How much interaction do you get on here?

[buttersigh]

I was just wondering about how much interaction people get on this site? Obviously if you post a thread it might get at least a few replies but if you post a comment on another thread how often do you actually get any kind of reply or response to your comment? I know now they have the response buttons so we can count them as well. I'm just kind of curious as I seem to remember several years ago pre 2020 when I was on here it seemed like there was a lot more back and forth with actual conversations happening but now it seems like it is all just people posting there thoughts and even if you respond to someone directly just to agree with them and further the point or to ask them a specific question it feels quite rare to get a response at all.

Is it just me or is interaction down a bit these days and its more like a space to just independently say your piece and then move on?

I lose hope with some threads when the OP doesn't even have the courtesy to acknowledge well-meant replies - how hard is it to just acknowledge the responses?!

@Lifestooshort71 Yeah it does seem kind of rude sometimes I feel like I post a response which really from the heart and just nada, no response at all.

I got a lot on my first post.

Struggle to get more than ten on subsequent.

I won't bother with a post that doesn't use paragraphs or is full of bad grammar.

@ohyesido Interesting, I suppose it is like the rest of the internet and some things really "catch on" and others just slip into the back ground.

Usually not that much unless I happen to go against the general trend of opinion on a popular thread - and then a lot of the interaction isn't welcome!

@SevenWeeks Interesting, I find even these days if I do say something that I think well that might upset some people there still isn't much if any response, perhaps its people trying not to get drawn into some big argument online which to be honest I don't much like myself either!

It depends on how early you get on to a thread, if you are one of the first 10 you get lots of responses, quotes and interactions and can often sway the direction the conversation goes.

If the first few people give a no-nonsense response the rest often are too. If the first few people are supportive then the general thread tends to sway that way too.

It depends on the time of day / day of the week / term-time Vs school holidays / weather when you post anew thread. A stormy Sunday afternoon during half term you will get far more responses as everyone is hunkering down indoors Vs a sunny August Wednesday morning when people are on holiday or working

Yeah, definitely less interaction than there used to be compared to, say, ten years ago. Then people changed username less frequently, and you’d get to “know” specific posters and eventually people would start to recognise your name and interact with you, ask you how you were, remember something about your DC, etc. You’d get used to a fair number of posters you recognised as well. The site is much bigger now, and I’ve not noticed many recognisable usernames for a long time, except for a few long-running posters on the niche boards like Christmas, etc.

On the plus side, it’s less cliquey - back in the day if you weren’t a really recognisable poster you’d often get completely ignored while other “big names” chatted on a thread around you! That felt a bit shit to be honest.

There also aren’t as many of the weird scam threads where people got taken in by tall stories or fake campaigns or fake back-stories though - as far as I can see. So that’s good too.

Not a huge amount. Normally I only get quoted/mentioned if someone agrees or very strongly disagrees with me!

What annoys me most is I used to go out of my way to comment longer replies on posts with 0 responses ~ I never receive a response or reaction, except the odd time the OP comes back to ignore me and just say 'bump'. I don't bother often anymore.

I tend to ignore the threads where it’s obviously going to just be a long list.

I think there’s more interaction in boards that aren’t AIBU - for instance there are ongoing chats in the Litter Tray so I’d guess other specific interest boards are similar.

@HPandthelastwish Yeah I see how that works, I suppose there are more very long threads now and how often do we actually read them all the way though?

@Juliagreeneyes That is a good point that it is less cliquey and there are less recognisable usernames now. I suppose their must be loads more people now and perhaps people pop on and off sometimes weeks apart which to be honest I do. It does sometimes feel a bit like you post a reply and you have no idea if you are just talking to the void!

@LittleRedRidingHoody That is annoying, especially when you feel like you have gone out of your way to be genuinely helpful or comforting and then its like you don't exist at all!

@EmpressaurusKitty I think you are right, I'm not sure I've found a regular niche on here but I am sure their are some nice friendly corners with more interaction!

Yes I find it strange that when I've made the effort to reply on a thread that nobody else has bothered to comment on the OP often doesn't even acknowledge my comment. Even though it's been the only reply on the thread.

Since they introduced the "react" button I've posted less. I also very rarely use the react button myself although I used to use the old " thanks" button quite regularly for useful and helpful posts.

I'm getting quite disillusioned with the number of Reddit style posts and posts that really seem to be AI generated and which I dont comment on.

And having had the horrible experience of being "ganged up on" when I've posted an opinion that doesn't gel with the other posters I think long and hard before I post anything that might provoke that reaction.

Yes it's a shame if you are looking more for community.

It also encourages more 'out there' responses to attract attention - same as social media I suppose.

I get such as I need and am always EXTREMELY grateful when anyone bothers to spend time answering!

The "What are you doing today" posts often attract the same posters, I find those one motivates me to do something different too...I found a stain glass workshop after reading about someone else doing one which I thought I'd love. Or those threads help to just get me up if the days is getting on as I have no small children now and can spend a considerable time in bed doom scrolling at the weekend and someone else has already been up at 6am done their C25K, showered, got the slow cooker on and settled down with their morning coffee

I usually get a response if I post on a thread - either an "at" or a quote. And then a bunch of those emojis - thanks/agree etc. It's interesting what gets a lot - or what seems a lot? Maybe 15 or 20 in a clump on a post sometimes. I'm not a big controversial poster, so usually a little joke or a kind word is what gets a lot of responses. That seems like a nice thing about Mumsnet, really.

@HPandthelastwish how inspirational, I'm going to have a look and try to do the same

@HPandthelastwish yeah that does sound lovely, I will look out for those as well!

@Coldcoldwinterweather Interesting, I don't even see too much use of the response button like I wrote one thing the other week that got loads of agrees but that's unusual. I suppose at least you know someone read it in that case!

I agree @buttersigh - people now tend to make a comment and not come back. Last time I was on Mumsnet a lot -about 6 months ago - there were many more conversations within threads. It was more fun like that.

@CorsicaDreaming I am glad I'm not the only one who feels like that, I appreciate you saying so. Its a shame really and as you say less fun! I wonder why its changed!

I am popping out now to do night time taxi runs but I will be back at some point!

I think part of it is that it’s so much bigger than it used to be, and part that it’s more & more common for posters to either just respond to the OP or to just read the OP’s posts.

I sometimes start reading a thread, realise I’m reading the same few pieces of advice over & over, & go away again.

I get piled on if I don't follow the crowd. Apart from that, my posts are often ignored by the OP.

I'm not sure why it changed.

I find I now come along to Mumsnet for a specific reason (generally when I'm ill and want to guage it against the health of the (Mumsnet) nation!

I found it really reassuring when I had Covid - and then again recently when my family all went down with horrid flu.

Just reassuring to read how awful so many others were having it and it wasn't just us!

Then I end up posting on all sorts of threads for a while.

Then work takes over again when I'm better and I stop posting for a while.

I remember a hilarious and lovely thread about some random parking incident on someone's street. They did a running commentary all night. Everyone else tried to guess exactly where they were (I think it was south London somewhere) and everyone had a real chat and a laugh - it was a really funny and lovely thread.

Totally agree.
You drop out a well thought out pearl of wisdom, that you've seen work time after time - type it careful out, and no response - Zip - nothing.
So I think why bother.
In fact I have lately deleted posts because I thought what's the point.
Unless someone wants to argue your opinion is totally wrong and you end up saying it's my opinion- I just hope it's not a woman putting me down (we need to support each other)