome, but leave shared and reseller together. I also do not think you should offer a section for FREE hosting. I have tried that marketplace and have ran a few free hosting brands and have failed everytime. I think it would bring the wrong message and would invite immature members. That is just my two cents.

 

[SenseiSteve]

There's always that risk that one or more of these categories will not populate as well as the others, but collocation for instance, already attracts a smaller audience by default. I voted to separate everything.

 

[MechanicWeb-sho]

The proposed new Marketplace structure:

Shared Hosting Offers
Reseller Hosting Offers
VPS Hosting Offers
Dedicated & Colocation Hosting Offers
Cloud Hosting Offers
Other Hosting Offers (email, storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, etc.)


Please cast your vote, let me know what you think or propose a new idea not covered by the poll.


PS: One extra question: should we allow free hosting offers under "Other Hosting Offers", or is it just asking for trouble?

I like the idea of splitting the forums. If anything, it's more practical and easier for end users to address something. It is also better in terms of discussion, documentation, archiving and searching. So, it will be more user friendly.

In addition to these, I'd suggest a forum for Master Reseller Hosting. As unlimited hosting is a reality, master reseller hosting is a reality, too. It helps many businesses to grow and there are many who do not want to run a server but want to offer reseller hosting.

But I do not really see a point to allow free hosting. If anything it will bring amateur users and in overall may offer the wrong gesture to the entire audience.

 

[ExonHost]

Don't need master reseller hosting forum. It will fit under reseller hosting forum. I vote for Split everything, but keep Dedicated/Colocation merged.

I like the idea of splitting the forums. If anything, it's more practical and easier for end users to address something. It is also better in terms of discussion, documentation, archiving and searching. So, it will be more user friendly.

In addition to these, I'd suggest a forum for Master Reseller Hosting. As unlimited hosting is a reality, master reseller hosting is a reality, too. It helps many businesses to grow and there are many who do not want to run a server but want to offer reseller hosting.

But I do not really see a point to allow free hosting. If anything it will bring amateur users and in overall may offer the wrong gesture to the entire audience.

 

[Artashes]

Thank you, everyone, who has voted and provided comments so far! All of it is very valuable.

I am going to reserve from commenting until we get a little more feedback.

 

[Localnode]

I'd like to keep it as-is. I don't think the number of advertising posts warrants it splitting. On more than one occasion in recent times, my posts have stayed longer than a week on page 1.

Maybe split the VPS bit from dedicated/colocation.

 

[storminternet]

In my view categories should be

1)Shared/Reseller Hosting Offers
2)Cloud/VPS Hosting Offers
3)Dedicated/Co-location Hosting Offers
4)Other Hosting Offers (email, storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, etc.)

 

[hostdare]

I would say keep as it is if splitted too much it will look cluttered,currently looks fine for traffic wise it receives per category.

 

[dweiruk]

I have added my vote but also add a free host section

 

[enomyn]

I am propose to add free hosting section.

 

[bigredseo]

From a management end of things, and a usability for someone searching the forums, I strongly encourage keeping FREE in a separate category.

 

[Artashes]

Thank you for some more feedback, people. Please keep it coming.

However, I am leaning towards not having "free hosting" section in any form at this time. I agree with the above opinion that it might attract the kind of user group to HostingDiscussion that will be unproductive to the success of premium paid providers.

 

[Eased]

@Artashes, are there any plans to update the website software and design?

HostingDiscussion hasn't been updated since 2007. This would be my primary concern for HostingDiscussion moving forward. Restructuring the forum layout & categories should be of little importance – or - planned to be done as part of a bigger site "refresh". Please put some of the ad revenue to worthy use. vBulletin 3.x is quite literally ancient in today's era. I believe an site refresh would contribute much, much more to the longevity and traffic of the forum.

Just my opinion as a long time support of the site. :twocents:

 

[Artashes]

@Artashes, are there any plans to update the website software and design?

Thanks for your feedback! Yes, a total update is absolutely part of the plan and I feel myself that we are running an outdated look. I have a straightforward roadmap for 2016. I have been working with a local developer on something new and exciting that I hope to launch by year end. Once that's done, an overhaul to the software and design will come into action. I've already been evaluating multiple options, including moving the forum to another platform.

However, at this moment I have to prioritize as most of the investment has been focused on product development.

 

[Collabora]

Naturally, revenue generation will be a guiding factor in any proposed design changes. Other than advertising, I don't know if any other source of revenue for the HD company.

However, there would be a guaranteed increase in advertising revenue if HD did not officially bad-mouth, lie about and downright criminalize hosts that offer hosting plans without the traditional quota limits on disk space and bandwidth -- as they do in their sticky articles in the Marketplace and in staff's postings. Why would such hosts spend marketing budget with companies whose made it a policy to convince their readers to not patronize such advertisers?
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[Artashes]

Naturally, revenue generation will be a guiding factor in any proposed design changes. Other than advertising, I don't know if any other source of revenue for the HD company.

However, there would be a guaranteed increase in advertising revenue if HD did not officially bad-mouth, lie about and downright criminalize hosts that offer hosting plans without the traditional quota limits on disk space and bandwidth -- as they do in their sticky articles in the Marketplace and in staff's postings. Why would such hosts spend marketing budget with companies whose made it a policy to convince their readers to not patronize such advertisers?

You know, I don't censor members' opinions and I don't tell staff what to think or say. If someone has an opinion - they are welcome to it. We don't represent any hosting company, all we do is connect the industry together. We only expect people to be respectful, a concept which has been lost on you lately, with the continuous little vile comments you like to make.

Also, there is no need to bring your agenda into every thread. This discussion has nothing to do with unlimited/limited hosts, neither it is about HD design or its revenue. As such, this time I am going to give you this public warning. As much as I am a tolerant person, my patience can eventually run out.

Back on topic please.

 

[Collabora]

This discussion has nothing to do with ... HD design or its revenue.

Back on topic please.

But in Post #15 you definitely addressed complete HD design (and platform). You allow sticky post ads for a fee (which is great) in Market Place. And you have sticky articles (and Announcements) written by staff in Marketplace (some not so great -- my opinion). I guess I am confused by what is to be revamped, or what I am allowed to suggest to be revamped (per poll choice).

 

[Artashes]

But in Post #15 you definitely addressed complete HD design (and platform).

I definitely answered a direct question by a member, if that's what you are referring.
I am also pretty clear in the same post that any re-design effort isn't a top priority at this time.

I guess I am confused by what is to be revamped, or what I am allowed to suggest to be revamped (per poll choice).

It takes reading Post #1 to eliminate any confusion about what this particular discussion and poll is about.

 

[Collabora]

It takes reading Post #1 to eliminate any confusion about what this particular discussion and poll is about.

Actually its not clear that the Sticky articles and Announcements in each of the Marketplace sections are not part of the restructuring. But thanks for finally clearing that up. It will help me plan marketing budget for future - -as small as it is. It would be silly for me to pay for advertising under "objective" articles that essentially characterize me as untrustworthy and a liar. Just my opinion, of course. You may rescind the 50% discount you offered me a long time ago.