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I need your opinion

FmGrowit

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Some of you might be aware of the changes with the site over the past several months. The whole leaf site is undergoing a complete makeover and will be relaunched in a few weeks. As an eCommerce site, there is a process known as SEO (search engine optimization) that has created a small dilemma with the two sites.

Currently, the forum is linked to the Whole leaf site, but because of the way it is set up, the whole leaf site can not benefit from any of the information on FTT. The developer has proposed redirecting FairTradeTobacco.com to the whole leaf site where the most recent forum topics will occupy a small section. The front page of WholeLeafTobacco.com will become the entry point to the forums.

The front page of the whole leaf site will also include recent tobacco news, a tobacco blog, a products page with "Special Offers" and some advertising. By redirecting the FTT address to WLT, the SEO will include all of the existing forum pages and information. This in turn will boost the search engine placement very near the top of the pages.

Being that there are only about 15 active members, I want to be sure you don't think this will be too commercial or feel like I'm selling out to capitalism, or that I'm just a money grubber.

I really do want your opinion because to tell you the truth...without you, the site is nothing, so you're the last one I want to offend. Please be honest with your reply.

If you'd prefer to send a PM with your opinion, I welcome that too.

Thanks,
Don
 
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SmokesAhoy

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Please do. I want to see this site succeed and grow and you deserve compensation for your time. The things being discussed about the seed bank, leaf swap and testing are important and will require capital, not just good intentions. And if/when it does turn a profit so what? Profit isn't a four letter word
 

Whalen

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I think that would be a fine idea. I understand your concerns, but it would be a fine thing to do. You have to explore the potential.
 

FmGrowit

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I think it could be a win/win for both sites. FTT will still exist as is, the only thing that would change is you'd have to click one more time to get to the forum main page.

Being an Old school businessman, I learned profit is used to grow the company. Perhaps someday the seed grow-outs can be professionally done. Operating a Blog post requires a professional writer. I can think of a few other areas profit could help grow both sites.
 

BarG

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I've always wondered how any one benefited financialy from a free forum site. By all means try to make as much as the market will allow.[Capitalism $$$,Aint it great] I found fairtrade through wlt site originaly and joined up immediately. By all means if you can link the two sites to improve SEO It sure wouldn't bother me in the least.{even if it did redirect this site all roads lead home, right. This is your brainchild and you need to do what what you think is best ]. Ive also got seo on my site and it gives you direct links and advantages to register and submit your sites to major search engines, and helps correct errors that increase your chances for recognition. I've noticed that when you check whos online your already getting alot of robot text spiders combing this site recently. I'm unclear why this should be any inconvienence for any members. Keep up the good work Don and I appreciate your efforts. When it comes to..................and buisness , Buisness trumps.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ money makes the world go round. I am of the mind that one of the purposes of both sites was to promote the exchange of information and sale and trade of whole leaf tobacco, and the best way to do that is to get as many new visitors as possible. [ you can also get on google adwords and spend a little for keywords that show up on other sites unrelated to yours as ads or suggestions to attract people here .

Barg
 

Daniel

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I also want to see this group grow, So whatever it takes. I am used to the ads and what not from other groups and visit one forum every day that you have to navigate through a home page to get to. It's not a big deal and if you keep the links to other pages bold and up front it helps keep people aware of what else is there. Not in a bad way.

Daniel
 

FmGrowit

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I want to reassure you that the forum will not be commercialized. It will remain almost as is other than some improvements with navigation and its appearance. There won't be any streaming commercials (for members) or pop ups or even banners. Key words won't be highlighted or anything like that. The whole leaf site, on the other hand, will have some tastefully done advertising, but nothing intrusive or annoying.
 

BarG

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Should be interesting, kind of like christmas wondering what your gonna get when you open that package. How do you commercialize a forum anyway? Fmgrowit, if you pm the best way to contribute a small donation [after christmas] I will contribute a token of my appreciation to the only forum I participate in. Only 3-4 more months till a new season begins, start planning now any 1st time growers out there.!!!!!!!!!!!! ps. my all knowing wife just explained how you commercialize a forum. I bet that would be highly beneficial to wlt. and give a boost to this site. No doubt win/win.
 

Boboro

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Im a capitalist, not a good one though one of the 100%. I come here when I can and like to look at leif for sale. The information from real farmers is a great asset and makes this site unique.
 

Chicken

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i hope it is so sucessfull,,, that you got to hire someone to give you a hand,,,

i could possibly send a lot of traffic to the baccy selling '' forum''

i havent really advertised to a group of friends on antoher forum i visit,, that has nothing to do with baccy growing,,,,

that they could buy baccy cheaper by the pound from '' here'' this site,

ive posted my '' past grow,,,the kilning,,,and the finished product '' there''

and a lot of people have shown incredible intrest,,,,

but the '' cold'' months i guess will be slow times for the site,,???

because no-one grows baccy during the winter,,,,

but hopefully with the selling of baccy,,, and word of '' typing key''

this site will take off this summer,,,,

it's i.m.o. doing fine right now,?? but what do i know of managing a website,


best of luck FM<
 
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