Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

AIBU to think local pages on mumsnet aren't so great

110 replies

Valdeeves · 08/11/2013 00:20

Largely because there's not alot of traffic?
I moved to a new area and met all my friends through Netmums - not one on mumsnet despite using the local pages - no one ever replied.
Why is this? Why do mumsnetters not use the pages?

OP posts:

deepfriedsage · 08/11/2013 00:21

Because nobody else does.

Sparklingbrook · 08/11/2013 00:22

I think people are reluctant to share their exact location for fear of outing themselves.
A lot like to stay anonymous.

Original poster

Valdeeves · 08/11/2013 00:24

I just find it a shame as there's so much really entertaining conversation on here and the kind of people I would like to have met. I've been lucky as have made friends via the other website but it seems like they need to improve this area.

OP posts:

ChubbyKitty · 08/11/2013 00:24

I'm just convinced no one else in this one horse town is a MNer apart from the one friend who only signed up to read a couple of funny threads I told her about.

Original poster

Valdeeves · 08/11/2013 00:27

Ha ha - funnily enough I don't know anyone who uses this site.

OP posts:

ScarletLady02 · 08/11/2013 00:28

I'd tell anyone to steer clear of NetMums "meet-a-mum" boards to be honest...

I met one woman from there and she turned out to be a compulsively lying, manipulative bitch (and I don't use that word lightly) who nearly destroyed my marriage

Please note I'm not saying my experience will be the same as everyone else's but it's sure as hell put me off!!

bsc · 08/11/2013 00:29

I really think it's the anonymous thing- NM all reg under a forename (usually their own ) whereas on MN (to use a meme-) no-one knows you're a dog

Tis a leetle bit of a shame, yes, as there are some people one would probably be great friends with in rl, but I don't think we can have the honestly, and variety of discussion we have on here without the anonymity.

bsc · 08/11/2013 00:30

Ha- valdeeves- you don't know of anyone who uses the site, but I bet you do know people that use MN!

lottiegarbanzo · 08/11/2013 00:43

You're right but a little patience would be kind - there was a plea for local editors recently, which seems to be part of a push to develop the local sites over the next few months.

You can use a different nn locally from on here.

Once there's more info there, people will find them more easily when googling local activities and may well start using them quite separately from the main site.

RevelsRoulette · 08/11/2013 07:03

People don't use it because people don't use it nobody wants to go and chat in an empty room. Go there yourself and start lots of threads and eventually someone will join you. Then the two of you talk until maybe a third person will join you. You'll be talking to yourself a lot and waiting for several days for a reply, but in the end, traffic will probably increase.

Don't fancy that?

Neither does anyone else, that's why it's a ghost town

wigglesrock · 08/11/2013 07:28

I think it's unfortunate, but MN got left behind in general re local pages & like anything it's very difficult to catch up when a "competitor" has been doing it very well before you

I also think that when the new MN local was rebooted there were teething problems that I know put me off. I realise that it just depends on where you live but I live in a small region & MN local categories are far too many, there so many different sections, the original necessity to name change (which I know you don't have to now) was also a pain in the arse. It's quite cumbersome to navigate & it's irritating trying to get back to the main site.

I think maybe it's a case of trying to reinvent the wheel.

Original poster

Valdeeves · 08/11/2013 07:40

I have been putting threads there for two years now

OP posts:

nannynick · 08/11/2013 07:59

Looking on mobile and there is no button to click to take me to my local area board. Local is hard to find.

Not sure why on NM it does so well, wonder if it took a long time to be established there or did they start with that then added general boards later.

Meglet · 08/11/2013 08:03

Because the threads no longer appear in active convo's. I swear they used to pop up every so often.

Now I have to click across to a different site to look at my mumsnet local and I always forget.

If HQ could bring local active convo's back within the main active convo's then I'd use it a bit more often.

MurderOfGoths · 08/11/2013 08:08

We just need to keep posting on our local sites, it's one of the joys of forums. People wont post unless the forums look busy, so the more we can post the better.

I feel a bit guilty as I'm meant to be the one doing the organising of meetups for my local one, but haven't been well enough.

ConfusedPixie · 08/11/2013 08:09

It doesn't help that you have the new local boards, and the old ones that are still part of the main talk area.

I'm not 100% sure how to get there without using one of the purple buttons up top to take me to local classes or childcarers and to get to the local talk through that, and even then it's not hugely obvious from the local landing page how to get to talk.

I do try to use it as if it doesn't get used it won't be useable, but there aren't many of us there and atm there are quite a few convos where somebody asks a question and then me and the local editor respond, and that's it.

jellyboatsandpirates · 08/11/2013 08:10

Not sure why on NM it does so well, wonder if it took a long time to be established there or did they start with that then added general boards later.

I've been on Netmums for years, the local boards were around well before the 'coffeehouse' (ie, chat boards) were set up. In fact, I remember the chat when it first started out!
So they'll have had more chance to get established.

pudseypie · 08/11/2013 08:21

I don't look at them as you can't get on from a phone which is what I use 90% of the the time. MNHQ please make them accessible from a phone and then we'll all use them more! I know there's loads of us in my town as I can see from some of the posts like the where do you live ones.

UsedToBeNDP · 08/11/2013 08:30

What sparklingbrook said. A lot of MNers (the majority?) use the site as an anon chat/talk board, not a place to meet folks in RL.

Sparklingbrook · 08/11/2013 08:39

I think NetMums are more open-put pics of themselves and their DC up. Perhaps the site leans more towards meeting up?

NandH · 08/11/2013 08:39

I know what you mean op! I relocated 6 months ago and met people through baby groups but would liked to meet people through here also.

I too think its an anonymous thing.

Where are you

deepfriedsage · 08/11/2013 08:50

I agree local threads should appear on active convos and a quick click via the mobile site there and back.

MissRee · 08/11/2013 09:15

Actually, traffic is increasing to the Local sites and I've seen 2 or 3 threads started just this week alone. I'm the LE for the Greenwich site and my page views have more than doubled in the last few months yet Talk is still quiet.

If you're disappointed by how quiet your Local is, rather than starting a thread saying how shit it is, why not try and encourage people to post there? By saying its shit, all its doing is encouraging people to come and agree with you and putting off people who might want to go and have a look!

You can access all of the Local Site via mobile, just not the app. You need to use the interweb bit of your phone. The start of the web address will always be local.mumsnet.com/[your area] or you can just put in the local.mumsnet.com bit and find your area from there.

We also desperately need more Local Ambassadors to organise the meets! If you want to meet more people, VOLUNTEER! It won't take up much of your time - you should organise a meet once every 4-6 weeks but more often if you want to.

Your Local Site has its own email address - it will be [your area]@mumsnetlocal.com. Get in touch with your LE if you want to help make it great, don't just sit there and say the competition is better.

MissRee · 08/11/2013 09:16

Oh and I believe MNHQ are working on getting Local threads to appear in Active

BobaFetaCheese · 08/11/2013 09:22

I end up talking to myself on our local one.

NM is fab for local boards but I don't think I'd use their meet a mum board.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5